I know Hallmark and Tiffany’s would disagree with me, but that how I feel. Therefore, if you’re too old, or don’t feel in an artistic mood, here are a few ideas from sites that can ship in time for the big day. Don’t forget breakfast in bed (are you reading this Spencer?).

I’m choosing gifts that I would like to have. My son could afford any of these, starting with this red Marimekko umbrella from FinnStyle.  If you live in Seattle, or The D, you need one of these. It has been raining cats and dogs here. I wish I had a stylin’ $30 unbrella like this to go with my raincoat.

Next is this collection of square vases. A square vase is very versatile and , since I keep breaking mine, I’m thinking just about any mom would love one of these from Pottery Barn ($12 – $44).

I LOVE these. Okay? I’ve seen them in real life at Restoration Hardware. These real boxwood balls look great. You can buy just the ball, but online they’re teamed with a cute pot. Prices for the balls are $15 – $179. The topiaries are $39 – $59).

And that’s it! Photoshop quit on me, so my ideas from Tiffany’s and Henri Bendel’s will have to wait until next year. But they have lots of great things there, especially if you’re the dad.

I’dd leave you with this thought. I really think that a holiday invented by a card company shouldn’t go beyond the card (homemade would be best). You can include breakfast in bed, but I don’t think my husband should have to buy me a gift. I was given the best gift ever when my child was born. What’s your opinion?

If you haven’t guessed yet from the shortage of posts, my life has been super busy. But not too busy to wrap Christmas presents in a new way (for me). I decided that this year I would wrap everything with materials I already had on hand. I started with newspaper, and embellished each package with decorations I cut out of wallpaper samples, left-over wrapping paper, etc. I also used rubber stamps and markers (particularly silver and gold).

Every package was unique. I also used a couple of Japanese techniques – origami and kirigami – to make snowflakes out of the left-over gift wrap.

I wrapped some odd-sized things using clear wrap (left-over of course) and the shreds from our paper shredder as a cushion. I also made my own gift cards. A glue stick is a must. I ran out at the last minute. So I suggest buying extra.

I had a few boxes that looked fairly nice on their own. So I embellished them with the wallpaper samples.

I actually had some blank cards in the closet. (I swear I didn’t buy them)! I needed them for my teenaged nieces and nephews who like cash. So I made little pockets and tied the check into the fold with ribbon. The front is my perhaps lame attempt at being cool. I’ll let you know after the New Year if it worked.
Sometimes I found a particularly interesting image on the newspaper. I also liked the contrast between the news and the spirit of Christmas. Most of all, I like Christmas being as much about the thought that goes into the wrapping as the gift contained therein.

So if you run out of gift wrap at the last minute, put these ideas to good use. Let me know if you have a recycled item you use for gifts. I’ve got birthdays coming up!

Have a wonderful holiday and a splendid New Year. I’ll see you then.

If you’re going to spend Christmas with unruly family members, you need to buy yourself a box of chocolates from Olive and Cocoa. Hide it under the bed. This assortment starts at $44.00. When you’re finished with the goodies you can use the beautiful box for socks, or whatever.

Scoot over to Etsy’s Love The Day shop for cute stuff like their holiday-inspired popcorn boxes, bell jar stickers, and lots of other neat printed things.

After you’ve spent all night putting together a doll house, swing set, or bedroom set from IKEA, you’re going to need coffee. The best ever, ever, ever are Nespresso’s coffee makers. Another must-have coffee accessory is their milk frother. It works like magic and is worth the $89.00. Nespresso’s site is just about as annoying as putting together a swing set, but it’s worth the struggle. Once you’ve bought the coffee maker you can buy the coffee pods from Amazon. Misterarthur LOVES his.

I’m loving these food themed pillows from Barney’s. Best of all, you don’t have to put them away after the holidays. Lordy knows I’m a fruitcake 365 days a year ($135.00). Barney’s gets major points for having the coolest online gift guide. I need that web designer.

I’m buying this Cuisinart Smart-Stick immersion blender for someone on my list ($29.95 from Sur la Table). I love mine, so I figure I should share the love with…. shhhh!

Everyone needs calories, so why not brag about it? We all know we’re going on diets after the New Year, right? I’m filling my Jonathan Adler Calorie Canisters ($38.00) with candy.

Michigan’s Great Lakes Tea & Spice Co. has the most amazing teas and spices. Their packaging is lovely, too. My favorite thing are these little tea pots. They come in different colors and are the cutest tea-thing on Earth. And they’re only $30.00. That’s chump change for the cutest thing on the planet.

Is this gift guide helpful? I always try to choose things I’d like to have, or own already and love. My best tip is, if you’re totally stumped just buy chocolate and wrap it up nicely.

Finally, I’d like the thank my beloved husband, Arthur, for helping me out with some excellent posts while I was out of town last month. And thanks to you guys for the great comments on his man-gift guide post. He deserves a very large riding mower, don’t you think?

This being an interior design site, you might expect me, the man decorator, to have some interior design-y gift ideas for Christmas.  I think it’s important to point out that in most homes, the manly parts are limited to the garage and/or the basement. Hence, while this gift giving guide may not appear to be directed towards improving the look of your home, it might make for a happier home life overall.

In general, follow these tips:

1) Bigger is better than smaller. (Size, volume, weight – it doesn’t matter. When in doubt, go for the larger option).

2) Louder is better than quieter. (Applies to everything from home theatre systems to tools).

3) Dangerous is better than safe. Always.  (If there’s a risk of injury in the use of the gift, so much the better).

4) Not needed = Better

5) Warning labels are good.

Here’s what I mean. Men work in the yard. They rake leaves. You might think a beautiful, hand-crafted rake would make a nice gift. (And look nice, to boot). Like this beauty, from Coppice Crafts of New Zealand.

In a word, no. A leaf blower would be more appreciated. But remember the tips above. You might be tempted to get an electric leaf blower. Like this dainty Toro® model.

Or a small gas-powered model. This Poulan item is gas powered, hence noisier, hence better.

But not loud enough, or big enough. What you want to spring for is a Commercial Grade, Backpack model. Like so: A Shindaiwa EB630RT from Equipment for Construction Pros: Big, loud. Overkill.

The same rules hold true for “hand tools”  Hedge clippers are cute.

Gas powered hedge shredders are a much better choice. Note the gas tank. Not that you’d really need gas powered hedge rippers, but that’s exactly the point.

Now that you understand the basics, here are some gifts you may not have considered.  TV remotes are a necessary coffee-table irritant. Think of the genius who combined a Clicker with a bottle opener!

My friend, Joe Godard, put it best: “I want one for every television in the house”.

He also suggested an acetylene torch. “I don’t even know what to do with one, but it involves explosive tanks, fire, and I want one.”

He’d also like a nail gun.  ”Part tool. Part weapon. All dangerous“, which is a nice summary of the kinds of things men want.

(That nail gun is pneumatic, so you’ll have to get him a compressor as well.  Added bonus points for a gas-powered model, of course.)

I thought a nice gift would be one of those forced air heaters they use on the sidelines at football games. I found an excellent model at Masterheaters.com

You can run this model on Kerosene, Diesel Fuel Oil, and (if you can find it), Jet Fuel! Yay!  Wrapping it might be an issue.

I hope this helps get you started. Best wishes for the man in your life this Christmas!

Barbara!

Barbara, send me your  adress and I’ll have this candle zipping on its way! Congratulations!

Let me begin this review by saying that the candle I was asked to sample from Baroness von Neumann is attractive. So is the box it came in. As such, it might make a delightful gift. The scent, Fete is a little overpowering. I prefer a more subtle scent. But that’s a personal thing, right?

I must admit, the Baroness’ “resumé” smells a little well, eau de poisson-y to moi.

I’m sure they’re accurate, but her press materials stress a ready-for-reality-show kind of vibe. Born in Detroit (how gauche!), raised in “Hollywood”, sent to Swiss finishing school following her marriage to the Baron John Von Neumann. He “discovered” her at a party when she was only 18.  (Perhaps Fete is a Baronessian homage to that fateful evening). Her background also includes a stint as a Dior muse, a dancer, and, “international tastemaker”. (I’d love that job title, by the way).

The candles are also claimed to be 100% organic, (which I can’t confirm, as they don’t come with as extensive a C.V. as the Baroness herself), and are purported to burn for 70 hours.

Here’s what burns me up. Why do people feel compelled to buff their backgrounds so hard they glow in the dark? If, like moi, you’re from Detroit, that’s cool. Why not just leave it at that? Heads up Baroness! We’ve got our own royalty here. She’s called the Queen of Soul. That said, there are no Aretha candles for sale as far as I know.

These might make perfect gifts for your jet-setting friends with homes in Geneva, Palm Springs, and Bel Air. But chances are if they do own a home there, they’re already close personal friends with the Baroness.

PS: when you visit her website or online shop, turn down the speakers or you’ll be subjected to an endless loop of Eurotrash club music. Chicka chicka!

Giveaway!

After all that, I’m actually giving away a Fete candle. This is your chance to live just a tiny bit like the Baroness herself! Light your candle, pour a glass of wine, cozy up to the fire, and sneer at the kids. (Just kidding about that last part). This lovely candle comes in a beautiful box and would make a great gift. Plus, it burns for 70 hours.

To enter, simply leave a comment and let me know how six months at a Swiss finishing school would change your life. The contest runs for a week and is open to everyone in the entire jet-setting world! (Unless you’ve won something in the last 6 months. Are you reading this, Sultan of Brunei?) The winner is drawn at random and will be announced next week. Good luck!

The ceramic disc that surrounds the wedding bouquet (top left, $18.00) are affordable and sweet. I love Paloma’s Nest’s eggs, too. Nestle a couple in a small bowl in a powder room, or by the kitchen sink. I also like their wood stationary. And, we’re always seeing letters in art grouping. Where’s here’s just the thing. Check out their variety of ornaments – all customizable. Sweet!