We've made our list and checked it
twice, and we think you'll find something for just about
everyone on your gift list from this cool selection of hot
new products.
This holiday season offers plenty to choose from, and we gathered
some great gift items in a wide range of prices to make your search
easier, whether you prefer to shop the old-fashioned way or click
away on a cyber-spree. Amazon reports that the number of Web
shoppers grew to 29 million in the 2001 holiday season - up from 20
million in 2000. With that in mind, we've provided Web sites
wherever possible, and have found one you might want to check out
if you just can't track down that perfect gift: www.surprise.com, which, through a
sophisticated "filtering" technology helps shoppers pinpoint the
right gift category, then suggests dozens of gifts - from sites all
over the Web - for that type of person. With the spirit of the
season in mind, we wish you happy holidays, and happy shopping!
- HOME -
MOVING IN STEREO
The challenge: Find a desktop stereo that liberates desk space,
without sacrificing deep, rich sound. Denon's solution? The
wall-mountable D-107 ($749) includes a tuner, CD
player with MP3 decoder, and preamplifier powerful enough to shake
the paint off your sheetrock. The D-107's dual-woofer and 40-watt
subwoofer fit neatly under desks (foot massages at high volumes
included at no extra charge). (973) 396-0810, www.usa.denon.com
HOT STUFF
Want a gift that takes the edge off the morning blahs? Starbucks'
Saeco Italia Espresso Machine ($695) will perk
that coffee lover right up. This little coffeemaker grinds, brews,
and even cleans up after it's done brewing. Plus, it helps win
office popularity contests. (800) 782-7282, www.starbucks.com
SHOP CLASS
To celebrate 85 years in the tool business, Black &
Decker is rolling out a new line of 25 products ready to
be played with - or "put to work" as guys like to say emphatically.
Included in the new line (which runs $30-$99) is a Bulls Eye laser
level and stud finder, utility vacs (the two-gallon wet/dry,
above), and Workman Series storage and work surface products. (800)
544-6986, www.blackanddecker.com
GARGAGE BRAND
Know someone who still believes the "Porsche, there is no
substitute" mantra? Get him a Porsche Pen Set
($65), made in Germany, of course. Replace standard-issue desk sets
with the Ferrari valve-cover penholder ($190) and Ferrari six-speed
gearshift coat hook ($30). Griot's Garage is filled with everything
auto- or garage-related, including car care kits, cotton fender
covers, and chamois. (800) 345-5789, www.griotsgarage.com
LYRICAL MP3
The latest generation of Lilliputian CD/MP3 players is fantastic,
but the eyestrain necessary to decipher their barely legible
displays is decidedly not. TDK noticed, and bestowed its new
Mojo 620 ($149) with the industry's largest
backlit LCD display. That's extra-good news, considering the Mojo's
LyricSync function, which allows listeners to download the lyrics
of favorite tunes and watch them scroll along the LCD as the song
plays (while this may prompt you to sing along, we encourage
restraint in libraries, churches, romantic restaurants, and, yes,
airplanes). (800) 835-8273, www.tdk.com
FLY HIGH
Commemorate 100 years of aviation history with a 1930's
DC-3 Martini Table, made from an authentic vintage
aircraft propeller, two layers of green glass, and a large aircraft
gear dome table base. This first-class table retails for $5,700,
and its manufacturer, MotoArt, also designs freestanding
sculptures, mirrors, and other fuselage pieces that'll take
gift-giving to a whole new atmospheric level. (310) 375-4531,
www.motoart.com
- ENTERTAINING -
GO GOURMET
Manhattan Fruitier has been in the business of
making gourmet baskets ($40-$550) for 15 years and knows how to do
it right; just ask the presidents and celebrities who've gifted
these beauties. (800) 841-5718, www.manhattanfruitier.com
WHAT ALE'S YA
Just in time for holiday parties, Heineken is
stocking shelves with a limited-edition three-liter magnum-shaped
bottle ($25) of its signature brew, complete with cork. www.heineken.com
TOAST 2003
Riedel Crystal introduces its sixth and final in a collection of
limited-edition crystal champagne flutes designed to commemorate
the millennium years, which the company has designated as 1998 to
2003. The 2003 Flute ($35) features a tulip-shaped
bowl on a stem formed by a modernistic crystal number 3. The
six-glass set retails for $370. www.riedelcrystal.com
STEAK TO GO
Oh, but not just any steak. Smith & Wollensky
will now ship its signature dry-aged steaks and accessories
directly to your client's or in-laws' door. Choices include filet
mignon, sirloin strip, and bone-in rib steak, matched with a set of
oversize steak knives, signature sauce, and the cookbook Smith
& Wollensky Steak. (877) 783-2555, www.smithandwollensky.com
- TECH AND TOYS -
MINI ME
This mini BMW MINI Cooper is nearly as cute as its
full-size cousin. The turbo-action MINI ($110) scoots by at up to 9
mph with a 50-foot range, and BMW says it's so smooth that even
your two-year-old can drive it (if you let him have a chance at the
remote, that is). Log on for other gift ideas from $5 and up,
including a full line of MINI-inspired clothing. www.miniusa.com
CHILD'S PLAY
Mickey Mouse and Buzz Lightyear lead the troop of new
Disney Two-Way Radios ($60) engineered by
Motorola. The radio and companion kid's phone feature Mickey,
Goofy, Donald Duck, Buzz, and Cinderella. (800) 353-2729,
www.motorola.com/cordless/disney
SOMMELIER IN YOUR POCKET
Access 10,000 wine reviews, ratings, and prices with the
Wine Enthusiast Wine Guide for Palm Handhelds
($30). Search by region, varietal, or qualifiers such as "best
buy." Keep track of a personal wine cellar by entering details such
as cost, stock, location, and tasting notes. Improve wine knowledge
with the database's 1,400-plus glossary of wine terms. www.wineenthusiast.com
STOCKING STUFFERS
Chances are you're going to give or get the ubiquitous desk
calendar this year. Why not make it one that works the ol' noggin?
The MindStretch Puzzle Calendar ($12), by American
Mensa member Terry Stickels, keeps brains sharp, which means you
can simultaneously compliment your office mate on her sharp mind
plus perk her up faster than a strong cup of coffee. (800)
944-7323, www.barnesandnoble.com
Richelle Thomson and James E. Mayfield are editors for American
Way. Regular contributor Ben Hewitt also writes for Men's
Journal, National Geographic Adventure, and Outside,
among others.
FASHION
HOT TODDIES
Wax-cotton jackets have been tested by real Scots in real
rainstorms; hand-finished sweaters pass English schoolchildren's
rigorous wear. We like the 100-percent wool Traditional
Tweed Jacket approximately $648 in U.S. currency), a
"gentleman's field favorite." (800) 338-3474, www.barbour.com
MADISON AVENUE
Stroll in style with the Madison Leather Handbag,
available in a fashion-forward lineup of colors ($790 for small,
$890 medium) from Lederer de Paris. If "classic" defines your
giftee's taste, consider items such as a world atlas, briefcase,
luggage, or elegant agenda books. (888) 537-6921, www.ledererdeparis.com
TIE ONE ON
The motif of the silk-twill Egyptian Wings Tie
($38) from The Metropolitan Museum of Art is adapted from a design
of two falcon figures that compose part of an exquisite
jewel-encrusted pectoral adornment of Princess Sithathoryunet.
(800) 662-3397, www.metmuseum.org/store