PRINTThe Gift Guide
Courtesy of Weber-Stephens Products Company
May 1, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Summer gift-giving season is upon us. Buying presents doesn’t have to be stressful. Vox has devised a list of the most creative gear to satisfy your loved ones.
GRANOLA
Cold weather and wintry conditions are no longer excuses to opt out of a daily exercise routine. Spring is here and summer is quickly approaching, which means the time has to come to get back into bathing suits. Not all of us boast the enthusiasm of Richard Simmons, so for the next special occasion for those closest to you, give the gift of motivation with one of these get-up and get-out products.
Gifts for the Outdoorsy
Medicus Dual Hinge Hittable Hinged Swing Trainer
For the golfer in your life looking to move from playing as a social event to playing as a sport. This training tool will perfect swings to a “tee” by unhinging if the maneuver is not aligned correctly.
Available for $129.99 for an iron and $169.99 for a driver at Pro Am Golf, 1729 W Broadway.
Suunto X3HR Watch
The essential companion to the triathlete in your life. This watch/wrist computer goes above and beyond conventional stopwatch functions and enables the user to monitor heart rate and terrain variations; it can even predict weather changes. For the serious runner concerned with progress tracking and workout data, the price is justifiable.
Available for $169.95 at The Alpine Shop, 1102 E. Broadway.
Exofficio Give-N-Go underwear
Extensive cycling trips or extreme sports excursions allow only so much room for personal items. Reduce the need for the most personal item with these quick-drying, odor-resisting undergarments.
Available for $15.95 (women’s) and $24.95 (men’s) at The Alpine Shop, 1102 E. Broadway.
Valeo Sauna Vinyl Suit
For the extreme exerciser who’s always downing creatine shakes and using adjectives such as jacked and cut. This body suit maximizes weight-loss by trapping in sweat and moisture for a sauna effect during a workout.
Available for $12.99 at Play It Again Sports, 1208 Business Loop.
Tracks Compact Travel Staff
For the hiker who knows every trail within a 30-mile radius and considers the MKT a second home. This walking staff is travel-friendly and comes equipped with a camera mount for landscape photo ops.
Available for $89.95 at Walt’s Bicycle and Fitness Shop, 1217 Rogers St.
Treats for Treehuggers
With the new eco-friendly products available, gift giving has never been more generous than now. Although Mother Nature probably won’t be sending thank-you cards any time soon (um, hello carbon footprint), your green efforts are much appreciated.
Sigg Water Bottle
You won’t have to drink from environmentally dangerous plastic bottles any more with these Swiss-made, snappy-looking metal drink containers. In addition to eliminating health risks, Sigg donates 1 percent of sales to environmental groups.
Available for $21.95 at The Alpine Shop, 1102 E. Broadway.
The Tiffin reusable takeout container
Take the wastefulness out of take-out when you use this reusable stainless steel, dishwasher safe container instead of styrofoam boxes.
Available for $15.00 at Main Squeeze, 28 S. Ninth St.
100 Trees
You buy the trees, your friend gets a card and the gift goes to those who need it most. With your purchase, 100 life-sustaining trees such as avocado and banana will be planted in your name in one of the 26 countries Oxfam helps.
Available for $60.00 at oxfamamericaunwrapped.com.
Envirosax Reusable Totes
These waterproof, lightweight, all-purpose tote bags — available in various trendy, retro print — soften the eco blow by reducing the number of plastic bags used in a shopping trip. Just another of the The Butterfly Tattoo’s “presents
with presence.”
Available for $8 at The Butterfly Tattoo, 36 N. Ninth St.
DOMESTIC
Cleaning
Spring is a beautiful time. Unfortunately for us humans, it also initiates an ancient animalistic urge (or perhaps a media-induced obligation) to clean out our dens of cobwebs and winter waste. In order to make chores more appealing, Vox has outlined some useful and stylish cleaning products that double as great gifts.
iRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum
Did you ever wish your dog could clean the house? This mechanical wonder keeps you company while keeping your floors clean. Now, that’s a welcome difference from most household critters. Pet name not included.
Available for $199 at Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive.
Dirt Devil KONE & KURV by Karim Rashid
Dirt Devil offers two hand-held vacuums that double as modern art. The one that looks like a lava lamp is the KURV and the one that looks like a dunce cap is the KONE. These are some of the few hand-vacs that can be left out and are not an eye sore.
Available for $39.99 and $49.99 at Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive.
Onda broom and dustpan by Karim Rashid
Karim Rashid knows the importance of being tidy. His beautiful-yet-functional broom and dustpan sets come in three colors — pearl white, periwinkle and lime — and stand on their own. For more products see karimrashidshop.com.
Available for $41.90 at Stacksandstacks.com.
Merdolino Toilet Brush by Alessi
This is a great gift for gardeners or Dr. Seuss fans because the brush has a funky green handle and the container is shaped like a planter pot. Sam I Am would love to clean his pot with this stylish tool.
Available for $45-48 at unicahome.com.
San Miguel metropolitan reed diffuser garden
Diffusers are a hip alternative to air fresheners. The reeds sit in a vase-like container filled with scented oil. Flip the sticks over to release the aroma into the air. The set includes a vase, a metal stand and two tealights. Great for someone that wouldn’t be caught dead with a tacky plastic plug-in.
Available for $29.99 at Kohls.com.
Grills and accessories
Nothing says summer like cookouts and camping. These products are grilling essentials for both first-timers and experienced chefs. Whether you want to give a small indoor grill or a full-size charcoal grill, Vox has an affordable recommendation. Plus, grills are a gift that require the receiver to invite you over to break it in.
Weber Smokey Joe Grill
Kingsford Charcoal 9-pound bag It’s not the size of the grill that matters — it’s how you use it. Small, simple and cheap, this grill is good for amateur tailgaters and patio protégés. To make sure the steak is done correctly, internal temperatures are as follows: medium-rare, 135 degrees; medium, 145 degrees; and medium-well, 155 degrees.
Weber Grill available for $29.99 at Target, 2400 Bernadette drive. Kingsford charcoal available for $4.78 at Wal-Mart, 3100 W. Broadway. Eight oz. KC Strip Steak available for $5.77 available at Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway.
Char-Broil 26,500 BTU Two-Burner Gas Grill
For the barbecue cook that wants something larger and stationary, this Char-Broil model is an affordable option that fits 20 burgers on its grill top. Just don’t forget the propane tank. A serious grill needs some serious protein. Not to be confused with Buffalo wings, real buffalo meat is healthier than turkey, beef or chicken.
Char-Broil Gas Grill and 20 Lb propane tank available for $59.99 and $24.98 at Lowes, 201 Conley Road. Buffalo Burgers available for $33.25 at thebuffaloguys.com.
BBQ Grillware Portable Gas Grill
This portable gas grill is ideal for campers and tailgaters. Small propane bottles hook up to the grill, which make it easy to transport. It would be ideal to grill fish caught after a day on the riverbank, but buying food might fill stomachs a little faster. When cooking, wait until the fish meat turns opaque and can be flaked off easily before serving.
Portable gas grill and 16-oz. propane 2-pack available for $49.99 and $4.97 at lowes, 201 colony road. Salmon available for $7.99 at Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway.
SmartBBQ Smartfork
The Smartfork is a digital barbecue temperature fork that makes it easier to properly grill food over an open flame. Poke it into a piece of meat and it reads the temperature of the center.
Available for $12.99 at Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive.
MOTHER'S DAY
If last year you got Mom The Secret, this year get her the Amazon Kindle. This baby has more than 110,000 books available for purchase, including New York Times best sellers, free book downloads and top U.S. newspapers. It is truly worth the splurge. If it’s out of your price range, urge your siblings or dad to help out on the cost. The screen is high-resolution and looks like actual paper. Mom can throw it in her purse for handy use while traveling or in a waiting room.
Available for $399 at amazon.com.
If you ran out of ideas last Mother’s Day and got your mom The Notebook DVD, upgrade her to a portable DVD player that she can use while traveling or on vacation. The Audiovox D8000IP 8-inch player includes a built-in iPod video docking station so she can either listen to music, watch music videos or movies downloaded online. Teaching her how to use it will provide some serious mother-child bonding. How can you go wrong?
Available at amazon.com for 89.98.
If you got Mom a leather belt, buy a cow in her name this year. Instead of wearing a cow, how about sharing a cow? Ditch the leather belt from last year and pitch in for the whole heifer. For $50, Heifer International will gift a cow to a family in a third-world country. This good cause will make Mom proud and make you feel good, too. If cows aren’t Mom’s thing, then you can give a sheep, llama or flock of chicks.
Available for $50 at heifer.org.
If you got Mom a manicure set last year, get her the Ultra Steel 110-piece Home Repair Tool Kit this year. Mom has yet to open her glamorous nail kit from last year. Dad still hasn’t put together that desk in the office. So now it’s time for Mom to take matters into her own hands, literally. Go from nail polish to nail guns with this handy tool set, which includes everything Mom will need to fix everything Dad never got around to.
Available for $19.88 at Wal-Mart, 3100 W. Broadway.
To go with the flip-flops you bought her last year, get Mom a pedicure this year. Spring is finally here, but Mom refuses to walk out of the house with her rough winter toes exposed. To make her feet as beautiful as she is, make her an appointment to get the relaxing Riversong Pedicure, which includes a foot massage, bath soak and exfoliating scrub. It will keep her in sandals the rest of summer.
Available for $45 at Riversong Spa and Salon, 2100 Forum Blvd.
Instead of a photo album, get Mom a digital photo frame featuring her favorite people. The Philips 6.5-inch interactive picture frame is sure to brighten any mom’s day. The frame can play a slide show or display individual photos and make it way more fun than flipping through an album. At least with the slide show option, she won’t get sick of looking at the same picture every day. Not that she doesn’t love looking at your smiling face.
Available for $99.99 at amazon.com.
If you gave mom a picture frame, pose for a photo shoot and make an album. Last year’s frame is still without pictures in Mom’s closet. So this year, give her a full photo shoot. Grab a friend, an aspiring Missouri photographer or the experts at Haye’s Photography to shoot your family in favorite spots around town. Arrange, and let the hugs begin.
Available for $250 for family portraits at Haye’s Photography, 2301 B Creasy Springs Road.
FATHER'S DAY
Instead of a culinary set that Dad will never use, take him out for cooking classes this year.This activity might not make your dad the next Bobby Flay, but it will definitely give him some useful skills to use in the kitchen. The cooking classes are offered every second and fourth Wednesday and teach how to prepare foods including pizza, bread and cake. You might want to make sure you test your smoke detectors … just in case.
Available for FREE at Armory Sports Center, 701 E. Ash St.
Replace the mustache trimmer you got him last year with a LumiLift Facial this year. So Dad shaved his mustache. Now that the stubble is gone, his freshly revealed skin needs some TLC. Treat Dad to a relaxing facial, which will nourish his skin and get rid of the signs of aging. Who said facials are just for women? All the dads are doing it.
Available for $45 at Riversong Spa and Salon, 2100 Forum Blvd.
If you got Dad a road map last year, get him the Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS system. If your dad is directionally challenged and refuses to stop for directions, he will be pumped to get this portable GPS system. This item features voice-prompted directions, preloaded street maps and Bluetooth technology. No guarantees it will stop Mom from being a back-seat driver, but it will probably decrease the arguing.
Available for $199.95 at sharperimage.com.
Instead of replacement slacks, get Dad a billfold that won’t wear out his seat. If you can steal Dad’s wallet through the hole he’s wearing in the seat of the pants, it’s time for a new Father’s Day idea. Rather than waste your money on another set of Levi’s, grab Dad an executive billfold from ALL-ETT. They are super thin, lightweight and durable enough to withstand even the hardest spending.
Available for $29.95 at all-ett.com.
Help Dad hang last year’s tie with a motorized tie rack. Where did the tie you bought last year go? Check the back of Dad’s closet. If you want him to wear the ties currently layering his floor and the bottom of his drawer, buy him the motorized tie rack, which comes equipped with a light so Dad can see the true colors of your fashion genius.
Available for $65.95 at sharperimage.com.
Personalize that sports jacket from last year with picture frame cuff links this year. Clothes are too impersonal. But with some personalized cuff links, Dad can carry your smiling face with him to every formal dinner and business meeting. It’s a picture frame and suit accessory all in one.
Available for $45 at cufflinksdepot.com.
Instead of aftershave, get Dad an Easy Travel Kit. This year. Dad loves that aftershave you bought him. But after they searched his luggage 10 times on his last business trip, his five o’clock shadow has turned to midnight. So get Dad an Easy Travel Kit, complete with airline-approved toiletries including that all-important razor, aftershave, shampoo, toothpaste and even shoeshine wipes for the big day.
Available for $19.99 at barclaycrocker.com.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Graduations and weddings are more than special events to your family and friends. They are about beginnings and endings as well. Help make special days memorable by buying thoughtful gifts from the heart. You don’t have to spend a fortune to find the perfect gift, and some of the best finds are right here in Columbia.
Graduation
1For the child at heart His or her favorite childhood board game and a box of popcorn. Clue and Monopoly are classics. Too innocent? Make your own Truth or Dare Jenga by writing on the pieces of a Jenga game. If the tower falls, the unlucky player must do the truth or dare on the piece. Bail not included.
Most games are available for $15-25 at Hobbytown USA, 3906 Peachtree Drive.
For the disorganized grad A cooler filled with all the essentials. The Igloo Playmate Elite MaxCold IV Travel Cooler works for college and high school grads and is great for people on a budget. Then head to the nearest dollar store and buy tape, rubber bands, headphones and Chapstick — all the stuff you’d normally dig through drawers to find. Available for 18.79 at Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive; and Dollar Tree, 27 Conley Road and 1205 Grindstone Parkway.
For the grad heading to law school Black’s Law Dictionary and a proper fountain pen. The book is available online at WestThompson.com for $67. Shipping is free, which is good because this baby is big. There are lots of pen options at Pen Point Paperie ranging from $20 to, believe it or not, $500. They also have journals and address books — both good gift options. Available at Pen Point Paperie, 913 E. Broadway, or visit WestThompson.com.
Weddings
Couples obsessed with their pooches People fond of dogs might want to check out Poppy’s selection of prints by Myunghye. At $40 each, the 8-by-8 prints come framed and signed by the artist who creates prints of various dog breeds. If pop art and pooches sound even better, Poppy also carries $16 prints from artist Gloria Lee that would be easy to frame yourself. Pair either with a treat for the couple’s dog from Doggie Empawrium and you’re set.
Available at Poppy, 920 E. Broadway, and Doggie Empawrium, 1400 Forum Blvd.
For pizza lovers Pair a Shakespeare’s frozen pizza with a Farberware pizza stone. This way the new couple can bake dinner at home and use the pizza stone to make their own pie from scratch.
Available at Shakespeare’s, 225 S. Ninth Street and 3304 Broadway Business Park Court. Linens ‘n Things, 205 N. Stadium Blvd.
For the classic couple An ice bucket from Calhoun’s is a popular wedding gift for couples who like to entertain. It’s is so popular that the store has carried the same item for 15 years. The design resembles an ice cube perfect for pairing with a white from Top Ten Wines.
Available for $82.50 at Calhoun’s Accent Furnishings and Accessories, 911 E. Broadway, and Top Ten Wines, 207 Ninth Street.
OF-THE-MONTH
If you can only remember one interest of your estranged uncle or future mother-in-law, the Internet can help. Instead of spending hours combing the mall for a mediocre present, giving a three-to-12-month gift subscription from the Web proves you care and that you’re aware of at least one thing they enjoy. Plus, the only thing better than one gift is several.
Cigars
Each month, five different cigars of various lengths, gauges, wrappers and tobacco blends will be sent to your smoker. They might not get to enjoy their tobacco in the local bars, but the cigar aficionado can read the newsletter while they drink scotch.
Visit amazingclubs.com/cigar.html
Prices: 3 Month Club - $89.85
6 Month Club - $173.70 total payment
12 Month Club - $335.40 total payment
Cigar-of-the-Season Club $119.80 total payment
Cigars delivered every 3rd month (4 times a year)
Beef Jerky of the Month
For friends who can’t get their fill of dehydrated meat, a jerky club membership guarantees a constantly replenishing supply. Every month the jerky fanatic you know will receive two different varieties from regional producers, with flavors ranging from traditional hickory to wild honey to Mandarin orange.
Visit monthclubstore.com
Prices: 3 Month Club - $69.99
6 Month Club - $138.99
9 Month Club - $207.99
12 Month Club - $276.99
Produce Present
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so why not triple the benefits with apples, peaches and tangerines! The recipient will get 5 pounds of two types of fruit each month. Fruit through the Internet might sound strange, but with a two-day air shipment, it will get there in good shape.
Visit club-offers.com/clubs-america/fruit
Prices: $31.95 per month
3 month club - $95.85
6 month club - $191.70
12 month club - $383.40
Bookworm Bliss
Buy a monthly book subscription online for an avid reader. Your literary lover will receive a monthly book in the genre of his or her choice: of mystery, fiction, reads recommended by Oprah or others. Subscriptions range from three months to a year.
Visit bestsellers-monthly-book-connection.com/home.htm
Prices: Paperback - $199.80
Hardcover - $359.40
Audio Book - $419.40
Let the Music Play
Music downloads are available all over the net, so give the gift of music to your rock star with the purchase of music downloads. When you select a music gift package, your musical buddies will receive an e-mail with a message telling them they can download and receive tunes of his or her choice.
Visit music.com/gift/index.html
Prices: 3 months - $29.97 for 30 downloads per month, 90 total tracks
6 months - $59.94 for 30 for downloads per month,180 total tracks
12 months - $96 for 30 for downloads per month, 360 total tracks
