I spent Christmas with my Mom and sister in my hometown of Wilmington, Delaware which is also the home of this fabulously overdecorated house I visit every year.
After sleeping in, opening gifts, and chilling out for a bit
We went to the movies to see Saving Mr. Banks (great movie) and ordered Chinese food. Fortune cookies are a great way to go into the New Year. My fortune made me particularly excited for 2014.
After dinner, we watched my favorite Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
It may have been a bit untraditional, but we had a lovely Christmas Day.
I may always know what’s next in fashion or how to get the perfect smokey eye, but aside from picking out stylish menswear, I’m stumped when it comes to getting gifts for the guys. So I asked my sports-obsessed boyfriend to put together the ultimate gift guide for guys while I wrapped gifts and decorated our tree. Here’s what Ian suggests:
For the Foodie:
Pleasing someone passionate about cooking is tough. Don’t buy them a new knife set, they still love the one they have been using for 10 years and besides, sharpening knives is fun. Here are some out of the box ideas for the foodie:
The Stocking Stuffer:
Amarula Cream is a South African Cream that is perfect not only for cocktails, but for cooking as well. Amarula is a great addition to puddings, butters, and sauces. It’s unique because it uses the ancient marula fruit indigenous of Africa. It’s also great with coffee. So concluded, this stocking stuffer with some coffee beans from Rwanda, which can be found in the Foreign Ground Coffee Collection make a perfect combination.
Under the Tree:
The Proteak Cutting Board may seem boring, but it’s a game changer for someone who loves to cook! Teak is a wood that is resistant to moisture and bacteria and is easy to clean. The teak comes from a ranch in South America and each board is hand crafted. This will surely please your Top Chef!
For the Sports Guy:
You can’t get him what he really wants…for his team to win it all, but you can get him the next best thing, sports stuff!
The Stocking Stuffer:
Sports tickets to watch his favorite team in action – the best deals can be found on StubHub!
Under the Tree:
Unless your significant other is a 15-year-old, don’t get him a sports jersey. They’re tacky and can only be worn twice a year, they are also super expensive. Instead, get him some clothes from 47 Brand. 47 Brand is upscale, vintage style sports apparel that allows him to support his team while looking fashionable. They have apparel for all major professional sports teams and most colleges.
For the Gadget Guy:
It’s no secret that guys love their gadgets. Here are two fun gadgets that he may not already have.
The Stocking Stuffer:
A Leap Motion Controller is an $80 USB adaptor that allows you to control your PC or MAC by motion sensors. Not only is it a more seamless way to get work done on you computer, its also pretty damn cool! This is a smart gift that can make anyone feel like they are in a Sci-Fi movie!
Under the Tree:
A Crosley Patriarch 4-in-1 Turntable is a great entertainment center that is nice piece to add to any room. It plays CDs, vinyls, MP3s and AM/FM radio.
How cute are we? Here’s Ian and I watching the ball drop in Times Square last New Year’s Eve! Thanks Ian for putting together this gift guide and helping girls everywhere find the perfect gift for that special guy. You’re a holiday hero!
It is once again that time of year where we wonder where the time has gone and search for the perfect gifts in between hot chocolate, holiday specials, and hoping for snow. Though I love the holidays, I prefer to skip the endless lines and crazy traffic at the stores. Therefore, online shopping is an absolute must and this year, I’ll be shopping this season’s must-have holiday items on InStyle.com. The InStyle Holiday Boutique is a limited time, exclusive pop-up gift shop living on InStyle.com from November 11th to December 27th of 2013. It features holiday gifts from over 30 fashion-forward brands and carries everything from designer fashion to accessories, beauty, and contemporary fashion making it perfect for treating both your loved ones and yourself this Holiday Season. I’ve always wanted to be able to shop the outfits and accessories directly from the pages of InStyle and now I actually can just in time for the holidays!
After browsing through the InStyle Holiday Boutique, one of my favorite features (besides seeing the editors’ picks) was the Love List where you can save all your favorite items the way you did when you made Christmas lists for Santa as a kid. Here are five of my fav finds from my love list found in the InStyle Accessories section. Accessories always make excellent holiday gifts and you shouldn’t miss the chance to start off the new year with a few new accessories of your own.
Speaking of fab finds and treating both yourself and your loved ones this holiday season, don’t miss your chance to win a $3000 InStyle Boutique Shopping Spree. For more stylish holiday gift ideas, follow InStyle on Twitter and like them on Facebook.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but the opinions are all my own.
