It’s gift-giving season and genConnect has reached out to some of your favorite experts for inspiration. We’ve got creative picks for home cooks, lovers, techheads, handywomen, college students and, of course, grandma.
Armed with our expert recommendations, you can be confident that your presents won’t be re-gifted next holiday. Expect to hear: “How thoughtful!” “How personal!” “How clever!” You can thank us in 2013. Happy gifting!!!
Clinical psychologist and sex therapist Marianne Brandon, author of Monogamy the Untold Story, has some romantic and sexy gift ideas for your partner.
SpaFinder’s Sallie Fraenkel suggests getting away with your loved one as the ultimate holiday gift. Her picks: The Oaks at Ojai in Ojai, Calif; Red Mountain Resort in Ivins, Utah; and Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, N.Y. But if a spa vacation is out of reach, Fraenkel says a SpaFinder Wellness gift card is also a great option. “It allows the recipient to choose the wellness experience he or she truly wants,” she says. “From a hot stone massage, to a facial, to a cutting-edge fitness experience such as TRX or CrossFit, to a destination spa in an exotic locale, SFW gift cards are accepted in 92 countries.”
Liz Gumbinner, publisher and editor-in-chief of Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech, offers 3 ways to turn smartphone photos into smart holiday gifts. Grandma will love you for it.
Know a frequent flier? Do-It-Yourself guru Barbara K recommends her pillow purse as the perfect accessory for looking chic while feeling well rested. And any mom will appreciate the pillow purse you gave her while waiting at the DMV or sitting in church with a tired toddler.
Chef Jackie Lee, private chef and winner of Food Network’s “Chopped” Season 1, says no home cook should be without Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything.
Is your loved one a college student or a parent of a Millennial? Stuff their stockings with Hooked Up: A New Generation’s Surprising Take on Sex, Politics and Saving the World, by Jack Myers. Marketers and hiring managers who want to reach out to this demographic should add Hooked Up to their holiday wish lists.
Giella Poblocki of GIELLA Custom Blend Cosmetics offers the “gift of custom” for a personalized beauty gift. Buy an empty lipstick case, lip gloss wand or swing compact for your loved one and she can bring it in to a GIELLA counter to have it filled with her custom blend color. Is the lady in your life disappointed that her favorite makeup has been discontinued? From blush to nail polish, from lipstick to eye shadow, Giella can match it.
Know a Ming Tsai fan? The East-West celebrity chef has gone interactive with his latest cookbook, which includes access to streaming videos and shopping lists for every recipe.
Dreaming of a green Christmas? Environmental advocate Christiana Wyly has a fabulous list of stylish gifts that make a positive impact on the planet.
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