It's that time of the year again, right? Time to come up with all sorts of gift ideas for family, friends, co-workers, and more. I love lists, I love giving the right gifts and I love finding great items that don't cost a ton of money. Everyone has a Holiday Gift Guide so I figured, I'd put one out there too. Why not?
So here it is my Inaugural Kristy Carruba Gift Guide:
Trader Joe's Chocolate Passport
I LOVE CHOCOLATE! If you love chocolate or have a chocolate lover on your list, this is the greatest gift. 8 different organic dark chocolate bars from 8 different countries. They're all delicious. Some are better than others, but definitely an awesome gift for anyone who loves chocolate, or a even a great hostess gift. Each bar even tells you the type of wine or beverage to pair it with and it's only $9.99 at Trader Joe's.Personalized Oreo's for the Cookie Lover My son is an OREO freak. When I saw this cool thing the Oreo people came up with for the holidays, I just couldn't resist. Customized Oreo Packaging! $10.00 a package plus $5.00 Shipping. http://www.oreo.com/default.aspx
Molton Brown Soothing Milk & Oatmeal Soap I'm not going to lie, this stuff is hard to find. The only place I've ever been able to get it is at The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. It's $6.00 a bar there. Yes, they will mail it to you and yes, in my opinion, it's worth it. This stuff smells so freaking good and it's got little oatmealy things in it that help exfoliate your skin. It's one of my favorites, and I'm not even a soapy, lotiony kind of person. I love the Molton Brown stuff in general, their shampoos, conditioners and lotions are all amazing, but this soap is yummmmmmy.
Packing Cubes This past Summer, my son went on a Teen Tour. 21 days, lots of packing and unpacking. I have no idea who recommended these things but they RULE! Whether you travel all the time or just a few times a year, these cubes are amazing. Different sizes for different items. Keeps everything organized and all the cubes fit perfectly in your luggage. This set is under $30.00 on Amazon, but pick any set you want, they're all similar.
True Blue Grin & Bare It Body Lotion I was lucky enough to go to the Emmy's one year. I'll never forget it for so many reasons, but one of them was this DELICIOUS smelling body lotion that was in my room at the Casa Del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica. I'm so NOT a body lotion kind of girl, but this stuff smelled SO good, that I had to have it. I hunted it down and guess what...it's sold at Bath & Body and, it's only $20.00 bucks. It smells like the beach. Fresh, clean and when I have it on, I can't stop smelling myself. http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11161004&cp=12587010.12936188.16740776
True Grit Men's Plush Fleece In addition to the crazy Loui Milo cookie, Mary Alice had these super soft True Grit Plush Fleeces at Society also. Both my husband and son LOVE them and so does anyone they come in contact with. People see them and feel the need to touch them because the fabric is so crazy soft. Perfect strangers will say "can I pet you?" They're warm and soft and yummy. You can dress them up and wear them out to dinner on a Saturday night or you can throw it on with sweats and take the dogs for a nice warm walk around town. They're a bit pricey at $145.00 but treat yourself or that special guy. They'll thank you and you can snuggle up to them and reap the benefits!
Poo-Pourri We've all been there. It's embarrassing but now, those days are over. Someone gave me this stuff and it's a WINNER! Lots of great scents to cover up the not so great stench coming from the bathroom. Great stocking stuffers, the goof gift that everyone actually loves, especially for that co-worker who's a major offender. They're only $10.00 each but they have tons of great gift sets with hilarious names like "Gone Flushin" and "Master Crapsman." You know you want to order one right now. Just do it! http://www.poopourri.com/
Leatherman Wearable Tread Bracelet Multi-Tool My husband is THE hardest guy to shop for. He NEVER says "I want THIS or THAT" and when he does see something he wants, he just buys it. He told me about this bracelet before it was available and we've been on the waiting list for months. Well, honey, Merry Chrismakuh! It's here! This bracelet is TSA approved, so you can travel with it. It looks like a chain but it has all sorts of tools built right into it. including a cutting hook, bottle opener, glass breaker, pick/sim card tool, socket drive, square drive, box wrenches, hex wrenches and screwdrivers. If you have a handyman gadget guy in your life, they will LOVE this thing and luckily it will only set you back $165.00 https://www.leatherman.com/tread-425.html
Cory Vines Path Socks I'll be honest, I've been looking for the PERFECT workout pants for a long time. I haven't found them yet. In my quest for the perfect workout pants, I did find these socks. I wear them when I spin or walk and they RULE. They never bunch up, they absorb wetness and odor and they NEVER lose their shape no matter how often you wash them. They come in a 3 pack for $22.00.https://usa.coryvines.com/en/products/the-path-sock-3-pack-hers
Lava Buns Heated Seat Cushion Whether you're sitting on the bleachers watching your 5 year old play soccer or your out cheering on your favorite NFL team in the middle of winter, this heated seat cushion really helps keep you warm! Sitting on cold seats is the worst! Make the entire experience that much better with a few of these butt warmers. They are only $21.00 each and it's one of those items that you forget about until you need it and then when you have it you can't believe you ever lived without it. http://smile.amazon.com/Vesture-Navy-Lava-Buns/dp/B000KUAMB2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447873838&sr=8-1&keywords=heated+stadium+seat
Peloton Bike I don't have a Peloton Bike. I actually don't need one. I spin at a studio and I use the Peloton Bike App with my old Schwin Spin Bike in my basement, BUT...if you have the money and you are a home workout person this thing is way cool. You can hop on and take live classes or you can take the classes on your schedule on-demand. The classes are great, and you can compete against other riders all over the world. The bike is pricey, not gonna lie, $2000 bucks for this baby and you still have to pay $40.00 a month, but I did the math. If you cut the gym membership and stop going to those spin studios, this thing will probably pay for itself in the first year you own it. It all depends what kind of exercise enthusiast you are. Either way, the whole thing is pretty cool. https://www.pelotoncycle.com/bike/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=peloton%20bike&utm_content=70965769716-e-1t1&utm_campaign=search-brand-peloton%7Cbike-c&gclid=CPmzk6zZmskCFdigNwodLdEBQA&gclsrc=ds
Ticket Kitchen Hot Chocolate I'm actually a tea drinker which we'll get to further down this list, but I discovered this hot chocolate a few years ago and have shared it with so many people. There are some great flavors made with premium ingredients. Depending on the package you order the prices vary, but you can sample a few flavors for under $25.00. This is a gift I love to give and get. http://www.ticketchocolate.com/
Sonos I LOVE SONOS! I have the system in my house and it is really as good you've heard Baba Booey say it is. The sound is incredible but I love the App on my phone and iPad that pulls all my music into one place and plays it wherever I want it to play. Radio stations, iTunes, Sirius, Spotify it's ALL there. So easy to use and the quality is truly remarkable. It's worth price. You can get in on the Sonos action for $500 bucks but you'll never need another sound system again. http://www.sonos.com/?r=1
Sir Kensington's Condiments I work out in Basking Ridge NJ. We order our lunch from the sandwich place in town every so often and they make this amazing sandwich called the P17. It's grilled chicken, avocado, hot monterey jack cheese and spicy mayo on this yummy bread. While trying to re-create this thing at home, I stumbled on the Sir Kensington condiments at Kings, my local supermarket. Their chipotle mayo and spicy ketchup is off the charts and totally the missing ingredient I needed for my P17. Ya gotta try this stuff! https://sirkensingtons.com/
Phone Chargers We all need an extra charger. I've discovered that it helps to have them in my car, my bag, work, my son's backpack etc. You can really never have enough phone chargers. There are so many different types at different price points that I couldn't choose just one, but I definitely think that a phone charger ALWAYS makes a great gift.
J Crew Jimmy Fallon Pocket Dial I JUST saw this item on The Tonight Show last week. I have no idea if Jimmy Fallon really invented it or not but it's brilliant. The pocket square is the hot men's accessory of the moment. This Iphone 6/6s cover includes a pocket square so that when you have it in your suit jacket pocket it is functional and fashionable. The case comes with one square and costs $48.00 but you can purchase additional squares at J Crew for $12.00. This is just awesome. Be the first one at the office to rock this thing. https://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/ThePocketDial_sm.jsp?intcmp=h1_pocketdial
Audible I don't know about you, but, I rarely read books anymore. It's not that I don't want to, it's just hard to find quiet time to do it. The only time I read now is when I'm on vacation. I realized though, that I commute and spend a LOT of time in my car. These days when I'm not catching up on Howard Stern, I'm listening to books via Audible. The best part about listening to books is that most of the time the author is the voice you are listening to. It's definitely less expensive than buying a book and I've really enjoyed the books I've been listening to. An Audible subscription for anyone who commutes could be a great idea. They can choose the books they want on a monthly basis or all at once. Someone gave me a subscription and I honestly didn't think much about it then I decided to give it a try and now I'm hooked. Right now I'm listening to Leah Remini's new book, Troublemaker. It's riveting. http://www.audible.com/
Tiffany's Don't get scared. I would never put anything ridiculously expensive on this list. Sure the Peloton bike is pricey but that's what I would call a specialty item. Here's the deal. There's just something about that Tiffany Blue box. I admit women are suckers for it. Tiffany's has gotten pretty cool about offering some great items under $250 bucks. I love the infinity symbol. This ring is $200 and the bracelet is $250 and guess what? They both come in the beautiful blue Tiffany's box. It doesn't take much to make us happy guys. Just click on the link! http://www.tiffany.com/jewelry/jewelry-250-under#p+1-n+10000-c+563632-s+5-r+-t+-ni+1-x+-pu+-f+-lr+-hr+-ri+-mi+-pp+