Like giving a good presentation, finding the right holiday gift involves advance planning and knowing your subject.
That’s the only way to make that opening moment go smoothly. Whether you’re sitting in a circle of family members or just one-on-one with your best friend, it’s much more fun if the gift recipient seems happily surprised.
Following are some ideas for special presents for those closest to you.
• Pendleton Woolen Mills at 231 Main St. in Los Altos sells top-quality wool blankets and throws that anyone would love to receive. The company also produces beach towels. Buy two of the Coyoacan spa towels ($49 a piece) for a his-and-her vacation. For cold winter climates, the store sells flannel sheet sets (up to $179) or quilts like the Diamond Ranch ($269).
• If you really want to hear screams of joy, just ask them to open the envelope, please. Priscilla Repetti, co-owner of Ligtelyn Travel at 220 Main St. in Los Altos, suggests a luxury European river cruise on either AMA or Avalon Waterways. Both offer holiday itineraries to Christmas markets along the Danube in December. Visit the largest ones in Cologne, Heidelberg, Nuremberg, Vienna, Prague or Strasbourg. Six- or seven-night cruises run approximately $2,800 per person and include all food, beverages and a wide variety of shore excursions.
• Sharper Image sells a wireless Active Sports Headphone Combo, compatible with Bluetooth devices, so that the runner in your life can take phone calls or listen to music without touching his or her smartphone. It charges via USB cable and costs $59.99.
• Apple’s Parrot MiniDrones Jumping Sumo robot flies all over the house and yard via your iPhone, iPad or other Apple device. There’s a camera onboard so that you can see where it’s going. Apple sells a variety of MiniDrones at the Apple Store for $159.99.
• For the photographer, Canon’s new PowerShot SX50 12.1-MegaPixel digital camera with 50x optical zoom sells online at Target for $459. It includes a movie mode.
• Watches make timeless holiday presents. Rolex, TAG Heuer and Patek Philippe are high-quality timepieces that last a lifetime. Rolex’s newest is the oyster, 42 mm, white-gold Sky-Dweller model for world travelers. It keeps track of time in two separate time zones.
• Experiential presents create eternal memories. San Francisco Ballet box seats start at $600 for two, depending on the show. Throw in some opera glasses to make the night even more fun. The more you personalize the event or concert, the happier you’ll make your recipient.
• Custom jewelry that you’ve designed for someone shows that you really care to take the time to create a gift for your loved one. Several local jewelers will craft gifts at your request, with the cost depending on the gemstone you select.
• For all kinds of beautiful, handmade items you can have monogrammed or personalized, visit etsy.com. Knitters may appreciate the ceramic yarn bowls, for example, but they must be ordered weeks ahead of time.
• Birdwatchers will really appreciate spotting scopes, which allow them to get close to birds without scaring them away. Sharper Image sells one for $99, but serious birdwatchers might like the Swarovski, Celestron or Kowa brands. Fry’s Electronics sells a Kowa high-powered scope online at frys.com.
• Music lovers will enjoy the Electrohome Signature Retro HiFi record player, available on Amazon.com for $179. It looks like an old-fashioned radio, has AM and FM, an MP-3 and CD player, and spins your old vinyl.
• Two of the largest spas are just a short plane ride from the Bay Area: Canyon Ranch and Miraval Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz. Both offer three- to seven-night packages that include meals, spa treatments, fitness classes, yoga, mind and body balancing, and outdoor activities. You can hike, horseback ride, swim, rock climb, golf and stargaze to your heart’s desire in the Sonoran Desert near the Santa Catalina Mountains. Healthful gourmet meals for singles, couples and groups will help you get balanced after the excesses of the holiday season. A three-day visit with the works averages approximately $3,300 per person double occupancy, unless you share an apartment or villa with friends, according to Repetti.
• Another healthful option is a luxury hiking vacation in Provence, the Italian Lake District, Cambodia or Vietnam. Closer to home, there are options in Santa Fe, N.M., through Backroads travel company. The tour operator works special options into your itinerary based on needs, so prices vary from casual to premier, Repetti said.
• If all else fails, look through the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book for fantasy gift ideas. ❄
