Gift Guides for Particular Tastes
An internet culling of the greatest holiday wishlists for everyone you know, from co-workers to stoners
Each holiday season, Cool Hunting takes great pride in beefing up our Buy section to help readers find gifts for friends and loved ones with discerning tastes. However, it’s also our daily mission to find and feature the best concepts produced around the world, and right now that happens to be, well, gift guides. To help refine your search, we looked to several sites with a distinct focus to see what they suggest when shopping for co-workers, pop culture fanatics, budding chefs and more, this holiday season.
Science + Tech Gadgets at io9
With the constantly escalating interest in science and engineering, there’s sure to be someone on your list who wants to get their hands dirty with some at-home experimentation. Science and technology site i09 has some great gifts to help a person scratch that itching curiosity, from build-it-yourself robot kits to build-your-own Leonardo Da Vinci models to Simon C. Page’s “Year of Science” posters. Their “ingenious gifts” are a great compilation of items for curious DIY-ers, dreamy stargazers and experienced technologists alike.
Pop Culture at Vulture
Vulture has you covered for the culture fiend in your life. Full of pop hits—from New York Times bestseller books, to classic television DVD sets, to even a graphic novel-themed pinball machine—this list will impress friends on the cutting-edge, even if you’re not.
Budding Bartenders at HiConsumption
Things have really stepped up a notch in the cocktail world has brought a whole new meaning to the term “the bitter end.” Help the amateur bartender perfect their craft with this handy wish list from HiConsumption. We’re particularly keen on the W&P Carry-On Cocktail kit, which will make flying more fun for any cocktail enthusiast.
Contemporary Design Enthusiasts at Sight Unseen
As huge fans of Sight Unseen, we are constantly inspired by the designers and artists that former I.D. Magazine editors Monica Khemsurov and Jill Singer investigate. Sight Unseen’s second annual “Gifts We’re Coveting” gift guide is a treasure trove of lovely objects and home accessories that will have any design lover drooling (especially fans of Memphis). They’ve each created a list of their favorite 25 gift ideas, from a martini glass by Lee Broom to Eric Trine’s Rod + Weave chair to Karen Kimmel’s Moon Coasters and more.
Co-worker Swag at Business Week Daily
Co-workers can be some of the hardest people to shop for, especially for an annual Secret Santa or White Elephant office party. Always a great resource for entrepreneurs and executives, Business Week Daily lends their knack for professionalism to a list of inexpensive but thoughtful ideas for all of your colleagues.
Stoner Supplies at Cool Material
Marijuana reform is sweeping across America, and those who partake are slowly coming out of the woodwork. Like a wine connoisseur is to vinous accoutrement, people who eat or smoke weed can be pretty particular about their accessories. So instead of a stocking stuffed with munchies, check out Cool Material’s Stoner Gift Guide for some perfect paraphernalia.
Home Cheffing at Grub Street
New York Magazine’s Grub Street is a great resource for all things food-related throughout the year. When shopping for your favorite home chef, turn to their guide, packed with kitchen goodies at a range of price points. From a limited edition Le Creuset designed by Raymond Loewy to a Scandinavian electric grill lighter and even a banana slicer, Grub Street has tracked down the items that will surely get you a hot meal in return.
Zingy Zines at Stack
A good magazine subscription is a gift that keeps on giving all year ’round. Melanie Chow from Makeshift Magazine collaborated with the print obsessives at Stack (the online champions of lesser known imprints) to create the very special Little Magazine Gift Guide, which highlights 20 small-press publications that speak to a range of interests. With choices in design, food, travel, style and sports, the Little Magazine guides makes it easy to find a special publication for everyone on your list.
Images courtesy of respective publications; lead image is a detail from Simon C. Page’s “International Year of Crystallography” poster featured within io9’s “Ingenious Gifts for People Who Love Science” guide
