Part 2: Holiday essential

CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT

We all had those favorite ornaments as a kid, the ones we fought with our siblings to be able to put on the tree ourselves, the ones whose origins we didn’t know but whose presence was a cherished part of our childhood. Now that we’re all grown up, it’s time to start building Christmas ornament collections of our own. With each ornament you give, you’re helping your friend get one step closer to not having to throw a whole bunch of those gold balls (that always fall off) on their tree.

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A SMALL FLASHLIGHT

It may sound basic and utilitarian, but that is totally why it’s a great gift. They’ll be so grateful the next time they run the microwave at the same time the coffee’s brewing, and have to trudge down to the scary basement to get to the fuse box.

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SMALL GARDENING TOOLS

Great for new homeowners suddenly faced with caring and tending to their own garden. Think some basic pruning shears, or the delightfully British-sounding trowel.

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A GREAT COOKBOOK

A great way to save money is to make meals at home, but the sheer number of cookbooks available can be overwhelming. For novice chefs, I recommend the Budget Bytes cookbook, which is designed for people who are new to cooking and who want to save money. The focus is on simplicity, with a lot of basic recipes that can be adapted or modified however you wish. Plus, with the food blog boom, you can give your recipient a book that already has a built-in community, where they can seek out further recipes as well as tips and tricks. For someone who really wants to dive in, consider either Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything or How To Cook Everything Vegetarian.

A GREAT COOKBOOK

FUNNY SHOT GLASSES

For that friend who’s still pretty into college—and tequila.

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A PHOTOGRAPH IN A A NICE PICTURE FRAME

Do you have a mother? Does she love you? (Of course she does.) Do you know what she’d love almost as much? A nice picture of you in a good frame that she can hang up in the living room or put on her desk at work. Have you blessed her with grandchildren? If you have, then you have already given her the greatest gift of all, but she still definitely wouldn’t mind additional evidence of the existence of those adorable moppets. She can use it to taunt Barb, her workplace nemesis whose no-good son Brad has yet to even have a serious girlfriend. Giving someone a picture of yourself may seem narcissistic, but, trust me, your Mom won’t think so.

This also works with friends, but best to give them a photo of the two of you together, rather than one of just yourself. It’s all about the memories, man.

A PHOTOGRAPH IN A A NICE PICTURE FRAME

A CERAMIC PICTURE FRAME

With beautiful sceneries printed on the surface, ceramic picture frame (even though you cannot change it into the picture of you) is still a highlight in your house decoration. They are giving our free at Essential for Coffee drinker

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