Holiday Gift Guide 2016


Welcome to our annual guide for everything we want, covet, crave, and, yes need this holiday. (I don’t know about you, but in my world, little tiny spoons qualify as essential.) As always, the round-up was compiled with cooks, eaters, readers, kids, and parents in mind, and as always, there are lots of free little treats and discounts for YOU sprinkled throughout, so read carefully. Happy holidays!


Redbubble Laptop Stickers (about $2-$5 each)
You don’t have to be raising a Hamilton superfan to appreciate the laptop sticker selection at Redbubble.  (But if you are:”American Experiment,” above, is a solid choice, but it’s hard to argue with “Outgunned,” “My Name is..” or “Rise Up.”) We’ve gotten in the habit of searching the Redbubble archive any time a friend has a birthday coming up. Got a kid who loves Aziz AnsariGilmore Girls? Joe Biden memesBasketballUnicorns? A kid who wants to topple the patriarchy? I guarantee they’ll have a laptop sticker (or a t-shirt) that matches the obsession. (Here’s what they look like in situ.)

Little Danville Spoons ($14 for 3) These little spoons fall into the category of “perfect holiday party host gift,” but also in “Things I’d never buy myself but bring me a ridiculous amount of happiness.” My friend Catherine gave them to me as a few months ago and there’s no prettier way to scoop minty-pea dip on a crostini or mustards alongside charcuterie.

The Association of Small Bombs, by Karan Mahajan ($18 for hardcover) I will say right up front: This novel is not a beach read. But it’s impossible not to tear through the National Book Award finalist, which follows the victims and the perpetrators of a terrorist bomb in a Delhi market.

Yummy World Food Plushies ($5 to $50) I guess one of the things that’s so great about kids is that they take you into worlds you’d never find on your own — like for instance, Yummy World, land of… insanely adorable wide-eyed smirking food friends. Sounds strange to the uninitiated, I know, but — breaking! — kids like strange. It’s hard to overstate how obsessed with these (and anything from Kidrobot) my daughter was — she started with the tiny Yummy dessert keychains then worked her way up to the large-ish Plushies you’re looking at here, which have overtaken her bed, in the sweetest possible way. (Shown, the brand new line: Marshmallow, $29; Peanut, $50; Peppermint, $30)

Literary Young Adult Subscription Box Sign up a young reader for a subscription and he or she receives a box in the mail every quarter, containing a brand new YA novel, plus two picks from the author of that brand new YA Novel. Bonus: All come with annotations and notes from the guest curator. (Photo credit: Hypable.)

Lodge Reversible Grill/Griddle ($45) I was listening to Bon Appetit’s Foodcast last week (I know I’m a broken record but: all of you should be listening! It’s so good!) and this grill/griddle came up in conversation between their food director, Carla Music and legendary LA restaurateur Nancy Silverton. Carla said something like “It’s indispensable in the Bon Appetit test kitchen, I don’t know what we’d do without it” and then I thought about mine and realized the same thing, especially as we head into winter months with no access to the grill. Bonus: The griddle side might inspire you to kick off the Sunday Pancake ritual you’ve been meaning to start forever.

 

“Superpower Tablets ($32 for pack of 4) OK, so maybe I added the “superpower” in there, but these are fun stocking stuffers for your athletic friend or spouse or sister (or for kids who need motivation to drink more water). One tablet in a glass of water transforms it into a fizzy, electrolyte-packed, post-workout reward.


John Derian Picture Book
($45) On principle, I don’t believe in even dog-earing paperback thrillers, let alone tearing up high-end art books, but as soon as I opened up this collection of John Derian’s famous decoupage images (you may recognize them from here or here) it was hard to fight the urge to do exactly what you see done in this photo, namely treat each image like the fine art that it is. The good news? It’s a promotional photo, so I imagine that my urge is sanctioned by its book-loving publisher. As is, I imagine, gifting it to someone who takes their coffee table book selection seriously.


Ample Hills Ice Cream
 ($36-$45) Truth: When you have kids, ice cream is always in season. Particularly if it’s from Brooklyn’s own beloved Ample Hills. (Many of you might recall the beautiful story AH founder Jackie Cuscuna told on DALS about their legendary Nonna D’s Oatmeal Lace flavor.) Ample Hills sells a special holiday 4-pack ($36) but they also have a choose-your-own, and might I suggest you choose the following: Nonna D’s, The Munchies, Butter Pecan Brittle, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Peppermint Pattie?

 

Feminist T-Shirts (Gold, $40; Future, $12) I bought the “feminist” one for myself, but fat chance of me ever wearing it while my 14-year-old is in the house. (Yes, we’re at the age where we swap clothes.) I’m pretty sure she plans on wearing it to the Women’s March on DC in January, but it’s also apparently just right for the tennis court.

D.S. & Durga Rose Atlantic Perfume ($260) I am not a perfume person — more of a scented lotion person — but all that changed when I got a bottle of Rose Atlantic, made by DS & Durga, the game-changing Brooklyn husband-wife team Kavi Ahuja Moltz & David Moltz. With top notes of bergamot, petals, and lemon oil, and “heart notes” of dune grass, “base notes” of salt water, I like to think that now it’s not so much a scent as it is my very own small-batch signature.

Superstars (big kids and little kids, $30+) Even though, in our stuck-in-the-80s minds, retro Adidas sneakers haven’t ever really gone out of style, it’s extremely satisfying to see that the cool kids have finally acknowledged the timeless awesomeness of Superstars and Stan Smiths. (At least until the next thing comes along; please do not be Reebok aerobic shoes.)


Christmakkah in a Bag
($50)
Yes, Hanukkah starts on Christmas Eve this year, but I like this little gift box from indie food master Mouth because if ever there was a gift box that embodied the story of my mixed-up, confusing religious life, this is it. Chocolate peppermint cookies, peppermint marshmallows, gelt, a chocolate menorah pop and lots more. As they say “Oy to the World, people!” (#sobaditsgood) Remember, this month, DALS readers get 15% off at Mouth — just type in LOVESTORY15 at checkout.

Signed (!!!) Bestsellers ($FREE$) Contrary to popular opinion, the biggest perk of being married to a book editor is not having access to piles and piles of recycled manuscripts for scrap paper. It’s this: The occasional overstock of signed books by some of his biggest writers, which can then be turned around and offered to YOU. Obviously, all of you should go ahead and read these books if you haven’t already — Not That Kind of Girl, by Lena Dunham; Sick in the Head, by Judd Apatow; and When Breath Becomes Airby Paul Kalanithi (incidentally: the second highest bestselling book of 2016 on Amazon, just behind JK Rowling) — but in honor of the holidays, we’re giving away two signed copies of each to a couple lucky bidders. (Paul’s book is signed by his widow, Lucy Goddard Kalanithi.) But, here’s the catch: Since there are only six copies total, I’m going to make you guys work for it. To be eligible to win, head over to my instagram feed, follow me if you’re not already doing so, then tag someone (on this post) in the comment section who you think would like a copy as much as you. Winning copies will go to you and whoever you tagged and will be announced on 12/20 through instagram. GOOD LUCK!


Marble and Wood Cake Stand
($40) Bed, Bath, & Beyond just launched a new line of tableware called Artisanal Kitchen Supply and I can’t believe how great looking the stuff is for the price. (I first found out about them through this breakfast at Joanna’s; please spend a minute or two checking out how pretty everything is.) It’s hard to pick out just one special thing, but if I had to (hint, hint Andy) I think I’d go with this sweet, understated cake stand. (The hand-thrown dinnerware comes in a close second.)


23andMe
 DNA Kit
($99-$199) What better time than the end of this oddball year to ask ourselves the most pressing existential questions: Who am I? What am I here for? Well, you’re on your own for the second part, but thanks to the genetic pioneers at 23 & Me you can see how your DNA breaks out across 31 populations, see where your ancestors lived 500 years ago and — perfect for squabbling siblings — explore genetic differences between you and your relatives.

ChopChop for Kids Subscription ($25 for 2 years) Full disclosure, I had never heard of this magazine until a few months ago when they interviewed me about How to Celebrate Everything. Maybe if I had, my kids would be cooking dinner for me by now. So many smart, doable recipe projects in here — i.e. in this issue alone: food gifts to bake and give; how to make party food like turkey sliders, zucchini pizza bites, chunky artichoke-and-bean dip; a bunch of healthy after school snacks, plus games and outdoor ideas to keep kids moving. Here’s another something fun: ChopChop is offering a free subscription to one lucky DALS reader. All you have to do is comment below. (US residents only; Contest ends Friday, December 16, 8:00pm ET. Update: The winner, Julie, has been notified. Thanks for playing everyone!)

Kano Coding Kit ($150)  Meanwhile, learning how to cook is nice and all, but learning how to code? Set me up with those kids! This make-your-own computer kit, which comes with a whole host of coding challenges, has won all the big educational awards and is the kind of screen time I think most parents can get behind. (Especially since handing this to their young Zuckerbergs might some day pay off in a country house or something?)


Lastly! Bookplates for The Collected Works of Jenny Rosenstrach
🙂 How to Celebrate Everything, Dinner: A Love Story, Dinner: The Playbook (not shown). As 2016 wraps up — my seventh year producing this blog — a big thank-you to everyone who has supported the DALS mission by reading or spreading the word about my books throughout the years. Remember: I’m always happy to send a free signed bookplate for any of my books should you decide you want to personalize one for a teacher, a friend, a neighbor, a carpool driver who has driven decidedly more than you, the nice dude who teaches your kid how to play cello…or even (especially) for you. Just shoot me an email with the details — who I should sign to, the address I should send to, etc. I can’t promise it will arrive in time for Christmas or Hanukkah if you email after 12/20, but I promise I will do my very best! (P.S. This photo was taken by Alexandra Stafford of Alexandra Cooks who is doing a cool giveaway right now. I love her idea to wrap up my books with a moleskine book — i.e. Your 2017 Dinner Diary made easy.)

Lastly Lastly: Another big huge thank-you to the angels who got in touch over Thanksgiving to sponsor a family in need through Family-to-Family. The response was tremendous and thanks to this amazing DALS community, a lot of parents and kids might sleep a bit easier in 2017 knowing someone was kind enough to reach out and offer a little help. For those of you who missed information about the program, please revisit here and read about all the great ways to be active and engaged in your community during the holidays and beyond.

LASTLY LASTLY LASTLY! Three of my favorite go-to gift guides from around the interweb: Ben & BirdyCup of Jo; and Bon Appetit.

And guides from DALS through the years:

Gift Guide 2015
Gift Guide 2014
Gift Guide 2013
Gift Guide 2012
Gift Guide 2011

Happy happy holidays!

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65 Comments

Jenn

My 3 year old is getting into cooking – the magazine sounds like just the nudge I need to get her in there with me more!

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Rachel

My boys would love Chop Chop magazine! I’ve been debating subscribing for the last couple years to help encourage their interest in cooking & baking. So fun!

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Heather

I keep meaning to give my kids a subscription to Chop Chop. Thank you for the opportunity to win it!
Love the gift guide & the photo links!

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Heidi Aronson

My daughters are 14 and 12, and we think of you as our doppelganger family. For my part, I grew up reading my parents’ Gourmet magazines; I remember my mom and me crying together when Laurie Colwin died; and I’ll bet my kids would delight at having their own cooking magazine arrive at the house.

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Katy

My 5 year old son loves to help me bake! I’m excited to learn about this cooking magazine for kids.

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Meredith

Great list – I think I pretty much opened every link, hehe! Also I just checked out Chop Chop – looks like a really solid magazine, which is great. Don’t love it when media is “dumbed down” for kids.

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Amy

We have the Chop Chop cookbook & love it! My 10-year-old daughter’s weekend speciality is the German pancake. 🙂

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Allison Huff

I would love the ChopChop subscription!! I love getting my 3 and 5 year olds involved in the kitchen with me. Never heard of this but what a great idea!!

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Jen

My 5-year-old would love the magazine! She’: getting more and more into cooking and baking. Actually asked for “chef stuff” for Christmas!

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Allie

My daughter is four and a half and loves to help me in the kitchen! I would love to have that magazine for new ideas of things we can cook together, and ways to start to set her free from my guidance.

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Valentina

Chop Chop sounds like a perfect gift for my Chopped Junior obsessed kids. Jenny when are you going to be a guest judge?

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Sarah Creech

I would love to win a subscription to ChopChop. I’m in charge of magazine subscriptions at my job (Belgrade Community Library) and this would be an amazing addition!!

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Gail Frentzel

Chop Chop!! My grand daughter is the pickiest eater. Maybe if she were more hands on in the kitchen it would help! And there’s so much learning and love to be found in a ktichen!!

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Dana

Long time reader and previous book purchaser, but no longer. You really can’t seem to help yourself with your subtle (and not so subtle) injections of your political views into this blog. We are not like minded but I used to enjoy your focus on food and family only. Good luck to you, I won’t be returning.

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Rebecca

In the interest of providing some balance to the naysayers (they’re everywhere!), I just want to say, “Jenny, do you.” I love how you write about food and family—and that you write honestly about your beliefs as well. Also, how can you not talk about the world at large when sitting down to eat with your family?

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Janie

I love the Literary Young Adult Subscription box, but my sons are 8 and 5. Do you know if there is something comparable for younger kids?

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Bea

Thank you for this list! I went over to the Redbubble site and bought some great stickers for my girls Christmas stockings!
My 9 year old is the pickiest eater ever but loves to watch cooking shoes and loves getting her own mail so the subscription to ChopChop would be perfect for her. Best wishes to you and your family for a very wonderful holiday season.

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Erin in PA

I would love to gift Chop Chop to my 10 year old daughter for Christmas! We have such fun baking together, but she is not in the mind to try cooking. I think the stovetop scares her… 🙂 Great round up of ideas!!

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Julie

My 9 year old LOVES Chop Chop – she gets so excited when it arrives in the mailbox. Chop Chop also has a cooking challenge called the Chop Chop Cooking Club: they assign a task and recipe. Once the child cooks it, you upload a photo of the dish. They review it, the child gets credit, and a new challenge is issued. Each task focuses on one particular kitchen skill (grating, roasting, using a blender, etc.) or ingredient (grain, fish, pasta, etc.). The tasks get more involved as more are completed and there is flexibility in precisely what you make (for example, we used our own recipe for black beans instead of the one provided).

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jenny coyle

I love seeing that Yummy Plushies are still a hit! Just ordered the John Derian book for a gift–thanks for the tip!

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Lori

What a treat! The magazine would be great to use with my two grandsons (it’ll be a while for the second- he’s only 3 months old!) Thanks for the opportunity!

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Megan

so many fun things….and the books!! plus, we would love to win that subscription – two gals at home with love to help out in the kitchen at 6 and 3 :). Thanks!

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Julie

My son is 8 and is beginning to get interested and excited about cooking. Chop Chop would be a great way to jump start his kitchen adventures!

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Jess.

Those stickers are saving Christmas. Thank you! And I’m really excited to sign my kids up for that magazine and take up residence on the couch come suppertime. xox

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TERRILL SALTER

I used to read Chop Chop at our pediatrician’s office in New Hampshire many years ago and forgot all about it. (I think Catherine Newman of Ben and Birdy was one of the minds behind it). Now my kids are finally at an age when they might appreciate it.

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Bethany

Even though I live overseas, could I enter to win the magazine for my niece in Pennsylvania? She would love it I’m sure.
Thanks!

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Sarah

Comment. I want the magazine 🙂 And we absolutely plan to sign up for Family-to-Family. Thank you for the wonderful idea, as I’ve been looking for something like this.

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Evie

My 12 year old daughter is passionate about cooking. I think this magazine would be great for her. I’ve never heard of it either. Thanks!

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Susi

Oops! I may be a few minutes too late!! I’d love the magazine subscription for my 11 year old son! 🙂 Happy Holidays!

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