holiday shopping guide

Holiday Shopping Guide: Entertainment Classics

Rare films, classic TV, revivals and revolutionary cinema. DVDs make great presents because they're great experiences, whether discovering the early works of Charlie Chaplin, reminiscing on a first date movie, uncovering the latest and greatest of art crimes, or journeying deep into the jungle into one of the greatest war films ever made. If there's one thing the end of year brings us, it's a host of new DVD releases, all specially packaged for gifting. Choose a film or TV set that a friend would be proud to have as part of their library. Here are our top picks:

Mad Men Season Three

With an ominous Old Fashioned decorating the cover of the new box set of AMC's groundbreaking show, the cover design foretells Don Draper's deadening downward spiral in the unparalleled Season Four. There's only one thing to hold us over until Season Five. Revisit Season Three for all of its amazing story turns: marriages crumble, agencies fall apart, hidden identities revealed, all amidst the backdrop of JFK's assassination, putting the 60s all into perspective. It's one of the few shows that delivers more and more with each viewing. Snap up this boxset and revisit the magic and tribulations of Madison Avenue in preparation for next year.

Tags: box sets, dvds, holiday gifts, holiday shopping guide

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Inspirational DVDs

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Some of my favorite gifts over the years have been the educational ones. The holidays give us much needed down time. It's the perfect excuse to picking up a new skill such as cooking, taking a journey of our planet with Oprah Winfrey, or exploring the history of our solar system. Here are the top new releases this season for some truly inspirational gifts.

Cooking From A to Zest

While we love to watch cooking classes on Food Network as much as the next person, we can't remember one instance of actually going off and baking that 7-layer meringue cake. Finally, a box-set that takes cooking from entertainment to instructional. The perfect present for the newlyweds or college grad on your shopping list, "Cooking From A to Zest" ($59.99) covers the basics and beyond. Your lucky gift recipient will perfect their knife skills and build an arsenal of sauce recipes. Here's hoping you'll be on the receiving end of a great meal well past the holidays.

Tags: dvds, gift guide, holiday shopping, holiday shopping guide

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Gifts that Give Back

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity

End of year marks a great time to pull out your checkbooks and give to your favorite charities. But even when going through your holiday shopping list, there's always room for more giving. Here are a few gifts that are sure to please anyone on your list, from fashion to electronics, and more importantly allow you to help out a few more charities before the year is up. Here's are roundup of the top gifts that give back in 2010:

FEED x UNICEF Guatamala Bags

Handwoven tribal fabrics continue to make waves this season, with a new line of bags and wallets just released by Proenza Schouler. But to really make a dent this holiday season, go for the latest bag from FEED Projects. The new design made from traditional Guatemalan Ikat fabrics both celebrates women artisans and helps support UNICEF's nutrition programs in Guatemala. Available for $45 at Lord & Taylor stores and online.

Tags: charity gifts, gift guide, gifts that give back, holiday shopping guide

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Top Grooming Gifts for Men

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

While it's arguably much harder to buy grooming products for men, who can often be pickier with the few products they opt in on, you can't go wrong if you choose a scent or grooming kit that matches their personality. This year's roundup of deluxe grooming gifts includes ideas that will suit the fashionable man, the classic man or even the practical man.

Tuscan Leather Holiday Set

Tom Ford's Private Blend collection Eau de Parfums are not for the ordinary man. Highly refined and beautifully packaged in a dark brown glass falcon, the Private Blend collection is for the man who cares as much about the blend in his sweater as the stitching in his shoes. This season Ford has created the ultimate gift set, honoring one of the line's most popular scents. The Tuscan Leather Holiday Set ($975) celebrates the gorgeous fragrance that captures the revered craftsmanship and love of details that can only be found in Italy. This chypre oriental is composed of black rose and black truffle concentrations mixed with saffron, and notes of oud and tree moss on top. The set is a must have for Tom Ford fans and includes: an Eau de Parfum Spray, larger size Eau de Parfum, Candle, Refillable gold atomizer with funnel and multi-use tray, sure to look amazing on any dark wood bureau top.

Tags: gifts for men, grooming gifts for men, holiday gift guide 2010, holiday shopping guide

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Top Beauty Gifts for Women

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

The holidays mark the perfect time to update your look, your scent, or simply to protect the skin on your back. We rounded up the top luxe beauty gifts this season that will be a joy for anyone on your list to play with and experiment with. Help your friends and loved ones ring in the new year with a gift that will last well into 2011.

Sensai Cellular Lifting Series Set

The first name in Japanese skincare, Sensai, has earned a named synonymous with rich, moisturized skin. Whether dealing with harsh winter conditions or drying sun, nothing works better to moisturize and heal delicate skin. A new limited edition set ($245) features two of the most popular products from Sensai's new Lifting series, Lifting Cream and Lifting Essence, and a revitalizing Lifting Radiance 3D Mask. Featuring a near entire bottle of the Sensai Lifting Radiance Concentrate, formulated with Sensai's Natural Musculifter and Golden Camomile Extract, the mask guarantees a fresh, youthful face by New Year's through its trademark energy activation of muscle cells and microcirculation of the skin.

Sensai has another Limited Edition Gift Set from the Cellular Performance line ($130), which features Cellular Performance face and eye countour cream, inflused with Koishumaru Silk and Shilan Extract to protect against wrinkles and discoloration. The special box set also includes the Total Lip Treatment, which Scarlett Johannson calls her "favorite thing in the entire world...feels like a million bucks."

Tags: bobbi brown, cosmetics, fragrance, holiday shopping guide, perfume, scent, sensai, tom ford

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Sweet Gifts For Foodies

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Bouchon Bakery makes delectable macarons that can be sent anywhere in the world. These cookies are the quintessential French melt-in-your mouth classics. They come in chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and pistachio as well as special holiday fillings of peppermint buttercream, rum and eggnog buttercream, and gingerbread. Large macarons are $3 each while a package of six mini are $12. To make a big hit, order at least 25. They can then be piled up in a tower in different colors and flavors to make a great holiday centerpiece; www.bouchonbakery.com; 212-823-9357.

Tags: brownies, buche de noel, cake, cheese, cowgirl creamery, fauchon, holiday shopping guide, little pie company, truffle, yule log

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Fabulous Eats For Foodies

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Nothing says holiday l celebration like caviar and Champagne. Petrossian, tops in any town for caviar, has its own caviar concierge (800-828-9241). Call and get some advice about the briny pearls with the indescribable taste. With 18 different types of caviar options, advice is a good idea. If you're thinking "big deal," splurge on the 125 gram Special Reserve Ossetra at $1,253 plus special shipping. The Champagne to match according to an expert at New York's Sherry Lehmann is Vintage Krug 1998 at $269.95.

Tags: caviar, crab cakes, crown roast of pork, gifts for foodies, holiday, holiday gift guide, holiday shopping guide, mail order foods, Maine lobster

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Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Dad

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Holiday Guides, Men's Style

Dads are especially hard to shop for because they always seem to have everything they need and heaven knows they hate getting useless keepsakes and knickknacks. But that's not to say fathers don't appreciate the finer things in life, or getting something with some sentiment behind it, so show your dad how much you care this holiday season by spoiling him (just a little) with a gift that he'll love and use but would probably never have gotten around to buying for himself. Here are our top gift picks for dad -- all beautifully functional, fun, and top of the line.

Vulcain 50s Presidents' Alarm Watch, $8,350-$23,000
The Vulcain 50s President's Alarm Watch is great for any guy really but seems especially suited to dad or grandpa due to its nostalgic 1950s styling and interesting historical story: Vulcain has been gifting one to each new President since Eisenhower. Features include a casing of steel, yellow gold, or red gold and their famous Cricket movement (automatic).

Tags: gifts for Dad, gifts for men, holiday gift guide, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, holiday shopping guide, holiday shopping season

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Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Wine Lovers

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Wine drinkers come in all shapes and sizes with preferences ranging from classic to trendy and casual to serious and here at Luxist we love them all. Wine and the holidays go together like bread and butter so whether you're looking for a hostess gift or something for a wine-loving boss or family member you can't go wrong. Need inspiration? Here are some of our favorite holiday gift ideas for the grape nut on your shopping list.

Parrot Corkscrew Waiter's Friend, $60
Wine openers are a no fail gift option for any wine lover as they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price ranges and are something every wine drinker uses. Steer away from plain and boring and opt instead for an opener that has plenty personality, like this Parrot Corkscrew designed by Alessandro Mendini for Alessi.

Tags: gift guide, gift guide 2010, gift guides, gifts for wine lovers, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, holiday shopping guide, wine

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