Holiday Boy Gift Ideas for Husbands, Boyfriends and Brothers

As hard as I try to write down gift ideas for my husband David throughout the year...I always forget. So let's get the holiday gift idea list going.

The Barber Spa with The Art of Shaving

I interviewed my husband's hard-to-please friend, and he said right away: A gift certificate to a shave with The Art of Shaving. At first I thought he meant product, which I've given David before and he's hooked, but he meant an actual hot shave.
Buy it from The Art of Shaving >



Magazine Subscription

These trade magazines have loads of gift ideas, even for birthdays. If your boyfriend or husband is into cycling, try Bicycle Magazine for gift ideas.
Buy it and other magazines at Amazon > (and FashionMista gets a commission)


Griffin Elevator Lift for His Laptop Computer

This is a great gift. My own brother gave it to me, out of his very own thought. I love it!!! I travel a lot with my laptop, and the Griffin Elevator lets me look straight on and relax my neck. I'd recommend a keyboard to plug in so that he doesn't need to hold his hands up, but I've been totally cool without it. It's totally portable and breaks into 3 pieces. Fits great in my messenger bag.
Buy it at Amazon > (and FashionMista gets a commission)


Keyboard Cufflinks

For the real geekiness in your husband or boyfriend, check out these MAC keyboard cufflinks - with custom initials! Could be a perfect gift for your geeky brother. Great stocking stuffer!
Buy it at Geekware.com >

Leather Wrist Band/Cuffs for Studs

If your husband, boyfriend or brother is the super studly type, going to clubs and such, then the black genuine leather wrist band/cuff from Di Manno Designs is a perfect stocking stuffer for him.
Buy at DiMannoDesigns.com >

The POWERCUP On-the-Go Power Supply Cup

Ok, this one may be more for me when I need to plug in my laptop for more power in the car, but this power supply cup with outlets can be a great help for your man.
Buy it at Delight.com >

Removable Toddler or Baby Car Seat Cover

Speaking of the car, your hubby might be the one who deals with the car seat when it gets dirty. Founder Katie Danziger was shocked when she realized that she couldn't easily clean her car seat, so invented the nomie baby brand to solve problems for parents. She launched with the nomie car seat cover for babies and toddlers, and it is a time saver and saves on back pain. And now, nomie baby is being carried in the Friends of Katie James online boutique, Diapers.com, and BuyBuyBaby.com!
Buy at Friends of Katie James >

Fish Bottle Opener and Coaster

For the fisherman in your life, or the rugged outdoorsman, check out these fish coasters with bottle opener.
Buy at Artful Sentiments >

100% Kosher Beef T-Shirt

For the meet-lover. Pure, 100% Kosher Beef t-shirt. It's a muscle-t, and you won't see many like it.
Buy it at PopJudaica.com >

Stocking Stuffers! For Girls.

Here we go - the beginning of a stocking stuffer list for Christmas. Or really, for any day. Because we should have stockings every day, I think. Shoot. I might have to buy all of what I post! Resist. Resist. But you - you should buy.

SoapyLove - reindeer soap - $6.00
I have bought SoapyLove soap, and it is awesome. So pretty. It's amazing how pretty it is. And affordable


Jack and Jane Boutique
elephant magnets - $5.50



MyRockArt
square glass coffee mug magnets - $7.99


Katie James
cotton and french terrycloth burp cloths - $36/set (who is this lovely designer? oh, it's me ;)


Danskin
quality, cashmere, legwarmer - $125 (ok, that's a pricey stocking stuffer, but check out their other striped sweat pant legwarmer)


...more to come as I collect it...or send me some tips! Make a comment and I'll check it out.

Christmas and Bond - James Bond

Hope everyone is having good holidays! I'm finally getting a break the night before David, Gerdy and I head back to NYC as we're watching a James Bond marathon as rented from the library. I've hit most of my favorite Cleveland eating spots - Joey's Pizza, the American Tavern, Yours Truly, and tonight Village Square Pizza - so I pretty much can only sit here and blog!

I took a break from my computer - but I did cheat now that I have my free PDA from Nokia and Cingular...yippie! Yes folks, free. I was going to use Christmas money for a PDA now that I am a free agent aka contractless, so I researched the PDAs and learned that the sexy Trios have not-so-great sound, and I had no interest in a Blackberry for some reason, so I looked up Nokia and found its Nokia E62 had good reviews and a $50 special with Amazon, until I called Cingular to talk to someone about it, who told me that Nokia itself was offering the Nokia E62 for free with a 2-year contract!

Was that not the longest sentence? So I signed the 2-year contract and the PDA is mine...

But, onto Christmas, which was very eventful partially because it was David's first sleep-over Christmas, at which he was in high demand for paddle, golf, pictures, food and more food. David scored with a Christmas gift to my dad - a remote controlled Mosquito helicopter which was matched by a gift from my Nana - another remote controlled helicopter. So, without further adieu, here below my first animated .gif to illustrate the remoteness of the men in the family!


(that's my dad on the right flying the little white helicopter all around the room, which is pretty much all any male did who came over, and the helicopter did make it to my grandparent's to fly around their china dinner set)

Then, click here for the battle between the Evil Punching Snowman that showed up in our stockings as they battle the two helicopters in a "dogfight" looking quite like King Kong...it's our debut onto YouTube!


But onto more exciting things...stockings...my most favorite part of Christmas morning...


Santa found David and delivered a stocking with goodies in it, including a spaceship spin toothbrush and an Ohio State mug.


My brother and his stocking...


My sister at her annual stomping of my brother on Christmas morning with a newly added glass of Airborne to keep us all healthy...


And we finished it off with delicious bottles of Layer Cake, the velvety Shiraz grown from a century old French vine in Australia. We'll be hearing more about this yummy bottle, but in the meantime, you can ask your local wine store if they carry it. If you like a smooth red, you'll like a glass of this...


This was PRE-Christmas, but Oliver wanted to come and I had to include it...

I think that's all for now! I'm going to finish this night of Bond and get ready for the drive back to NYC...

Happy New Year!

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Happy Holidays! Christmas Card

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Unmarried Live Togethers Discriminated Against at Christmas

Unmarried Live Togethers are facing more tough times this year, battling through tense family telephone round-robbins. Females are often the hardest hit by such situations, as for some reason, daughters can do more damage than sons. During holiday homecomings, families would prefer the co-ed existence happen off of the family homestead and exist out of site at a hotel or a family farm. In Burton. Where there are murders. See the Burton Blog for more on the false sense of security of serene Amish country (because that is where this Mista will be staying - at the family farm - if co-habitation happens over the holiday).

Bridget Jones didn't have to deal with such situations, as she just didn't live with someone (sorry, Bridget). Director Julie Taymore may have something to say, being that last I checked, she was "happily unmarried for 10 years," which by now would be happily unmarried for 13 years or so. Bridget had to deal with Smug Marrieds at dinner, and while Unmarried Live Togethers consider Joyful New Moms with Adorable (and Growing) Babies and grandparents who think they will die before seeing a marriage.

Fortunately, discrimination seems to stop at the bedroom, as this writer's boyfriend has been invited to attend the great family Men's Luncheon, where men are men and sit around predicting important things like who will win the Super Bowl and what stock NOT to short (some Mista readers will know what unfortunate male family member of mine was advised to short Google without consulting his knowledgeable granddaughter on the matter). They must have needed a strong Sports Authority figure, who in a secret life is actually a sports "color" commentator who colors the game with fun facts like which player was deserted by their father, and which was slighted for the Heisman in 1998, etc. (ok, I made up that Heisman part b/c I don't know any colorful facts and the boy is out rollerblading).

Like common highschoolers, Unmarried Live Togethers are forced to abide by parent's rule if they want to celebrate Christmas under one roof, as opposed to being shipped off to Amish country. Even if they are almost 30 or nearly 43. And like common highschoolers, sneaking around upstairs is an option taken by many. And does anyone ever consider the Grand Pets in all of this? Schlepping back and forth from Amish country to "home."

Maybe we should unionize. That would make Republican fathers really mad (most of whom have such rules in the first place, so I suspect that many of us Unmarried Live Togethers who are facing such discrimination do indeed have Republican fathers, who can join a support group I started for my dad called D.A.D - Dads Against Democrats).

Conclusion? Look for sales of Baileys and vodka to be up this season as polite daughters sweetly drown frustrations in tumblers over ice.

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Christmas So Far...

Let's look at the little pile of Christmas accumulating on my desk:



Homemade AppleButter from TN that I got at Thanksgiving for Grampa and Someone Else,
chow chow for cousin with dog, teddy-bear sleep mask for some lucky Mista reader, lambskin for a brother-in-law of a Mista reader that will hopefully turn into a cigar holder today, silkcreened Notebooks by Saturate from the Curiosity Shop, and a Barista Starbucks French coffee press for Dad who has finally switched from Folgers and a dirty drip machine because a restaurant owner in Garretsville, OH told him to - forget that I'd advised him of that 6 years ago after working at a French cafe in Charleston! So now he gets a good one. But you could also get one at Amazon.

Can I tell you what I love about online shopping at little shops? They give you surprises! The Curiosity Shop included a Fortune Telling fish that curls up in the palm of my hand! If its head moves, that means one thing. If its tail moves, that means another. For me, they both moved, and it flipped all around! So it's meaning I'm In Love, Passionate and Fickle, all at once!

Speaking of In Love, David set up quite a nice tree, and even decorated the bottom with wrapped presents! So exciting. Number of time Oliver has knocked it over: 1.5. And speaking of Oliver, here he is, swimming in polkadotted tulle as I tried to make FashionMistas...




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David at Ikea Getting Cabinets?

I slyly told David that I wanted wall shelves with doors for my fabric for Christmas - ok, I tried to be sly, but sly wasn't working. So I get a call from him today, asking if by chance I were to get shelving for above my desk, how necessary are the glass doors...? Before hanging up he told me he was going to finish his Swedish meatballs...busted! David's at Ikea...

Could it be...



or


or


Or none?

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Heelys Roller Shoe- I Want!

All I want for Christmas is two wheely roller shoes! David, who I never give enough credit to for listening and being alert, picked up on my squeel for wanting the roller shoe when this little kid zipped by...




I am SO wearing these to work, IF I get them. Just think of all of the time I'll save from walking normally!

Get the ones above from Shoes.com. Check out other styles or put it on your wish list at Amazon...

Happy wishlisting!

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Silkscreened Christmas

Silkscreening is on the brain. That and softly colored prints that I can't get out of my head (see newly designed desktop wallpaper).

Shh, don't tell David that I'm getting him this silkscreened tie for Christmas from the cool designer who has other great stuff, CYBEROPTIX:


This just in! I just bought the one on the right - olive - and it is being custom made right now. I feel so special.

And if you paid attention to Daily Candy today, you saw a silkscreened notebook by Saturate. Yum! Stocking stuffer! I think I'll get one from the Curiosity Shop for someone in my family who I cannot mention b/c they read the blog...


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