A Small Wish List for Non-Geeks

Alysha Naples from BlueGreen has assembled a small Holiday wish list for those of you who aren’t feeling terribly creative this holiday season. It definitely skews to the less geeky crowd, which is probably a welcomed change of pace around your place. I’ve included direct links for the products where appropriate for your clicking pleasure.

UNDER $100

National Geogrpahic subscriptions have long been in my gift arsenal. ReadyMade is another one that seems to go over well, as does Bust.

The LiveSTRONG bracelets from the Lance Armstrong Foundation are only $1 and have been going over really well. They also make kids’ sizes, which I recommend for small and medium sized women.

Classes. A certificate good for a yoga class, cooking class, etc. This one is especially good if there’s something you know they’ve wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to taking that first step.

Audible gift certificates. If you have an NPR or book lover in your life that uses an mp3 player, a subscription to Audible is a great gift. I gave a friend a year-long subscription to “This American Life.”

Cooking gadgets: Silpats and the Oxo locking can opener are 2 things I can’t do without. Both under $20.

Martha Stewart’s embossers are customizable and made for gardeners, cooks, and bibliophiles. I gave a set - one “from the kitchen of” and one “from the library of” to a couple (a baker and a book lover), and they loved them.

OVER $100

I have given several of Jessica Sexton’s Unlockets that have gone over VERY well. Basically, you give someone a packet that they can then send in with a photo attached (or upload a photo if desired) and the charm is custom made from there.

NetFlix. My dad is basically impossible to buy for, and I think I’m going to give him a year’s subscription to NetFlix.

BABIES & KIDS

Robeez slippers. Under $30, really cute, and all the parents I know swear by them.

“This is San Francisco” by Miroslav Sasek. This is a great vintage book with wonderful illustrations and information. It’s a big hit with my friends’ kids who don’t live around here. He also did a similar book on New York, London, and Paris.

“Bed Bed Bed” (book) by They Might Be Giants. Illustrated by Marcel Dzama, this book comes with a cd of bedtime music and all. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

“No!” (cd) by They Might Be Giants. An album for kids. That is good. Unlike The Teletubbies and The Wiggles, this is music that the kids will love that the parents will enjoy, too.