So, you can't throw a sledgehammer (what, like you haven't done that in the heat of the moment? ...don't answer that) right now without hitting a holiday gift guide or a Best of 2010 list. My Best of list is still in the works, so for now, here's a list of what I think everyone should be getting their friends and loved ones for the holidays.
Local Music
What's a better way to keep a friendly competition for cool-factor than by giving a gift that says, "I know more cool local bands than you do?" But in all seriousness, I think a local CD or LP is far and above the best gift one can give in the holiday season, especially to the local music-newb. Think about it: not only are you giving the gift of awesome music, not only is this gift usually under 10 bucks and almost always under 20, but you're supporting a local artist in the process, and if you buy it somewhere like Treehouse Records or the Electric Fetus, you're supporting local business, too.
Go-to card (bus pass)
In a city full of bike enthusiasts like Minneapolis, the sidewalks become a veritable catwalk for cool bikes in the summertime. In the harsh Minnesota winter, however? You might run into a biker here or there, blazing through the snow with a look of fierce determination, and think to yourself "Wow, that's pretty badass," or even "Wow, that person is out of their ever-loving mind." For the friend of the fairweather biker, what better gift than the gift of winter-time mobility? These little plastic cards can be reloaded time and time again, and again, why not give your money to the public transportation system this year instead of, say, a huge corporate juggernaut like Barnes and Nobles or Target? The holidays are a great time to put your money where your mouth is.
Make something
Everyone seems to roll their eyes when the point is made every year about how something handmade means even more than something store-bought, as if to say, "Yeah, right. You know you want that new video game console." But honestly, some of my favorite gifts have been the ones that my friends made for me with their two hands, because knowing that they care enough to do that is truly the greatest gift one could receive, and the one that will have the longest lasting effects (way longer than the 5 lbs I'll gain from the inevitable box of chocolate I'll get from someone). Not a crafty person? Okay, the next best thing is buying something handmade by someone else, because you're still supporting a local artist and let's face it, handmade stuff is better anyway. Why not try a local-centric boutqiue like the adorable I like you, in NE minneapolis?
Love and Affection
Last but certainly not least, and piggy-backing off of the themes in the last gift idea, why not make an agreement with friends and family that, in lieu of material gifts this year, you're going to use the money you save by not buying stuff to take an extra day off of work and spend some quality time together? Give your mom a massage? Or, for the people who you maybe weren't going to buy a gift for anyway, just show some extra TLC and give them a sincere compliment, a hug, or even a smile? The one thing I've always liked about the holidays is that it seems to elicit a desire to be "good" in people, and though that should be there all year long, there's no reason not to follow that desire to the fullest and give the gift of love and kindness (the best gift of all!).
Hope I could be of some gift-giving service, and if not, that you were mildly entertained.
Happy Holidays, folks.
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