if my office's yankee swap is any indication, people like getting gifts of the drinkable variety, and it's perfect for a holiday hostess gift or for new years, when you want to bring something special and festive to your hosts. and any time of year, drinkable gifts are great for a celebratory or special occasion of any kind.
my favortite ideas for gifts of this type are a bottle of good champagne like veuve clicquot or taittinger, or a bottle of a prosecco, still wine or a nice liquor you know the recipient likes.
most liquor stores have very knowledgable people who are great about working within whatever budget you are comfortable, and i always find that their suggestions are worth taking. or here is a great online resource for best rated wines in different price ranges.
i love that johnnie walker has complimentary engraving booths (grand central station's graybar passage in ny, union station in dc near thunder grill, and several places in florida, illinois and massachussets, listed here) where they'll engrave up to 45 characters in full-size bottles of johnnie walker blue. the booths are there through 12/30 in most locations. it's a nice, special touch for a very special bottle, and totally amps the wow factor of a gift that's already a wow. note: they don't sell the bottles, so you need to bring your own to the kiosks.
if you know any tequilla drinkers, i love the idea of gran centenario rosangel, a hibiscus-infused tequilla that is a gorgeous shade of pink. so festive! the flavor is described as "a complex, perfumed nose with ripe fruit and floral notes, plus hints of vanilla, while the palate holds flavors of dried fruits leading to a smooth, gentle finish." i don't like tequila, yet somehow this one sounds good.
of course, a bottle alone is a wonderful gift, but i also love the idea of pairing it with a couple glasses which last beyond the bottle itself.
i totally and completely love the verve champagne flutes from crate and barrel, and of course, waterford champagne flutes are beyond special. they even come in colors now, which is a great modern twist on a classic. many of them are out of stock right now, but waterford will email you and let you know when more are available - they make a great wedding or engagement gift, so it's good to know about when they're back.
and while we're on the subject of color....
i could imagine getting a set of wine or champagne glasses for a young woman (or a woman of any age, at that) in a playful and elegant pink, like these from cascara. they also come in clear, smoke and a pale green.
if you're giving a bottle of liquor, i love the etched crown glasses from wisteria i blogged about last week, but for tequila or another liquor, i love the idea of cordial glasses (especially the kirby from crate, above) or a vodka set, which is several small cordial or shot glasses and a bowl designed to hold the glasses and ice to keep them cold between sips.
other accessories you could look to for a gift, and they make great gifts on their own as well, is a great ice or champagne bucket, a decanter set, a shaker or interesting wine stoppers. I love these:from pier 1, i love these mediterranean ceramic stoppers:
from michael aram for waterford, the jaipur cocktail shaker and ice bucket are extremely special looking:
from nambe, i like the twist cocktail shaker and the tilt decanter and glasses, which are a special material that keeps liquid nice and cold:
i think what's nice about a bar-themed gift is that, for a drinker or entertainer (the only people who should receive these kinds of gifts), one's bar is always evolving with new and different things rotating through. for people who take pleasure in that, a gift of a special liquor or wine, or a unique bar accessory is really the perfect gift. the added bonus is that in the card, all you have to write is "cheers!"
all non-original photos from linked sites
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