Holiday Gift Guide

Written By: Madelaine Millar

It’s no secret that the holidays can be a stressful time of year.  Although making cookies, drinking cocoa and watching festive movies are all fun on their own, they tend to pile up until you’re sitting on the couch on December 23 with no gifts for half your family and a lot of sympathy for Ebenezer Scrooge. Never fear, The Avenue is here to help you find presents for all your friends so you can rock the holidays and laugh scornfully at everyone dashing off to Target at the last possible second.

For the one that’s WAY TOO EXCITED about The Last Jedi:

The Force is strong in this Death Star waffle maker. Aside from being incredibly cute, waffles are also the perfect fuel for an all-night movie marathon. For ultimate geeky goodness, pair it with this Darth Vader apron, and turn the kitchen into their own personal Star Wars shrine.

Waffle Maker: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017SXUSC6/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IB6JN2T4EOIKC&colid=3K3XAMENY76NM

Apron: https://www.amazon.com/ICUP-Star-Wars-Character-Adjustable/dp/B00CMUAU10/ref=pd_sim_79_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HWEFC9P2A7PQEBJ44XYX

For the one that you know, but you don’t KNOW know, you know?:

We all have that friend where you’ve been friends for long enough to get them a present but you don’t want to go way overboard and have them get weirded out, but you don’t want to get them a single lonely candy-cane either, because that’s kinda weird too. Enter fuzzy reindeer slippers! They’re practical, they’re festive and they’re nice enough to say ‘I care’ without being so nice that the other person feels bad about whatever they got you.

Slippers: http://www.charmingcharlie.com/whats-new/whimsical-holiday/reindeer-slip-on-slippers.html#color=brown

For the one that makes ‘Me Time’ into a professional sport:

This nifty little machine turns any kind of liquid they can imagine into a jelly-like face mask. Each mask is made with collagen, which means that not only are they cute and fun to make, they are actually good for your skin too! Eliminate forever the fear of running out of sheet masks.

Mask Machine: https://www.amazon.com/HailiCare-Facial-Machine-Natural-Organic/dp/B074SJ339S/ref=cm_wl_huc_item?th=1

For the space nerd (or just the one whose instagram is your happy place):

Give them this necklace so they can literally be the center of the universe (or at least the solar system).  Bonus points: this small business makes their gift boxes from entirely recyclable materials, to help the earth on your friend’s neck stay beautifully blue and green!

Necklace: http://eclecticeccentricity.bigcartel.com/product/perfect-alignment-solar-system-necklace

For the one that’s always running late:

I know we all check the time on our phones nowadays, but there’s something about having a clock on the wall that makes it just that much easier to get up before 11:30.  It doesn’t hurt that the bird on the face looks so excited to start the day!

Clock: https://www.redbubble.com/people/carlottart/works/28671092-early-bird?grid_pos=160&p=clock&rbs=dab68f40-c418-4d1d-a7ba-e756abe28362&ref=shop_grid

For the one that’s about to be broke as a joke after buying christmas presents:

The theory here is, upon seeing the bank, they will remember that by saving up their change they will eventually be able to buy ice cream, thus motivating them to save up their change. That makes sense, right?

Bank: https://www.bando.com/collections/sale/products/vanilla-tan-mini-ice-cream-cone-bank

For the one that just got their first apartment:

Because there’s nothing that says “I’m an adult who can handle living alone” like stone coasters, and there’s nothing that says “I’m not an adult will someone please come help me” like mildly apologetic profanity.  

Coasters: https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Coasters-Table-Drink-Housewarming/dp/B01NBV85EZ/ref=sr_1_50?s=handmade&ie=UTF8&qid=1511924133&sr=1-50

For the one that got a co-op in an office:

Do you even work in an office if you don’t have unapologetically: kitschy office supplies on your desk? This way, their coworkers can walk by and go “Heh, that’s neat” before walking away and never speaking again.

Paper Clip Holder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017A5TBM0/ref=strm_workspace_nad_17_2

Pencil Holder: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Pencil-Floating-Container-Accessory/dp/B01EJP7EXC/ref=pd_sim_229_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MN3GQZWXFAA6MRSW4AYD

For the makeup nerd in the rough:

The palette that started it all (and by all I mean warm neutral eyes), the Morphe 35O holds up in a way that some older palettes just don’t. It’s versatile and workable enough for newer users, while still having the shade range to satisfy veterans - the perfect younger sibling starter palette.

Eyeshadow palette: https://www.morphebrushes.com/collections/eyeshadow-palettes/products/35o