Thursday, November 20, 2014

Holiday Shopping Made Easy So You'll Have More Time for Wine - What's on Tap: November 2014

The Berrrrs are Back...

Last year the Berrrr's and I brought you a butt load of gift ideas to help with your holiday shopping and we're back again this year to do the same. Below you'll find gift ideas of all prices and with more than enough time to make or order, ship and wrap your gift you can avoid the holiday stress that comes with parking at the mall, waiting on long lines, and shopping with human Grinches.
I warn you... This is BIG(so big I had to post it in two sections)! Links, ideas, pictures, promo codes the whoooole hook up. The gift guide is organized into categories with a present suggestion for everyone in the fam and I've starred* the items that are my absolute faves. So grab a glass bottle of wine, and relax (since you no longer have to stress about what to buy), get your credit card ready, and browse through these fabulous gifts ideas. 

In this installment you'll find: 
Tech gifts for all ages
Gifts for the shoe afficianado
Foodie gifts that will have your cup running-eth over

In next week's installment you'll find:
Fab 3-step DIY gift ideas that are easy and inexpensive
Gift ideas for the artsy Berrrr
Gifts for Berrrrs who hate gifts but LOVE experiences
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For the Techy Berrrr:

source: OpenSky

For Kid Berrrr: Portable Humidifier

One of the worst things about winter is the dry air, especially for kids. We live on an island and travel to NJ for Christmas so the air change is drastic and usually ends up in a cold. But what if you could change that? The reviews raved about the Satechi Portable Humidifier; that it is quiet, easy to use and easier to travel with. Fill a bottle or cup with purified water, place the humidifier into the opening, and plug into a USB port. It comes with two replacement filters and you can buy more on OpenSky. Sign up for free credits.

For Toddler Berrrr: Click & Grow

source: Click&Grow
Our kids have recently found a new hobby: cooking with mami and papi. They are becoming quite the helpers in the kitchen, standing on the stool and pouring, mixing, and sampling everything. So when I saw this Click & Grow system my first thought was how much they would like watching things grow that then they'd get to eat. With zero effort they can grow our herbs which means we won't have to waste money on buying a handful of basil at the supermarket and throw out the rest that never gets used. We could also, with zero effort, grow our own strawberries. Do you know how excited our daughter would be to pick a strawberry (or 6) off our Click & Grow garden? Plus, do you have any idea how hard it is to find good strawberries in Dominican Republic? Or chili peppers for that matter? This thing is awesome.


For Mommy Berrrr: The Perfect Camera *

My dad was a camera person and it seemed like every other year he was purchasing a new camera. As a kid - with no money - I didn't understand this. What was he getting from this new camera that he couldn't get from his old one? Once I became a camera person, I understood it. Cameras, like clothing styles, come in phases. In college I wore tighter clothes and snapped shots with a point and shoot. When I began working, I had more professional clothes and shot with a Nikon SLR camera, flash included. Now that I have kids, I'm more casually dressed and need a camera that follows suit. It is damn near impossible to run around after kids with a clunky SLR hanging from my neck (with the attached bulky flash) and beyond impossible to get the clear shots I want with a point and shoot. But this Samsung NX digital seems to incorporate the best of both. It has the interchangeable lens and high speed shooting that I need to photograph Speedy Gonzalez kids but its small frame, vintage look, and casual handling makes it easy to travel. I'm salivating at the mouth just thinking about. There are different price ranges but click to view the intro NX3000 in white or for 20 bucks more between 11/23 - 12/6 buy NX300. FREE SHIPPING and other holiday deals you can check out.
source: Samsung

For Daddy Berrrr: Speakers

Men love electronics and Husband is no exception but he particularly loves speakers. Our family is big on movies and music and we are an overseas family so size matters. There are plenty of choices available; we just happened to go with Bose years ago and were so happy with them that we've never looked elsewhere. I'll take a pair of these please, Santa. 


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For the Shoe-Loving Berrrr:

source: look.com

For Baby Berrrr: Old Soles *

No, I don't mean that my kid listens to Louis Armstrong or Dean Martin, although by default he does. The Old Soles I'm talking about are shoes. Our own Baby Berrrr has two pairs that were handed down to us and it'd be a crime if I didn't tell you just how much I love these shoes. First, if you are a parent of small children, you know that putting on shoes is as mystical as a f*cking unicorn. Even if you could get the kid to sit still, most shoes are impossibly difficult to get on. Not. These. They are magically simple. It also doesn't hurt that the material is soft and the sneaker design is simple. Old Soles is an Australian company so they could be hard to find in the states. Lucky for you I did some searching. The most variety by far is at ChildrenSalon. They deliver from the UK and if you hold off until the beginning of December  the representative mentioned their items would go on sale. There wasn't as much variety on this site but they had great sales and last but not least - if you hurry - you could still grab some at Gilt.  Additional links include J. Crew online and Look.com. Can you tell I'm obsessed with these shoes?

For Teenage Berrr: Ralph Lauren Vintage Kicks

I know that there is nothing that teenagers hate more than a mom - who thinks she's cool but who they swear is uncool - trying to dress them but even the sulkiest of teenagers would admit that these are dope. And if they disagree, you could always ground them. FREE SHIPPING.
source: zappos

For Mommy Berrr: Arctic Knit Boot *

source: Anthropologie
Have you ever had a dream about something and woken up to realize it didn't exist. That is a dream I've had about boots like this... until now. These make me so freaking excited. Yes, even though I live in the Caribbean. Yes, even though I am only in the winter season for a few weeks. The next place we move abroad will have a winter season just so that I could wear these boots into the ground and then wear them some more. Check them (and other great boots) out at Sorel or buy them at Nordstrom's and get FREE SHIPPING. Send me a pair of 8.5 pleeeeeease.


For Daddy Berrrr: Aviator Twill Paseos by TOMS

What would one of my holiday lists be without TOMS. These piggie holders have made my list both in 2012 and 2013. for good reason. They come in a gajillion patterns, tons of styles, and what says holiday giving more than a company who gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes that are purchased. Take advantage of the limited time FREE SHIPPING over $25.
source: TOMS
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For the Foodie Berrrr:

For Kid Berrrr: LolliPics

These fanciful treats are tasty and nostalgic. Here's how it works. Start by picking the image you want to use. Then pick the lollipop (choose from pinwheels, opaque, or clear). Lastly pick the quantity. My daughter knows 3 different words for lollipop and actually asks if she could visit the doctor regularly just for one of these suckers, so... lollipops, by far, are her favorite thing on Earth. At $3.69 per LolliPic, they seem a bit expensive but keep in mind they are larger than average, totally adorable, and would make great stocking stuffers. The minimum purchase is six. USE the promo code THANKFUL25 at checkout and get 25% off everything through January.

For Mommy Berrrr: Wine Pearls

What a great marketing name for women, right? Wine and pearls. Why, yes please. But besides the ingenious name, the concept is also quite brilliant. If you've drank white wine with me, you know I like it with ice. I like the ice for the cooling temperature of the wine and not for the way it waters down my vino (although that just makes it easier to drink). Enter: wine pearls. These substitute ice cubes are stored in the freezer until you're ready to use them to chill your wine, no watering down included. Brrrrrrr-iliant!

For Daddy Berrrr: Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker

I think I could release this as an official comment, "Husband would DIE if he had this." That guy loves making breakfast sandwiches and if he had a machine to help him make them in half the time we might only eat breakfast sandwiches. For every meal. Everyone gets breakfast sandwiches. Buy it on HamiltonBeach.com and get this $5 rebate. Also available on Amazon.



Don't forget to check back next week for:
Fab DIY 3-step gift ideas that are easy and inexpensive
Gift ideas for the artsy Berrrr
Gifts for people who hate gifts but LOVE experiences