December is upon us, dudes. I am lovingly dropping in on an off-Monday to talk about something that everyone enjoys - presents. This topic is especially relevant today because it’s cyber Monday and sales are popping off. And while consumerism is totally a bummer, how else will our friends and family know just how much we love them? Giving gifts is one of my favorite things but it can be challenging so here are a few items that I love that your people will probably also love.
Let me just get this one out of the way first - it’s a sweat suit. I have recently become. . . obsessed with this leisurewear pairing and I think everyone needs to get on board. As of last night, I have officially ordered EIGHT. I’m serious. EIGHT pairs of these sweat suits from Richer Poorer. They are great in men’s and women’s. I also exclusively wear underwear from this company and the men’s underwear is also very comfortable.
For any kitchen kids, I recommend this Dutch oven from Great Jones. All the better to make soup in. I would like one in green, please. They also make nice sheet trays. While they are a bit pricey, they hold up incredibly and look beautiful. Aprons also make a lovely gift and it is unnecessary to spend over $100 on them (especially if you’re wearing them nearly every day). Expensive aprons is a trend that I hate. I wear two styles and I love them both. This one, I got for my birthday last year and then ordered a couple more myself. This one, I got for Christmas last year (I wear a 3X) and then ordered a couple more myself. While you’re shopping for the Dutch oven and aprons, you might as well round out the kitchen gifts and make it a nice little basket with some cook books. The number one essential is Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat (it is so much more than a show on Netflix). Other great ones are Alison Roman’s Dining In and Nothing Fancy, Carla Lalli Music’s That Sounds So Good and Where Cooking Begins and Matty Matheson’s Home Style Cookery which has a lot of great broth and soup recipes.
For my people who are sitting in the living room while the cooking is happening, let’s hook them up with a truly delightful, beautiful and challenging puzzle from Piecework Puzzles. I have a couple of these. The Spaghetti Western one turned out so pretty, I framed it and hung it in my kitchen. I also love any puzzle from Charles Wysocki. Or perhaps consider Qwirkle, a game that is very popular at dinner parties in my neighborhood.
One of the most thoughtful gifts that anyone has gotten me was a six month subscription to the Savage Lovecast, a podcast that I love a lot. You can do this with any podcast that has a paid version (which is nearly all of them). And you can also provide a Bose Bluetooth speaker for your darling to listen to their favorite podcast (I own two of these). I would also just like to mention Celebs On Sandwiches.
Picture it now - your favorite person (maybe it’s you) dons there brand new beloved sweat suit and places over it a crisp new apron just asking to be covered in sauce. They fire up their new Dutch oven and start cooking straight out of their new cook book. Their favorite podcast plays out of their new speaker. In the other room, the guests are delighted by the challenge of a new puzzle. It’s Christmas. All is well. The only thing that could make this moment better is some Primal Wine and a Voluspa Candle.
I hope this will help someone out but either way, it’s just nice to talk to you. Chances are if you order any of this shit right now it will be here by New Year’s Day. Alternatively, skip the gifts and bah humbug everyone you know. You’ll get no judgement from me.
Thank you & I love you
-the BMer