The best holiday gifts match their passions

You just know Aunt Edna’s going to send you a Monopoly set this holiday without bothering to ask if you already have one. (You have six, thanks.)  And yes, someone at work is probably going to gift you another fruitcake. You’ll probably get the “I heart Chicago” mug again in a Yankee swap.

Enough already with the ho-hum gifts that don’t take anyone’s personal likes, dislikes, needs, or passions into account.

With almost a week and a half left till Christmas, there’s still time to order thoughtful and creative, clever, and unusual gifts for your friends and loved ones based on their interests. Here are a few ideas to make you an absolute hero this holiday.

For the Wellness Pioneer: Ask any friend or family member who’s constantly pushing themselves physically — either as an occasional fitness enthusiast on up to a top tier athlete — and they’ll tell you that one of the toughest obstacles to surmount to optimal performance can be releasing tight hip flexors. Those muscles can be darn near impossible to relax — unless you’ve got a secret weapon like The Mark ($199 on alethahealth.com/mark). It corrects spinal and hip imbalances and eliminates pain almost immediately for runners, hikers, and other athletes.

For the Sassy Mom: Some of us moms wear our hearts on our sleeves; others wear them on our hats. I love the colorful, fluffy pom pom-adorned, hand-knit winter hats from Bespolk ($150 on bespolk.com) that sport not just pretty patterns, but also all kinds of sayings that express exactly what I’m thinking. Or what I love. Or what I want. One day it’s “apres.” The next it’s “fiasco.” And the next it’s just simply “calm down.” (Actually, that last one I could probably wear Every. Single. Day.)

For the Gifted Gardener: What does any gardening addict need most in the depths of winter? A big dose of summer, that’s what. The limited edition scent of Roma Heirloom Tomato Hand Care Duo from Flamingo Estate ($116 on flamingoestate.com) is just that — the unexpected and unusual fragrance of tomato flowers and vines, specifically at sunset, when they’re watered and they say that the leaves become most intoxicating. Mixed with a bit of black pepper and black tarragon, the set includes a large and cruelty-free, hand soap and lotion that will leave your (and everyone else’s) hands silken.

For the Elevated Chocoholic: With all due love to Hershey bars, the holidays call for something a little something extra —especially for a recipient who appreciates chocolate with a little more pizzazz. So hand them a Nordic Moonlight Shadow Chocolate Gift Box ($59 on harborsweets.com), a beautiful red, blue, and white winter scene of reindeer in the snowy woods, packed with gold foil-wrapped classics. They include Sweet Sloops (sailboat-shaped almond buttercrunch toffee covered with white chocolate and dipped in dark chocolate and pecan spindrift); Sand Dollars (pecan halves in butter caramel surrounded with dark chocolate); and Sweet Shells (scallop shells made of dark chocolate with a hint of orange crunch).

For the Peak Seeker: You know that friend who’s always going on and on about escaping to the mountains and buying (or building) their dream home? Well, this year you can give it to them. Nina Freudenberger’s new book “Mountain House” ($40 on williams-sonoma.com) is a gorgeous photographic exploration of 21 homes on five continents and their stunning surrounding mountain landscapes — from alpine forests to urban peaks. And who knows? Maybe you’ll inspire them to actually go through with the dream… and then invite you up to spend the holiday there.

 

Nordic Moonlight Shadow Chocolate Gift Box. (Photo harborsweets.com)

 

The Roma Heirloom Tomato Hand Care Duo from Flamingo Estate. (Photo flamingoestate.com)

 

“Mountain House” by Nina Freudenberger. (Photo williams-sonoma.com)

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