Sam's Weekly Quarantine Digest #34: Gift Guide Edition, Part II

 Hi all,

Today brings you Part II of my Gift Guide.  So let's talk about gifts.  There are many different kinds, and they all serve different functions.  There are the stocking stuffers - often a category of throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks gifts, and which often end up including some of the most appreciated and useful items of the season.  There are the edible gifts, which last a short while but bring such joy and can really cement our memories and traditions.  There are the big-ticket items - perhaps something coveted for weeks or months leading up the holidays, and hinted at many times to potential gift-givers in the family.  But one of my favorite types of gifts are advent calendars.

Now, this may be a bit strange, since advent calendars are traditionally a religious item, and I happen to be Jewish.  According to Wikipedia, they are used to count down the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas, and represent a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.  But whether you view it as a religious tradition or not, there's something truly delightful about an advent calendar.  Whether Christmas is a religious holiday for your family or just a time to gather with loved ones and exchange gifts, or even if you celebrate other holidays instead (like, for my family, Hanukkah), I think many of us look forward to the holiday season with anticipation.  In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the radio stations play cheerful, celebratory tunes; houses across the world get decorated with bright lights and smiling characters; kids start behaving really well in the hopes of tricking Santa into thinking they've been good children all year; the retail industry booms; and school and work both start winding down toward a winter break of some sort (perhaps crescendoing first with an accelerated workload or exams, but then often settling down a bit, if only for a few days).

My first advent calendar arrived when I discovered one on a very deep discount at Godiva a few days after Christmas one year; at the time, it simply seemed like an efficient way to order 25 pieces of chocolate for a greatly reduced price.  But then something strange happened - I actually felt a little guilty opening more than one door per day.  And even though my countdown was leading nowhere (a few days after the Super Bowl), it was still kind of fun to know that there was a piece of chocolate waiting for me each day.  Then came a year when Luke and I were flying to Alaska pretty close to the holidays; that year, the advent calendar felt like a countdown to the day when we would all be together, and to a time when I could finally let go of my schoolwork and my to-do list for a few days.  And then there was a year when I got all four of us (me, Luke, and my in-laws) an advent calendar of our own, each featuring a different beloved item (chocolate, jigsaw puzzles, coffee, and chili peppers).  That year was fun because it felt like we were doing something together each day even if we didn't talk at all - when I took out my piece of chocolate, I imagined my in-laws opening their own cardboard doors and taking out their next item, too.

Perhaps that's why I'm so drawn to the idea of advent calendars this year - the countdown feels so real, so necessary, maybe so structured in a year when we all feel so adrift.  And it's something we can all do together, even when we're apart.  Just don't forget to enjoy the countdown just as much as what we're counting down to!

As always, previous digests can be found on my blog at thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.com.  If you have suggestions or would like to stop receiving these emails, just let me know.

All the best,

Sam

Advent Calendars

Calendar Fillers:

• Looking for candy to fill a reusable advent calendar?  Try this “Santa Snax” saltwater taffy assortment.  The Taffy Shop is great - I ordered a choose-your-own-flavors bag this summer, and I still dream about the cotton candy taffies.  This festive batch includes Candy Cane, Creamy Eggnog, Pumpkin Spice Cake, Frozen Hot Chocolate, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

• No Chewing Allowed burst onto the NYC holiday scene last year at the Bryant Park Winter Village holiday market.  These delectable bite-sized truffles are made to be sucked on until they dissolve into a heavenly mouthful of fudgy delight (hence, no chewing allowed).  Fortunately for us during the Great Quarantine of 2020, they also ship their chocolates through their website.  I highly recommend ordering the very largest size - trust me, they won't go to waste.

• Lego figures: Many refillable calendars have very tiny boxes for each day, but Lego figures are probably a great size for most of them. You can pick a theme and order a pack of figures to match, such as superheroes, Minecraft, or Harry Potter, or even personalized ones (try here or here)

Delicious treats:

• Chocolate: This is a pretty classic theme, and there are literally thousands of them, but here are some of my favorites:
• Godiva and Lindt both have beautiful calendars each year.
• Maggie Louise chocolates: These chocolates are truly edible works of art, and they're actually delicious to boot.
• Madeleine chocolates: Each one is solid milk chocolate - nice and simple - but the wrapping on each is really beautiful and really feels like you're unwrapping a gift each day.

• Hot Chocolate: Try here or here for fun assortments.

• Coffee

• Tea

• Sugarfina candies: Each day contains four candies - a lovely little dose of sweetness to brighten the dark days of December.
• Lady M: This one is filled with a combination of gummies and chocolates.
• Beef jerky

Alcohol:

• Wine: In cool test tubes, too!

• Whiskey: Try here or here.

• Gin

• Beer: This snowman display is pretty epic, or you can try the 12 Beers of Christmas or the Hoppy Hanukkah pack.

• Wide assortment of calendars for many types of spirits, all with beautiful presentations.

Self-Care and Beauty:

• Lush bath bombs: Apparently, in the UK only, Lush makes an advent calendar with 24 of their bath bombs - what an incredible treat! I can't find an obvious way to get this shipped to the US, but if you live overseas, consider this for someone in your life who really needs to learn to relax!

• Other bath bombs: Try this one or this one.

• Beauty: There are SO MANY! I'll let some of the experts speak for me on this one: check out these recommendations from NYMag, Oprah, Cosmo, and Elle.

• Nail polish: OPI or Essie

Fun and Games:

• Lego: You can go for this year's calendar, last year's calendar, or go themed with Star Wars or Harry Potter.

• Hot Wheels

• Know someone who's a big fan of the Hungry Caterpillar?  They'll love this Eric Carle advent calendar!

• Hatchimals Colleggtibles: (I have Alexandra in mind!)

• Crayola activities countdown

• Play-Doh: When your own world betrays you, build a new one!  Fun for all ages!

• Science for Kids: This might be made for kids, I would be pumped if this advent calendar showed up on my doorstep - there's a different science experiment in each box!  Caveat: I'm sure you'll all be (not at all) shocked to hear this, but I was a total nerd as a kid and I never outgrew it.  Whether your kid is a future physicist or you're just looking to keep them occupied for a while so you can take a Zoom call in peace for that deal that needs to get done before the holidays, this should be an extremely entertaining advent calendar.

Sam's Weekly Quarantine Digest #33: Gift Guide Edition, Part I

Hi all,

I promised that I would avoid politics in the Digest, so while I know that topic is on everyone's minds right now, I am not going to discuss my feelings about the election, but I would be remiss not to say a few words of gratitude: Thank you so much to everyone who voted in this election this year, whomever you voted for.  And an extra special thank you to Carol, Jenny, and everyone else who took the time, the energy, and the risk to be a poll worker this year - you inspire me, and I am grateful for your hard work.  This year, more than ever, you made a tremendous difference - thank you for making voting possible in a year in which this fundamental right was, logistically if nothing else, more difficult to exercise than ever before.

And now to turn to one of my absolute favorite topics: gift-giving!  For as long as I can remember, one of the greatest feelings in the world, for me, has been finding the perfect gift for someone - the one that recalls a favorite memory of our friendship or that perfectly fits their needs.  So imagine my joy when I experienced my very first Christmas, at the age of 22, when I accompanied my husband to his hometown of Haines, Alaska, to visit my (then-future) in-laws.  I had no idea what Christmas was actually like, but I imagined it would be a lot like Hanukkah - which in my family generally meant one gift per night for each family member.  So I loaded up my suitcase with three gifts (one for Luke and one for each of his parents), plus a bonus gift of an ornament from NYC (if I remember correctly, it was a yellow taxi with the year - 2008 - emblazoned on it, from the Macy's in Herald Square).  To my great surprise, Christmas in Alaska was a far more involved event than I had imagined!  There was a big pile of presents, and we took turns opening them up one by one, with Luke carefully distributing them to their intended recipients.  And after all that, I was handed a stocking bursting with chocolates and toys and hand warmers, and local artisan treasures like soaps and jewelry.  I was overwhelmed, and embarrassed that I had brought only one gift, but I felt so welcomed and loved.  And when I realized that I would be allowed to indulge my gift-giving dreams for future holidays, I was overcome with joy.

The next year, I approached the holidays with my usual gusto, searching high and low in stores of all specialties and sizes and scouring the internet for the perfect fit for each person.  By September, I had blown through my gift budget, and that was before the stores had even begun trying to convince me of the millions of stocking stuffers that I "must have" or showering me with endless emails suggesting what I should get for each person in my life.  I researched how to tie the perfect bow and I bought the most gorgeous wrapping paper I could find at The Container Store's Gift Wrap Wonderland (before realizing just how difficult it is to ship an oddly-shaped thing like wrapping paper to Alaska).

But here's the thing: That feeling I mentioned?  It's not just about the gifts.  It's about getting to know the recipients.  Throughout that year, I hung on every word my in-laws said on every phone call we had with them; I probed Luke's stories about them to get every detail I could about their likes and dislikes and personalities; I paid attention when we visited them that summer to those comments we all make in passing of "Oh, I should really get one of those [blanks]." or "You know, I've never seen one of those [blanks], but they sound pretty cool." or even just those things that frustrated them in the course of daily activities for which there might be a gadget.  I got to know them on a much deeper level than I might have otherwise.  And that winter, I showed up prepared!  (Maybe too prepared - I've since worked on finding a good balance. lol).

My point is that it's not about the gift itself - what it is, or how much it cost, or which brand's label is stuck on it.  It's about what that gift says about its recipient, about its giver, and about the relationship between the two.  For example, one of the best gifts I've ever given and received (long story) was a stuffed Spongebob Squarepants.  The joy I get from it (still!) is palpable - it instantly reminds me of Petra, to this day one of the best friends I've ever had (I love you, Petra!).  The best gifts are those that make the recipient smile - not because it's fancy, but because they either genuinely love the thing and are amazed at how thoughtful you were to have picked it out for them, or simply because it reminds them of you, and that's a fun and exciting memory all by itself.  And for me at least, I care so much more about the person giving me a gift than what the gift itself might be - just knowing that they thought about me and cared enough to send me something says it all.

This year, I finally get to share my love of gift-giving with all of you.  I'm going to be releasing a gift guide in tranches, or chapters, extending across the next few weeks.  I will also create a Google Doc that I will share next week that contains the full running list, so that you can find all of my suggestions in one place whenever you're ready to actually complete your shopping.  Remember to leave some extra time this year for mail/shipping snafus, and if you need specific gift-giving advice for someone in your life, just let me know - always happy to send some suggestions!

Sorry all - this was a long one, but it's a topic I'm passionate about!  As always, previous digests can be found on my blog at thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.com.  If you have suggestions or would like to stop receiving these emails, just let me know. 

All the best,

Sam

For New Pet Owners

• Pet Bowls with a Timer: For forgetful pet parents (or for when they need to start commuting again).

• Bed Stairs: To save their adorable hips from the strain of jumping on the bed every night.

• A Barkbox Subscription: These boxes arrive monthly filled with a variety of toys and treats for your favorite four-legged friend. Considering that Luke and I have never yet owned a dog of our own, it's quite shocking how many Barkboxes we've purchased over the years. Looking for a one-off item instead? Check out their BarkShop!

• Dental Chew Toy: This awesome gorilla-shaped chew toy does double-duty as a toothbrush (and toothpaste).

• Pet Hair Laundry Magnet: This FurZapper pet hair magnet for the laundry will help pull some of the dog hair out of your clothes so that they look hair-free for at least five minutes after coming out of the laundry. Once you hug your dog again, all bets are off, though.

• Pet Hair Removal Sponge: This reusable pet hair removal sponge replaces the need for a lint roller.

• Chore-Tracking Magnet: Finding it difficult to track who fed the dog today?  This magnet will stop the bickering.

• Aquaponic Aquarium Planter: Do you want a pet and a plant and only have space on your counter for one?  Think again!  This aquaponic aquarium planter allows your fish and your food to grow together in harmony.  This one is similar, but features a sleek black frame.

For New Homeowners

• Welcome Mat: A fun welcome mat, like this one for dog and cat owners, or this one for ice skaters and dog lovers, puts the cherry on top every time they come home.

• Nightstand lamp: I’ve now purchased this lamp half a dozen times for my family, and we all love it.  All you do to turn it on/off is touch any of the metal parts, and the quality of the light is beautiful and soothing.  The dimmest setting will let you find what you’re groping around for on your nightstand; the middle setting is perfect for bedtime reading; and the brightest can even replace your overhead or floor lamp in a small-to-medium-sized bedroom.

• Christmas Tree: For those who suddenly find themselves with higher ceilings and realize that their decade-old Charlie Brown tree isn’t going to cut it, I bought this one from Michael’s last year for my top-secret surprise Christmas scheme for Luke (thank you yet again to everyone who helped make that happen!), and I couldn’t recommend this tree more highly.  It’s beautiful, sturdy, easy to store and set up (we’ve already set it up again for this year), and it has enough lights that we didn’t need to add any.  It’s tall and looks very full and realistic, but it’s also narrow enough at the bottom that it’s not ridiculous in an NYC apartment where floor space is at a premium. I would be remiss not to mention my favorite tree topper, too: a beautiful Star of David - the perfect compromise for your "Christmukkah tree."

• Sleep Headphones: Getting used to new sounds at your new home?  These headphones are designed to be comfortable enough to wear all night, and they have a built-in sleep mask as well.

• Cabinet Door Basket: Space savers are always helpful, no matter what size your home is.  This one is a cheap and easy way to gain storage for items like cookie sheets and cutting boards, and this one holds Ziploc bags, Reynold's Wrap, plastic wrap, etc.

• Angry Mama: When you own your own appliances, you’re a lot more concerned about their long-term wellbeing.  Help a new homeowner out with helpful tools like the Angry Mama - just add water and vinegar and heat this up to get a helping hand in removing any built-up residue in the microwave.

For Home Chefs

• Our Place Always Pan: This pan has been recommended by lots of celebrities (including chefs) and supposedly handles a ton of different functions to help you streamline your kitchen (even including a built-in spatula and spoon rest).  It also comes in a wide selection of great colors to match any kitchen.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m eyeing the beautiful purple shade (which, in fact, was one of our wedding colors)!

• Hot Chocolate Bomb Molds: See here or here.  Just pour melted chocolate into the domes, swirl it around to get an even coating, cool in fridge/freezer until solid, then fill with hot chocolate powder and mini marshmallows or sprinkles, and finally seal two domes together with a little melted-chocolate “glue”.  Voila, hot chocolate bomb!

• Mixing Bowls: These two sets are both aesthetically pleasing and very efficient, nesting together to save a ton of space in your precious kitchen drawers or cabinets.  They both have non-slip bottoms, too, which is really helpful when you have slippery hands covered in dough or oil, especially on sleek granite countertops.  The Oxo set even includes colanders and lids, doing triple duty in your kitchen and obviating the need for multiple stacks of kitchen tools.

• NordicWare Mixing Bowl Set

• Oxo Mixing Bowl and Colander Set with Lids

• Cookbook of Jewish Baking: One thing my people do very well in the kitchen is bread, and this one has dozens of fun takes on traditional recipes, from challah to bagels to babka, and so much more.  Whether your giftee is a seasoned pro or a brand new quarantine chef, they’ll find something fun and new in this collection.

• Silicone Trivets: You can never have too many, and these are a cost-effective and still attractive way to start the collection.

For Video Gamers

• Lego Nintendo (NES) and Retro TV Set: This is probably my favorite Lego set of all time. It's hyper-realistic, incredibly fun and innovative, and even features an awesome Easter egg of a classic Mario level hidden behind a panel.
• Black Milk's Licensed Super Mario Apparel Collection: From a navy button-down blouse dotted with Super Mushrooms to a Princess Peach bomber jacket, this collection of trendy apparel featuring classic characters is pretty Super itself.
• 8-Bit Customized Drinking Glasses: I can't decide which is more fun - receiving these glasses as a gift, or customizing them for your recipient.
• Nintendo Switch AR cars: You can build your own Mario Kart racecourse in your home and then play the game on your mobile device as the real-life car races through your real-life course.  This is a perfect item to keep your kids (or your husband) occupied during a particularly long work Zoom.

Sam's Weekly Quarantine Digest #32: November 1, 2020

 Hi all,

This weekend, I'm mourning the loss of - IMHO - one of the best actors of all time, Sean Connery.  As I type this, I'm honoring him and his 60-plus year career by watching The Rock, one of my favorites.  You can see a list of his most popular films here.  A few months ago, we also lost Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from cancer that none of us knew he had.  Actors like these two men shape all of our lives - their poignant portrayals of characters bring to life so many stories that inspire us, haunt us, and show us new perspectives.  It's easy to see the mark they've left on the world when they're gone.  For many of the rest of us, it's not so easy.

I'm sure we've all thought about this at some point - how we'll be remembered when we're gone, when we can no longer correct the record or tell our stories the way we remember them.  In reality, there's very little we can do to control this, other than to live our lives every day the way we'd like them to be remembered.  For me, that means telling the people I love that I love them, being there for them when they need me, maintaining a positive attitude, and doing my best to be a good role model for those around me.  It's not always easy or even possible, but I try anyway.  And although it may sound a bit selfish, I actually think that one of the best ways to accomplish all of these things is do the things we love, whether that's something overtly altruistic like volunteering or being a first responder, or working the stock market, negotiating contracts, performing on stage, writing a novel, cooking, or any of a million other activities.  I really do believe that when we do what we love, we have a positive effect on those around us.  We're also better able to navigate the tough stuff in life, and we're more likely to have a little strength left over to help those who need us.  Happy people are strong people, and passion makes anything interesting and exciting.  So this week, set a little time aside to do something you love, and watch the effect it has on both you and your interactions with others.  No matter how long your to-do list, sometimes spending a little time on yourself is the most important thing on it.  And the more you let yourself act like "yourself," the better the chance that that's how others will think of you, too.

Previous digests can be found on my blog at thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.com.  If you have suggestions or would like to stop receiving these emails, just let me know.  

Best,

Sam

Entertainment and Holiday Celebrations

• One great source of positive inspiration is Twitter's Akki, a self-described “feel good” feed, where you can find oddly uplifting videos ranging from a puppy growling at his own hiccups to a panda loudly munching on a carrot. This one was obviously one of my favorites. Courtesy of the NYT.
• In case you missed it last night on Halloween, head out to your roofdeck or backyard tonight to catch a glimpse of a full moon. Fun fact: Last night was actually a rare "blue moon" - i.e., the second full moon in the same month!
• Intent on going ice skating this winter? The Winter Village at Bryant Park will be open, and you can reserve your tickets here.
• Looking for something to do on the cold winter nights ahead? Brighten up your night with a car ride to Jones Beach, where a 2.5-mile drive-through holiday lights display awaits. If you're planning to go, early-bird tickets are $25/car; it's $30-35 at the gate. Open November 13-January 2.
• Macy's is transforming its annual Santaland experience into a virtual experience that children everywhere can enjoy, starting November 27.
• Heading to upstate New York for a weekend getaway? Don't miss the longest mountain coaster in the U.S., which opened recently at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.
• Curious about the cases in the upcoming Supreme Court sessions? You can watch NYU Law's Melissa Murray, UMich's Leah Litman, and Cardozo's Kate Shaw provide a preview of this year's arguments here.

Coping

• Feeling anxiety about the election? (Aren't we all?) Check out this "Anxious Person's Guide to the 2020 Election". And don't forget to vote!!!!
• Dreading the fact that last night's Daylight Savings Time (and the concurrent cold snap and terrible weather) heralds the onset of winter? Check out this article about nurturing a positive winter attitude, taking inspiration from the Scandinavians, who are well-versed in short, dark days, and yet are consistently ranked among the happiest people on Earth.

No Tricks, All Treats

• The Boulder JCC is hosting The Great Big Virtual Challah Bake next week, from November 8-13. They have special sessions for kids, gluten-free challah, vegan challah, and more. To register, you'll need to create an account (with minimal information) and then set a password using the "Forgot password" link; then you can select your sessions. I'm hoping to listen in to the stuffed challah session on the 9th; feel free to bake along with me then!
• Apple Cider Cookies: These are perennial favorites at the Cookie Party. They're best served with a mug of hot cider, coffee, or cocoa - just set the cookie atop the mug for a few moments, and the caramel filling will soften so you get a delicious, ooey-gooey bite when you finally indulge. Worth the wait!
• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp cinnamon. In a stand mixer, cream together 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 box (10 packets, 7.4 oz. total) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix until the mixture is light and fluffy. (NOTE: Add the cider mix slowly and carefully, with the mixer off, or you'll find yourself choking on a delightfully-scented cloud of dust.) Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients; mix until just combined. Refrigerate for one hour; in the meantime, unwrap 2 bags of Kraft caramels and set aside (you can also use caramel bits, which you can find from Kraft or buy at Nuts.com). Scoop out about 1 tbsp of cookie dough, flatten it in the palm of your hand, place the caramel in the center, then wrap the dough around it and seal completely. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets (don't forget the parchment!). Bake 12-14 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges (do NOT overbake these!). Once they're done, slide the parchment off the sheet onto your cooling rack/counter, and allow them to partially cool. Once they're cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, twist each one off the parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or a rack). Store in an airtight container for no more than a few days - these are best eaten fresh!