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With the holidays fast approaching—and the number of remaining shopping days dwindling—we here at N&W.com are here to help with your last-minute holiday shopping. Whether we want it all for ourselves—or we loved it so much that we’re buying it for all of our friends—here are a few suggestions for giving your friends and family an entertaining holiday.
For your favorite music trivia lover, Jacqueline recommends picking up a copy of Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits: 4th Edition by Fred Bronson. In fact, if you’re one of Jacqueline’s music-loving friends, don’t be surprised if you find your very own copy under the tree this year—because Jacqueline’s already bought copies for her friends.
Or, for the gourmet who loves to entertain without all the hassle and fuss, Jacqueline highly recommends Welcome to Michael’s: Great Food, Great People, Great Party! by Michael McCarty. Jacqueline calls it “a gourmet cookbook for the rest of us.” Buy a copy for your friends, and you could be in for some great parties in the coming year.
For the grown-up woman who’s outgrown chick lit, Jacqueline suggests a pair of books by Robert Hellenga: The Sixteen Pleasures and The Italian Lover. As Jacqueline says, “Hellenga somehow is able to nail the middle-aged woman’s mind and point-of-view. I recommended The Italian Lover to several of my fellow “middle-aged” (hate to say and admit that) female friends, and they were just as captivated by the book as I was. Like me, they then rushed to read The Sixteen Pleasures.”
For your younger brother—or any teenage guy in your life—Margaret recommends picking up Darren Shan’s Demonata Series (see Margaret’s review of book #5, Blood Beast). Though they’re written for teens, Margaret says they’re “fast-paced scary storylines for any age.”
Or…for fans of the paranormal—those who love to be scared—Margaret suggests picking up both season one and season two of the spooky TV series Supernatural on DVD.
As for me, I’ll be buying my family members copies of the BBC’s Planet Earth on DVD. Though I haven’t had the chance to see the series for myself, I was blown away by the breath-taking detail in The Blue Planet, and I know that anyone who loves The Great Outdoors will be fascinated by both DVD sets.
And…speaking of the Brits, anyone who appreciates a little British comedy will love Edgar Wright’s brilliant horror-comedy, Hot Fuzz (as well as Wright’s hilarious zombie-comedy, Shaun of the Dead). Or, for those who prefer a side of sci-fi with their British comedy, pick up a copy of the series, Dr. Who on DVD.
For all the party people in your life, pick up a copy of the quirky and catchy CD, Hey Hey My My Yo Yo by Junior Senior (which, incidentally, I heard last weekend while I was shopping at Old Navy, so it must be cool). Throw in a copy of Quelf, the craziest party game I’ve ever played, and you and your friends will be in for one wild and crazy night.
For your favorite armchair detective, pick up a copy of James Patterson’s latest Alex Cross novel, Double Cross. With its solid dialogue, fast-paced style, and its non-stop action and suspense, this serial killer crime thriller would make the perfect holiday treat for any adrenaline junkie.
And, finally, for your favorite frazzled chick, pick up a copy of Forget About It—a smart and funny piece of chick lit by one of my favorite new authors. Crane’s pop-culture-savvy style and lovably quirky characters make her books smarter than the average chick lit.
So what’s on our Christmas list this year?
Jacqueline is asking Santa for season tickets to a live music venue—and a shiny new Mac.
Margaret’s wishing for Janet Evanovich’s latest Stephanie Plum novel, Lean Mean Thirteen (and she’s not alone—I’d like a copy, too!)—because she just can’t get enough of Ranger and Morelli (but mostly Ranger). And she also wants a copy of her favorite movie of all time, The ‘Burbs. (If you happen to be shopping for Margaret, you can pick up a copy at Amazon.)
As for me, I’m asking Santa for my very own ebook reader—like Amazon’s schnazzy new Kindle. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’ll read a whole lot more ebooks if I can just get myself a reader.
But, really, there’s so much stuff on my Amazon wish list that an Amazon gift card would do just fine.
We hope our suggestions have helped you find the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for friend or family member on your list. With only a few shopping days left until you have to pay all those extra last-minute shipping costs to get your gifts to arrive on time, now’s the time to do that last-minute shopping. Then, while you’re waiting for your packages to show up, just sit back, relax, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows), steal a couple of decorated cookies, and curl up on the couch to enjoy a good book—or your favorite holiday movie.
From all of us at N&W.com to all of our readers out there, we wish you the happiest of holidays—and an entertaining new year.
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