2018 Holiday Gift Guide

The tree is up. The family photo is taken. Now all that’s left are those pesky presents. We proudly present more than 50 clever gift ideas for all personality types.

ornaments-written-upon
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

Having problems choosing the best gifts for your favorite people this holiday season? No problem! We’ve got your back with over 50 gift ideas for everyone in your life.

For the partier

bottles-of-alcohol
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back row:
New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek sour ale (gold medal, 2018 Great American Beer Festival, collaboration category), $12.
Denver Beer Co. Barrel Aged Japance Off saison (gold medal, 2018 Great American Beer Festival, barrel-aged category), $10.
Yolo Rum Gold (gold medal, 2017 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition), $30.

Middle row:
Infinite Monkey Theorem 2017 Cabernet Franc, $25.
291 Barrel Proof Colorado Whiskey (World’s Best Rye, 2018 Whisky Magazine World Whisky Awards), $70.
Outward Cartography etched topographical map glasses, $20 each (add $8 per map for custom designs.)

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Front row:
Studio Vertu 303 marble coasters, $46 for set of four.
Denver Woodworker walnut bread board with double maple stripe, $60, and
Maple bottle opener, $20.

For the drama queen or king

Got a theater lover in your life? Treat them to a private, 90-minute weekday tour behind the scenes at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Tours start at the box office for the Helen Bonfils Theatre and cover the history of the performing arts complex, including some of the major performances over the years, plus visits to the props, costume, scenery and lighting areas. Three-week notice required.

For the exacting gourmet

food-basket
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back row:
The Real Dill Bloody Mary Mix, $14 for 32 oz.
Fruition Farms handcrafted Shepherd’s Halo, $40/lb., Mercantile Dining and Provision.
34° rosemary crisps, $5 per box.
Bespoke Spicy Sriracha sea salt, $16.50.
Lulu’s French rolling pin, $20, Lulu’s Furniture and Decor.

Second row:
Catstudio Colorado dish towel, $20.
Cacio Pecora, $36/lb.

Third row:
Farmhand Organic Spicy Napa Kimchi, $9.
Roaring Fork Spice Co. Hollidays Herbed Brine, $9 for 9.56 oz.
Mercantile Chai Tea Concentrate Mix, $14.

Front row:
When Life Gives You a Fresh Start recipe book, $10.

For the foodie

Whether you’re looking for a class for the “I can’t boil water” type or one for the “My cooking is so good, people tell me I should open my own restaurant” type, there are plenty
of options, at a variety of price points: Uncorked KitchenStir Cooking School, Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, and The Seasoned Chef Cooking School.

For the young at heart

toys-and-books
Photos by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back row:
Almost Everything, by Joelle Jolivet, $34.50, Wildflowers Home.

Second row:
Bug Bingo by Christine Berrie, $27, Two Hands Paperie.
Schylling Piano Horn, $8, Timbuk Toys.
Baby Age Blocks, $38, Reverie Living.
Blabla soft Bandit the Raccoon, $65, Reverie Living.
Reindeer, Owl, and Fox felt finger puppets, $7.50 each, Wildflowers Home.

Third row:
Geosafari Jr. Explorer Scope, $18, Timbuk Toys.
Fox Pencil Pouch, $15, Wildflowers Home.
Schylling Make A Melody Original Tin Kazoo, $2.50, Timbuk Toys.
Best Friends Magnetic Dress-Up, $27.

Fourth and Front rows:
Fantastical Fairies Fairy Ring Puzzle, $15, Wildflowers Home.
Cupcakes & Cartwheels Jungle Games Playing Cards, $10, Wildflowers Home.
Animal Rummy card game, $8, Timbuk Toys.

For the high flier

So you’ve got a friend who likes to try every outdoor experience imaginable. How about snow-kiting (skiing or boarding while attached to a kite to lift you aloft)? Colorado Kite Force offers a two-hour “ground school” for $200 and a four-hour beginner lesson for $400 that includes the two hours of ground school instruction plus a two-hour ride—or, for the super committed, a three-day kite camp (days do not have to be consecutive) for $900. Happy sailing!

For the inveterate reader

books
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From top to bottom, left to right.)
The Beer Kitchen, by Melissa Cole, $30, Book Bar.
Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver, $30, Book Bar.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions, by Stephen Hawking, $22, Book Bar.
Atlas of a Lost World, by Craig Childs, $28, Book Bar.
Just Kids Illustrated Edition, by Patti Smith, $40, Book Bar.
Colorado’s Thirteeners: From Hikes to Climbs, by Gerry and Jennifer Roach, $30, Book Bar.
Virgil Wander, by Leif Enger, $27, Book Bar.
The Lost Words, by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, $35, Book Bar.

For the escape artist

This is the perfect gift for a whole family (you have to work in teams in very tight quarters, so let’s hope you like one another). Try to solve your way out of a room filled with obscure, mind-twisting clues— and a stopwatch going the whole time. Trust us: It’s both fun and mentally exhausting. Epic Escape has multiple locations around the Denver area. All we can say is: Good luck.

For the nester

book-pillows-candles
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back and Second rows:
Colorado Black on White, by John Fielder, $85, John Fielder.
Hand-block-printed Pine Sprigs linen cushion cover, $38, Cardamom Designs.
Organic cotton and linen fouta, $52, Sofra Studio.
Jones + Co. Glass Straws, $17 to $20 for a box of four (plus a cleaning brush), Jones + Co., Boulder.

Front Row:
Cocktail Napkins, $22 for four, Penny Olive.
Karmalit Candle (available in multiple scents), $20, Karmalit.
Karmalit Mini-Matches Bottle, $10. Karmalit.
French Press Coffee Maker in Amber Glass, $85, Jones + Co., Boulder.
Hand-carved Bridget Dorr Porcelain Mug in Cream, $35, Jones + Co., Boulder.

plant-and-vase-and-candle-holder-and-more
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(from right to left.)
Back Row:
Glass Vase (comes in multiple colors and sizes), $55, Lulu’s Furniture.
Woven Baskets, $36 small, $46 large, Jones + Co., Boulder.

Front Row:
Solid-Brass Taper-Candle Holder in Dome Shape, $115 large, $110 small, Hygge Life.
Large Tribal Vase, $150, Homebody.
Oven Coaster Set, $30, Homebody.

For the hilarious friend

Got a pal who always keeps everyone in stitches? Give them an improv comedy class at Bovine Metropolis. Eight weeks of beginner classes totaling 20 hours (costing $274 and open to all skill levels) teach the history and basic rules of improv, how to communicate onstage, how to create invisible props, and other skills. Students say the experience is life-changing.

For the outdoors fanatic

hat-and-camping-stuff
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back and second rows:
Maroon Bell Boulder Gold trucker hat, $30, Maroon Bell.
Maroon Bell Buffalo Leather Gloves, $65, Maroon Bell.
Topo Designs Rover pack, $140, Topo Designs.
Full Windsor “The Muncher” multi-tool, $50, REI.
Wild Country Revo belay device, $145, REI.

Third and Front rows:
RMP 11 x 17 Aspen Print, $30, Rocky Mountain Posters.
Cusa Premium Instant Tea, $10, Cusa Tea.
Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, a Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear, by Paul Souders, $27. Mountaineers Books.
Glade Pulsar Magnetic Goggles, $100, Glade.

For the ski bum

Know someone who loves to ski (and is intermediate, advanced, or expert) and wants to improve his or her technique? “Ski With Kim” outings may be just the ticket. Part-time Aspenite Kim Reichhelm, a former member of the U.S. Ski Team, offers women’s ski adventures in Colorado, Utah, and Montana; coed skiing camps in Colorado and Revelstoke, British Columbia; guided skiing in Japan and Chile; and helicopter skiing in Greenland, Alaska, and Chile. Check out length of trips and pricing at Ski With Kim.

For the inscrutable colleague

popcorn-and-calendar-and-games-and-more
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back row:
Frank Lloyd Wright Puzzle, $25, Lulu’s Furniture.
Poppy Cinnamon Bourbon Popcorn, $27, Poppy & Pine
Andy Warhol Memory Game, $20, Lulu’s Furniture.

Second and Front rows:
Craft Belly 2019 Desk Calendar, $24, Reverie Living.
Passport Holders, $78 apiece, Homebody.
que Collapsible Water Bottle, $25, Reverie Living.
Suede Valet Trays, in three sizes, $68, $98, and $127 each, Homebody.
Leather Luggage Tag, $96, Homebody.

For someone with a great eye

Whether you are buying for a relative newbie or an “intermediate,” there’s a range of classes at the Denver School of Photography, from a four-week class that provides an intro to digital photography ($310) to a four-week intro to Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom. The school also offers specialized workshops on subjects like real estate photography, portraiture, landscape photography, and more.

For the style maven

hat-and-bracelets-and-accessories-and-more
Photo by Cassandra Stiltner

(From left to right.)
Back row:
Hazel Ray Leather Crossbody + Belt Bag in Mint, $110, Hazel Ray.
Silver Diamond Crown Bracelet, $7,500, Bloom.
Sapphire and Diamond Articulated Bar Bracelet, $9,875, Bloom.

Second row:
Hazel Ray Zip Clutch in Cream, $34, Hazel Ray.
Hazel Ray Leather Cardholder in Silver, $22, Hazel Ray.
Bloom Seed Pearl Bijoux Bracelet with Ruby, $3,500, Bloom.
Bloom Leopard-Spot Bijoux Ruby and Diamond Bracelet, $3,750, Bloom.
Scented Studio 100-ml. Bottle of Perfume/Cologne, $65, Scented Studio.
Liv and B GNO Clutch, $165, Liv and B.
Uma Hand-Knitted Wool Hat, $35, Hygge Life.
Zeal Optics Crowley Sunglasses in Ivory Tortoise, $150, Zeal Optics.

Front row:
Aina Night Clutch in Blue, $98, Billie.
Lollia Hand Cream in Multiple Fragrances, $30, Wildflowers Home.

For the cowboy wannabe

Know someone who has been dying to face off with an angry bull? Here’s their chance.
At the Bull Fighting School in Larkspur, they can engage in a three-day course ($440) taught by seasoned rodeo performers and then get matched with a bull based on their age, athletic ability, and energy level.

For the Denver enthusiast

Send someone on 30 or 60 exhilarating minutes flying over Denver, Boulder, or Red Rocks in a private helicopter with Colorado Heli-Ops. The “Romantic Escape” option is perfect for a proposal or an unforgettable date night. $475 for 30-minute “Holiday Wonder” flight, $650 for 60-minute “Greater Denver Getaway (up to three passengers).