The Yuppie Gift Guide, Day 7: Neat Gifts that Didn't Fit into My Other Categories

Looks like we are just past the halfway point! Inevitably as I was pondering what sorts of things would make great gifts, some of the things I loved fell into a "miscellaneous" category. The title of this post says it.

| 1. Bon Appétit magazine subscription ($15) | Magazine subscriptions in general make great gifts because unless you are ordering The Economist, they don't cost very much and they're like giving a whole year's worth of gifts. I've been happy with my Bon Appétit subscription; I don't really care for most of the recipes—which either use obscure ingredients or are overly simple—but I like their travel sections, their top-10 lists, and their articles about up-and-coming chefs/restaurants. Also, Sur la Table stores tend to give out free subscriptions when you spend $75 or more around this time of year.

| 2. Ted Baker Montpel Cufflinks ($75) | Ted Baker is one of my favorites in general but I tend to find myself perusing their cufflinks even though I don't wear them myself. Cufflinks are like jewelry for men, so get these for the guy who likes a little bling now and then.

| 3. Rifle Paper Co. Spoon Recipe Cards ($28 for 40) | Even though I don't really follow recipes that often, I live having some cute recipe cards on hand for when friends ask me for my recipes. I like the simplicity of the dark gray spoon with the reversed-out writing on these.

| 4. Jonathan Adler This is Not a Pipe Tea Light ($28) | This is possibly the most clever tea light holder ever. Don't get it? Ponder this.

| 5. 1-Gallon Organic Basil Plant ($4) | I picked up one of these from our local Whole Foods store a few months ago and it has been totally thriving. This is likely because I put Nick in charge of taking care of it. It brings me such joy to be able to snip off a couple of leaves and top my pasta dishes with a chiffonade of basil whenever I feel like it. According to Nick, it has been simple to care for— he just waters it in the evening whenever the soil is dry or the leaves are looking droopy and by the next morning the leaves are crisp again. Plus, considering how a bunch of basil in the produce aisle is about $3, we've already gotten more than our money's worth. | Photo Credit: Me |

| 6. The Body Shop Green Tea & Lemon Reed Diffuser ($19.50) | Reed diffusers are the best kind of home fragrance dispenser because they don't introduce foreign chemicals into your home's atmosphere. But proceed with caution. Sure, I love the smell of cinnamon but that doesn't mean I want to be punched in the nose with a fistful of cinnamon every day. I typically look for scents with the word "tea" in them because that means a subtle and natural smell.