What do you get for that stylish yet casual special someone who’s as comfortable launching a holiday feast as she’s kicking back in cozy slippers with a homemade Neapolitan pizza? We’re so glad you asked. Here it is—your grand slam, all-purpose lineup of the best holiday gifts for your wife, covering those very bases (and a few bonus ones) to elate the most discerning giftee.
Want to read her mind this holiday season? Wow your better half with these thoughtful (and useful!) gifts.
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1. Aēsop Karst
Sure, you could just get her any perfume that floats your way via Instagram ads. But we all know that will likely elicit a weak smile. Instead, introduce her to her new signature scent: Karst from Aēsop. Notes of cumin, juniper and sandalwood capture that Big Sur escape you’ve both been dreaming of.
Gals will geek out over this new contraption: It uses spatial light modulation tech, instead of a heat coil, to replicate the sun’s natural rays. Harmful rays are filtered out, giving a natural hair-drying experience that won’t damage her locks. Even better? It’s been shown to improve internal moisture levels, which means healthier, stronger hair.
There’s a good reason the internet is freaking out over the latest addition to Apple’s iPad line. For one, the recently debuted iPad Mini features the company’s new A15 Bionic chip for up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous generation. It also boasts a USB-C port for faster connectivity, enhanced cameras and a 100 percent recycled aluminum case.
The packable Ross Hat from L.A. milliner Janessa Leoné is made with sustainable and cruelty-free wool from an employee-owned factory in the U.S. and stores in a bag without having to worry about it losing its shape. The beige suede band and clay body give any outfit an instant upgrade, and we hear it pairs really well with après-ski.
Ladies love dopp kits too. Here, beautiful prints designed by independent artists get topped off with a free custom foil-pressed leather tag personalized with her name or initials. For another great option, go for the catch-all pouch set, also with free personalization.
Combining beauty and functionality, this stylish holder will keep her jewelry organized, accessible, and visible. All fabric is applied by hand, and the overall craftsmanship truly makes this stand its own piece of art. Choose from white, grey, or pink—with sand or watercolor patterns.
Hisense 26.6 Cu. Ft. French Door RefrigeratorCourtesy Image
7. Hisense 26.6 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator
The perfect high-storage capacity model for home chefs, this elegant, brushed steel fridge would inspire anyone to up their culinary game. The full-width pantry drawer, sliding glass shelf, gallon door storage, and full-width freezer with sliding drawers keep everything super-organized even during holiday feast time. Bells and whistles include an internal filtered water dispenser and LED lighting, plus Super Cool/Super Freeze buttons to rapidly lower the temperature in both the fridge and freezer.
Sticking with the culinary theme, the chopper in the house will always appreciate a blade upgrade. For the price point, good luck finding a better steal of a steel than this eight-inch chef’s knife from Messermeister’s new Custom Collection that lets you personalize your knife with your desired combination of colors and materials. Featuring a secure and comfortable grip, “The Knife for Life” guarantee is exactly that—an included lifetime warranty for her new best friend in the kitchen. If she prefers a Japanese-style knife, check out our favorites here.
Maya Brenner 14k Gold 2 Letter NecklaceCourtesy Image
9. Maya Brenner 14k Gold 2 Letter Necklace
This customizable necklace from Los Angeles based jewelry designer Maya Brenner lets her keep a memento of your love close to her heart. Start by selecting the chain length and deciding between 14K yellow, white, or rose gold. Then select a pavé design, choose your initials—or instead opt for a first name initial with a birthstone.
A backyard pizza oven that whips out restaurant-worthy Neopolitan-style pies in 60 seconds has to be the greatest gift the pizza partying world has ever known. Available in olive green and grey, this sleek appliance features retractable legs, a detachable burner, a safe-touch silicone jacket, and an all-important built-in thermometer—that can reach 950°F. A gas burner is standard with the option to buy a detachable wood burner as an added accessory when it’s time to up your game.
We love a holiday gift that strikes the perfect balance between luxe and practical. This heeled Chelsea boots hits all the right marks. Opt between hand-finished full-grain leather and WeatherSafe™ suede in a variety of neutrals (matte black to toffee to olive). The fully lined glove leather interior; antimicrobial, shock-absorbing insoles; and custom rubber outsoles all speak to the boots’ durability. They’re comfortable right out of the box, so she can explore a new city or kick up some dust in the country without a hitch.
Apartment-dwellers need small stick vacs, but if you’re living in a condo or home, this oversized beauty is a godsend. The extra-large cleaner head is hungry for debris, using Dynamic Load Sensor technology to adapt suction strength across all floor types so she can transition seamlessly from carpeted bedrooms to tiled bathrooms to wood-floored living rooms. The half-gallon storage bin means she won’t have to stop mid-way through a whole-house clean to empty it.
Whether you’re shopping for a new home owner or just want to surprise her with a holiday-worthy set, this collab between Meiomi and Social Studies fits the bill. The bundle includes a bottle each of Meiomi pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon; an 8×8″ cutting board, 4 Schott Zwiesel Wine Glasses; 4 sage plates, bowls, and saucer plates; 4 table knives, spoons, forks, and salad forks; and 4 linen napkins. It makes for a stunning tablescape all year round, whether you’re entertaining friends and family for holidays, birthdays, or something in between.
If she’s less inclined to wear floral perfume, we can’t recommend this intoxicating scent more. Plum liqueur, aged cognac, cinnamon, cedarwood, and leather marry together to create a fragrance that’s sweet, earthy, musky, and smoky all at once.
Unless you really know her style, we don’t recommend you shop for anything other than outerwear, shoes, and accessories. This black and white checkered coat is a timeless piece. The double-breasted center has front buttons so she can wear it open or closed for versatility. Thoughtful details—like slightly padded shoulders and notched lapels—elevate the styling and create a more fitted silhouette. Best of all, the coat’s made of deadstock fabric—essentially scraps and over-ordered fabric from factories and warehouses. Who doesn’t love a chic, sustainable gift?
Merino wool and Rothy’s signature washable thread are crafted into the ultimate slipper. The snuggly sherpa lining and supportive outsoles make these perfect for indoor and outdoor wear. And let us reiterate: They’re machine washable!
Beginner runners and five-time marathoners alike will love these running kicks. On shoes are a master class in maximum cushioning. Its Cloudtec® system is multifaceted. The midsole cushioning compresses when your foot strikes the ground to absorb shock, then The Speedboard®—a liquid-injected plate in between the midsole and upper—flexes to slingshot energy from impact to propel her forward.
A supremely soft alpaca throw blanket handwoven in the Andes Mountains of Peru? This is about as foolproof as holiday gifts get. Choose between tan or indigo stripes, depending on the color scheme of your bedroom or living room.
Dr. Martens Leona Women’s Vintage Smooth Leather Heeled BootsCourtesy Image
20. Dr. Martens Leona Women’s Vintage Smooth Leather Heeled Boots
An edgier offering from Dr. Martens, this heeled boot is crafted from smooth leather with a subtle grained effect. The commando tread, platform sole, and chunky heel offer some height and toughness that’s balanced by antiquated brass eyelets and thin laces.
Newlyweds? Mark your first holiday as Mr. and Mrs. with a framed photo from your wedding day. The frame has a personalized mat caption on the front so you can add the date, where you got hitched, or a message for your wife. There’s also a secret story pocket on the back. Choose among five frame colors, upload the photo, and Framebridge will do the rest—including packaging it in a premium gift box with a matching bow.
Garmin’s latest GPS watch combines wear-everywhere style with fitness-minded specs that monitors everything from her body’s energy levels to best determine when to train, stress levels, hydration (by logging fluid intake), period or pregnancy tracking and more. She’ll love the touchscreen functionality and pre-loaded workouts.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
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1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
Marius Bugge
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Marius Bugge
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
Marius Bugge
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
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