A compendium of ideas for those who don’t enjoy the simple pleasantries afforded by mainstream consumerism.
Every family has those people who are uncharacteristically difficult to shop for. They either seem to have everything in the world, or never know what they want. Some people just don’t enjoy the simple pleasantries afforded by mainstream consumerism.
As Joseph Campbell famously said, “Follow your bliss.” Help those on your gift-giving list to follow their bliss, too. Here are a few suggestions.
Cold-weather friends
Snowshoes—Wasatch Touring, $100-$300
702 E. 100 South. 359-9361. http://Wasatchtouring.com
With the countless mountains and snow filled canyons surrounding the Salt Lake Valley, it’s hard not to go explore on a snowshoe hike. Check out http://snowshoeutah.com for all sorts of snowshoe info (routes, tips, guides, etc).
Panda Poles—$85
For a great alternative to the standard aluminum or carbon fiber ski/snowshoe poles, consider bamboo. Designed by Utah’s own Tanner Rosenthal, and custom-built for you!
Ice Skating at Gallivan Ice Rink—Gallivan Center, $8. 36 East 200 South. 535-6117. http://slcgov.com/PublicServices/Gallivan/default.htm
The merry men (and women)
These people love good conversation, and what livens up a conversation better than an adult beverage? Food, friends, family and a merry time is what these people are looking for.
High West Distillery Whiskey & Tour—High West Distillery, $30-$130. Free tours daily and a fine selection of whisky and vodka in downtown Park City. 703 Park Ave, Park City, UT 84060. 435-649-8300. http://Highwest.com. Also available liquor stores
Beer Brewing Kit—The Beer Nut, $85-$300. A true beer drinker must sometimes foray into the realm of brewing to fully appreciate his or her favorite beverage
1200 South State Street. 531-8182. http://Beernut.com
Epic Beer + Cheese Tasting—Viking Cooking School. Wine and cheese is the traditional pairing, but Salt Lake City’s Epic Brewing Co. (awarded a top 5 place among new international brewers by http://ratebeer.com) suggests pairing cheese with wine. 2233 S. 300 East. 464-0113. http://Vikingcookingschool.com/saltlakecity
Gift Card to Squatters/Red Rock/Wasatch—
Squatter’s: 300 South 147 East, 363-2739, squatters.com. Red Rock: 254 South 200 West, 521-7446, http://redrockbrewing.com
Utah-made wine from Castle Creek Winery—Believe it or not, you can order online—or buy it in liquor/wine stores, too, of course. 435-259-3332. http://Castlecreekwinery.com
Food/wine classes through U of U Lifelong Learning
One of the best ways to get closer to the food you love is to learn how to make it. Classes on artisan bread baking, eating local, wine making, raw foods, green tea, cooking without a book, and many more! http://Continue.utah.edu/lifelong
Gift card to a great restaurant—Here are some of our favorites:
Pago: 878 S. 900 Ea, 532-0777, http://pagoslc.com
Tin Angel: 365 W. 400 South, 328-4155, http://thetinangel.com
Oasis Cafe: 151 S. 500 East, 322-0404, http://oasiscafeslc.com
Takashi: 18 Market Street, 519-9595, http://takashisushi.com
Red Iguana: 736 West North Temple, 322-1489, http://rediguana.com
The Paris Resaurant/Bistro, 1500 South 1500 East, 486-5585, http://theparis.net
The Copper Onion: 111 E. Broadway, 355-3282, http://thecopperonion.com
Knife kit or sharpening—Lorenz, $1.50-$15. If you wonder what this is doing in the food and drink section, you’re probably not a cook. Good cooks need sharp knives. And, ideally, someone else to do the sharpening. Take your personal chef’s here, and return them (quickly) with a bow. 213 E. 300 South . 363-2821. http://Lorenz.com
Sweet Tooth
The holidays are extra sweet for these people, considering chocolate and candies are one of their favorite things.
Caputo’s Fine European Chocolate Tasting Class—Caputo’s Market and Deli, $25. Chocolate is no laughing matter, refine your taste. 300 S. 314 West, 1516 S. 1500 East, 215 South Central Campus Drive. 531-TONY, 486-6615, 583-8801. http://Caputosdeli.com
Amano Chocolate and Factory Tour—Amano’s Chocolate. Buy online or at local delis and groceries. Or drive to Orem where the chocolate is made. http://Amanochocolate.com
Red Desert delicacies—Red Desert Candy Company Can buy delicacies from this Torrey confectionary on their website or at local candy shops. 435-491-0017. http://Reddesertcandy.com
Musician/Music Lover
IOU for specific artist or season tickets to Red Butte Garden—Red Butte Garden
Justifiably renowned Red Butte Concert Series offers great bands, a great location and a guaranteed good time each and every summer. Single Tickets: $35-$70; annual garden membership ($35-$120) includes concert ticket purchase privileges. 300 Wakara Way. http://Redbuttegarden.org
CD Of The Month Club—KRCL, $240 or $480 (6 month or 12 month). Get the inside scoop on the latest bands in the indie world thanks to Salt Lake’s esteemed public radio station, KRCL.Must donate online to receive. http://Krcl.org
Music lessons—Acoustic Music
They also offer the best selection of acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and other folk instruments, as well as sheet music, tablature books and anything you could possibly need for your acoustic folk instrument. 847 East 400 South. 531-7066
Buy a performance!—Idlewild Performing Group
Idlewild performs traditional Celtic music in duo, trio, quartet, quintet or up to seven person group. They’re great fun at a music lover’s party. www.idlewildrecordings.com
Green Thumb
Red Butte Garden season pass (see what’s in season, take workshops), annual garden membership $35-$120.
Indoor/Outdoor Mushroom Patches—Fungi Perfecti, $25. Fungi.com. An easy way to get lots of fresh mushrooms fast.
Bonsai Tree Kit—Paradise Palm: $30-$70. Continue gardening even in the winter; learn how to maintain a Japanese bonsai tree. Comes with video, handbook.
307 E. 300 South . 582-3212
Sustainability classes—U of U Lifelong Learning. Give the gift of bee keeping, botany for gardeners, raise poultry, furniture refinishing, irrigation, maximizing your garden, native plant propagation, vegetable gardening basics, the urban homestead and more! http://Continue.utah.edu/lifelong
Psychonaut
Salvia Divinorum Kit—Elemental Inspirations. 2152 Highland Drive, 433-2280
If an intense psychospiritual journey is needed to jumpstart some change in your life, this central Mexican herb may be of service. Research advised.
Telluride Mushroom Festival admission—Register your adventurous friend (and yourself, while you’re at it) for the 2012 gathering of mycologists from around the country. August 16-19, 2012. Earlybird discount rate: $150. www.shroomfest.com/
Books by Terence McKenna or Alan Watts—Golden Braid: 151 S. 500 East, 322-1162, http://goldenbraidbooks.com
Classes for dance fanatics
RDT Community School: Modern, zumba, African, ballroom, flamenco, prime movement. 138 W. Broadway, 297-4241, rdtutah.org
Dance Crew: From ballet to break-dancing. 55 North Redwood Rd Ste. L, 718-7940, http://dancecrew.org
DF Dance: Latin, ballroom, salsa, hiphop, swing and more. 2978 S. State St, 466-0490, http://utahdancestudio.com
Health & Wellbeing
Tai Chi—Red Lotus School of Movement. Tai Chi is a great way to gain both mental and physical strength while relieving stress in an ancient fashion. Also offer classes on Wing Chun.
740 S 300 West, 355-6375, http://redlotusschool.com
Ayurveda—Shiva Centre. Benefit from this ancient Indian health system. From consultations to cooking. 2065 E. 2100 South, 485-5933, http://flowyogaslc.com
Massage—Healing Mountain Massage School Clinic & Spa. Affordable student massages; how about a four-handed massage? Only $45. 363 S. 500 East Suite 210, 355-6300, http://healingmountain.org
Brain Development Programs and Music—Advanced Brain Technologies
Programs include relaxation techniques, exercises to improve mental awareness, and many more. A national company based in Ogden, Utah. http://advancedbrain.com
Gift certificates for fresh juice—Blue Star Juice and Espresso Bar
435 S. 400 West, 2795 S. 2300 East, 466-4280, http://the-bluestar.com
Omni Blender—This 3-horsepower machine with its seven year warranty could make anyone’s day better, starting with a breakfast smoothie. www.3blenders.com.
Fashionista wanna-be’s
Maybe your woefully underdressed friend just needs a little shove in the right direction.
Pib’s Exchange Gift Card—Great place to purchase lightly worn fashionable clothes and costumes for your classy events.. 2310 S. 1147 East, 484-7996, http://pibz.biz
Hemp & organic clothes—Earth Goods General Store has a generous selection. 1249 South 900 East, 746-4410, http://earthgoodsgeneralstore.com
Session with a stylist—Intuition Image Styling, Auretha Callison. Check out her website—she may be just what’s needed to help your friend express her (or his) most authentic and powerful inner self. 694-8092. http://intuitionstyling.com
Made with love
Worldly treasures—You can shop for hours in these stores, for handmade and native crafts to adorn a favored one’s body, shelf or wall.
Ten Thousand Villages: 1941 South 1100 East Suite1945, 485-8827, http://saltlakecity.tenthousandvillages.com
Dancing Cranes Imports: 673 Simpson Avenue, 486-1129, http://dancingcranesimports.com
Global Village SLC: 400 South 361 West, 355-8500, http://globalvillageslc.com
Cinephile
Tickets to Sundance Film Festival—The largest independent film festival in the world takes over Park City and many theaters in SLC and Ogden each January, bringing actors, producers, directors and possibly your lucky giftee to enjoy the mountains of Utah.
Purchase online at http://sundance.org or look to local retailers like Trolley Square and the Tower Theater.
Utah Film Center membership—$30 and up. While most UFC films are free (most often shown at the Main Library), membership includes tickets to special showings, access to the film center lending library and the knowledge that you’re helping support what’s become a venerable institution in Salt Lake City and beyond. 746-7000,
Salt Lake Film Society membership—$50 and up. Our fave: the Chronik for two. $500 gets you both free admission to any Broadway or Tower Theatre film, including popcorn, and two Sundance admissions. http://Saltlakefilmsociety.org
Gift cards for movies/dinner/drinks at Brewvies Cinema Pub—Purchase at location. 677 South 200 West, 355-5500, http://brewvies.com
Jonathan Abbott is a student at the University of Utah and an intern at CATALYST this semester.
Be a holiday catalyst: Locals share their Christmas ideas
by Julie Hirschi
Saving money, supporting local businesses, giving back to the community and leaving less of an impact on the environment are all reasons that many people want to do something a little different this holiday season. By forgoing malls, parking lots and the frenzy of gift giving, many Utahns are choosing a less stressful way to give gifts this year.
“I do nearly 90% of my gift acquisition through an art and craft exchange started three years ago in reaction to Black Friday. Everybody brings hand crafted stuff and trades for gifts, everything from preserves and chocolates, all the way up to fine art, jewelry, glass, sewing, knitting—just about everything.”
—Jodi Rusho, Salt Lake City
“We plan to spend less and encourage homemade gifts. Homemade gifts encourages real thought and planning plus the opportunity for more love to go into it.”
—Kristyan Williams, Bountiful,
“Instead of giving us a gift this year, our kids are to spend that money to go do a service for someone else, like Sub For Santa. Then they are to write a letter, or have the grandkids draw a picture, showing what they did and how they felt about it. That’s what we’ll open on Christmas.”
—Dinah Svedin, West Jordan
“I’m doing recycling and reusing stuff for my Christmas gifts. I am using natural aluminum soda cans to make book marks and just use a lot of whatever I have around here and creating it into art. Reused, up-cycled, functional art, that’s what I call it.”
—Bonnie Chapline, Salt Lake City