For the Facial Hair Lover
Beards Are Sexy Bag – $10
etsy.com/listing/59686006/beards-are-sexy-tote-bag
For the gal who loves facial hair but can’t grow it herself, a printed tote bag on etsy.com (hocking the phrase “Beards Are Sexy”) is the perfect homage to whiskers. It’ll make her own bearded man so proud — or attract the lumberjack of her dreams.
“Beard” – $14.95
chroniclebooks.com/beard.html
Every year, hundreds of men compete in the World Beard and Moustache Championships, and in 2009, photographer Matthew Rainwaters was at the competition in Anchorage, Alaska to document it all. The result is Beard — a collection of portraits of the men with the weirdest, bushiest, manliest beards of them all.
Movember TOMS – $58-$95
toms.com/movember
The Mo — slang for mustache. November — this month, duh. Put ‘em together — Movember: An event sponsoring the growth of mustaches on charitable men to raise funds and awareness of cancers affecting men. In collaboration with the charity, TOMS Shoes has created some snazzy Movember footwear, each made with waxed twill and featuring an embroidered Mo on the side. All the proceeds go toward the Movember Foundation.
Mustache Magnet – $10.95
mcphee.com/shop/products/Mustache-Jumbo-Magnet
Your car has a face, with headlights like a pair of giant bug eyes and a grill like a Cheshire Cat smile. But there’s something missing: A moustache. Novelty toy dealer Archie McPhee has you covered with the Mustache Jumbo Magnet — a 26-1/2” wide magnetic ‘stache perfect for sticking on the nose of your car or on your refrigerator.
Mustache Poet – $11.95
magneticpoetry.com/product/mustache-poet
Cover your favorite mustache aficionado’s fridge with magnetic poems devoted to whiskers. The kit features over 200 manly words to celebrate the ‘stache lifestyle — whiskey and all.
— Arielle Sallai
Managing Editor
For the Baconvore
My First Talking Bacon – $9.99
thinkgeek.com/interests/giftsunder20/e1d0/
Some kids grow up alongside sing-a-long Elmos. Other, cooler kids, play with “My First Bacons” long before they are weaned onto solids. Standing at almost two feet tall, it’s the perfect present for the friend (or child) who flinches at the words “vegan,” “quinoa” and “soyrizo.”
Gummy Bacon – $4.99
thinkgeek.com/caffeine/bacon/b97f/
Gross out your meat-hating friends or colleagues by devouring a package of gummy bacon in front of them. It so resembles real raw bacon that you, a baconvore, might even recoil in disgust, but take heart: It’s strawberry flavored.
Hand-Painted Silk Bacon Scarf- $56.99
thinkgeek.com/caffeine/bacon/e64f/
When your pork chop earrings aren’t cutting it, festoon your outfit with a sassy silk bacon scarf. Show what you truly love by wearing what you truly love — and remember, only Lady Gaga can pull off real meat.
Bacon Lip Balm- $2.95
mcphee.com/shop/products/Bacon-Lip-Balm.html
Lip smackers are so elementary school. We’ve moved on — to bacon. After hours of necking with your holiday love interest, freshen up your chapped lips with the sweet, sweet taste of pork lard.
Bacon Dental Floss- $3.99
thinkgeek.com/caffeine/bacon/e77c/
Dental hygiene is important. But when the holidays hit, it’s hard to remember our dentist’s orders and break out the good old mint-flavored floss. So when you have meat on the mind, make sure you keep bacon dental floss at hand.
— Margaret Yau
Managing Editor
For the Bibliophile
Out of Print Clothing – $30
outofprintclothing.com
As a last resort, these mildly overpriced T-shirts printed with book covers are available at the bookstore. They don’t have much beyond the usual “classics” selection, but online, the store is expanded to include iPhone cases, coasters and tote bags.
Book Purses – $30-$50
etsy.com
Ever since Natalie Portman sported a clutch made from a copy of Lolita, book purses have become a fashionable accessory for the wealthy and erudite. A simple etsy.com search will turn up dozens of styles and titles, but be warned — the lowest price I saw was about $40, so it might be a better idea to head to a secondhand bookstore, check out some YouTube tutorials and try to make one yourself.
Book Jewelry – $15-$20
etsy.com
I’m guilty of owning Dostoevsky earrings and a bracelet with portraits of my favorite writers — all found on etsy.com. Search “literary jewelry” on the site to find lockets and pins of major authors to your heart’s content. For those who are sick of seeing another pair of Great Gatsby earrings or James Joyce cufflinks, users such as DesignsByAnnette and ArtHistoryNerd do custom requests, so you can intrigue everyone with your Passion According to G.H. locket. You hipster, you.
Conceal Bookshelf – $10
umbra.com/ustore/product/330638-560.store
This “floating” bookshelf is the practical gift for the bibliophile running out of regular shelf space. The shelf becomes “invisible” once mounted, creating the illusion of a stack of books floating in midair.
Postertext Book Posters – $30
postertext.com
These posters are made with the text from the book itself (which is legible), arranged to create a scene from the book; for example, the Crime and Punishment one has a lovely image of Raskolnikov killing the pawn broker with an axe, perfect for sweet dreams.
— Angela Chen
Editor In Chief
For the Audiophile
The Beach Boys’ SMiLE Sessions – $139.99
amzn.com/B004RFYEEC
Even more than its polarizing psychedelia, sprawling length and Sgt. Pepper’s-matched innovation, the Beach Boys’ (more accurately, Brian Wilson’s) pinnacle SMiLE is most famous for never being officially released. But now, your favorite introvert has the chance to own an essential piece of rock ‘n’ roll history that’s been lost for almost half a century. If you have a particularly special music nerd in mind, you can opt for the gargantuan SMiLE Sessions box set, which includes the intended 2xLP, singles, unseen photographs, a giant poster and hours of LSD-fueled bonus “outtakes.” The box even doubles as light-up diorama of Frank Holmes’ original cover art, so you can blow your mind without even listening to the damn thing.
— Ren Ebel
Hiatus Editor
For a Younger Brother
Mix CD
I took my brother to a Fleet Foxes concert over the summer and ever since then we’ve been trading band recommendations. So if you and your brother have a mutual appreciation for music, make him a mix cd.
cologne
Help your bro impress the ladies with cologne. My brother strongly advises to not go to A&F or Hollister, but to choose a “real man’s cologne to smell like a real man.”
Tanks
Share a piece of San Diego beach style by getting a a tank top from a local surf shop.
Short Longboards
If he doesn’t have his license yet, he’ll need a way to get to his friend’s house. Short longboards — slightly shorter than an average skateboard deck — are the perfect gift to help your brother maintain an effortless cool.
Snapbacks
You can’t go wrong with a Snapback hat. If he’s a little bit retro or into hip-hop style, he definitely has this on his wishlist.
— Nicole Chan
associate news editor
Others
Tv Dad Sweater – $64
toddland.bigcartel.com/product/tv-dad-sweater
This old man sweater has Jello-O pudding pops printed all over it, so you can really break out your inner TV dad, Bill Cosby-style. (AS)
Holy Water Flask – $24
uncommongoods.com/product/holy-water-flask
Piss of mom, dad and your priest with some good old-fashioned sacrilege. Vodka and holy water are one in th
e same, right? (AS)
GIANTmicrobes – $9
giantmicrobes.com
GIANTmicrobes plushies are stuffed versions of microbes, from amoebas to Mad Cow Disease, and serve as educational references for pre-meds while doubling as studying stress balls. (EP)holy water flask – $24
Bongo Drum – $12.99
amzn.com/B000AAPLN6
If you’ve got a friend on the front lines of the Occupy Movement, give them the power to lead the pack with one bangin’ bongo drum. (AS)
Typography Maps – $24-$30
orangeandpark.com
Map-inspired prints featuring San Diego surf spots — designed by local company Orange and Park — are great for the design-savvy surfer. (AS)
StickyGram – $14.99
stickygram.com
Those perfectly filtered photos of your friend’s cat can now leave her iPhone, with the help of StickyGram, which turns Instragrams into magnets. (AS)
Beer Soap – $19
shop.coolmaterial.com
Real men smell like beer, even when they aren’t actually drinking it — courtesy of beer-flavored soap, available in the brew of your choice. (AS)
