by Mikey Rox
Cultivated gifts for hooch lovers that’ll have them ho-ho-hoing all season long.
Zero to Thirsty
A 50-ounce bladed pitcher whips up big-batch merry margaritas in Crux’s 7-speed blender that boasts tell-and-show performance from its 800-watt motor base providing over one horsepower of ice-crushing force. $89.99, macys.com
Couples Therapy
Date night during deep winter gets the at-home DIY treatment thanks to Craft a Brew, which offers beer-, wine-, and cider-making kits for hands-on boozehounds. All equipment and step-by-step instructions are included to ferment and bottle small-batch libations to quench the thirst of a crowd: Beer kits produce two growlers, wine kits yield five 750ml bottles, and hard cider kits result in three one-gallon bottles. $45-$60, craftabrew.com
Heavy HittersChristmas Day is every day of December for the lucky chap who unwraps Secret Spirits’ Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar, featuring 25 Scotch whiskies sourced and hand-selected from the top independent bottlers in Scotland. $560, secretspirits.com
Wine For Them, Five For You
Red, white, and mixed monthly wine plans from HelloFresh both satisfy your craving to treat yo’self around the holidays (you know you’re gonna) while providing five additional bottles to grab-and-go on your way to cheer-filled cocktail and dinner parties. Deliver the goods in Brina’s shimmering insulated wine sleeves that show you care more than liquor-store Mylar. $89.99/month, hellofresh.com/wine; $86-$125, brina.us
Poppin’ Bottles
Berkel champagne sabre’s seventeen inches of forged stainless steel slices through bottles of bubbly with precision – when guided by expert hands, of course (don’t cut your own off in the process) – to add an element of spectacle to your New Year’s celebration. $219, theberkelworld.com
Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He splits his time between homes in New York City and the Jersey Shore with his dog Jaxon. Connect with Mikey on Twitter @mikeyrox
