(editor’s note: ooh, looks like vosges is on sale at gilt groupe this morning.  so, um…hop to it! grab an invite here, and the sale’s right here.)

you know how most people complain about weight gain over the thanksgiving-christmas-new year’s eve time of year?  personally, i have no trouble passing up yet another plate of fruitcake or turkey.

but easter.  ohhhh, easter.  ’tis the season for chocolate, hot cross buns, and all of those yummy egg-shaped candies (cadbury, i’m looking at you!).  plus all of those macarons (and macaroons) being baked up for passover (oh yes, i’m an equal opportunity binger).  and everything’s so cuuuuute!  pink speckled eggs, little bunnies and lambs…it’s too much to resist.  most of these fabulous treats are only around once a year, so naturally, i start stockpiling like a squirrel in winter as soon as the valentine’s day candy leaves the shelves.  my house right now is a diabetic coma waiting to happen.

but even with my extreme expertise in the realm of easter treats, i’ve come up with some new loves this year.  most of them are from vosges, whose chocolate is wonderful any time of year.  but when besides easter can you get bacon and eggs in candy form?

yeah, they’re at least as good as they look.  okay, who am i kidding….they’re way, way better.  if you’re skeptical (as i was, believe me), just remember how good bacon tastes dipped in maple syrup.  now imagine it’s caramel instead.  with a chocolate shell.  i know.

and i can’t really be expected to resist bunnies stuffed with toffee and pink himalayan sea salt either, can i?

then there are the absolutely adorable little truffles my mom sent me (how cute is she for sending me an easter basket?) from another favorite chocolatier, moonstruck chocolates, based right here in portland.

i haven’t been able to bring myself to eat them yet…in person, the cute factor is just overwhelming.  but don’t fear…i’m sure my sweet tooth will win out.

you’re totally craving chocolate now, aren’t you?  yeah, sorry about that.  my advice is to just give in…after all, easter only comes once a year.  grab any (or all…hey, it’s the holidays!) while you can!

i just can’t seem to get enough of linda & harriett’s products. they’re fun, cheeky, well-made…really, what’s not to love?  but this year, they’ve put together a gift set so sweet, i’d be content to gift this to just about everyone i know.

for $50, linda & harriett’s new holiday gift set includes their fabulous letterpress calendar, a notepad, and a box of letterpress cards, all tucked into their ridiculously cute moose gift bag.  plus (how cool is this?!), the letterpressed images on the calendar actually detach into mailable postcards, so you can send them out once the month is over.  after spending the last several years hoarding calendars that were too pretty to toss, this makes me a very happy girl.

(can’t resist showing you the cuteness of the calendar too…love!!)

personally, i plan to have several of these on hand this holiday, as they may be the perfect last-minute gift.  they’d be perfect for a party hostess, a mom…anyone, really.  but the selfish being in me says this gift is tailor-made for your assistant or co-worker.  you’ll have a pretty calendar to look at whenever you walk past her desk, and her notes to you will now arrive on chic zigzag or cheeky alligator-festooned sheets.  so much better than those tired yellow post-its, right?

oh!  and, just got word that you can score 15% off your order through 12/15 with code JOLLY at checkout, which means i’ll be adding some adorable “get jolly” moose cards and a set of ski sweater gift tags to my order.

i’ve been debating whether this watch was actually a “for someone exactly like me” gift for several minutes now.  and i’m close…the red version is particularly fabulous, but i’m not quite sure i’m one to pull off red.  that said, i think your older sister might be exactly that hip, and in that case, she’ll absolutely love this:

cuff watches are all the rage right now (i have several michael kors versions on my own wish list this year), but i love that this version from dean accessories still has a slim-enough profile to keep it girl-friendly.  the snap closures give this just a bit of edge, but the red adds so much polish and chic that they balance each other perfectly.  if she’s a more subtle type of sister, the aqua would be perfect…but really, it’s the red that’s stolen my heart.

grab it for $100 at cog & pearl, and give yourself an excellent argument for borrowing this beauty from her all year long.

i just couldn’t bring myself to say “domestic diva.”  that aside, for the girl in your life who loves to host holidays, can’t wait to make up a batch of christmas fudge, and is always, always the one inviting you over for dinner parties, nigella christmas is an absolutely perfect fit.

if you’re not familiar, nigella is sort of the anti-martha stewart.  she’s all about shortcuts, simplification, and generally making it fun and easy to entertain.  while i’m always a fan, this book is possibly my favorite of hers.  sure, the recipes are amazing (try the pomegranate cabbage), but this book is so much more than that.

in the first third of the book, she gives readers a series of easy holiday entertaining dinners, complete with make-ahead side dishes and at least 20 different cocktails, then moves ahead to a special section on a christmas feast.  she includes recipes for a few showstopping main courses, loads of sides, and her tips and tricks for hosting a fabulous, low-stress holiday (my favorite:  invite strangers to ensure your family stays on its best behavior!).  best of all, she’s compiled a flawless timeline/checklist to allow you to be perfectly organized and pulled together without a single hair out of place.

and then there’s the last third of the book, which is totally dedicated to desserts.  as it’s a holiday cookbook, i wouldn’t have it any other way.

grab a copy (or two) and have it on hand as a hostess gift, or as a gift for that girl in your office that never fails to bring homemade christmas cookies to work every year.  also great for someone who’s finally decided to bite the bullet and host their first holiday, and is utterly terrified (not that i’m naming names…).  wrap it up with a wooden spoon tied into the bow (cooks can always use another), and you’re set!

it is almost frightening how reliable i am when it comes to falling for sweaters by vince.  i pick them out of a lineup as my constant favorite just as easily as i immediately locate the most expensive item in any store i visit.

once again, i honed in on a piece in an email i received from tobi, and once again, it’s fabulous cashmere loveliness from vince.  which, sadly, translates to being way out of my budget ($245, in this case).  but wouldn’t this be the perfect understated holiday piece?  the burgundy is festive without being obvious, and the draping gives you the drama you’d normally look for from sequins or ruffles.

i’d pair this with a black pencil skirt or a tuxedo pant for a party, and feel absolutely confident in my chic alternative to the christmas sweater…but it’s also going to be killer with jeans and my tan suede boots in january.  hmm, if i’m lucky, maybe it will go on sale.

i’ve ignored kate spade’s sample sales for the past few seasons, but there are definitely some winners this time around.  personally, i skipped right past the handbags (yawn) and went gaga for these goodies:

something about kate’s wares just scream holiday for me, and this year is no exception – i’d love to see any one (or all) of these under my holiday tree.  to shop the sale (including $5 shipping), head here – sign-up is required, but her email list is pretty painless.

my picks, from left: islington cyndy wallet in amethyst, $114 down from $225; madeleine esti skirt (utterly perfect for holiday fetes!), $228 down from $325; and the keswick caning bangle in turquoise, $63 down from $125.  come to think of it, pretty much all the jewelry…love!

i had to squint a little to see what was going on here, but this lovely copper clutch is covered with tiny sequins – the perfect holiday bling for just about any woman on your gifting list!  best of all, it’s only $49 on sale at banana republic, who is still shipping for the holidays (not to mention their presence in nearly every mall in america).

for the men out there who are still desperate for ideas, here’s a perfect one.  head to your nearest banana republic, pick up this stunning clutch, and put tickets to some fabulous new year’s eve event inside.  trust me – she’ll love it.  this clutch is the perfect holiday accent, and you’ll score serious points for planning the perfect date and accessorizing it.

found via the brilliant design*sponge, as usual!

these beautiful prints from artist lisa jones will set you back about $100 each (thank god the british pound finally weakened!), but i absolutely love these as gift ideas.  for your friend who just set up her new apartment or bought her first house, the “town” print is a sure reminder that she’s in the big city now!  and if you have a new mom on your list (or her new baby), the “night owl” print would be positively precious in a nursery.

whichever you choose, order quick – they’re still shipping for christmas, but not for long! fortunately, if it doesn’t arrive in time, it’s easy to print a copy at home and let them know the real thing is on its way!

editor’s note:  the drawing for that stunning pallie croc wallet closes thursday at midnight…have you really not entered yet?

let me preface this guide with the following:  despite their rep, gift sets can be really lovely, thoughtful gifts.  added bonus:  once you make up your mind, they’re easy to track down, and usually require no wrapping at all.  for me, the key to succeeding with the gift set give is to make sure (drum roll) it’s a set of something the recipient will actually use and enjoy, and something you obviously put some thought into.  heading to the drugstore on 12/24 and picking up a box of coty perfume with a matching scented scrunchie is not thoughtful…and it comes through.  but, below are my picks (and general thoughts) on giving a gift set that’s sure to be a hit.

my absolute favorite sets this season are from diptyque and jo malone.  both are stunning, impeccably presented, and guaranteed to be the best gift under the tree.

this holiday, diptyque has released a limited edition set of its three most popular holiday candles.  girls, if you aren’t familiar with diptyque, well, let’s just say these aren’t any ordinary candles.  the scents are positively other-worldly…incredibly unique and sophisticated, and a great gift for just about anyone.  the holiday “black box” set includes their pomander, feu de bois (firewood) and spruce scents – burning them individually or together creates the most amazing holiday scent in your house.  give them to your favorite hostess, or anyone who loves the finer things – just don’t give them to your great aunt who collects yankee candles…there is such a thing as wasteful luxury.

jo malone, my other favorite this year, is a perfectly luxe gift option.  to keep it from being generic, make sure you pick a set that reflects your friend’s tastes.  if she loves to wear perfume, there’s nothing better than jo malone’s “tasting kit” – they really have pioneered the concept of mixing scents to create a custom fragrance, and this set is the perfect way to help her really have some fun.  i also happen to love the fragrance combining collection for anyone who really loves the finer things, even if they aren’t familiar with the line.  sadly, it’s sold out online, but should be easy to track down at your local saks or neiman marcus.

for someone you know a little better, i love the idea of a well-thought-out beauty sets.  but do reserve these for good friends, as they’re definitely a trickier gift to give well.  

for your friend that’s always raving about her new yoga instructor, or that great vegan restaurant that just opened up down the street, look no further than suki.  this is a product line i’ve raved about before, and their holiday offerings are a wonderful way to introduce someone to the line.  because skin types can be tricky, stick to something that offers universal benefits, like their gorgeous deluxe moisturizing kit (that wooden case the set comes in is gorgeous!).  

if you have a friend or a mom who’s constantly bemoaning the fact that she can’t afford/is terrified but overwhelmingly curious about botox, i can think of no better gift than the eye coffret set from darphin (please, please, don’t get this gift for someone unless you’ve actually heard her express discontent with her eyes.  no self-improvement suggestions via holiday gifts, ever).  ladies, you know how rarely i’m thrilled with an eye cream…but darphin’s products work actual wonders, and are completely splurge-worthy.  your friend will thank her lucky stars that you know her so well.  (tip:  this is also a great set to put on your own wish list…i have a hard time splurging on darphin for myself, but adore receiving it!)

for the friend whose feet are more likely to be 30,000 feet overhead than planted on terra firma, get her a beauty set that’s designed to repair travel-weary skin and make it through TSA safely.  my absolute favorite is the organics to go set from juice beauty – this is another line i just love.  best of all, this set is highly budget-friendly:  pick it up for just $29 at your local whole foods!

and, if all else fails, gift sets from bliss are always fun and lighthearted, and guaranteed to please.  their products are harder to track down than, say, philosophy, so it feels more thoughtful.  my pick is the “you look spa-velous” set, which is a great set to introduce someone to the bliss world (the oxygen mask alone will make them a convert).  tack on a gift certificate for a mani if your friend has a bliss spa nearby, and you have one seriously satisfying gift.

so, those are my picks this season.  what do you think – was i convincing?  will you be giving any gift sets this year?

i used to agonize over gifting to men, until i realized it was because i was trying to get them things i thought they should have.  now, i’ve finally learned to just cave and get the men what they actually want at the holidays…even if it’s pointless (or even annoying) to me, i figure that’s exactly what they think when we ask for yet another scarf or pair of earrings.  with that in mind, i’ve compiled a list of some of the best ideas i’ve come across this year to make him smile on christmas morning.

for the geek in your life, the splurge du jour is the playstation 3.  from what i understand, it’s quite the gadget – it plays bluray discs, allows him to download movies and games from the internet, and may even julienne carrots.  okay, maybe not that last one.  pick it up for about $400 and score some serious points.

for my little bro, who simply cannot keep his house smelling even remotely decent, i’m going to give him a gift that will help him get his saturday night date inside the front door.  this cool diffuser from joya boasts a very masculine skull and crossbones on the outside, and a completely gender-neutral gunpowder green tea scent on the inside – all he has to do is set it up, and the stench is…well, masked at least.

if you’re gifting to someone a little more rugged, i can’t think of many guys that wouldn’t love this filson briefcase ($245).  it’s a great, masculine option for a laptop bag (but still incredibly stylish) that will make him feel like he’s off on a mountaineering adventure, even when it’s really just his daily commute.

when all else fails, boys do love their toys.  so, indulge him…but in as creative a way as you can.  if he’s into golf, pick up a couple of gift certificates for a round at his favorite course.  if he’s never met a microbrew he doesn’t like, cave and get him that beer of the month club membership (or yes, even that home brewing kit he’s been craving).  and if his favorite thing to do on a saturday is watch a marathon of bad sci fi, well, bite the bullet and buy him a star trek box set…maybe even tack on a promise to watch a few with him.  you get the idea.  

and, last but not least – it may not elicit childlike squeals of delight, but i promise…the man in your life is secretly thrilled you’re there to help him with his fashion choices.  so, throw a stylish cashmere sweater or a hip watch (diesel does a great job of blending cool and “stylish”) under the tree for good measure – just make sure to mix the fashion goodies with a few toys!

so, how about a little help from the committee?  what’s the best gift you’ve ever given to a guy?  share the love, people!