Anyone who is a certifiable java junkie will appreciate coffee-related presents for the holidays. Here are some ideas for the bean-loving friend or family member in your life. And, you can enjoy the same gifts for yourself, too. .
The gift of Starbucks
Does your friend or loved one frequent coffee house such as Starbucks or Café Caribou? If you know where he or she goes, a gift card or certificate is a gift that keeps on giving. One Christmas, an old boyfriend gave me a reloadable gift card for Starbucks, and it was put to great use. I could go there and order whatever I wanted, using the card just like cash. If you buy a card, then get one of those fashionable Starbucks mugs to present it in. That adds a more personal touch, and the coffee cup is always useful. Each coffee house usually has an area where they sell all things coffee-related, so look around.
Monthly subscription of ground coffee
There are vendors such as Gevalia or other coffee sellers who sell subscriptions, so customers can try their different products. There are usually different sized plans, depending upon length of service and amount of coffee delivered. The full plan is usually a monthly subscription but like magazines, there are usually bi-monthly or quarterly delivery options to save on price. If money is no object, you can always have them send a coffee-related gift basket or pastries along with the subscription. For most coffee freaks like myself, beans alone are always much appreciated, from a different locations per month, such as Central American, Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona and others. You can also choose whether they are decaffeinated or full-strength.
Coffee paraphernalia
For those more discriminating coffee drinkers, gifts of supplies for their existing coffee setup are great. If you know what kind of coffeemaker the person has, then get a gold filter for it, so they no longer need to buy paper filters. Gold filters are wonderful and come in many sizes. They aren’t as expensive as they appear, and last a long time, assuming they aren’t totally manhandled. My current gold filter has lasted me five years and counting.
If your coffee drinking friend likes lattes and other sweet coffee drinks, buy them a bottle of flavoring such as caramel, hazelnut or mocha. There are different brands available, but my favorite is Starbucks, Torani or DaVinci. Each bottle is reasonably priced (usually under $10), and you get quite a lot for the money. You don’t need to have a cappuccino maker to make lattes, just syrup, milk and whipped cream. The finished drink may not be exactly like Starbucks but it still tastes great.
Coffee is a great social drink, so if nothing else, treat a friend to a latte or macchiato. Just going to the coffee house and hanging out there together is fun and habit-forming. Whatever you do, make sure to hoist a mug of eggnog or mocha latte for yourself this Christmas or Hanukkah. Being out in the craziness of holiday shoppers can make the most mellow personality go nuts, so for that second wind, get yourself a great big cup of something caffeinated. If you don’t need extra rocket fuel, then go for the decaf. Whatever you have, enjoy the experience. After all, that’s what coffee drinking is all about.
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