Holiday gift ideas from around the city and around the world, as researched and compiled by our crack team of elves here at The Pulse.
The Master Vintner Wine Starter Kit is the most comprehensive winemaking starter kit on the planet—equipped with all the tools you need to make top-quality wine in a fraction of the time. Designed by winemaking authority Tim Vandergrift. $130, midwestsupplies.com
The Sumbody Mini-Scrub Quartet uses solar-evaporated Pacific sea salts to draw out toxins and blend milk into pure cane sugar and butters for the ultimate exfoliating and moisturizing one-two punch. $24.95. sumbody.com
Strands of Sorrow, by multiple New York Times bestselling author John Ringo, a longtime resident of Chattanooga, is the fourth book in his highly popular "Black Tide" zombie apocalypse series. Available now in hardcover and for the Kindle, and pre-order available for the paperback, which will hit store shelves on December 29th. $18.20 in hardcover, $9.99 for Kindle, $7.99 paperback pre-order, amazon.com
With a wide variety of styles, Scojo New York readers make a functional fashion statement. They are all handmade and named after NYC streets. And if you don't need reading glasses, prescription lenses can be put in them just like regular eyewear frames. Prices range from $49 to $79 and are available locally at Frankie & Julians, 330 Frazier Ave., Ste. 116, on the Northshore. facebook.com/frankieandjulians
The Change, by local author Rocky Perry, is a modern fiction story set in Chattanooga that follows the adventure of three unlikely companions. Through the eyes of a small-town preacher, a Katrina survivor, and an unmotivated office worker, the story looks at how race, religion and culture play a role in living and surviving in the South. $3.99 for Kindle, amazon.com
This grey Soft-Stripe Ruana provides lightweight warmth and a soft, wool-like next-to-skin feel. A must-have for your fall and winter wardrobe. Find it, and other fine fashions and gifts, at Sophie's Shoppe, 401 N. Market St. $68, sophiesshoppe.com
The one-hole punch your musician friends will be proud to own is this black and metal Guitar Pick Punch that creates guitar picks from, well, just about anything. Throw in sheets of Delrex, Starbucks gift cards or anything else sturdy and around 0.8 mm thick, then punch away to an endless supply of guitar picks. $25, shop.coolmaterial.com
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That’s where the Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker comes to the rescue. Just choose your bread and layer on the fixings: egg, cheese, precooked meat, or whatever you like...and in five minutes or less, your perfectly assembled breakfast sandwich is ready to eat. $30, hamiltonbeach.com
As Internet speeds keep getting faster and faster, the need for a reliable Wi-Fi router is becoming ever more important. Which is where the Archer C7 AC1750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router from TP-Link comes to the rescue. It features the next generation Wi-Fi standard of 802.11ac and a combined wireless data transfer rate of up to 1.75Gbps, the Archer C7 is the superior choice for seamless HD streaming, online gaming and other bandwidth-intensive tasks. $90, amazon.com
There are plenty of wall thermometers out there. Many of them even come with a way to measure humidity. But the Weather Station is the first we've seen that instead of just giving you numbers on the dial, also gives you the relative comfort zones those numbers represent. Made in Germany to precision standards and housed in a solid brass case, this is the perfect way to help make your living space feel perfect. $172, bestmadeco.com
The EnerPlex Kickr IV is a flexible, super-durable and lightweight 6.5 watt portable solar charger, powerful enough to charge mobile electronics at the same rate as a wall outlet. It weighs only 0.6 pounds, is weather resistant, easily foldable, and made with flexible and rugged plastic. Outputs 1.2 amps through a USB port. $100, goenerplex.com
Nothing says Christmas quite like a candy cane. And the folks at Hammonds Candies have been making traditional Peppermint Candy Canes for generations. Handmade and hand-cooked with a beautiful shine and delicious flavor, it's the perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list. $2.95 for a single cane, $30 for a set of 12. hammondscandies.com
Who says LEGO sets are just for kids? The folks at LEGO certainly don't, and their line of LEGO Architecture Kits, featuring NYC's Flatiron Building, The Louvre, Trevi Fountain, the UN building, or even the White House, are perfect for kids from 8 to 80. $30–$104, lego.com
The Carry On Cocktail Kit provides everything you need to mix two proper old-fashioned cocktails at 30,000 feet. Simply carry on your kit, order a mini-bottle of bourbon, and use the custom combination bar spoon/muddler to mix in the included cane sugar and small batch bitters. $20, huckberry.com
Squeeze up to 35% more out of your household supplies with the Tube-Wringer, a time-saving device designed to make toothpaste tubes good to the last drop. It's simple, sturdy and effective. Ideal for everyday use. $25, uncommongoods.com