We splurge on gifts for those closest to us, but the majority of our giving takes place at a more middle-of-the-road price point. Here are our favorite crowd-pleasers that sit comfortably below $50:
Homebrew Kit Not only does this set from Brooklyn Brew Shop come with all the tools necessary to be your own brewmaster, but the creations will have added holiday sheen with grain mixes for eggnog stout or gingerbread ale. $40 at Brooklyn Brew Shop's stand at Gifted Holiday Market, 20 E. Fourth St. (at Lafayette St.); brooklynbrewshop.com
Hot Chocolate Set It's easy to stay cheerful about blustery weather in December; by February, the cold gets old. Keep their spirits up all winter with chocolate guru Jacques Torres's indulgent hot chocolate mix, supplemented with house-made marshmallows and a mug from Red Hook sweets emporium Baked. $39 at Baked, 359 Van Brunt St. (at Dikeman St.), Brooklyn; bakedshop.com
The Perfect Gift Box Bklyn Larder--procurer of delicious provisions--has assembled a series of gift boxes featuring its greatest finds (Plowshares Coffee, Kusmi Tea, Vermont maple syrup and marcona almonds, for instance), all packaged in repurposed cheese crates. Or take a stroll around the store and create a sampler of your own. $35 and up at Bklyn Larder, 228 Flatbush Ave. (between Bergen St. and Sixth Ave.), Brooklyn; 718-783-1250 or bklynlarder.com
Holiday Ham Come to any holiday dinner with one of Char No. 4's five-pound pork shoulders and you will be the instant favorite among your relatives. Each ham (call to preorder) has been cured in a special brine for 10 days, then smoked and coated with a maple glaze--just in time for a December 23 or 24 pickup. $45 at Char No. 4, 196 Smith St. (between Baltic and Warren sts.), Brooklyn; 718-643-2106 or charno4.com
Add to Your To-Do List
