Carhartt jackets
For once in your life, be the friend/partner/aunt/coworker who gives the cool gift this holiday season.
But therein lies the conundrum: The secret to being cool isn’t knowing what’s cool — it’s deciding what’s cool and refusing to let anyone say otherwise. It’s also totally not cool to be told what’s cool.
Then again, it’s not cool to be too cool. Unless, of course, you’re too cool for school. And how is it that being cool has all these rules yet it’s super cool to break the rules?
So, sure, it’d be great to be the cool gift-giver this year. But it’d be way easier if you just buy your special someone one of these certifiably cool gifts and Isthmus won’t tell anyone.
Fernet-Branca
Holiday or dinner parties can be a tricky gift-giving situation. Hosts often don’t specify what to bring but who wants to be the crumbum who shows up empty-handed? Don’t fret; bring a bottle of Fernet. The Italian digestif is classy (without costing a fortune) and no respectable bar is complete without it. It can be enjoyed straight or with ice. Argentinians love to mix it with Coca-Cola. It was the hipster drink of choice five years ago but even the snobbiest of mixologists will still be like, “Who’s this cool guy?”
Cost: $33
Where: Your neighborhood liquor store
Instant film cameras
Polaroid has gone bankrupt (twice) in the last 17 years with the advent of digital photography and now the rise of ever-better smartphone cameras. But of late, instant film cameras are making a mini-comeback, countering the fact that most photos are forever trapped in the cloud. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 has a gratifyingly simple design (the Polaroid OneStep 2 costs more). Both Fujifilm and Polaroid sell fancier hybrid models with digital viewfinders, instant connectivity and other bells and whistles. But what’s cool is embracing that analog spirit. Your giftee already has a camera that can store thousands of photos on it. What’s fun is having only 10 precious images per roll. And watching the print develop right before your eyes.
Cost: $70 for Fujiflim Instax Mini 9
Where: The Camera Company, 6742 Odana Rd., 24 N. Carroll St., 4232 East Towne Blvd., cameracompany.com
Newspaper subscriptions
How’s this for cool: Not being a dumb-dumb. Give your loved one the gift of smarts by liberating them from paywalls on news websites (digital subscriptions are good; but only print subscriptions come with tactile pleasure). Local journalists covering local news from a local perspective need our support. While even a lackadaisical newshound can get around a paywall, it isn’t worth crippling a fundamental component of representative government. Isthmus recommends gifting print or digital subscriptions to the Wisconsin State Journal, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and/or The Capital Times.
Cost: Wisconsin State Journal ($111 digital/$285 print year) the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ($85/$156) and/or The Capital Times $52/$78 year.
Where: madison.com/wsj, jsonline.com, madison.com/ct
Good Luck Minis
These little buggers are the best. Artist & Craftsman Supply has dozens of these critters that are perfect for stocking stuffers or just as reminders to others that you like them. Choose from polar bears, flamingos, dinosaurs, ladybugs, tree frogs, unicorns, elephants, rhinos, panthers, eagles, buffalos, stingrays and a host of other delightful creatures. Pick five favorites or a whole ark. Whimsy has no age limit. But, fair warning, the animals are definitely a choking hazard, so make sure the kid is gifted before giving this gift to a grade-schooler.
Cost: $1 each
Where: Artist & Craftsman Supply, 203 W. Gorham St., artistcraftsman.com
Carhartt jackets and muck boots
(or pretty much anything from Blain’s Farm & Fleet)
The Janesville-based retailer sells everything from poultry feed to American-flag-emblazoned Nesco 18-quart roaster ovens. Pop on by and you’re sure to find something useful for that someone who is challenging to buy for. Why not a Carhartt winter jacket — there are several varieties — because it’s never cool to be cold. The store also sells boots from The Original Muck Boot Company. You won’t know how much you needed them until after you have a pair.
Cost: $70-$150 for Carhartt jackets; $50-$130 for The Original Muck Boot Company boots.
Where: 2202 S. Stoughton Rd., Madison; 600 Hometown Cir., Verona, farmandfleet.com
