The holidays are undoubtedly a special time of year. What other time do you spend thinking about the cherished people in your life, thoughtfully planning out the best presents to get them, until you get so frustrated and/or annoyed that people seemingly already have everything and conclude there’s nothing you can give that they don’t already have? So you settle into familiarity with another bottle of that fabulous wine they love, or the newest, most innovative corkscrew to add to the collection, or some more fabulous stemware to fill the bar shelves. Joy to the world, indeed.
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But before you resign yourself to amazing-gift-giving defeat and go with the norm, consider some out of the box options, designed to create memories that will last a lifetime. Gifts like a make-your-own-blend seminar, an in-depth wine and cheese tasting or a hands-on cocktail lab are sure to impress even the greatest aficionado with a good time and lasting impression. Here are some of my favorite suggestions for the beverage lovers in your life, guaranteed to lift both their spirits and yours this holiday season.

Make Your Own: For vinophiles who always have something to say, how about giving them an opportunity to make their own wine? Custom winemaking facilities like Crushpad in Sonoma, CA or New York’s Staten Island Winery will put the power in their hands to create the perfect blend for themselves. Or, if you’d rather skip the winemaking part and just gift a creatively packaged selection of your design, check out the Your-Own-Private-Label options from City Winery in New York.

Mix it Up: There has definitely been a resurgence of interest in cocktails over the past decade, especially for well-made ones. Fresh ingredients, new and exciting spirits and even innovative techniques mean that there’s a whole new world of cocktails out there that most of us know nothing about. For the spirit lover in your life, consider gifting a ticket to a cocktail lab to discover the latest and greatest creations in the category. Companies like the Cocktail Ambassadors in San Francisco or your local bartending school are a good start, but flash cites like Gilt City and Living Social also feature items like this fairly often, usually hosted at a local bar or restaurant with some food pairings to keep things interesting, so be sure to keep an eye on those as well.

Learning is Fun!:  There are a wide variety of “classes” available in virtually every category of beverage, from wine to spirits, beer to sake, even coffee and tea. Thanks to an involved approach, easy atmosphere and lots of delicious tasting, attendees are treated to an experience that will educate and last a lifetime. This isn’t grammar or arithmetic – this is how to drink (and recognize what you like about it). I can’t think of anyone on my holiday list who wouldn’t be thrilled at the opportunity to try new libations!

NYC’s Astor Center offers a plethora of educational seminars, hands-on experiences and events, from the basic The Elements of Wine Class tasting class to the more focused and challenging Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine: Not all Bubbles are Created Equal experience, sure to thrill any wine geek. Outside of NYC, many culinary schools offer a wide variety of one-time or 4-8 week food and beverage classes to anyone interested, or check out your local retail shop, like Total Wine & More or BevMo, which frequently host specialized tastings and in-store events on wine, spirits and beer throughout their numerous locations. Check out your local institution or retailer’s Web site to see what they have coming up. You can also consider checking out your favorite local restaurants for upcoming winemaker or representative dinners. The best thing about this gift is you can indulge in it, too… register for two and make it something you can do together.

So there you have it, folks. You’ll never have to surrender to gift-giving defeat when you have these everyman-pleasing options up your sleeves! Now that I’ve shared my secrets, I’d love to hear your ideas for more amazing beverage-driven holiday gifts.

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