Holiday Gifts: The Essentials (Only Better!)

Give better versions of the things they'll need anyway!

From the LifeMinute Team

December 11, 2014

We get so caught up in racking our brains to come up with original holiday gifts that we almost always miss the obvious: those people on our gift list? They NEED stuff. We're talking everyday life stuff that your giftees would have to buy for themselves, so why not take care of it for them? And according to OK! Magazine Style Director Pandora Amoratis, the holidays are the perfect time to find super souped-up versions of life's essentials that will surprise and delight everyone on your list.

Now, it doesn't get more essential than socks and underwear. And Pandora says Hanes has kicked those everyday essentials up a notch, making them fun gifts to give and get. Her fave? The Hanes Bandini. "It's a great way to add a pop of color to your look," she says, "It can be worn in eight different ways like strapless, racerback, one-shoulder... It comes in a variety of great bold colors and different sizes. It's a great gift; it's very comfortable to wear. A lady will love it."

When it come to socks, Pandora explains, "I'm not talking about your regular boring socks; I'm talking about these: check them out, they're Hanes X-Temp. They're made with a revolutionary cooling technology to keep you cool and comfortable for whatever life throws at you. They're great for this time of year when you're running around, or really any time of year." Even better, the X-Temp technology is also available in Hanes T-shirts and underwear for both men and women. Check out Hanes.com/LookBook to learn more.

And tis not the season for nails to go naked, so make your loved ones' at-home manicures more glam with VINYLUX Weekly Polish by CND and their Gilded Dreams Holiday Collection, consisting of three sparkly colors: Grand Gala, Chiffon Twirl and Dazzling Dance. What upgrades nail polish from everyday item to supercool gift? Technology! Pandora explains, "This is a revolutionary, innovative polish system that gives you durable high shine and weeklong wear. It dries in eight and a half minutes, which is amazing. It's a two-part system: a self-adhering color coat and a topcoat with new ProLight Technology that actually enhances the durability with exposure to light over time - that's why it looks so great over the course of the week." Just visit CND.com/VINYLUX or use the store locator at CND.com to find a location near you.

For the guys, Pandora says, "Giving the gift of manhood couldn't be any easier with Old Spice. They have a variety of manly-smelling products and great gift sets for every guy on your list. These sets include deodorant, body wash, body spray, shampoo and more." What's new now? A nature-inspired Timber Scent and cool Refresh Body Sprays that make great stocking stuffers for teens and are easy to find at retailers nationwide. Pandora adds, "You can also go to Coupons.com, download some coupons. Save some money while you're shopping!"

And who doesn't have a TV at home...or two or three? To give someone special an amazing cutting edge upgrade, Pandora recommends snagging for them LG's 8500. "It's an affordable 4K Ultra HD TV with stunning 4K picture quality and LG's intuitive Smart TV with webOS interface," explains Pandora, "Now, with 4K, you're getting four times the detail of full HD, which means sharper images and clarity." What makes it an even cooler gift is that it's so easy to use, thanks to the LG webOS interface which makes almost everything accessible through a one-click menu, whether it's streaming content from Netflix or the input from your Blu-ray player or cable box. Pandora adds, "And it delivers lightning-fast transitions...It's also Energy Star qualified, which means it uses 30% less energy than the standard LCD TV, which means you're saving money while you're watching. And we've actually seen this for as little as $1,100."

And while it's better to give than to receive, should any or all of the above essentials somehow land on your own personal shopping list, that's totally understandable. After all, you NEED stuff, too.

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