The SunBreak's Last-Minute Gift-Giving Guide

Editors Seth Kolloen and Jeremy M. Barker, from last year's TSB Holiday Party.

Ugh! One day till Christmas Eve and this author, at least, is not done with his Christmas shopping. So, in a continuation of a long tradition, we here at The SunBreak have drained the collective brain-pool of all our best locally-themed gift-giving ideas and offer them up to you, our dear last-minute-shopping readers.

Jay Friedman: I'm about the chocolate, and the Double Chocolate Figs at Fran's Chocolates are amazing. At Chocolopolis, the Cluizel Macarolats are gorgeous—they're chocolate versions of macarons.

Anyone interested in the local restaurant scene should pick up a copy of the Fearless Critic Seattle Restaurant Guide, as it includes reviews and rankings of 250 area restaurants in a fun format (full disclosure: I was co-editor of this project).

And for food lovers interested in the local scene, how about a subscription to Edible Seattle, the magazine that "wants fishers and farmers to be as famous as rockstars."

Seth Kolloen: Mariners Holiday Gift Packs! Give the gift of a summer night at the ballpark. $50 will get you 4 view level seats for a weekday Mariners game, plus a $20 gift card to buy concessions. That'd cost you at least $100 bucks if you wait 'till the season. Or, go big and get the same deal with four field level seats plus the gift card for $150.

Editor-in-chief Michael van Baker

And remember the Voice of the Mariners with Essential Games of the Seattle Mariners: Four of the Mariners' greatest games, three of which are called partially by voice of the franchise Dave Niehaus, who died last month.

Michael van Baker: I will append to Jay's foodie list WOOLY PIGS! They're edible! Purchase parts of pig from Heath Putnam Farms, online or at the U-District Farmer's Market. Your bacon-loving friends will thank you once they regain the power of speech.

Josh Bis: Memberships to local arts organizations like Northwest Film Forum, the Seattle International Film Festival, or SAM, could make eco-friendly gifts that keep giving all year.

Constance Lambson: You give me thoughts...What about Rose's Chocolate Treasures, in the Alley next to the Market? They make amazing chocolates, I go there for all sweet gifts. They also sell raw cacao nibs that you can roast at home.

Oh, and JonBoy Caramels, a local two-guy outfit that produces absinthe caramels which are manna. Really. Pardon the shouting, but they kick bootay.

And a Canadian small distillery, Okanagan Spirits, makes a crab apple eau de vie called Canados, which is really, really, really nice. Great apricot finish. You can buy it over the border, or order it online. Their Poire Williams Bartlett pear brandy is also excellent. I had a mild religious experience over the Canados, though.

Audrey Hendrickson: For the aspiring mixologist/cocktail lover/alcoholic in your life, locally made Scrappy's Bitters are a must.  You can buy the full-size bottles at DeLaurenti and Bottlehouse, but there's also the mini-bottle four-packs to let you sample a bunch of flavors (orange, chocolate, cardamom, and grapefruit in one; lime, lavender, celery, and orange in the other). And the packaging is small enough that it can totally act as a stocking stuffer. Pretty sure the only store in town where you can get the mini gift sets is the good people at 12th and Olive Wine Company.

Jeremy M. Barker: Okay, first of all--consider a gift subscription to On the Boards. Seriously, it's the best priced subscription in town for the best theatre and dance. A pick-six subscription is only $126. Second, for literary people, a subscription to Tin House--it's one of the best lit mags in the country, and co-based in Portland.

Film & TV Editor Audrey Hendrickson.

Sound on the Sound: Our old friend and trusted music expert Abbey Simmons has both a "Favorite Non-Local Releases" list, as well as a list of favorite songs to jog the memory and inspire CD-based gift-giving.

Seattle Beer News: Geoff Kaiser has an entire post of gift ideas for the beer lover that's worth perusing if you have one in your life, but if you're only interested in his brew selections, they are: Fremont Brewing's Bourbon Barrel winter ale, more of which was released just yesterday, so maybe you can still get your greedy paws on it, and Hale's Brewing's Belgian-style Quadruppel, which is being released today. And he also recommends tickets to Belgian Fest, coming up January 22.