1.
TRADITIONAL GIFTS Sports Paraphanalia. Unless the recipient is a New Yorker or Cardinals fan, you really can’t go wrong with a Patriots jersey or a Red Sox cap. With all of the impressive Boston sports teams, you can make it appear like you put some serious thought into this one. Does your brother play hockey? Bruins jersey. Basketball? Celtics basketball. Soccer? New England Revolutions soccer ball, though he probably won’t know who the Revs are. This is an easily attainable present with a nearly 100% guaranteed success rate.
2.
Mike’s Pastry. One word: Cannolis. Mike’s Pastry has been a Bos-
ton staple forever, but this present will never get old. (Note: as far as edibility goes, this present will, in fact, get old. Your best bet may be to make this an early present to be given the day you get home, or if your family is local, go with a gift certificate!)
3.
Boston College Gear. You could get your boyfriend a regular old Boston sweatshirt, but there’s something wrong with that – it’s the present everyone’s expecting. Nothing is more classic than a BC gift. You run the risk of coming across as lazy, as you simply have to choose which version of the classic BC sweatshirt to give them. Still, even if the difference between a maroon and a gold background doesn’t seem significant, at least they were in your thoughts.
4. 5. 6. 4.
Boston Baked Beans Candy. If you’re not from New England, you’re
probably wondering what the deal is with this gift idea. It’s an odd tradition where instead of giving friends actual Boston Baked Beans, we merely give the candy form. Just submit to peer pressure and purchase a bag of these already! They hang out in the Old North Church bookstore, but can be ordered online.
Lobster Plush or Ornament. Younger sibling in the house? Go for the lob-
ster plush! You can buy them in most of the gift stores around Faneuil Hall, and they often have “Boston” sewn onto the back. Grandmother obsessed with neat knick-knacks? Go for the lobster ornament, or any Boston-themed ornament, really. If you want the best of both worlds, look no further than a lobster plush ornament.
Sam Adams Brewery. Take your parents on a tour next time they’re in Boston or bring
home some Beantown beer for the holidays. For underaged shoppers, a Sam Adams shirt or hat can be a great addition to the beer lover’s wardrobe!
Photo Collage. This is so easy, and your mom will absolutely love it. Simply gather all the PG-rated photos you’ve taken this year and put on your artsy persona. Hopefully you’ve taken some with the beautiful landmarks in Boston. Worst comes to worst, you can always pretend Gasson is a historic building in the city.
5.
Boston Gift Basket. Fill a nice
woven basket with all sorts of things associated with Boston. Boston cream donuts, Boston terrier beanie baby, Paul Revere action figure, food voucher for Quincy Market and so on. Get creative!
All you can hope for this year is that they don’t get you a Boston-themed present. Good luck and have a wicked awesome holiday season!
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