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A BrickUnderground gift guide for procrastinators

By Lucy Cohen Blatter  | December 14, 2011 - 12:38PM
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For those last-minute shoppers out there (and honestly, who among us doesn't hold off until the very end?), we've culled our favorite items from this year's BrickTest and Cool Stuff columns to present gifts for every type of New Yorker on your list.

1. For the super-busy, oft-overwhelmed friend:

Give them the gift of leisure time with Task Rabbit gift cards, available in several denominations including $10, $25, $50, $100, and $300. 

Task Rabbit is a chore outsourcer that connects New Yorkers with people willing to do errands/small tasks for them (like cleaning their stove or wrapping their Christmas gifts). 

All "TaskRabbits" have been through rigorous background checks so "TaskPosters" can rest easy. 

2. For the dog lover in your life:

This post highlights several dog-friendly gifts — from inexpensive to luxe — that would excite any pet-owner. On the luxe side, there’s the sleek and modern DenHaus dog crate furniture ($450-$600) — dog crates that look just like endtables and can effortlessly blend into your apartment's aesthetic.

A cheaper option is the Furminator's Fur Dry Wearable Microfiber Dog Towel ($25.95-$50.95), which is said to put an end to that wet dog smell and eliminate a wet-dog mess.

3. For the cat lover in your life:

This post rounds up several sleek, apartment-friendly (read: space-saving) cat scratchers that will save your friend’s furniture ($45-$125). Check out sites like LazyBonezz.com, Etsy.com and SquareCatHabit.com for designs that put the classic scratch tower to shame. 

4. For the new parent, pet owner, sofa diner or drooler:

The Throver ($149) is a stylish throw/tarp hybrid that protects your furniture from all sorts of messes, like juice, crayons, spit-up, dog drool ... really anything that could spell disaster for your cushions. It’s made from moisture-proof Crypton fabric, which guards against stains and odors too, and is particularly helpful for those who tend to picnic on their couches. 

5. For the art lover in your life:

This post rounds up several websites dedicated to affordable art (mostly in the form of prints, and ranging in price from $500-$5,000). There's Artspace.com, and Netflix-style art rental sites Artsicle.com and Turning Art. Each of these sites offer gift cards, and unless you know the gift recipient's tastes really well, those might be your best bet. 

6. For your favorite insomniac:

The Sound+Sleep Sleep Therapy System ($99.95), employs “adaptive sound technology,” which means it automatically drones out sounds outside. There are 10 different sound enviroments, including white noise, waterfall and rainfall. Zzzz...

Related posts:

BrickUnderground's 2011 Holiday Tipping Guide

How to thank your real estate broker

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

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