Shop 'til You Drop: Holiday Planning 101
The Hamptons are diving straight into peak holiday party season. Whether you’re hosting or attending an event, having sweet treats to delight friends and family is a must. The newly re-packaged Milk Bar Cookie Mixes are the ultimate semi-homemade treat (shopmilkbar.com; $16). The standout is, of course, the cult brand’s signature Compost Cookies—chocolate chip cookies oozing with butterscotch, oats and coffee, as well as potato chips and pretzels for a salty and sweet balance. The mix comes ready-to-bake. Just add butter, egg, potato chips, and your favorite pretzels to their dry mix.
Kitchen essentials this time of year include the Silpat U.S. Half-Size Mat (Amazon, $24.99), which quickly turns your pan into a non-stick surface and save time cleaning up. You can use Silpat for any baking recipe that calls for parchment paper.
On the beauty front, Dove Men has launched a slew of new products, including a line of dry spray antiperspirants that offer 48-hour odor protection (though we’d still recommend re-applying daily…), fortified hair products, and more (dovemencare.us). Another product any male—and female!—will love is the latest innovation from Sonicare, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Black Edition. Basically, you get the same cleaning and cavity-fighting benefits as their classic brush, but a much sleeker black design. They’ve also launched the Philips Sonicare AirFloss Pro, which is a must given all the dietary missteps most of us make at this time of year. The device offers a high-tech approach to flossing and it’s the perfect alternative for people who don’t like flossing or, equally as bad, don’t do it effectively (usa.philips.com).
Of course, it’s all about family during the holidays, which is why we also wanted to put Trudi’s new Hen, Penguin, Owl and Koala mother and child puppets on your radar. Imported from Italy by Magicforest, the twin plush sets are priced at $25. Perfect for newborns, first birthday or big sibling giving, these hand puppets offer interactivity without a cord or battery. The adorable puppet sets include a baby finger puppet able to fit inside Mama’s pouch. Beyond the fun, puppets are incredibly useful for emerging language skills, social skills, and creativity (magicforest.com).
There are also a number of events to keep the kids busy this holiday season! On December 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., head to The Children’s Museum of the East End (376 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike), where the welcoming aroma of gingerbread will be wafting through the lobby during the regular Pizza and Pajama Night. Kids attending the monthly event will celebrate the seasonal spiced confection with an interactive read-aloud of Lucy Cousins’ Maisy Makes Gingerbread, followed by a workshop where they’ll measure, mix, and roll their own dough before creating holiday shapes to take home and bake. This month’s attendees will also be able to join in on the countdown to the lighting of the windmill in the exhibit space. Free for members, $10 for non-members.
Sure to be a kid pleaser is the Make Your Own Snow Globe event on December 5 from 10–11 a.m. at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge (3 Old Country Road, Quogue). The program is designed for kids ages 8 and older, as well as for adults interested in a fun new project. Reservations required and payment needed to hold your space. $15 per person, includes all supplies.
Send your shopping news, including sales, new inventory and special store events to shoptilyou@danspapers.com.
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