Art of Manliness x Huckberry Holiday Gift Shops for Men & Women (+Giveaway)

It’s time once again for the AoM x Huckberry Holiday Gift Shops. For the past four years, we’ve teamed up with the fine folks at Huckberry to create a curated online store full of gifts we think an AoM man would enjoy finding under the Christmas tree. And as with past years, we’ve added a gift shop for women, as a service to our fellow men who have a hard time finding unique and cool gifts for the ladies in their lives (stay tuned on that front; our annual AoM gift guide is catered towards ladies’ gifts this year!). The AoM x Huckberry Holiday Gift Shop is your one-stop Christmas resource for the fellow manly men in your life and the cool women who love them. Ready to get your Christmas shopping done in one fell swoop, as well as win something for yourself or a loved one? Keep reading.

Men’s Holiday Gift Shop

For the men’s Art of Manliness x Huckberry Holiday Gift Shop I handpicked over 70 items that I thought an Art of Manliness man would enjoy seeing under the Christmas tree this December 25th, and the gents at Huckberry worked with many of the brands in order to offer AoM readers exclusive discounts on their products. Use the AoM x Huckberry store to do all your Christmas shopping for the men in your life and forward it along to your family so they know what to get you this year. What are some of my favorite items in this year’s store?

• Feuerhand Lantern. Feuerhand has been making Hurricane-proof lanterns in Germany for over 100 years. This is a kerosene lamp that gives off a gentle, ambient light when lit. It’s rustic, vintage style make it a great utilitarian decoration piece in your home. But it’s rugged enough to take with you on your next camping trip.
• The Original Bell Jar Table Lamp. We’ve had this lamp on our bedside for the past few months. Adds a nice touch of vintage, industrial design to your room. The lamp comes with an Edison style bulb which gives off a nice, warm, soothing glow. Perfect to read Lonesome Dove to as you drift off to sleep.
• Moonshine Candle. My go-to cologne is Moonshine, co-created by resident AoM cook, Matt Moore. Now you can enjoy the woodsy, spicy scent of this great men’s cologne all the time with the Moonshine Candle. Converting a cologne into a scented candle is a lot more complicated than you’d think it would be. Matt and crew spent a lot of time working on this product so that the candle smells exactly like Moonshine. I can safely say all that work paid off handsomely.
• Joshua+Vela Zip Briefcase. A handsome, durable canvas briefcase that’s made in the USA. The Zip Case is large enough to fit a 15″ Macbook and comes with plenty of pockets to stow your other EDC items.
• Shackleford Solid Cologne. If you’ve tried bringing your favorite cologne on a trip, you know how messy it can get. I once had the top come off a bottle in my dopp kit while traveling by plane, drenching my bag with cologne. With the solid colognes from Fulton and Roark, you can bring a cologne on your next trip without the worry or the mess. Their cologne comes in a solid wax that you rub into your skin. The Shackleford scent provides a long-lasting woodsy smell.

There are tons of other incredible, unique, Made-in-America heirloom quality products available. To see all the items in the store, sign-up for Huckberry to gain access.

Women’s Holiday Gift Shop

To make holiday shopping for the women in your life a bit easier, two years ago we launched the AoM x Huckberry Holiday Gift Shop for Women. It’s been a huge success, so we’re going to keep bringing it back. No need to default to scented body lotion this year — in the shop you’ll find a great selection of classy and useful gifts bound to delight your gal. Kate’s picks from the store?

• Joshua+Vela Utility Tote. A tote bag makes for a can’t-miss gift–they’re both cute and incredibly useful. This one is especially fetching; made in the USA of waxed canvas, it will last your gal’s whole life through.
• Farmhouse Pottery Syrup and Bell Pitcher. I’m a stickler for real Vermont maple syrup — covering your pancakes with any other sweet substance constitutes breakfast sacrilege. Pair the real mccoy with a Vermont-made pitcher, and you’ve got one glorious gift.
• Fjallraven Kanken. A Swedish-designed, throwback-style backpack to accompany your gal on all her adventures.
• Lady’s Timex Weekender. A stylish, versatile watch made with Horween leather and appropriate for many an occasion.
• Fluidstance. This is the most brilliant thing I’ve encountered this year. Sitting to work all day isn’t good for you; but neither is standing completely stationary. The Fluidstance allows you to work upright while shifting and swiveling your weight all around. It simulates standing on a skateboard or snowboard, and makes working not only healthier but more fun!

Shipping for items from either the men’s or women’s shops is free for one week (ends Dec. 2 at midnight) if you enter the code “AOMHOLIDAYSHIP” at checkout (USA only). 

The AoM x Huckberry holiday shops close on December 20th. Huckberry only stocks a limited supply of many items, so if you see something you like, it’s best to pull the trigger!

AoM x Huckberry Men’s and Women’s Holiday Gift Shop Giveaway

To celebrate this season of giving, we want to give two very good AoM readers their pick of any item from the men’s or women’s holiday gift shops. Win something to give yourself (lucky you!) or to a loved one. To find out how to get on the nice list, read on.

The Prizes

Any one item from the men’s or women’s holiday gift shops worth up to $500.

Bonus: If your name is drawn and you’ve already made a purchase from the Holiday Gift Shop, Huckberry will let you choose anything you’d like for yourself from the whole site, plus throw in a $50 credit as a thank you. Shazam!

How to Enter

If you are an email subscriber, do not reply to this email to make your entry. You must click on the title of this post, which will take you to the post on our web page where you can make your entry. Use the form below to enter. Don’t forget you have multiple ways to enter! The more of them you do, the better your chances are! We’re giving away one item from the men’s shop (retail value up to $500), and one from the women’s (retail value up to $500); you must enter your pick from both shops.  a Rafflecopter giveaway
Deadline to enter is Monday, December 7, 2015 at 9am CST. We’ll pick two comments at random — one for the men’s store prize and the other for the women’s store prize — to determine our winners. Once the winner has be drawn, we’ll update this post with their names.

Good luck and Merry Christmas! 

The Dos and Don’ts of Being a Holiday Houseguest

This post is brought to you by Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack. Keep your holidays warm with a seasonal blend of apple cider liqueur. REMAIN A JOY TO THE WORLD. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

During the holidays, it seems that everyone is traveling, and everyone is hosting friends or family at some point. When staying at a friend’s place, or even at mom and dad’s, it can be easy to forget that you’re a guest in their home. While they’d likely let you get away with reverting to your messy, let it all hang-loose ways , the mature man respects the space he’s in, and expresses his gratitude in a variety of ways.

Don’t show up unannounced; do always ask. You don’t want to just drop in on someone without advance notice, and you also don’t want to tell them you’re coming in the form of a declarative statement rather than a question: “I’m going to be in town next week and would love to stay at your place! Thanks!” Even you have a standing invitation to stay with a friend, always ask. And tell them to check their calendar and get back to you; it provides a non-awkward “out” for the host should they not be able to board you.

Don’t leave them guessing; do let them know your schedule ahead of time. One of the most frustrating things a host can endure is having no idea when their guest is going to be leaving each morning, what time they should expect them home at night, etc. Before you arrive, let them know exactly when you plan to get there, and when you plan to leave. When you do arrive, go over your plan for the days you’re there (if you have one). Also ask about their schedule, so you don’t disrupt their routine (see below).

Don’t show up without a gift; do show up with a bottle of Winter Jack. When staying in anyone’s home for any period of time, you want to offer a gift as a way of saying thank you. Wine or flowers for the lady of the house are pretty common. Why not do something a little more unique, though? Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack is the perfect blend of whiskey and apple cider liqueur, and will be a tasty, appropriately seasonal, and most appreciated choice. Crack it open on your first night there, warm it up in some mugs, and reminisce about the days of yore.

Don’t laze about; do help with chores around the house. No matter the time of year, there’s something around the house you could help with. Be it yard work, shoveling snow, washing dishes, taking out the garbage, etc., you should offer your services. As the old proverb says, many hands make light work.

Don’t be a mooch; do chip in on food/groceries. Groceries can be quite the expense for a host. Beyond just meals, there’s also snacks, morning coffee, and of course, adult beverages. There are a couple ways you can help offset these costs. First, you can offer to take your hosts out to eat to a nice dinner. This reduces their cost for at least a meal, and makes for a good gift and thank you as well. Second, you can do some grocery shopping of your own for your stay and prepare meals, and perhaps even cook up something tasty for your host.

Don’t leave your hosts to clean up after you; do toss your linens in the wash. One task that houseguests don’t often see is the clean-up that happens after they leave; the host’s home needs to be put back in order. That usually includes washing the linens, which is something you can easily do and take off their back. Before you head out, strip the bed and gather your towels, and ask your host if you can start the laundry.

Don’t turn the home into a pig sty; do tidy up your space. It’s quite likely your hosts did a deep clean before you came; don’t ruin that. Keep your space tidy, and really any space in the home that you touch. Put dishes away as soon as you’re done with them, return books to their shelf, replace the empty toilet paper roll, etc.

Don’t ignore your hosts altogether; do spend time and plan activities with them. Don’t use your host as simply a homebase for all your adventures. It will make them feel used, and isn’t very courteous. Even if you’re on business, or meeting other friends, be sure to carve out time and activities with your hosts.

Don’t let your presence ruin a routine; do respect their household. Especially when there are kids involved, many homes revolve around a disciplined routine. Breakfast is at a certain time, weekend rituals need attending to, and of course, lights out needs enforcing. Even if there aren’t kids around, it’s quite possible your hosts are still working, or simply have established for themselves important morning and evening routines. Ask about these, and do your best to respect them.

Don’t overstay your welcome; do leave after three days. In the immortal words of Benjamin Franklin, “Fish and visitors stink after three days.” If you’re in town longer than that, at least offer to find another place to stay.

Don’t skip the thank you note; do express your gratitude in written form. A gentleman always writes a thank you note. Using your fountain pen, and your finest cursive handwriting, tell your host how grateful you were for their generosity, and maybe even offer your home for when they venture in your direction.

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