‘95 Gift Guide Presents You Can Enjoy Together
The writing pen was decorated with men in shorts. Click the pen, the shorts disappeared.
He says: “Merry Christmas.”
She says: “What the heck does this mean?”
For couples, Christmas comes with more land mines than a land war. He agonizes over sizes, she agonizes over intent. (Size 4! What does this mean?) A few disappointing exchanges and dazed lovers retreat into the safety of sweaters or joint gifts: a bigger television, a camcorder, new carpet.
Take heart. In a world where jobs, commutes and children conspire to divide couples, the best gifts are the ones that bring you together:
Play together in Spokane. Packages to the UCLA-WSU game; Stars on Ice figure skating show; or the National Wrangler Pro-Rodeo Classic are available in January through Cavanaugh’s. Packages include tickets, one night’s stay, continental breakfast, cocktails and event shuttle to the Spokane Arena. Prices start at $78 for two and events are available year-round. Call (800) The-Inns.
Camp together using Thermarest Couple Kits ($6), nylon strips that hold Therma-Rest inflatable mattresses together. Spokesman-Review Outdoor Editor Rich Landers recommends using a lightweight fiberfill bag and a warmweight down bag with compatible zippers that can be combined and turned according to weather.
Or try kits: Therma-Rest, Moonstone or Marmot Sleep Systems slip two inflatable mattresses inside a sheet ($50 to $70) that can then be topped with an attachable sleeping bag ($100 to $250). Available at REI or Mountain Gear.
Bike together on a tandem Samba by Burley ($1,399). The 26-inch wheels and medium-width tires take partners from pavement to dirt roads and with many tandems starting at $2,500, this one’s a deal.
Snuggle together in his and her Pendleton robes in flannel, worsted wools or cotton-wool blends ($134 men’s, $164 women’s). At Spokane Pendleton or by calling (800) 760-4844.
Build a three-dimensional puzzle from Uncle’s Games and Puzzles. Try Milton Bradley’s Cinderella’s Castle ($26) or the super-challenging Alpine Castle ($29).
Read “The Good Marriage: How and Why Love Lasts” by Judith Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee ($25, Houghton Mifflin) or “Mars and Venus in the Bedroom: A guide to Lasting Romance and Passion” by John Gray ($22, HarperCollins).
Applaud at “The Phantom of the Opera” in Seattle Feb. 3 to March 10, 1996. Packages through the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel include two tickets to Paramount Theater’s production, a night’s stay and parking ($285). Call (206) 621-1700.
Eat together using “Romantic Dinners For Two,” a gourmet cookbook and mood music by the San Francisco String Quartet ($25 for cassette tapes, $28 for CDs). Available through Seasons catalog at (800) 776-9677.
Glide together in a two-seat Lloyd Flanders porch swing made of all-weather wicker ($328) or Hatteras quilted canvas hammock for two ($350) at F.O. Berg.
Blush together playing Romantic Sensations, a put-you-in-the-mood card game that comes with bath gel and massage oil ($22). Call (800) 776-7662 or the lingerie department at Mervyn’s.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo