Gifts To Transform a Home Into A Luxury Ski Resort (Minus The Skiing)
One of the great joys of staying at a luxury ski resort is the après-ski time spent socializing, eating, drinking and just sitting by a fire, curled up in a cozy blanket.
This year, you may not be able to hit the slopes – or, maybe even more unfortunately, the lodge. But don’t despair.
These gifts offer the experiences ski resorts do so well, and they’ll last long après the holidays.
Commercial Patio Heater from Frontgate
There’s something magical about sitting outside with a hot drink on a crisp night – but only if you have this outdoor heater from Frontage to keep you warm. 46,000 BTUS take the chill off, and wheels make it easy to keep the heat close to you. With its good looks and ease of assembly, this heater always gets high ratings. It will take a place of honor in your backyard, and you’ll wonder how – or why – you ever lived without it. Price: $499
A fire pit is a ski resort staple, and this one from BioLite has everything you need to just enjoy the hypnotic flames or to actually fire up outdoor meals. You’ll love being able to experience the warmth, smell, crackle and feel of a wood campfire without any of the smoke, and you can even control the size of the flames through the free app. The FirePit can be used with standard firewood or charcoal, and this kit comes with a pre-seasoned cast-iron griddle, a grill lid, a prep & grill tool kit including a knife, tongs, spatula and storage mat plus BioLite’s Fueled By Fire cookbook. Be prepared to spend a lot of time outdoors this winter. Price: $373.28
Oculus Quest 2 All-in-One Virtual Reality Headset
Want to feel like you’re really in the middle of a winter wonderland? Strap on your Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Reality headset and you can be anywhere in the world in minutes. Navigate around Antarctica in a kayak with National Geographic Explore VR, visit some of the world’s most stunning destinations with Wander or work out, surrounded by gorgeous scenery, in Iceland with Supernatural. Oculus Quest is the best form of transportation – quick, comfortable and offering unparalleled views. Price: $299
Large Smoked BBQ Crate from The Food Crate
There is only word to accurately describe this drool-worthy package: Yum. Food is a big part of any resort experience, and The Food Crate is like having a master chef right in your own house. Although they offer a wide variety of outstanding dishes and crates, this one is such a standout, it just may make you cry with happiness. It features Mesquite Smoked Angus Beef Brisket; Hickory Smoked Pull Pork, St. Louis Ribs and Chicken Quarters; Smoked Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage; Gluten Free Aged Cheddar Mac & Cheese; Rustic Corn Bread, Low Country Brined Pickles, Organic Soft Rolls and a jar of Holy Smoke BBQ Sauce – enough (if you can bring yourself to share) for 8-10 people. There are instructions for heating, serving and even freezing but it’s unlikely you will still have leftovers when their refrigerator days are done. Price: $175
Leave it to Nest to come up with this ingenious, double-sided mattress that lets you choose between medium and firm surfaces, both of which are breathable and ergonomically supportive, no matter what kind of sleeper you are. It arrives, folded, in an easy-to-handle carton. Once you place it on a foundation (there’s no need for a box spring, and the Bi-Fold Platform Foundation is an easy option), cut the compression packaging open and watch your mattress miraculously come to life. You have a whopping 100 nights to test it out and then it’s backed by a lifetime warranty. Expect lots of company if you place this in a guest room. Price: From $359
We Adore S’mores Gift Set from Knack
Perfect for your new fire pit, this set contains everything you need for those gooey, roasted treats, including two Theo Chocolate Classic Dark Chocolate Bars, one package of Bite Me! Cookies Handcrafted Butter Graham Crackers, one package of Hammond’s Vanilla Bean Marshmallows and a set of two Rolla Roaster Stainless Steel Roasting Sticks. It will have you begging for s’more. Price: $52
Lavazza Expert Classy Plus Single Serve All-in-One Espresso and Coffee Brewer Machine
A good cup of coffee is available 24/7 at any luxury resort, and Lavazza knows a thing or two about a good cup of coffee. After all, they’ve been creating them since Luigi Lavazza opened his first shop in Turin, Italy in 1895, and this brilliant machine – the first all-in-one espresso and coffee brewer machine – makes it so simple to enjoy one any time you want. It even includes a milk frother, enabling it to brew six kinds of beverages with its Lavazza Expert Capsules: Espresso, Lungo, 8 oz. Coffee, Macchiato, Cappuccino and Latte. It’s like a barista in a machine. Price: $194.25
Tea for two comes to life with this lovely gift set from master tea makers, Tea Forté. It features one Tea Tasting Assortment Petite Presentation Box with 10 of their signature infusers; two simply elegant porcelain Café Cups and two ceramic Orchid White Tea Trays. It may start a new tradition of afternoon tea. Price: $75
SKOG Scented Candle from SKANDINAVISK
If you close your eyes and breathe in, this woodsy candle will have you convinced you’re surrounded by trees even if you’re just sitting in your living room. “Skog” is Swedish/Norwegian for “forest,” and this heavenly scent captures the “calm of the boreal forest” which covers more than half of the Scandinavian lands. The candle contains notes of pine needles and fir cones, birch sap and woodland lily of the valley, and you’ll want to buy every product – hand wash, body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner – this fragrance comes in. No wonder the Scandinavian countries are the happiest in the world. Price: $45
Felt Seat Pads from Graf Lantz
If you’re relaxing outdoors, use these comfy seat pads to cushion yourself from a cold seat. Graf Lantz is known for making magic with luxury-grade merino wool felt, and you’ll love the way these feel underneath you. Available in a variety of colors and shapes, they’re stain and water resistant, antimicrobial and non-pilling. They deserve a place at the table. Price: $75
ChappyWrap Ski First Tracks Blanket
This beautiful blanket by ChappyWrap begs to be snuggled under. Big and cozy, it’s soft and soothing in quiet shades of blue and white, and you can feel comfortable wrapping yourself up in it with the beverage of your choice because it can be machine washed and dried. Its reversible ski motif is pretty enough to frame but that’s unlikely to happen because there’s no way anyone’s removing it from around their body. Price: $135
Gray Malin The Snow Double-Sided Puzzle from Galison
You can often find a communal puzzle on a table in a ski lodge, and this one provides the views you would have if you were actually in one. This 500 piece puzzle from Galison features the fine art photography of Gray Malin, whose unique aerial images are shot from a doorless helicopter. One side showcases a majestic winter wonderland scene while the other highlights on the skiers. You may want to do this puzzle twice so you can focus on each side. Price: $24.99
Holiday Hot Chocolate Duo Gift Box from Harry & David
Hot chocolate is part of any ski lodge experience, and Harry & David raises the bar – as they always do – with this set. Not only does it come with two different gourmet cocoa mixes – milk chocolate and candy cane – but it also adds marshmallow candy stir sticks to whip it into sweet deliciousness. Price: $32
The Man Behind the Maps: Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues
When you can’t get to the mountains, bring the mountains to your living room with this gorgeous coffee table book featuring more than 200 ski resort trail maps hand painted by renowned artist, James Niehues, over his 30-year career. Skiers will geek out at the jaw-dropping maps of their favorite trails, and will get a lift out of learning more about the man responsible for them. Price: $90
Place & Time Christmas Lumbar Pillow – Ski Lodge from JOANN
Nothing says “Ski Lodge” like a pillow that says “Ski Lodge.” Made of woodsy flannel and plaid, it’s a fun way to support your theme — and your head. Price: $11.99