This December marks the sixth year I’ve been doing Bake and Destroy, and therefore, the sixth annual holiday gift guide and giveaway! I’ve added some new categories this time around, and just like last year, I’ve asked some of my friends to chime in with their top gift picks. For even more gift ideas, check out gift guides of years past -and pay attention throughout the picks to see the great stuff we’re giving away. Rules for entering the giveaway are at the end of the post!

For the Lady Bro

Turns out, I am awful at being a girl! I chew my nails, wear my hair in a clippy thing every day, and  my idea of dressing up is wearing the Cannibal Corpse shirt that has the fewest number of bleach stains on it. Luckily, my friend Jessica has this lady stuff down to a science, so here are her picks for gifts for a lady-like lady dude. Follow Jessica on Twitter at @drtyhousewife.

Puurfect Pineapples Jeffery CampbellBlack Milk Leggings – Leggings, hate ’em or love ’em you know someone who wears ’em.  If you wanna wow a legging lover this holiday season there is no other option. They may seem pricey up front but you are getting a high quality/non-sheer/completely incredible image plastered across your bootie (can you put a price on that?)  Seriously, you wont get six feet without someone demanding to know where you got those pants!  Keep in mind, they are based out of Australia so plan ahead!

If Instagram has anything to say, nail art is the most important form of self expression in 2012.  There are countless websites devoted to all of the amazing shit that can be done with a few bottles of polish and a set of teeny tiny brushes.  My fave is Nail Nerd shes incredible!  If you know someone that is just dying to paint hamburgers on their nails than listen up! They will need…

  1. A brush set – I’m sure you can find them just about anywhere but my go-to is from M.A.S.H and its under $10.  It comes with a ton brushes (seriously I don’t even know what to do with half of them).
  2. A killer top coat – Seche Vite.  It smells like airplane fuel but it dries your nails in like, 30 seconds and leaves that shit shiny and un-chipped for a good week!  I bring this with me when I get my nails done because there is no other top coat, end of story. You can find this stuff at Sallys or Ulta.
  3. Nail polish – everyone has a fave but if you don’t know where to start and want to wow someone with your new found knowledge of nail lacquer here are my top two faves! (Both of these are 3-free (good for the environment), vegan and can be found at Ulta!)
  • Butter London – The colors are to die for and the nail polish removers smell incredible and leave your nails and cuticles silky smooth
  • Zoya – A million colors to chose from and amazing coverage.

Rad Nails HellRazorLingerie is ALWAYS fun to give (& get!)  Every lady (admit it or not) likes to feel sexy, regardless of how they define it.  If you are looking to give someone special something special than Purrfect Pineapples is your answer!  These handmade, all-vegan, frilly frocks are the bees knees.  Can your lady get any sexier? Probably not, but giving her a corset covered in donuts sure isn’t gonna hurt any!

I had perfect skin through high school which I thought made me the luckiest girl on earth.  What I didn’t realize was that it meant trading in perfect skin as an adult. Major buzzkill.  If you know someone who is always trying to keep their mugs in tip-top condition, the answer is face brushin’  You heard me, face brushin. I have a middle of the road face brush and I like it just fine but I did promise myself the upgrade once mine kicks it.  So this list includes a link to the big boy, The Clarsonic.

As an added face brushin’ stocking stuffer try any Argan Oil infused products.  Trust me your skin will thank you!

SHOOOOOOOOES – Who doesn’t love em? I’m an over the top shoe lover, myself. The crazier they look and the less I have to wear with them the more I lust for them.  If you know someone like that than Jeffery Campbell is your answer! You can’t buy them directly off of the JC website but you can find them at most high-end retail shops and online at Sole Struck. Bonus points for purchasing the Black Milk/JC collaboration shoes!  My favs are the Lita’s, aside from looking amazing they are comfy to boot! (See what I did there?)

WIN IT: Yo girl, your nails are looking delicious! Well, they will be anyway, when you win this set of Dollar Slice nail decals from Rad Nails! And how’d your hair get so sassy? Must be that Sugar Skill Hair Clip/Pin from HellRazor! Shoot, you can win that too – check out the end of the post for details!

SAVE IT & WIN IT: I may not be the fanciest of ladies, but even I can appreciate a kooky hat when I see one. That’s why I’m pleased to give away on of Chef Bizzaro‘s gorgeous Cupcake Hats and a set of adorable hair bows to one of my readers! Plus, you can save 15% on your order from now until 12/18 when you enter BAKEANDDESTROY at checkout!

For the Book Nerd

These choice gifts for the bibliophile in your life come from Judy McGuire. Judy isn’t just Seattle Weekly’s Dategirl, she’s also the author of The Official Book of Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll Lists, so she knows a thing or two about cool cats who dig books. Check out Judy’s picks:

Being an avid, but extremely particular, reader, I tend to not give books for Christmas. (Unless it’s a copy of my latest book, The Official Book of Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll Lists.) (Ahem.) Even if I know the recipient extremely well, literary tastes can be so capricious and so personal and I know I’d rather pick out my own reading material, so I assume others would as well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t cater to the readers on your list in other ways. . . .

Wrap their Kindle with Care – Are there still bookish types resisting the e-reader? Perhaps, but anyone who reads a lot has probably invested in one by now. So a cover is the perfect gift, as long as you get a little creative. Sci-fi dork on your list? This Star Wars cover will thrill. Poe fan? This blue leather cover with an embossed raven is spookariffic. And if you want to make sure they never forget you, personalize a cover with your smiling mug.

Jane Austen bandages Star Wars Kindle caseNo more late fees! – There’s nothing more irritating than loaning out a beloved book only to have it disappear into the ether. The New York Public Library’s Your Home Library Kit will keep that from ever happening again. And if someone does defy your system and run off with your first edition of The Black Dahlia, a monogrammed library stamp will help remind them that they’re a thief every time they open the book. If the Kit is too much, this cute “Books to Check Out” notebook will help your reader keep track of who’s borrowed what, the lo-fi way.

Speaking of first editions. . . . The advent of the e-reader has made reading more convenient, but for book purists, a first edition of their favorite tome is always a welcome surprise. ABE has a huge collection of firsts, but be warned, they’re not for the faint of wallet.

Sex Drugs and Rock n' Roll Lists CakeSpy holiday cardsHeal their papercuts – With all that razor-sharp paper around, reading can be a dangerous activity. So give the gift of healing with these super-cute Jane Austen bandages.

Comfort station – While this may be one of the ten ugliest things on the planet, Brookstone’s Massaging Bed Rest pillow thingy allows its owner to read in bed comfortably, with a vibrating backrest, adjustable LED light, cup holder, pocket for all your reading material, and an AC adaptor! Perfect for the design-challenged reader on your list. In fact, I think my dad will be getting this bad boy.

WIN IT: You’ve read the list, now read the book. Win a copy of Judy’s book, The Official Book of Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll Lists! Make that book a gift when you win a set of holiday cards from CakeSpy!

For the True Metal Warrior

This list comes to you from yours truly because some blogs play, Bake and Destroy kills.

Baphomet shorts – I almost died when I saw these short-shorts from JSSXIII, but I didn’t. Instead, I ordered them, waited a couple of days, and then when I got them in the mail, I put them on and posted a picture of my own ass on Instagram. What kind of person would deny a friend a similar experience this holiday?

Actual Pain everything – I’m generally anti-legging. I don’t like my crotch being just like, out there for the world to see. But all of that changes when I put on my Sixth Seal leggings. In my Satan pants I can do no wrong, and neither can my crotch.

Slayer dress – It does my heart so much good to know that there are other women on this planet who love Slayer and Peter Pan collars equally.

Black Metal cologne oil – I bought this for myself because of reasons, and it’s become my everyday scent. Previous to owning this spicy cologne my every day scent was failed deodorant, which was metal in its own way.

All the Toxic Vision things – Toxic Vision creations aren’t cheap, nor are they vegan-friendly but they are very, very metal. I became an instant fan when I spotted a studded leather Mayhem vest on the Interwebs, and I have stayed a fan because Toxic Vision creator/model Sharon Ehman’s ass is seriously unbelievable.

For the Cool Mom

Something amazing happened this year – one of my best friends became a mom! Lisa and I bonded over our love of weird and somewhat useless things, so I thought she’d be the perfect person to curate a gift guide for cool moms. Heeeeere’s Lisa!

Whether you’re a stay at home mom or a working mom, you are a busy mom and so you don’t always have the time for yourself. I love getting a Birchbox every month. Inside there are samples of skin care products, hair products, cosmetics, plus tips and tricks. If you’re allowed that five-minute “me time” a new shade of nail polish can make you feel great (and forget about the pureed carrots in your hair).  Along the same lines, Blumm sends out samples for the ‘lil monster (mostly newborn to one year). Maybe a rattle, baby lotion, food, or sometimes a treat or two for mom. These gifts are great because they keep on giving….until your subscription ends, that is.

Looking for a mama necklace that doesn’t scream, “MOM”? These necklaces from Blue Dove Studio are so sweet – with no lame pastel booties in sight. I have one with our three initials on it, just a little reminder of the love that made our little monster. Birds not your thing? Here is another great option for moms who keep it simple and sweet! (She does this in silver too! Just ask!)

gift for momChanging diapers is a crappy job, so why not make it somewhat pleasurable? This wipe holder from Sweet Monkey Tots is so darn cute! I chose fabric that matches my little guy’s bedding, and I love that his name is on it. With lots of fabrics, fonts and embellishments to choose from, you can really customize your holder! After the poopy part of motherhood is over, this box could become a great container for crayons or other treasures.

We no longer live in a time of The Waltons when families live together under one roof (or even in the same state). I live far from my family in New York, so I’ve given Goodnight Chicago to all the kids so they can remember their FAVORITE aunt at bedtime. When I, in return, received Goodnight New York I was thrilled! There’s a version for almost every city, and there’s even a Goodnight America. (Or if you want to be super festive…I just saw there was a Good Night Baby Jesus!)

cupcake provocateur apronAs I stated before, I love personalized things. My son has a unique name, so I’ll never find it on anything in stores, so I jump on anything I can stamp his name on. I get lots of personalized items for Mr. Smalls at Psychobaby, a fun store in Chicago. Check out Santa’s Little Helper and this Tattoo One-Piece.

SAVE IT: Cupcake Provocateur is the preferred apron brand of cool moms everywhere. Check out their new Harlow Aprons and save 10% on your purchase when you enter BAKECP10 at checkout!

For the Gamer

I asked my friend Matt to cultivate this brand-new gift category this year because, well… you’ll see. I think the last video game I took seriously was Kid Icarus so I certainly appreciate his help. I didn’t add links to buy these games because you can kind them all on Amazon. If you’re a fan of this list, you should stop by Matt’s shop KILLTAKER and buy yourself a little something.

If you’re like me, you enjoy the holiday season for the gut-busting dinners alongside the people that you love. Also, if you’re like me, you want to leave the exact second the food is gone because you’re reminded through the actions of the people that you love why you moved away in the first place. Following my yearly covert exodus from Grandma’s house, the place I run screaming from friends and family is into the warm, loving embrace of video games. Here are five that have me excited this holiday season:

WWE ’13 – Another year, another WWE game. This time around, the focus is on yesteryear, as the icons of the “Attitude Era” rear their ugly heads for a brief, but exciting run of nostalgia based role playing. Relive several moments that have resulted in real-life people being real life crippled! Also, some guy named CM Punk is on the cover.  If anyone has an idea who he is, please let me know.

Assassin’s Creed III – Who doesn’t want to travel back in time and become a Native American?! Probably anyone who is Native American, but, whatever. Fill your Colonial blood lust with equal and ample amounts of British and American piles of corpses who come with both authentic powdered wigs and accurately questionable hygiene! Help America achieve the freedom needed to do the wonderful things our country is founded upon like slavery and xenophobia! Hooray! Also, multiplayer mode is pretty fun.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II – The latest in this little-known niche series has you playing in both the 60’s and in 2025 against the same enemy – foreigners! The story campaign is typically short, but the real star here is multiplayer mode. Kill both dorks and incredibly handsome, yet humble gaming enthusiasts (such as myself) in a multitude of sprawling maps with more weapons than you can possibly count. (I’m going off the assumption you can’t count past thirty.) It also comes with a zombie mode, but what doesn’t these days?
Halo 4 – If you think I was waiting until #4 to post Halo 4 because it’s the fourth installment in the series, then you’re wrong, because it’s the sixth installment, you idiot! But I did buy this on day one, and I did go and shoot tons of aliens (aka foreigners, who, of course, are the enemy) with my laser guns. Pew! Pew! Pew! That’s how the laser guns sound in this game in case you’re one of the aliens, who don’t seem to have ears. Another fun multiplayer game and a somewhat slightly less fun campaign mode that left me confused and mildly aggravated at times. No worries, this is my natural state. If you’ve enjoyed past Halo installments, you’ll dig the new stuff on this one. Unless, you’re an alien. Then, this game is terribly racist and you’ll hate it.
Hitman: Absolution – If you’re a bald agent of chaos with a number for a name — and who isn’t? — then you *love* accepting murder contracts against people that deserve to die and Hitman: Absolution is the game for you. This is the first game of this series in several years and it looks like it was worth the wait. Lots of missions, and lots of options to build and replay missions under your own rules. What are you waiting for?! Go shoot somebody!
The Walking Dead – This game is on mobile phones and is also downloadable on consoles, and will be out on disc in early December for both PS3 and XBOX360. You’ll play as an escaped inmate who is navigating Georgia with a rag-tag group of survivors trying to escape the zombies that have recently plagued the area. You’ll run into characters from the comic book like Herschel Greene and his family while trying to blaze your own path away from the Walkers. Everything you do has a consequence and your lies can bury you. Unfortunately, so can just about anything else, as the zombie world is brutal and unforgiving. The special edition comes with a leather bound fancy-boy volume of the first 50 issues of the comic.

For the Vegan

Vegan Cuts Snack Box – Want to give your herbivore friend something that will make him or her think of you every month? For under $20/month, including shipping, the Vegan Cuts Snack Box will provide your pal with 5-8 vegan yummies and household products from really cool vegan brands.
Non-lame vegan t-shirts – As a rule, shirts about what you eat, whether it’s an “I <3 bacon” shirt or a “Meat’s no treat for those you eat” hoodie, are dorky. Herbivore Clothing has found a solution to this issue in their clever line of shirts, hoodies and other things featuring vegan-themed riffs on everything from the Motorhead logo to the Powell Ripper logo.

Gift Sets by Hip Apotheca – High-end beauty and grooming products that are 100% vegan-approved. Spend a little on a set of tinted lip balms, or spend a little more on a skin-brightening serum. Lovely!

In the six years I’ve been doing Bake and Destroy, the biggest struggle a lot of my readers have is finding vegan ingredients in stores near them. That’s why shops like Vegan Essentials are, well, essential. A gift certificate to Vegan Essentials will allow your veg-head loved ones to load up animal-free items that they may not be able to find in local stores.
lucky cupcake hair clipsBake and Destroy: Good Food for Bad Vegans – C’mon, you know I have to plug my book! OK, ok, it’s not printed yet, but you can pre-order it now and you know, cut out the photo and tape it into a card. From breakfast to dessert this book is full of recipes simple enough for anyone to make, calling for ingredients that you can find almost anywhere (I bought 95% of the groceries I used at the corner store by my house!)
SAVE IT & WIN IT: Check out the end of this post to find out how you can win a SkinnySkinny Organic Mini Organic Dry Shampoo in Black Pepper & Rose, Adara Coconut Oil in Heavenly Peach,  One Love Organics Brand New Day, discovery size; IFE Body Oil, travel size; Crazy Rumors lip balm in Gingerbread, and a John Masters Organics Amenity Travel Kit from Hip Apotheca! Plus, save 20% on your order from now until 12/20 when you enter DESTROY at check out!
SAVE IT & WIN IT: If someone on your list would like my book this holiday, then they’d love this Bake and Destroy prize pack from Lucky Cupcake Hairclips! The set includes a hair bow, earrings and necklace featuring my “recipes with mosh parts” logo and a convertible turban, which is my absolute favorite hair accessory! Check out the end of this post to see how you can win, and enter BAKEANDDESTROY to save 10% on your Lucky Cupcake order today!

For the Rasslin’ Fan

My friend Thaddeus is back for his second year making gift picks for wrestling fans. Why should you listen to Thadd’s opinions on pro-wrestling-themed gifts? Uh, because his name is Thaddeus Mountain, that’s why. Follow Thadd on Twitter at @RudoWakening.
CM Punk: Best in the World DVD – Chicago Made. Voice of the Voiceless. Best in the World. These are just a few of the apt descriptions of CM Punk, the current reigning and defending WWE champion. This documentary and match compilation gives insight into the life of one of professional wrestling’s most polarizing figures of the 21st century. Also, it features commentary from a certain site owner, gift guider and giver-awayer, and author. And if you’re curious about Punker’s pre-WWE output, check out ROH Wrestling or Highspots.com for your Indy fix. Still no balloons or ice cream bars, though.
macho man“Macho” Art Print – OOOOOOOHHHH YEEEEAAAAHHH!!! DIG IT!!! “Macho Man” Randy Savage was one of wrestling’ greatest talkers, wrestlers, and showmen. His huge personality is  captured in all of its garish glory on this piece that any fan of old-school wrestling should be proud to hang in their home. Or in their mom’s basement, if they’re the smarky type, still flooding message boards pining for “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and the “real” ECW to come back.
The Midnight Express & Jim Cornette 25th Anniversary Scrapbook – Jim Cornette is well-known as the manager of the Midnight Express (both the Eaton & Lane and Eaton & Condrey versions) and as one of the best promo men/fastest talkers in all of pro wrestling. Just ACES on the mic, I tells ya. They didn’t call him The Louisville Lip for nothin’. He has also been a booker, writer, announcer, promoter (Smoky Mountain represent!) for basically every major promotion in North America since the mid-1980s. Never one to pull punches on any subject, Cornette will no doubt regale the reader with his stories of life behind and in front of the curtain. And if you really want, you can get this bad boy autographed.
Sting CM Punk Macho ManMil Máscaras Cyclops Wrestling Monster Halloween Mask– EVERYONE needs at least one lucha mask. It’s in chapter 3 of “The Official Rules & Regulations of Being a Pro Wrestling Fan” (not an actual book… yet). Why not shoot for the stars and bedeck your gourd with this tribute to one of the multiverse’s greatest luchadors, Pro Wrestling and WWE hall-of-famer Mil Máscaras? He only helped to revolutionize wrestling by popularizing the Mexican lucha libre style in the US, as well as being the first masked wrestler to ever wrestle in Madison Square Garden. And how many wrestlers can say they have had postage stamps released in their honor? As if you needed any more proof to Mil’s greatness, he is the uncle of Alberto Del Rio.
WWE Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition – Think you or your loved one knows everything about WWE? Think again. This HUGE encyclopedia covers the WWE, its superstars, divas, managers, and pay-per-views from the split with the NWA to the present day and is packed with more information and history than even Howard Finkel can handle.
SAVE IT & WIN IT: Fantasy football is for weirdos. Everyone knows wrestling dream card matches are where it’s at – and what would make a better dream match than Punk vs. Savage? Check out the end of this post to see how you can win a Punk vs. Savage Dream Card poster from Two Reverends. Also up for grabs, a ridiculously awesome Sting necklace from Dotty the Demon and hey, make it giftable with two sets of handmade gift tags (Snowflakes-a-plenty & Glitter Snowflake SwivelTags)  from CandiPresents. Need more gift tags? Save 20% now through 3/31 when you enter BDGVWY at check out!

For the Comic Book Gal

Oh hay, this list was put together by Jill Thompson, probably the most well-known female comic book artist in the industry. Perhaps you have seen her work in Wonder Woman, Sandman and a little series called The Scary Godmother?

Being a comic book gal, people are always asking me, “Hey- I know a guy or a girl that’s interested in comics! You’re a comics gal! What can I give them at gift-giving time of the year?”

Well, I’m all for letting your interest in comics being proudly displayed. But, I’m also a firm believer in giving a homemade gift! But, if you can’t hand make something, there’s a good chance that some crafty person on Etsy can do it for you! I do lots of shopping there because I love unique things and I like to support other artistic people!

So, check out the big ol’ list that I’ve compiled of many wonderful objects that I personally love.  Some are costly, some are not. Some are “buy it nows” and some might inspire you to create something yourself!

UNISEX PRESENTS

Use old comic book tee shirts to make tote bags, a bedspread, or a sweet scarf! You can find all sorts of comic book t-shirts online, in comic book shops, and in the thrift stores! Use this helpful blog post as reference!

Like to read comics on their e-reader? Design your own ipad, nook, kindle, e-reader cover! Upload some of their favorite comic artwork, or comic cover to create this cool protector!

X Men X symbol belt buckle. Of course we all wanted to attend Xavier’s School for Gifted Children! I’d wear this belt buckle every day!

Tara McPherson pillows – Everyone loves the art of Tara McPherson! So your beds or couches need a pillow with one of her stylish images on them!

FOR THE STYLISH COMIC BOOK GAL

I love wearing a striking piece of cool clothing that your mundanes or muggles might not normally wear. One great comic book piece can be incorporated into even the most office cubical type environment!

Awesome custom comic, game and movie inspired skirts and aprons! So cool! I love the Robin, Harley Quinn, R2D2 aprons and the comic print full skirt!  The apron would be for home, naturally! These skirts would look great with tights and flats and a  fuzzy cardigan!

Betty TurboHow about Custom Comic book high heels or flats or Hell on Heels custom comic book high heel shoes? What about a Kryptonite crystal ring  or a sweet fitted batman hoodie WITH bat ears? Wear it with jeans and boots or a black pencil skirt and pointy toed flats! That’s how I’d do it!

Bag it up with this goes-with-everything Tokidoki Comic print tote or this recycled comic tote! Carry your comics home from the comic shop!

Finally, these cool Antler Barrettes by Miss Monster remind me of Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire! (That’s a comic- read it!)

WIN IT: Give the artsy gal in your life your choice of print from Betty Turbo (oh, and she also happens to be illustrating my cookbook, what do you know?) Wrap it up with a bow – a knitted hair bow on a headband from The Lulu Bean! See below for entry rules!

The Giveaway

To enter the Sixth Annual Bake and Destroy Holiday Giveaway, leave a comment on this post about your favorite holiday food. For two additional entries, share this post on Twitter and Tumblr – leave a separate comment with a link to each share. I will randomly select one winner each day starting on 11/25/12 – winners much have a US shipping address. Prizes are described above! 

Winners will be chosen as follows:

#1: 11/25 – Congrats Maggie S!

#2: 11/26 – Congrats Kate C! 

#3: 11/27 – Congrats Dina P!

#4: 11/28 – Congrats Brittney!

#5: 11/29 – Congrats Krissy G!

#6: 11/30 – Congrats Danny!

#7: 12/1 – Congrats Kevin L! 

The giveaway is now closed, thanks to my sponsors and everyone who entered!