WHILE we can’t give our loved ones the ultimate gift – a long, healthy life – we can give things that may help them have one. A trial membership at the nearest spa and a new sweatband to go with it might work wonders, especially this time of year, when the emphasis is more on excess than exercise.
One caveat: After Thanksgiving, no one wants a talking scale.
With that in mind, some healthful gift suggestions for the holidays:
A spray a day keeps the doctor away. That’s the philosophy behind Sprayology, a new line of homeopathic remedies. A squirt or two of the tonic under your tongue (where it’s absorbed directly into the bloodstream) supplies vitamins and other nutrients to treat ailments as varied as jet lag, PMS, allergies, stress and burnout.
The sprays, from $20 to $48, are packaged as attractively as cologne. Look for them online at ibeauty.com and in the city at Takashimaya, Zitomer, Ad Hoc and various spas and salons. For more information, call (800) 377-5787.
Aromatherapy, candlelight and meditative music set the scene at Angel Feet, where tired tootsies are refreshed through reflexology. Give your soulmate a sole-istic experience: Gift certificates for half-hour and hour-long sessions are $40 and $70, respectively. Angel Feet is open seven days a week at 77 Perry St., between West Fourth and Bleecker streets; for information, call (212) 924-3576.
They’ll have to supply their own meditative music and candles if you spring for Equalizor Foot Pro Massager. Weighing just 7 pounds, it has a built-in handle (to tote it to the office) and promises a deep-penetrating percussive foot massage. It’s $159.95 at Sharper Image stores and online at sharperimage.com.
Speaking of feet, Amy Jo Gladstone makes slippers guaranteed to make those tootsies smile. One pair in particular – a shaggy terry cloth number with Velcro closure and nonskid soles – comes in white, natural or pink; they’re $95 at Takashimaya, ABC Carpet & Home, Clyde’s and Peacock Alley. For information and other styles, check amyjogladstone.com.
Moving on to the rest of the body: Practically everyone at some time or other has longed for a personal masseur or masseuse at work, in the car or at home. If you can’t arrange that, Brookstone sells what may be the next best thing: a portable, 10-motor Seat Topper Massager with heat. Strap it to any seat in the house (or office or car), hit the remote (pick your speed) and let ‘er rip. It’s $99, or about the cost of two one-on-one sessions with the real thing.
Moister air helps prevent colds and coughs, eases asthma and reduces static electricity – and if you’ve inadvertently shocked your boss, you know just how painful that can be. Happily, Sunbeam’s new 6-by-9-inch Personal Ultrasonic Humidifier is small enough to tote to your office, but big enough to do the job. It can humidify a 13-by-15-by-9-foot room up to 12 hours before it needs refilling. The water tank is easy to remove and fill, even in awkwardly small apartment sinks. It sells for $45; for more information, check sunbeam.com or call (800) 435-1250.
The wetter, the better – and if you can afford to, go the total immersion route. HotSpring Portable Spa recently unveiled its Solana model, complete with 10 jets, heater and room enough (at 67 by 67 by 29 inches) to seat two and still clear the average doorway. It starts at around $3,000, aromatherapy candles not included; (800) 432-6781.
If there are any runners or power walkers in your life, help keep them safe with the Road Runner Sports armband light ($18). Its blinking lights can be detected more than half a mile away. For the truly dedicated, Road Runner also sells ice joggers ($30), lightweight molded rubber things with carbide studs that clip onto the bottom of any shoes to provide traction on icy or otherwise messy roads. To order, call (800) 600-9945.
You don’t have to be a kid to dream about getting a bicycle for Christmas. Marin Mountain makes half a dozen lightweight city-mountain bikes, engineered for a comfortable commute, whether you’re whizzing through Midtown or trekking through the hills on the weekend. Prices range from $540 to $1,625; for the nearest dealer, check marinbikes.com.
Healthy holidays to all!
