Top 5 Christmas gifts, according to the Mayor

1. The gift of dinner & theater. This is the gift of an entire evening of fun, including dinner and a show. We are lucky to have several excellent dinner theaters nearby, including my favorite, Boulder’s Dinner Theater. You can read my past review of one of their shows by clicking here.

If you live in Northern Colorado check out Carousel Dinner Theatre in Fort Collins (www.adinnertheatre.com), Union Colony Dinner Theater in Greeley (www.ucdinnertheatre.com) or Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Loveland (www.coloradocandlelight.com). For my review of a past show at Candlelight click here.

Also consider a gift certificate to the Dinner Detective with shows in Fort Collins, Golden, Denver and Colorado Springs. See my review of a Dinner Detective show here. For tickets go to www.thedinnerdetective.com.

2. The gift of music. How about giving a gift certificate to the Colorado Symphony Orchestra? Several years ago my husband and I had season tickets to the CSO, and it was wonderful. We looked forward to each symphony event because it was a built-in date night in Denver. Instead of an entire season, you can also purchase smaller packages that include a grouping of specific shows. Visit www.coloradosymphony.org to find out more.

If you live in Northern Colorado check out the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra at www.greeleyphilharmonic.com, or the Fort Collins Symphony, www.fcsymphony.org, currently running a buy one, get second one half off of their flex passes.

Do you know someone who loves jazz? Buy them tickets to the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival. The 41st annual festival runs August 28-30, 2011 and is the largest festival of its kind in the country.

3. The gift of membership to a local museum or zoo. For many individuals and families a membership to a local museum or zoo is a gift that they will use again and again, and museum or zoo membership comes with benefits.

For example, a family membership at the Fort Collins Museum & Discovery Center costs $70 (individual, $35) and benefits includes unlimited access to the FCMDC, discounts on programs, workshops and at the museum store, free newsletter and advanced schedule of events, exclusive new exhibit previews and free admission to ten other Colorado museums including the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

4. The gift of artisan beer or liquor. Need to find something for the person who has everything? I recommend a growler of craft beer or a nice bottle of craft liquor. In Northern Colorado we have a brewer on every corner, but I like Grimm Brothers Brewhouse. These guys specialize in German style beers, a unique option for Coloradoans. You can purchase a full growler for just $13, and your gift recipient can refill his/her growler for $9. Find Grimm Brothers online at www.grimmbrosbrewhouse.com, or on Facebook.

While already well known for beer, the craft distillery business is making its mark in the rocky mountain region. Colorado is ranked fourth in number of distilleries in the state and one of the newest and finest is located in Loveland, Colorado. Dancing Pines Distillery opened this past summer and they make several varieties of artisan spirits including a chai liqueur that is already tremendously popular. A bottle of any of their top-shelf spirits would make a splendid gift. Visit Dancing Pines on Facebook by clicking here.

5. The gift of bed & breakfast. My husband and I love staying in bed and breakfasts, even if it’s close to home. Buying someone a gift certificate for an overnight stay in a fabulous B&B is like buying them a miniature vacation. For instance, why not buy a Denverite a stay in a Golden, Colorado? Or a Fort Collins resident a stay in Denver?

My favorite website for finding the perfect B&B is www.tripadvisor.com. This site is a great way to browse photographs and read reviews from real people who have stayed at the thousands of B&Bs listed on the site. The Mayor’s reviews are on Trip Advisor, just look for reviews by HeidioftheRockies!

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