For a lot of us, the day doesn’t officially start until that first cup of brew. There’s just something about the aroma, the ritual, the caffeinated jolt that gets us going even on a sleepy Tuesday morning!

So, in honor of our beloved beverages, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite gifts for the coffee and tea connoisseur in your life (even if it happens to be you!). Who needs the coffee shop when you can be your own barista right in your kitchen?

1. DeLonghi Nespresso Capsule Espresso/Capuccino Machine, 2. Keurig MINI Plus Brewing System, 3. Le Creuset Whistling Kettle, 4. Krups XP2280 Programmable Precise Tamp Combination Coffee Maker, 5. KitchenAid Four-cup Personal Coffee Maker, 6. Breville You Brew Coffee Maker

As the dust from the playoffs start to settle, and the last two teams standing face each other for the big game, football fans across the country congregate to enjoy the competition, food, friends and of course, those awesome commercials!

If you’re planning on hosting a game day party to root for your favorite team (or just enjoy this last hurrah of the season if your team didn’t make the cut!), here are a few tips to get you prepared along with some of our top picks for football fun at home:

It’s all about atmosphere. Make your home more festive than any bar in town by incorporating team colors—napkins, paper plates, serving bowls, pennants, balloons… It IS a party after all! Try having a football ready to toss around between guests during halftime. It’ll get everyone in the touchdown spirit!

Snacks, snacks, and more snacks! Chips and dip are a great game-day go to. Since this IS the biggest game of the year, why not elevate your selection of dips by whipping up something special in a slow cooker? Mom’s chilli anyone?

1.Mitchell & Ness NFL® hats, 2. Waechtersbach Fun Factory Serving Bowls (Set of 2), 3. Krups Beer Tender, 4. Spiegelau Beer Glasses (Set of 2), 5. DeLongi 5-Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker, 6. Highbury Whittier 3-Section Tray, 7. Waring Pro Buffet Server, 8. Wilson NFL Game Ball, 9. Bodum Picnic Charcoal Grill

Tailgate favorites are always a hit. An at-home football party calls for BBQ classics, wings and ribs! They keep hungry guests happy…even if their team is on the losing end. Set up a buffet-style table with a heated server, some colorful serving plates and some stick-to-your ribs recipes.  

Cheer on your team with a selection of beverages. Beer and soda are the obvious must-haves for football parties, but make sure you offer lots of cold water, too! If you really want to impress your guests, bring the bar home by serving a traditional foam-topped beer from your personal beer draught tap!

For the mom who loves to work her magic in the kitchen, a gift of a fabulous kitchen gadget is not only thoughtful; you reap some benefits from it, too!

Mom’s culinary talents will shine even brighter with a few quality kitchen essentials in her arsenal. Maybe she’ll even whip you up a delicious treat for giving her such a great Mother’s Day gift!

Check out a few of our favorite kitchen helpers that mom will surely love:

1. Wusthof Gourmet 7-Piece Block Set, 2. Le Creuset 5-Piece Signature Set, 3. DeLonghi Hand Blender Set, 4. Higbury Bistro de Paris 4-Piece Bowl Set, 5. Le Creuset 4.5 Qt Casserole, 6. Kitchenaid Artisan Stand Mixer

Now that all those indulgent holiday meals are history, it’s time to get back on track with sensible eating. When it comes to whipping up healthy home-cooked meals, a little bit of help in the kitchen sure goes a long way! Check out some of our favorite kitchen essentials to start off 2012 on road to healthy eating:

1. Joseph Joseph Salad Bowl w/ Servers: We love the clever and modern design of this generously-sized salad bowl! It’s perfect for dinner parties.

2. Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Bronze 12” Wok: Cook perfect stir frys without using a ton of oil in this essential nonstick wok.

3. OXO Little Salad & Herb Spinner: Making salad for two? This handy tool makes sure your salads are restaurant-perfect every time!

4. Cuisinart Elite Collection® 14-Cup Food Processor:  Talk about versatility! This powerful machine makes creating an entire meal fast and simple.

5. Kitchenaid 5-Speed Metallic Series Blender: This not only makes perfect smoothies, it’s also great for homemade soups and sauces!

6. DeLonghi Indoor Grill/Broiler: We love this for grilling up chicken and seafood for delicious salads.