The Red Sox Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the holiday season, and even if your favorite baseball team isn’t being as generous as you’d like, that doesn’t mean you should follow its example. If you’re looking for a Red Sox-themed gift for friends or loved ones, here are some favorites from the OTM staff.

Vintage Swag

I really, really want to joke about Red Sox NFTs brought to you by Candy or some Official NFT Partner and well, that’s probably enough. If you’re mad at the ownership and management of your favorite sports team I recommend taking an alternative route. Hit up eBay and grab some Red Sox Card Discs from Papa Gino’s. Like this one for Yaz:

Classic players who can’t retroactively be traded or leave as free agents. They’re pretty affordable. And they’re the prefect size to use as coasters. Win-win-win.

-Mike Carlucci

Ebbets Field Flannels’ Red Sox 1967 Satin Windbreaker

While not exactly cheap, Ebbets Field Flannels consistently come through with super quality work. The company makes a point to use time-accurate materials and methods in their clothes, so you know they’re built to last. Here we have a satin windbreaker inspired by ones that the Sox wore throughout the 60s and 70s. This is a perfect piece to rock at those slightly chilly April and May early season games. Ebbets also just released a Red Sox version of their 1917 shawl collar sweater but those are, uh, a little more pricey.

—Jake Wallinger

Nothing

What’s better than spending money on the people you love to show them how much you appreciate them? Say it with me now: Financial Flexibility! That’s right, don’t spend a dime and make excuses like “I had too many dentist appointments this year” and hoard all that wealth for yourself. But don’t worry, tell everyone you have a targeted year in which you’ll spend on presents again, and when that time comes, that's when you whip out your famous fruit cake and watch as all your alienated loved ones ditch your Secret Santa party for the fantastic new guys in the neighborhood with the vacation house in Southern California.

—Keaton DeRocher

Fenway Park Cribbage Board

On a more serious note, few things are more classically New England than a hearty game of Cribbage with friends and/or family. A year-round treat for when you’re stuck inside on a snow day or just relaxing in the shade in the summertime, and you want to get so frustrated that you keep having your points stolen that you want to jam the pegs into your eyes. Well, when that moment calls why not reach for a beautiful board in the shape of Fenway Park? I actually bought this for my dad last Christmas and he loves it, so there’s at least one example of this being a great gift.

—Keaton DeRocher

HATS!

Are you a hat person? Or, perhaps more importantly, is the person you’re buying a gift for a hat person? If the answer is yes, then they probably already have a trusted standard Red Sox hat. Whether that’s of the fitted, snapback, adjustable or anything other variety, it is most likely your garden variety navy blue field with the red B outlined in white. So for the hat person in your life, why not give the gift of diversification? Here are are a few ideas:

• While the Red Sox were pretty awful last year, the Boston Celtics seem to have everything clicking. If your gift recipient likes to be matchy-matchy, they may not have a hat that pairs exactly with their Jayson Tatum jersey, so why not go with an all green sox fitted?
• The Red Sox’s City Connect jerseys are pretty dope. While the bright yellow jersey grabs the most attention because it is, well, bright yellow, don’t sleep on the baby blue cap that goes along with it.
• For those looking for an alternate logo, the Red Sox don’t offer a ton of options, but any version that highlights the Sox rather than the B will stand out. When you mix in some vintage feel, you’ve got a winner.

—Phil Neuffer

Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.

What does a post-modern novel about a boy genius cursed with the foreknowledge of the exact date that the world is going to end have to do with the Red Sox? Almost nothing, to be honest. But Currie is a Mainer and a Red Sox fan, and key scenes in the book take place in Fenway Park and in and around Kenmore Square. It’s hilarious, weird, and written in an utterly unique narrative voice. If you’re shopping for someone in a reading rut, this is the type of book that can get them out of it.

—Dan Secatore

A Candle That Potentially Smells Like Urine

Let’s get real about scented candles here for a quick sec: almost none of them actually smell like the thing they’re supposed to smell like. But I’m willing to put my skepticism of the BIG CANDLE LIE aside for this one because, damn, I am genuinely curious here. If it does in fact smell like Fenway, then what Fenway-centric smell are we talking about? The peppers and onions being grilled out on Jersey Street? The chicken fingers, coffee, and BO in the press box? The men’s bathroom behind section 26 after the 7th inning stretch? I need answers.

A Fenway Park Rocks Glass

Because it may be extremely necessary to drink during games next season.

-Dan Secatore

A Gift From One Of Catherine Varitek’s Twitter Giveaways... Or Not

The Varitek's are awesome. Red Sox legend Jason Varitek’s wife is extremely active on Twitter and is generous enough to do periodic giveaways of old Sox stuff to fans and followers. Why not get some cool stuff for the fam for free via the world’s fastest-torpedoing social media site?

Here’s why not.

Let me set the scene: it was December 2020. I was in my last day of (virtual) school before a well-deserved winter break. That’s when I remember that my dad sent me a tweet the day earlier showing Catherine Varitek on Twitter announcing a Christmas-time giveaway. There are ten minutes left in my school day, let me hop on and see if there are any good things being given away.

Sweet! She’s giving away some Varitek stuff from the good ‘ole days. I’m still looking for an extra gift for my dad and he’d love any of this stuff. I reply to one of her tweets that is giving away a picture of Varitek and Red Sox closer Keith Foulke after the final out of the 2004 World Series; I say why I want it, what it would mean to my dad, etc. (warning: I’m about to make everyone feel old, and for that I am sorry).

I go back to my school work like the great student I am, not expecting much but thinking that it’s a cool thing to do regardless. Then 30 minutes later, to my surprise, I see this tweet pop up in my notifications:

I’ve literally never won anything like this in my life. I run into my sister’s room, telling her the good news, and she’s elated, knowing that this is the perfect gift for my dad.

Here’s where it goes downhill.

I do what I’m instructed! I DM her immediately with my address, a message of great thanks, and well-wishings for her and her family. And then... radio silence.

It’s the holiday season and her family was dealing with a COVID situation, so I didn’t think much of it and didn’t expect the gift to arrive before Christmas anyways. I tell my dad about his upcoming gift on Christmas day and he is absolutely ELATED. I mean, this man looked like he was back at Game 4 of the 2004 World Series the way his face lit up.

I then message her once again after the holiday season, inquiring about the status of said gift for my father and wishing her well once again.

I still have not heard back to this day.

Final score:

Catherine Varitek giveaways: 1, Hamel family: 0