1. Dead Moon: The Book

On November 9, legendary Oregon musician Fred Cole passed away at age 69. Cole and his wife, Toody, fronted the incredible band Dead Moon, whose raw, bluesy punk rock found the common ground between the Seeds, Neil Young, Lemmy Kilmister, and Skip James. Cole was responsible for lots of other great bands, too, including Pierced Arrows, the Rats, and the Weeds, but every self-respecting Portland music fan needs some Dead Moon records in their collection. Fortunately, the good folks at Mississippi Records—the North Portland label and boutique shop—are cementing Cole’s legacy with a sumptuous book and record set due to come out next year. You’ll get the complete Dead Moon story, tons of photos, plus two pieces of vinyl: a greatest hits collection and a second record of rarities. The book was made with Cole’s blessing before he died, and is the definitive word on his life and career, including a complete discography of all his various projects. It’s scheduled to come out in April 2018, but you can reserve your copy at a discounted price by visiting the Kickstarter page. If you can’t wait, hit the Mississippi Records store and pick up some of Dead Moon’s phenomenal albums. Mississippi Records, 5202 N Albina; Kickstarter at kickstarter.com/projects/354389104/dead-moon-the-book/description, book/record $80 or $55 with preorder pledge

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2. Build Your Own Case of pFriem Beer

Oregon is lousy with great breweries, but one of the best and most consistent is Hood River’s pFriem, whose beers range in remarkable stylistic depth and are always worth drinking. Their Belgian styles are exemplary, and their Pacific Northwest styles, like their range of IPAs, are no slouches either; same goes for their ever-expanding line of sour beers and their crisp, clean lagers. Most good Portland beer stores will sell you some bottles of pFriem, or you can make the trek out to their tasting room in Hood River—it is absolutely worth the trip. You can also special order a “Build Your Own Case” from their website, and handpick the types of beers that your favorite beer drinker likes best. There are no wrong options. pFriem Beer, 707 Portway, Suite 101, Hood River, pfriembeer.com, $47.40

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3. Whiskey Classes

For some people, just drinking whiskey is enough. Not me—I want to know about my whiskey: how it’s made, what the different styles are, how to pick up on the different flavors, and, most importantly, what other whiskeys I need to try. Good thing the whiskey-loving smarty-pantses behind the Old Gold, Paydirt, and Tough Luck bars—whose ranks include former Mercury editor Ezra Caraeff, full disclosure—regularly hold their Whiskey 101 class (plus a 201 class for expert drinkers). They always sell out, so hop on this and get me my ticket pronto. The 101 class surveys American whiskeys, and the next installments will be held at noon on Saturday, January 13 and Saturday, January 20. The Whiskey 201 advanced class focuses on Scotch, Irish, and Japanese whisk(e)y and meets on Saturday, January 27. Each 90-minute class includes six whiskey pours and snacks. Learning has never been so fun! Buy tickets at drinkinoregon.com, classes held at Tough Luck, 1771 NE Dekum, $35 (Whiskey 201 advanced class $45), 21 and over

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4. Oregon Dishtowels

Everybody needs dishtowels. Even if the person on your list already has plenty, it’s guaranteed that they’ll need to be replaced eventually. And while new dishtowels may seem like a boring, practical gift, Kitchen Kaboodle—the great local store for all things cooking related—has got some great Oregon-centric ones that’ll liven up any kitchen. There’s the Portland collage, with a charming illustration of a bike, a heron, and an oversized coffee cup. There’s the Oregon Christmas one, with 12 days of Oregon-specific gifts. There’s the Pacific Crest Trail towel for the hiker in your life, and the Pacific Coast Highway towel for Californian transplants. But my personal favorite is the Pacific Northwest one, with volcanoes, killer whales, and gigantic trees. These towels look so nice you might not even want to dirty them with your dishes! Kitchen Kaboodle, 1520 NE Broadway, 404 NW 23rd, $9.95-15.95

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5. And I Think You Should Donate to... Oregon Natural Desert Association

Oregon’s a big, beautiful state, and the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) wants to keep it that way. This Bend-based nonprofit works to protect and restore the high desert of Oregon, a unique ecosystem that’s a huge component in making this state special. If you’ve ever spent time on the other side of the Cascades, you already know the value of the region, and ONDA has an excellent track record, having played a crucial role in designating three desert wilderness areas. Every day our state gets more crowded, and that’s a good thing for many reasons—but ONDA’s valuable work makes sure that the vital wilderness that makes this part of the world so incredible will be here for generations to come. onda.org