Colorado’s Cannabis Christmas Gift Guide

HERBERT FUEGO DECEMBER 16, 2022 8:01AM

Cannabis gifts for Christmas can range from cheap and fun to expensive and detailed. Flickr/Elsa Olofsson

Legal cannabis has been around long enough in Colorado that we can buy novelty presents and sensible gifts for everyone from a stoner roommate to an experimenting grandmother. Edibles are getting more precise and deluxe, cookbooks have moved on from cannabutter, and vaporizers have reached points of convenience and usability that we've never seen before.

We've spent the past year trying out a wide range of cannabis items, but some fit better under the Christmas tree than others. From stocking-stuffers to show-stoppers, here are ten cannabis gifts guaranteed to brighten the holidays:

The Puffco Proxy will ensure a win on Christmas morning.

Courtesy of Puffco

Puffco Set
If you're still looking for that "big" gift for a special someone who loves dabs, rosin and all things hash, look no further than Puffco. The electronic vaporizer manufacturer is known for easy, convenient dabs that replicate an old-school bong or pipe, consistently setting new bars with its Peak water pipe and the Proxy, a waterless "pipe" version that makes me feel like a 21st-century Sherlock Holmes more with each puff. Although it's not cheap, the Proxy's $300 price tag is attainable and makes for a smooth entry point into connoisseur concentrates. The heating element is adjustable and easy to manipulate, the bowl piece is simple to clean, and the charge lasts for multiple days of usage. If you really want to spoil someone, stuff their stocking with the Proxy flower bowl, water bubbler, silicone travel attachments or a Puffco Hot Knife — an electronic dab applicator that heats concentrate enough to slip it into a rig or on top of flower without combustion. (Add a surprise gram of rosin in the mix, and you'll win next Christmas, too.) You can buy Puffcos online or at head shops, dispensaries and other retailers.

Simple Syrup
Cannabis edibles and drinks come in so many forms that it's nice to find something flexible and easy. Infused simple syrups can go into hot drinks, cocktails, mocktails and anything else that needs sweetener, so they work as a novelty gift or for the regular cannabis user. There are now numerous options to choose from, with Highgrade and LePow Extracts both making THC simple syrups that will satisfy a sweet tooth and cannabis tolerances, while Dialed In produces a rosin-infused version, as well. Any of the three get the job done, but expect more of a kick from Dialed In's rosin, which has more cannabis-forward flavor.

Canyon Suck-It lozenges carry a lot of cannabinoids in small packages.

Herbert Fuego

Canyon Suck-Its
If you know someone who likes to microdose edibles, we recommend gifting them Canyon Suck-Its. Each lozenge comes with 2.5 milligrams of various cannabinoids; our favorite, the pink lemonade flavor, carries 2.5 milligrams of CBD, 2.5 milligrams of CBN and 2.5 milligrams of THC per piece. At less than 1 gram of sugar per lozenge and forty pieces per pack, these are low on sugar and high in value.

A Cut Above Strain Sampler
You can do this at any dispensary, but our favorite lineup of strain variety and caliber is at A Cut Above. The South Broadway dispensary has a who's-who of Colorado growers and extractors, including 710 Labs, Bubba's Kush, Cherry, Green Dot Labs, Olio, Single Source and Snaxland, as well as impressive up-and-comers Melody and SPCY Cannabis and well-established brands like Bloom, Cookies and Veritas. You can also find more affordable options from growers that still bring the heat, as well as some of the best in-house flower for medical marijuana patients. Get individual grams of a friend or family member's favorite growers or strains, or just ask one of the budtenders for recommendations, which they're happy to provide.

Robhots Plus gummies include strain-specific terpene information on the packaging.

Courtesy of Robhots

Rosin Gummies
Rosin gummies have been all the rage at dispensaries over the past couple of years. With so many companies now jumping on the trend, you can finally buy a pack for less than $30 at most dispensaries.
Unlike distillate, a refined form of THC commonly used by edibles manufacturers, rosin needs good starting material because the extraction is essentially all about squeezing the good stuff out of cannabis or bubble hash. The process results in a more natural mix of terpenes and cannabinoids, and a very effective high. Check out our list of ten rosin gummies currently for sale in dispensaries if you need any help shopping, and don't be afraid to search Jane, Leafly or Weedmaps for the best deal.

Cannabis Confectionery Art Cookbook
Making edibles at home is fun and financially prudent, but most at-home infusion processes lack the scientific precision to correctly estimate an edibles dosage. Cannabis Confectionery Art, a cannabis cookbook from local edibles maker Krystina VanCleef, teaches readers how to make impressive edibles at home with the cannabis oils and distillate sold at dispensaries. Using these concentrates instead of older at-home methods doesn't just result in more consistent highs, but tastier edibles, too. Put VanCleef's methods to the test this Christmas with recipes for brownie swirls, cheesecake bars and other delicious treats that fit right in during the holidays.

710 Labs Noodle Doinks are rolled with flower, not trim.

YouTube/710 Labs

710 Labs Noodle Doink
We've never been high on most pre-rolls, but most pre-rolls aren't rolled with real buds from high-end growers, nor do they usually come with a Rotini noodle crutch. Noodle Doinks from 710 Labs score points in style, substance and accessibility, providing fans with a more affordable option compared to the brand's pre-packed quarter- and half-ounces, which are always on the higher end of the bud shelf. The one-gram joints of Boo Berry, Gak Smoovie and 710's other face-melters don't skimp on the flavor, are usually available for $20, and slip right into a stocking or someone's hand when the rest of the family isn't looking.

A Fully Assembled Hash Pen
Do you know a cannabis user who prefers a hash pen over a joint or bowl? A fully prepped hash pen could be the way to go. You can find a number of different battery and pre-filled cartridge options at dispensaries, with quality and prices both varying heavily. Flavored distillate tends to be the preferred route for novice users, while regular tokers prefer rosin and live extracts.

The 1906 Bliss Cup can be bought for less than $10 after tax.

Courtesy of 1906

1906 Bliss Cup
You can still gift someone a tasty edible without breaking the bank or trying to make them at home. Available in packs of one or two, 1906's Bliss Cups provide a fast-acting edibles high for low to mild tolerances, with 5 milligrams of CBD and 5 milligrams of THC per piece. You can find the single packs for around $5 at most dispensaries, allowing you to add a little pot to the holidays on a small budget, and the two-packs rarely go for more than $10.

ioVia Tincture
I never enjoyed receiving savings bonds from my grandma on Christmas, but they sure came in handy down the road. Think of tinctures as your cannabis savings-bond gift this Christmas. The liquid cannabis concentrate, intended for sublingual use, has never been the sexiest edible, but once used, your friend and family member will thank you for it. Tinctures come in all sorts of cannabinoid combinations, with high-CBD and CBN formulations for recuperation and sleep, and straight THC versions for a quick high. There are a handful of tincture brands out there, but if you're trying to home in on one, we recommend ioVia. The Colorado tincture brand has roots stretching back to the state's early medical marijuana days, and creates tinctures for a number of medical and recreational uses.

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