We hope you received all the presents you wished for, but we suspect that you’re sitting on a few gift cards and perhaps even some cold, hard cash.  Well, then, welcome to a very special holiday gift card edition of Buy or Bye! Instead of traveling around Wexford scourging for coffee or browsing for cars, Gabby and Stefan are going to evaluate two different gifts per price range and give each product a Buy or Bye rating. We here at The Uproar hope that this helps with any new year’s indecision!

$10-30

Altec Lansing Mini H2O Bluetooth Speaker ($19.99)

Gabby: Speaking from the receiving end of this gift for my birthday a few years ago, this speaker is awesome. It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but has enough of a speaker range to pack some serious volume. Being both wireless and waterproof, you can avoid messing around with cords and not worry about damaging it outdoors- perfect for when pool and beach season rolls around. My rating for this product would definitely have to be buy.

Stefan: I love speakers in general, and this speaker is truly the best of both worlds. The bluetooth and wireless components are big pros, and the speaker is able to sounds clear even while underwater. I would give it a definite buy rating.

The Fidget Cube in Midnight ($19.95)

Stefan: Fidget cubes are a great small trinket which will surely bring smiles to all who love messing around with things. From personal experience, I can testify that the fidget cube is really relaxing and slightly addicting. The cube is great for passing time on long drives, and there are a variety of colors that the cube comes in. The Fidget Cube goes down in the books as a buy rating.

Gabby: Honestly? This just comes across as an overpriced piece of plastic to me. I think that there are so many other ways to relieve stress other than going and purchasing this, such as relaxing with a book or spending time with friends. For a $19.95 price tag, I would have to give the fidget cube a bye rating.

$100-300

Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones ($239.95)

Gabby: As an avid Spotify user and all-around music connoisseur, I can relate to the struggle to find the most cost-effective but high-quality earphones possible. Several years ago, I bought into the Beats by Dre hype and decided to test out their ever-popular Solo model. It only took a few months of general use before the plastic from the inner-ear piece popped out, leaving my “quality” investment having to be covered in tape. My advice? Say bye to Dre and check out Urbanears- a Scandinavian audio collective that boasts a quality pair of wireless headphones for less than half the price of Dre’s (dead)Beats.

Stefan: I have a pair of wireless Beats earbuds that I use daily, and the product has yet to fail me. I am really happy with my earbuds, mostly because they are super portable. The quality of sound, however, is subpar. If you want to buy a pair of quality headphones, I suggest buying Bose. I am a huge supporter of the quality of these headphones, so I would give the Beats Solo3 a bye rating.

Bees and Stars Wool Scarf by Gucci ($290)

Stefan: I love designer clothing (although my wallet does not). Both Gucci and Burberry make great scarfs, but Gucci has cheaper alternatives that look urban but sophisticated. Scarves can really elevate your style to the next level, and sporting a Gucci scarf is an unparallelled experience. I would give the Gucci scarf a buy rating.

Gabby:  While Gucci has long been synonymous with the height of luxury, I feel that the scarf’s print is more in line with current trends rather than classic designs. I think it’s a bit risky to invest hundreds of dollars on a piece of clothing that will inevitably go out of style- leaving me to give this scarf a bye rating. However, I do believe that the quality that the brand promises is not to be ignored, and would recommend checking out this timeless blue and red stripe scarf if you’re looking to don some fine winter wear that will outlast the ever-changing whims of the fashion world.

$5,000 and up

Tiffany and Co. Sterling Silver Ball of Yarn ($9,000)

Gabby: Listen… I’m in no way opposed to an occasional luxury splurge (either for yourself or someone special in your life), but this is just plain ridiculous. Apart from the astronomical price tag, what irks me the most about this product is that it can’t be unraveled, leaving it to be somewhat aesthetically pleasing but otherwise absolutely useless. Seeing as this decidedly bye product’s only redeeming quality is the brand from which it comes, I highly suggest that anyone in the market for a once-in-a-lifetime gift should check out Tiffany’s timeless collection of sterling silver jewelry. And if it’s useable silver yarn that you’re looking for, why not buy 1,800 skeins of it for the exact same price?

Stefan: No. Please don’t buy this. This is not even that aesthetically pleasing. Seriously, there are so many better things you can buy with $9,000. Instead of gifting a ball of yarn to your loved ones, try three Macbook Pros, 75 years of Netflix, a great used car, a Rolex watch, or even 15% tuition for one year at a prestigious liberal arts university such as NYU. I would give the Tiffany and Co. Sterling Silver Ball of Yarn a bye rating.

Tesla Roadster ($200,000-250,000)

Stefan: This car is an absolute beast. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, with its top speed being 250 mph. This eco-friendly and sleek car has some serious swagger. With a driving range of 620 miles and an all electric engine, this car is truly the epitome of the perfect vehicle. If you have $200,000 lying around (and are willing to take me for a drive), I would 100% recommend this. The Tesla Roadster earns a buy rating from me.

Gabby: I believe that the Tesla Roadster is the paragon of style and substance, proving that you can get where you need to without significantly increasing your carbon footprint AND looking pretty darn fly while doing as such. With so many “young” companies trying and failing to reach the level of better-established brands, I think it’s amazing that Elon Musk has succeeded in making his brand as highly-regarded as it is. If you have the money and want to take part of the future in automotive technology, I cannot recommend a buy rating more. As for the rest of us? This $500 toy Tesla Model S might be small, but hey, at least you’ll never have trouble finding a parking spot!