Holiday Gifts That Won’t Collect Dust in the Closet
THE TOTAL BATH EXPERIENCE
$38.70
Stick Stone & Bone, 111 Christopher St., New York, N.Y., 10014; (212) 807-7024
Rejuvenate the body physically and spiritually with a combination gift of bath salts, lovely candles, incense, and great background music. If you want to push the spiritual envelope, add some shamanic energy-boosting tools, crystals, smudge sticks, or stones. Floating among countless intriguing items that line this tiny Christopher Street shop, I found salespeople who were genuinely knowledgeable about healing, rituals, and spiritual paths. If you don’t believe in all that stuff, don’t worry; you can still help a loved one appreciate the joys of a great bath. My personal recommendations are: Azure Green Bath Salts ($1.25); Red Ginger Incense ($3); Serenity Candle ($9); Sedona Desert Sage ($2.50); Lapis Lazuli ($6); and Drum Medicine CD ($16.95).
DRY-LEAF-COVERED JOURNAL
$12.50
Pearl River Mart. 477 Broadway, New York, N.Y., 10013; (800) 878-2446; www.pearlriver.com
This beautifully constructed journal with pressed leaves on the exterior is made in China and can be used as a diary or for notes. It is also available in address-book form for those not yet ready for palm pilots. This is one of those rare elegant gifts that seems to cost less than it should, yet could easily go for $50 in a fancy department store. In truth, you might be able to do all your holiday shopping at the enchanting Pearl River Mart on Lower Broadway because of its great prices on everything from totebags to musical instruments, paper products, kitchenware, ceramics, lamps, stationery, clothing, and even brocade cell-phone holders. Owners Ming and Chiang Chen moved their Chinese department store from Canal Street to this elegant and spacious location. On any given day you can still find Ming available for shopping advice as he cruises the wide aisles with a big smile, sprucing up the displays and arranging the merchandise.
PG TIPS TEAS and TEA & SYMPATHY COOKBOOK
$35.75
Tea & Sympathy, 108-110 Greenwich Ave, New York, N.Y., 10011; (212) 807-8329; www.teaandsympathynewyork.com
If you want to pleasure someone whose stomach might no longer be up for that strong cup of coffee, consider turning him or her onto the wonders of tea. In fact, tea is not just for old ladies, but also for people on the go who are looking for a strong and steady infusion of caffeine. For the best tea on the planet, go straight to England. But if you can’t get there, visit Tea & Sympathy, a cozy shop in the heart of Greenwich Village. Friendly British lads behind the counter recommend PG Tips tea as their best brew. They also sell colorful teacups and pots, my favorite being an elaborate set sporting a decal lithograph of Queen Victoria in a frilly gown. Pop into the eatery next door for crumpets or lamb-and-cranberry pie. Tea and Sympathy’s crown jewel is a cookbook by Anita Naughton and Nicola Perry which not only sings the praises of tea, but also gives a rich history of their lively restaurant (mum’s kitchen), and generously shares insider recipes for everything from shepherd’s pie to sticky-toffee pudding.
AMPLIFIED TELEPHONE WITH BIG-DIGIT LIGHTED KEYPAD
$89. 95
The Sharper Image, 98 Greene St., New York, N.Y. 10013 (among other locations); (800) 344-4444; www.sharperimage.com
This seems to be the year of the frivolous gadget. Take, for example, the yellow rubber ducky for the bath that doubles as a vibrating masseuse, or a baseball that measures the speed of your pitch digitally via a built-in microchip. Not right for Grandpa? Try this attractive telephone with adjustable volume and tone control for harder-to-hear frequencies. And no more fumbling for reading glasses when it comes to pushing those buttons.
A LIVE GOAT
$120.00
Heifer International Project, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, Arkansas; 72203; (800) 422-0474; www.heifer.org
No, I’m not suggesting you give Grandma a live goat. Instead, give the goat to a family in need in another part of the world, and make it a charitable donation in Grandma’s name. Heifer International is a wonderful organization that helps you “choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one that will help children and families around the world receive training and … help them become self-reliant.” You can choose from an array of livestock including geese, chicks, pigs, cows, llamas, and more.
