Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts $10 or less
Find something for everyone on your list at the many independent merchants in the Heights. Most will gift wrap or ship your items, too. Here are some of our favorites:
Made-from-scratch renditions of favorite nostalgic treats: pocket pies (house-made Pop-tarts with fresh fillings, such as cherry and blueberry, $2.00 each); faux-ho's $3.00 each (house-made Ho-Ho's, $3.00 each); cream canoes (house-made Twinkies, $3.00 each, Katz Club Diner).
Knock Knock Papergoods: fun and functional pads featuring everything from the ubiquitous OMG to just silly 'Passive Aggressive Notes' ($3.75 to $6.75, Simply Charming).
Pet Treats: Fruitables, cookies and treats for dogs; Buddy Biscuits, for dogs and cats; and Primal Liver snaps ($3.99 to $9.99, Animal Zen).
Animal Finger Puppets: fuzzy, cheerful puppets woven by artisans in Peru and Bolivia in bright acrylic ($4.00, Ten Thousand Villages).
Pinwheels, a classic toy that has fascinated children for centuries ($4.95 to $10.95, Pinwheel Kids).
Candle and Fireplace Matches ($5.00 and $9.00, Jubilee Gifts).
Chubby Chaps: hand-crafted, large, awesome-smelling lip balms ($6.00, Blush Boutique).
Compendium Inner Truth Journals: a selection of heart-warming and beautifully decorated journals ($7.00 each, Simply Charming).
International Arrivals Monster Mouth Pouch: adorable fuzzy pencil holder whose zipper is its mouth ($7.50 each, Simply Charming).
Specialty Foods from Stonewall Kitchen: gourmet jams, jellies, grilling sauces, marinades and more ($7.95 and up, DuoHome).
Lil' Tweet Hook, made of iron and painted ceramic by artisans in India ($8.00, Revive).
Kaleidoscope Ornaments, handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam using recycled magazines ($8.00 to $9.00, Revive).
Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas: the classic holiday poem in a beautiful gift edition. ($9.95, Mac’s Backs).
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett: British fantasy and satire at its finest—what happens when jolly old Hogfather disappears leaving his sleigh to Death himself? ($9.99, Mac’s Backs).
Whimsical Cheese Knife, made of stainless steel by metal workers in India ($10.00, Ten Thousand Villages).
Big Fun Bendy Bonanza, includes new characters, such as Bigfoot, Pickle, Zombie, and Narwhalcorn, as well as well-known favorites such as Gumby, Pokey and Mr. Bill ($10.00 or less, Big Fun).
Deanna Bremer Fisher
Deanna Bremer Fisher is executive director of FutureHeights and publisher of the Heights Observer.