Holiday Gift Rescue

It's that time of year, the stores are crazy and the weather is bad - AND you still have a gift list as long as your arm. Here are a few unique gift ideas that might help you out in a pinch...

For a small child:

I recently discovered the online toy store Oompa. What a joy! The toys are all made from wood or cloth - no plastic-y junk and nothing battery operated. The designs are gorgeous and the toys are all fun. Up to age 5. How sweet is this snail?


For an older child:

I love the company Usborne Books. They specialize in a lot of homeschooling resources, so their catalogue is learning-based and the products are very good quality. You can find children's atlases, puzzles, learning modules and theme-based "kid kits".

For the entertainer:

I have given this as a gift before because I secretly covet it: Bambu. I don't entertain in my home very often, and fancy plates are pretty much wasted on us, but I love the Bambu bowls that are hand coiled and lacquered with these beautiful, rich colours.


For the organizer/person on the move:

This is something for the practical person in your life! Life.Doc offers an organizing binder for all your important documents and critical information. Perfect for someone who likes things to be in order and easy to find. Also good for someone who's always on the move and needs all their important stuff in one place. Comes with CD-Rom.


For the fashionista:

I only recently discovered the joy of Zappos.com. Self proclaimed "service company" that happens to sell shoes, bags, clothing and accessories. You can browse through this extensive site for hours. But be careful, you will probably end up buying something for yourself too because there is something for everyone.

For the modern tea drinker:

These Bee House teapots from Japan come in a variety of sizes, from a single cupper to a larger cylindrical size. This is the one I have:


For anyone (who cares):

Hit the OXFAM website to donate money to emergency relief, farming, education and health initiatives across the world through their "UnWrapped" program. Your gift recipient will receive a nifty card with a picture of the contribution you made in their name, for example,

a seed bank for an entire village (only $50).

Good luck shoppers...