MODS, Maybe we should change the title to "Holiday Gift Ideas" or "Holiday Shopping"?
I wanted to share this pretty good article from NY Times.
December 1, 2005
Critical Shopper
Holiday Shopping in a Sea of Tranquillity
By ALEX KUCZYNSKI
I'VE never enjoyed the holidays. There was the time in eighth grade when my mother wouldn't let me open my presents until I had finished reading "Sense and Sensibility." So I sat scowling at the book for three days until finally, on Dec. 28, she relented. I haven't read a page of Jane Austen since. In the annals of instruction this lesson was similar to my third grade gym teacher's telling me to imagine that my family had been kidnapped by terrorists and that the only way to save their lives would be if I did a back flip on the trampoline.
There was more negative reinforcement: I was 21 years old, working at my first job in book publishing, and my task on Dec. 23 was to escort Jackie Mason to a book signing at Macy's. I had never been to Macy's, and I couldn't imagine why none of my co-workers leapt at the chance to spend the night before Christmas Eve in what was surely one of the world's most glamorous, exciting department stores.
The signing was to take place on one of its higher floors. Mr. Mason and I struggled through the crowd to the elevators and found them all choked with humanity. We shoehorned ourselves onto the escalator, ascending into an agitated throng of holiday shoppers, packs of men and women scrambling for the last pair of argyle socks or Cabbage Patch Kid.
I was Dante, Mr. Mason was Virgil, and here we were in the ninth circle of hell: Macy's, two nights before Christmas.
The experience struck fear in me, a kind of retailophobia, which requires me to buy holiday gifts before Thanksgiving rather than risk becoming part of the frenzy, which appears to get worse with each year. Judging from the pictures dutifully run by all news outlets, the wild-eyed people streaming into Wal-Mart at 12:01 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving looked like a consumer Donner Party, starved for six months and suddenly ravenous for cashmink scarves and Xboxes.
Perhaps my fear is aggravated by the fact that my gift list exceeds 30 people, including half a dozen stepchildren, four siblings-in-law, a half-sister, a stepfather, stepmother, regular parents, two stepbrothers, several nephews and nieces and dear Aunt Bobbie, not to mention the guys at the garage, the hairdresser and my accountant. If I haven't bought you a present by now, you're not getting one.
For those shoppers just starting, here is a list of places I have visited for gifts this year and, in several cases, past years. They are oases of relative tranquillity in a sea of Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays, maxed-out credit cards and hissing salesclerks. In alphabetical order:
ABC CARPET & HOME
888 Broadway (19th Street), Manhattan (and five other stores); (212) 473-3000.
The first floor is an ocean of small and large gifts. Jewelry, essential oils, vintage candles, beeswax candles, handblown glass. In October I bought two pashmina scarves, $74 each, which are the real thing: light as chiffon and warm as down. ABC ships anywhere.
THE ASIA SOCIETY
725 Park Avenue (70th Street), Manhattan; (212) 327-9217.
I may be the only member of the Asia Society who joined only for the 10 percent discount at the museum store. I have not set foot inside the museum for more than three years, but I visit the store regularly for its shawls, jewelry, toys, home items and books, which this year includes my favorite new book of essays on shopping, "Hooked! Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire and the Urge to Consume" (Shambhala, $16.95). A yearlong membership costs $65 for New Yorkers and $40 for those who live more than 150 miles outside New York City or who are over 65.
LF STORES
149 Spring Street (Greene Street), Manhattan (and six other stores); (212) 966-5889.
This California retailer stocks my favorite teenage apparel anywhere: it's original and stylish in a world of uniform-wearing Hilton and Olsen sisters. And, well, I buy a lot of things there too. Purchases this year include my Penny Loves Kenny gold cowboy boots for $160 and a cuff bracelet of Andean opals for $85.
LLBEAN.COM
(800) 441-5713.
Most people think that if you bother to get a gift monogrammed, you really, really care. Little do they know I can order a monogrammed boat-and-tote bag on this Web site, requesting that it be wrapped and sent with a card, in 2 minutes 39 seconds. (Unfortunately you can request later shipping dates only on telephone orders.)
MRSBEASLEYS.COM
(800) 800-2253.
I received one of Mrs. Beasley's Miss Grace Lemon Cakes several years ago and have been sending them ever since. A cake that serves 10 is $28.95; one that serves 22 is $44.95. The site allows you to choose your shipping date, so you can order in October and have everything wrapped up and sent in December. I ordered one for my accountant, Jonathan, two weeks ago. Here's hoping I don't get audited.
NEIMANMARCUS.COM
(888) 888-4757.
Best customer service of any luxury retailer. Lots of gifts under $80, wrapped beautifully and sent on time.
PEARL RIVER MART
477 Broadway (between Broome and Grand Streets), Manhattan; (212) 431-4770.
A warehouse of inexpensive goodies, Pearl River sells more than cheongsam dresses. For $25 and at-home wrapping you can put three people on your list in silk pajamas.
ROBERTA FREYMANN
49 East 78th Street, No. 2A, Manhattan; (212) 585-3767.
Near the top of my list for favorite stores of the year. Relatively well-priced clothing from around the world, vintage textiles, jewelry. Watch for Halle Berry to be wearing Freymann items in a coming movie, "Perfect Stranger."
TIFFANY.COM
(800) 843-3269.
Excellent service from a luxury retailer. Easy monogramming online. The site allows you to specify when your order ships and offers good last-minute service and surprisingly inexpensive gifts.
UNIQLO
76 Greene Street (between Spring and Broome Streets), Manhattan; (646) 283-8029.
The Japanese retailer, my No. 1 favorite new store of the year, has opened a pop-up holiday shop in SoHo through December. Chic, spare cashmere sweaters for less than $60 and jeans, jackets and other simple clothing for men, women and children.
Finally. The most meaningful soul-and-heart-expanding presents I have received in the last few holiday seasons have been letters of thanks from parents who could not afford to give presents to their own children. For three years I have picked up two or three letters from children addressed to Santa Claus at the main post office on Eighth Avenue and 32nd Street in Manhattan. You can write for Dear Santa letters to Operation Santa Claus, James A. Farley Building, 421 Eighth Avenue, Room 3023, New York, NY 10199-9998.
You can also telephone the branch at (212) 330-3084. You can ask for hours and go pore through the shoe boxes full of letters. Do not go if you're hung over or already suffering from holiday blues.
This year I am participating in Stockings With Care, a program organized in 1992 by Rosalie Joseph and Tom Fontana, the creator of "Homicide" and "Oz." It matches donor Santas with children who give holiday wish lists to social workers who interact with them. The only presents these children receive are the ones you give them. The best way to reach them is
stockingswithcare.org. <img name="s_i_nytimesglobal" alt="" border="0" height="1" width="1">
peolpe lurking in the malls during the holidays
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they're turning out really cute!
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