Linda Falkenstein
Asparagus spear servers from Four Seasons Design
There are two problems -- at least -- with holiday shopping these days. One is that no one seems to need or even want anything more. Deferring gratification is passé.
Still, we have been brought up to believe that it is better to give than to receive. So give we must.
The other problem? Finding time to shop.
What about asking a personal shopper to take care of your holiday buying for you? Kathryn Newhouse operates a Madison-area "concierge service" that could theoretically shop for a client. But Newhouse says that while people might imagine that personal shoppers are doing "something glamorous like picking up diamond jewelry for the customer or booking that surprise Hawaii trip," more practical jobs are the ones that are requested. "Putting up the tree most everyone loves," Newhouse explains, "but everyone dislikes taking it down."
Likewise, she says, people love to personally pick out gifts, but "Returning them takes time that no one has."
The bottom line seems to be that even personal shoppers are not going to come up with the list -- what to give your mom, uncle, cousin and co-worker. You come up with the list; they would do the schlepping.
Even so, it's more in keeping with the holiday spirit to find your own personal gift Zen. This guide is far from prescriptive. It's meant to be a little inspiration to get you started.
You might not think to look for stocking stuffers at Artist & Craftsman Supply, but it's a great place to fill up on magic tricks, puzzles, masks, stickers, novelty erasers and, of course, notepads and sketchbooks. Don't overlook this basement emporium's stock of offbeat lip balms -- including "Corn Dog" ($1.50) and "French Fry" ($3) flavors.
In fact you could forgo the stocking altogether by putting the goodies in a Blue Q tote, from coin purses to shoulder bags to roomy shopping sized, all made from 95% post-consumer materials and emblazoned with inventive graphics ($4-$12).
And from now through the end of December, Artist & Craftsman is selling its picture frames at 40% off list. Find something to put in them at Anthology, where austere yet stirring prints from Pacific Northwest-based cut paper artist Nikki McClure hang side-by-side with manifestos from Little Friends of Printmaking ("Welcome to Wisconsin, Try the Fried Cheese Curds"), Pop Chart Lab ("The Very Many Varieties of Beer") and Kennedy Prints (colorful letterpress prints of many political quotations).
Zip-Dang sells a collection of local-themed prints in the style of 19th century broadsheets that celebrate the Dane County Farmers' Market ("a bacchanalia of flora"); different posters star a badger, a cow, a rooster, a bicycle and, of course, the venerable cheese curd (all $25).
Certainly the epicenter for Wisconsiniana is the Wisconsin Historical Museum gift shop, where the clever T-shirts play on prominent state traditions and lingo, like the Friday night fish fry, real butter, cheese curds and the penchant for calling water fountains "bubblers" ($16-$20). Most also come as mugs ($10).
More Wisco-themed gifts are to be had at Orange Tree Imports. As state shapes go, Wisconsin is blessed with good design. (Who would want a Connecticut-shaped anything, for instance?) A Wisconsin-shaped cutting board made of laminated bamboo ($20) makes a good cheese board; it's even better, perhaps, in slate ($35). Bucky Badger nesting dolls, available in hockey or football versions ($50) are perhaps too nice for the rug rats, but nest them on a mantel or bookcase.
Kitchen Gallery has more Wisconsin-shaped cutting boards, handmade in-state from beautiful maple wood ($76).
An eminently practical state-themed gift is a state parks vehicle admission sticker, or a state trail pass, for 2015, available from the Department of Natural Resources. At $25 for a year of access to the state's parks, or $20 for a trail pass, it's an awfully nice gift. And you can slip it into a card and mail it without paying extra for postage, or having to stand in line with a package at the post office. The stickers should be available Dec. 1.
Delights from stocking stuffer size on up are on hand at Little Luxuries. Four-packs of Clicks magnet sets in themes like "Paris" and "Take a Hike" will upgrade the look of your fridge. You will no longer need to go on Facebook to play Scrabble with members of your own family, with a set of Scrabble tile refrigerator magnets ($12). Most households will appreciate helpful gadgets for the kitchen, like Kikkerland's "Cliff the Climber" tea infuser ($11), a whimsically shaped aid to tea service.
At Madison Modern Market, a selection of kitchen supply items from Joseph Joseph will prove handy to the small house or apartment dweller or anyone without enough cupboard space. Particularly nifty are the fold-flat chopping boards ($16-$22), which turn into a trough to aid in, say, vegetable transfer into a pot, and the fold-flat cheese grater ($20), which just helps with storage when it's not in use.
There's a growing trend to ask visitors to remove their shoes at the door, especially true in the sloppy boot-wearing months. Keep a trove of heavy-knit slippers on hand for guests so their feet stay warm and their socks stay clean. The SERRV stores have a selection of colorful slippers ($25) and mukluk-sized socks ($22), all knit in Nepal. The slipper proceeds go to support women at the Kumbeshwar Technical School in Lalitpur, Nepal; the oversized socks are fairly traded, and support local artisans.
Sure, there are knick-knacks at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art gift shop, but this is a great spot to spend a little more money for a gift that delivers a lot more impact. Stunning nature-motif tableware from the Four Seasons Design Group includes twig or oak leaf trivets ($52-$81) and ginkgo leaf or asparagus spear serving sets ($70-$102), cast in pewter or zinc, stylish enough for a dinner party but so pleasurable you may want to use them every day.
MMoCA also stocks a colorful array of leather ILI totes -- dignified but stylish purses that can double as backpacks due to cleverly configured straps ($106-$125).
Another beautiful bag is the Dot Fox tote by Fluffy Co., at Century House, with leather handles and a cheerful fox motif screen-printed on organic cotton ($58).
If you're looking for more of a man bag, Context carries the red-and-black plaid Filson tote ($50), which lends a note of lumberjack to carrying things around town. Throw in some lovely rustic Hillside socks ($18). Your giftee will never again be embarrassed the next time he's asked to take his shoes off at a party.
Artist & Craftsman Supply
6201 W. Gorham St., 608-251-2977
Anthology
218 State St., 608-204-2644
Zip-Dang
2606 Monroe St., 608-232-1602
Wisconsin Historical Museum
630 N. Carroll St., 608-264-6555
Orange Tree Imports
1721 Monroe St., 608-255-8211
Kitchen Gallery
107 King St., 608-467-6544
Department of Natural Resources
6101 S. Webster St., 608-266-2621
Little Luxuries
230 State St., 608-255-7372
Madison Modern Market
310 State St., 608-257-1555
SERRV
224 State St., 608-251-2370
2701 Monroe St., 608-233-4438
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
227 State St., 608-257-0158, ext. 257
Century House
3029 University Ave., 608-233-4488
Context
113 King St., 608-250-0113
