Around here, a lot of knitting and glitter-gluing and making of things on little weaving looms with those loop thingies is going on. Quite possibly a lot of the same is going on in your house, too. But if you are in the market for thoughtful, unique bought gifts, a number of which support good causes and others of which are just cool, here are some suggestions:
The Anchoress has some excellent gift ideas here, here, and here.
Speaking of artists, my brother and sister-in-law held their annual Christmas show this past weekend, and hopefully some of you Memphis locals were able to drop by. If you're looking for something big and impressive to give someone very, very special, why not consider a painting or a one-of-a-kind piece of handmade wood furniture? Again, dear darling FTC, this is a recommendation completely unmotivated by worship of mammon -- I just happen to like my family, kwim?
On the other hand, I can be bought. Here's how:
Usborne Books. It's been a while since I actively sold Usborne Books, as in handing out business cards, having parties, and so on. But I still have the shopping site, and it's worth checking out for kids' Christmas gifts. The Usborne books we own, and there are too many to name right now, have been favorites for years. Just yesterday Crispina pulled out her copy of I Can Draw Animals and more or less drew her way through it. Both the big kids use the Illustrated Math Dictionary and the Illustrated Dictionary of Biology for reference on a regular basis.
The site is huge and can be overwhelming if you don't have an idea what you're looking for. If you like, leave me a request in the comments here, with children's ages and/or interests, and I can draw you up a customized shopping list.If the idea of free books appeals to you, here's an idea: host an e-show. Just follow the simple directions on the page, fill in the form, and invite anyone you know to come and browse. I'm not a natural salesperson, and I often feel uncomfortable about inviting people to come and spend money, but this time of year, people are looking for ideas and welcome some direction. And you can get some free books out of the deal, which is always fun. Check it out!
Castle Shop. Also see the widget in the sidebar. We've hand-selected (so to speak) our favorite and/or most-wanted Christmas children's books, cookbooks, DVDs, music, and more. We'll be adding items as we stumble across them, so be sure to check back periodically. Lots of gift ideas in various price ranges: think of this as our customized shopping list. As always, any Amazon purchase through these links generates a little income for this site, for which we are always grateful. Two years ago I did a lot of my own Christmas book-shopping on a budget raised by sponsored Amazon links -- let me just thank those readers out there all over again!
My personal favorite wanna-see at the moment is this comic-strip cookbook. I'm not even Italian, and it looks very funny. I've also added DVDs of a number of BBC shows I've loved, chiefly Foyle's War and Last of the Summer Wine. The latter, starring Peter Sallis, who voices Wallace of Wallace and Gromit, seems to be less well-known in the U.S., but it's a hilarious ensemble show.
And finally, don't forget the Mystic Monks: coffee, mugs, t-shirts, hoodies, and more. Sign up the coffee-lover in your life for a monthly subscription, or give a gift set. Or get some for yourself, to power you through Christmas morning after the midnight service. Just click the banner to start shopping.

Again, dear FTC, like the Amazon links the Mystic Monks banners do generate a teeny little bit of income for this site, which is itself something of a cottage industry for the knitting-challenged. Nobody would buy anything I made by hand, but I can do this. I realize that many of my readers are, like me, keeping Christmas simple and as un-bought as possible, but if you are looking for gifts to purchase, and you happen to find something here, the Castle denizens thank you in advance for your business.








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