Think Festively, Shop Locally

by Francis Cruz, William Doiron and photographs by Jennifer May, November 30, 2007

As the holidays loom closer, so too can the panic over what to give friends, family, and colleagues. Our advice: Shop local. Don’t feel like you need to trek hundreds of miles to find the perfect present, or begin a desperate online campaign of frustrated Google searches (i.e., “father-in-law + perfect gift under $50”). There’s an amazing array of area retailers specializing in original, meaningful, beautiful, and useful gifts catering to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Remember: Shopping locally means more than just convenience. It’s about supporting your community and bringing home a rich variety of extraordinary locally made and sold goods.

Elegance in Giving
Going for that high-class look without that upper-class guilt? Head over to Antara Home at the Broadway Arcade in Albany where you can find fair trade throws from Swaziland ($185) that will look good in any setting. Vermont-based Creative Women partners with Swazis to produce these throws out of mohair, a silky fabric made from the hair of an Angora goat. Tiny Swaziland has a long tradition of textile weaving amongst its women, a tradition that has continued to this day. The goal of Creative Women is not simply to buy these products at a reasonable price, but to make the Swazi producers viable in the larger, international market. It seems to be working—the throws perfectly complement pillows produced by respected international names. They also come with their own matching pillow enclosures, including real African wood buttons and feather-down pillow inserts ($150). Consider these items an investment: both as a gift to a loved one (or yourself) and to those who will never have the luxury of being picky about pillows and throws.

Antara Home, 488 Broadway (Store 102), Albany; (518) 465-8475;
www.antarahome.com.

Serving Style for the Holidays
This holiday season, show some appreciation for the people who will make your dinner. Stop by Pearl Grant Richman in Stuyvesant Plaza and choose from two lines of serving sets that are not only elegant, but useful for that impending holiday feast. Pacific Merchants’ Acaciaware consists of bowls, platters, and plates, each in a variety of shapes and hand-carved from a single piece of South Pacific acacia wood. Dine without guilt—the company only harvests fast-growing, nonendangered trees on private land.
If you’re looking for a sleek, futuristic look, Nambe has created a line of similar kitchen items from a top-secret metal alloy that doesn’t crack, chip, or tarnish. Originating from a tiny village in New Mexico, the works of Nambe’s artisans have been seen at museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Now that’s something to start a dinner conversation.

Pearl Grant Richman, Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany; (518) 438-8409.