Countdown to the Holidays

Some people embrace the winter holidays with such eagerness that their gift-shopping is done before the last trick-or-treater has trundled off their doorstep. This Countdown to the Holidays is for the rest of us, hopefully serving as a guide, a reminder and an inspiration for those who leave holiday shopping until a little bit later.

More
2 mins read

The Gift of Great Cheese

The gift that goes with everything, and some great things that go with it  
 
Forget the sock monkeys and the finger puppets. You can find more creative gifts for stocking stuffers and holiday bashes if you just raid your local purveyor of quality food. Pair a local cheese with artisan crackers, jam, chocolates or spirits,

More
1 min read

Who’s a Good Dog?

Locally made dog biscuits are an always welcome gift for you-know-who
"Being vegan myself, I was used to reading food labels and I thought 'Why aren't I giving the same attention to my pets’ food?'" That’s what led Marlene Doyle to create Lucky Dog Treat Company in 2007. "I felt I could put out a product

More
1 min read

Who’s on your mini-bucket list?

The Stadler-Kahn Mini Bucket is a one-of-a-kind gift bag based on the company’s “P.POD” (Philadelphia Produces Original Design) pop-up shops. The dark washed denim mini bucket, printed and constructed in Philadelphia, features an assortment of Philadelphia-made items. 

More
1 min read

Any Occasion: New local shop offers more than Girls Can Tell

At East Passyunk’s Occasionette, quirky hostess gifts and fun housewares await. Owner Sara Selepouchin opened Occasionette after finding national success with her line of diagram-printed products, Girls Can Tell, and local success with a tiny retail section in front of her production space.

More
1 min read

Book Share: Local take on “Book of the Month” club

Books make great gifts, and so do CSA shares, but for a truly unique gift, you can give both. The Head and the Hand (THATH), publishers of The Rust Belt Rising Almanac, recently started a Community Supported Publishing (CSP) program. For just $50, members get five books and four chapbooks. “A CSP membership not only

More
1 min read

Cultural Affairs: Giving the gift of going

Lantern Theater Company: A Child’s Christmas in Wales, through Jan. 5, 2014. Starting at $20, St. Stephen’s Theater 10th & Ludlow Sts.
Philadelphia is a world-class city, exemplified by our vast and varied cultural institutions, large and small — from the orchestra and the ballet to indie rock and story slams to live theater ranging

More
1 min read

Boozy Infusions: Holiday spirits get a personalized twist

Instead of trekking all over town to collect ingredients for a fruitcake that you’ll spend weeks dousing with whiskey, why not just give the whiskey? The gift of a bottle might not be anything new, but these wintry infusions give it a unique and personal touch. All will be welcome additions to the most creative

More
1 min read