Give What No One Else Has!

By Cassaundra Brooks

For the exotic, beautiful, useful, and easy- (and cheap)-to-mail, check out Ten Thousand Villages. Consider this multistrand glass pendant necklace handcrafted by artisans in India, for $20; or this floral cutout lamp straight from Bangladesh, for $28; or for the uniquely unique, this dried-flower mistletoe ball beautifully crafted by hand in Lima, Peru, for $24. tenthousandvillages.com

Luxury Japanese-made PRPS denim makes a temporary stop in the Valley with the opening of Hub Holiday, a “pop-up” storefront joining sister shop Hub Clothing inside Scottsdale Fashion Square. Special one-time pricing means that you just might find a $500 pair of hand-woven, distressed, individually adorned jeans for an unheard-of $99. Open through the end of 2009. (480) 970-0707 or hubclothing.com

These Arizona-raised gourds, which range in size from nine to eighteen inches, were hand-painted by a local artist. The Hohokam-painted Batea measures twenty inches and is indicative of the fine local creations available at Valerie’s Furniture. They’re great for out-of-state family and friends desiring a taste of Arizona! $59–$129 and $79–$99, respectively. (480) 483-3327 or valeriesfurniture.com

This one-of-a-kind ladies 18k white-gold ring with a rare 4.87ct purple sapphire accented with 1ct white diamonds and rare purple diamonds has special holiday pricing: $12,000 down to $8,000. At Treasures Custom Jewelers. (623) 486-7875 or treasuresforyou.com

The stress of the current economy paired with the stress of the holiday season means that your giftees will appreciate some pampering more than ever. It’s the perfect treat for anyone in your life who could use some relaxing treatments and special attention. Treat those on your list to a spa package from Par Exsalonce or give them a gift certificate so they can choose from an assortment of spa treatments and hair and nail services. (480) 860-0717 or parexsalonceaz.com

Give the children in your life a gift that will last them a lifetime. Kidpreneurs is a fun and interactive book that breaks down the concept of entrepreneurship for kids and helps them to turn their ideas and passions into money-making ventures! $12.95 at kidpreneurs.org

The gift of grooming comes with a gift certificate to V’s Barbershop, voted Best of the Valley by Phoenix Magazine seven times! And with seven Valley locations, your family and friends across the Valley can enjoy classic, old-fashioned barbering services like straightedge shaves, facials, and haircuts. It’s a guy thing! vbarbershop.com

Add some green to your holidays with a gift for the environmentally conscious on your gift-giving list. The Sierra Club recently launched a program in which people can sponsor a national park. Pick one in honor of your friend or family member, and he or she will be sent a certificate of protection and cute stuffed animal that represents the chosen park. Choose from Giant Sequoia, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Acadia national parks. Sponsorships are available at different levels. sierraclub.org/wildplaces

Introduce your child to computers the safe way with a PeeWee PC. Not only are they fun and physically resilient, they come with built-in security features, time limits, Internet filters, and age-appropriate software packages. peeweepc.com

Dolce & Gabbana’s newest fragrance for gentleman, The One, is described with such adjectives as sensual and sophisticated. It is a spicy oriental fragrance with bright top notes of grapefruit and basil and morphs into ginger and orange blossom, leaving behind the scent of cedarwood and tobacco. dolcegabbana.com