Holiday Shopping guide: 23 gifts to buy your loved ones’ affections

Correction! Parking at pink meters IS NOT free all month. The correct info is:

Free parking for the holidays, December 12-24, 2013!

Time limits posted on meters will still be enforced.

Park free at 2 hour purple-domed meters for 2 hours, 2 hour limit

Park free at 3 hour green-domed meters for 3 hours, 3 hour limit

Park free at 15 minute yellow-domed meters for 15 minutes, 15 minute limit

9 hour gray-domed meters are NOT part of this program; they must be paid as usual

City-owned leased lots are NOT part of this program

Remember on Saturdays, Sundays and City-recognized holidays

parking is free with no time limits at all meters and City-owned parking lots.

(Or, a working list of what you can buy me for Solstice) 

1) Gift certificate for a psychic reading with Sarah Adams of Psychic Sister (while you’re in there, hit up the psychic jukebox!)

2) Alternately, if you really care about me, for $125 you can purchase me a Psychic Sister exclusive camelhair pea coat. (Handmade!) And/or,

3) OLO perfume, natural scents like Victory Wolf, Dark Wave, and Violet/Leather. (really hard to get out of this amazing store…)

4) Sewing classes at (re)Fabulous. Opt for skipping the craziness of the malls and make it yourself, or… two words… gift certificate! 1025 Black Lake Blvd.

5) Chinese food on Christmas? I’d happily stir us up something tasty in a copper wok from Buck’s Fifth Avenue. (Incredibly priced Cardamom or saffron in pretty little tins are also acceptable choices.)

6) A Chrysanthemum tea cup from Radiance would make everything better.

7) Forget Valentine’s Day. Het me a flower bouquet from Capitol Florist. Please.

8) Beaujolais Nouveau from Gran Vin Wine Merchants will go fabulously with practically any holiday meal (vegan potlucks excluded)

9) Botticelli knee socks from Belleza Ropa. Naked lady in a half shell, under my work slacks, yeah!

10) Archibald gift box with Inflatable beard/sparkle bacon ornament/lederhosen unicorn/head tingler. Dealer’s choice.

11) Pretty much anything at Hot Toddy, but especially Butter nail polish, or funky chunky jewelry, & ohmigod, did you see those Shoes?!! And maybe a cocktail dress. And maybe that one other pair of shoes. Thanks!

12) Craphound 6—Death, Phones, Scissors for some guaranteed zinemaking glory. From Last Word Books.

13) Either a book that some famous person wrote, or, encouragement to write your own dang book in a watercolor otter journals from Orca Books.

14) Tattoo from Lit Fuse—Hello, $60 minimum!

15) K records mittens, but of course!

16) Anything from Dree’s (like Holly Golightly said of Tiffany’s, nothing bad could possibly happen inside Dree’s)

17) Vidaliah creations: ugly-cute creatures found at the Olympia Food Co-op. And hell, while you’re there, pick up some prepaid gift cards for the person that you have no idea what to buy. Most people love food.

18) A year membership to the Olympia Film Society and popcorn with LOTS of nutritional yeast and tamari.

19) Mid-century sideboard or Harley Davidson jacket from Peacock Vintage. You decide.

20) Pax by Ploom Vaporizer From Fire & Earth. Only $250. It’s for your health!

21) Felt’s all the rage! Magical felt gnome ornaments from Childhood’s End Gallery.

22) Rody. Rody. Rody. From Wind Up Here (They offer free holiday gift wrapping, nation wide shipping, online shopping with in store pick up)

23) Traditions! Basically the best gift store, and it’s all Fair Trade, and as Mom & Pop as you can get—so you can sleep well at night knowing that you’re a buy-local superstar!

Remember: from December 12-24, parking is as free as air in those new pink meters. (Gone are the days when Olympians fumbled and fussed over those silly, silly solar powered meters that no one from out of town could figure out. Also, gone is Olympia’s favorite past-time: watching people from out of town spend half an hour scratching their head while trying to park with one of those bad boys.) Here’s a thought: use all that parking money to buy the hot-off-the-press Buy Local Coupon Book! ◙