My favorite thing about the holiday season is the time it allows us for catching up with family and friends. That joy is followed all too closely by the gorgeous gluttony of guilt-free shopping that starts around mid-November and lasts nearly to New Year’s!  I love buying gifts for others, but far too often end up indulging in a ‘one for you, two for me’ pattern. Ah well, the more the merrier this time of year!

Since I know I’ll inevitably be ‘gifting’ myself more than I should (what would Santa say?!) I try to at least cross all my loved ones off the list first. This requires starting early! Thus, last weekend I began my annual gift quest on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A haven for independent boutiques, art markets, vintage stores and street vendors, it’s the perfect place to pick up unexpected presents. I think there are two routes you can go with gift-giving: either choose something you’d love to receive yourself (like an elegant coffee table book), or something you know the recipient would never splurge on for themselves (like a glittering piece of jewelry).

In Williamsburg, I love popping into Catbird for scented candles (the perfect hostess gift for every holiday party), sweetly tough accessories, and heavenly scents by DS&Durga (they make wonderful stocking stuffers!).  Next I head over to Ugly Luggage, a quirky antiques shop stocked with great vintage glassware and sixties martini sets (fun gifts for mom or my bachelor brother alike!). In between I like to thumb through the offerings from local street vendors ~ this time around I picked up an assortment of vintage toy dinosaurs to spray paint silver and use for dinner party décor (I think I’ll put place cards in their mouths, then send them home as party favors!), and an old photography book for my boyfriend. Then I make a sweep through the Artists & Fleas market, to pick out handmade baubles for my little sister. I finish things up at The Future Perfect, where I find a set of silver-plated playing cards for my dad ~ and a copy of ‘Apartment Therapy’s Book of Small, Cool Spaces’ for me!

After all, tis the season to indulge generously!!

XO
Kelly