Knitters Sweater Pin

First things first: this is way too expensive for a stocking stuffer, unless you're rich. But oh! I love this little pin -- and I'm not even a knitter. (I will learn someday, I will!) It does bother me that the product description doesn't indicate the actual size of the pin, but it's exquisite regardless, and the perfect gift for a knitter. The description says that each pin in handcrafted, and designed by a husband-and-wife team. It says that the pin is made from "laser-cut steel, paint, resin and found objects," and if you look closely you can see the little bits and pieces.

(There is also a quilting brooch, but I like the knitters sweater better.)

What: Knitters Sweater Pin
Where: Wireless Catalog
How much (as of today's post): $79.95

Little Dancer Pin -- Paired with Books!

I didn't intend to post about another luxury stocking stuffer so soon, but this little dancer has captured my heart! As many of you will recognize, this pin is a replica of the famous Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, more commonly known as just Little Dancer. The sculpture was originally made of bronze and tulle, while this 1.25 inch high by .75 inch wide pin is made of antiqued bronze finish.

One of the reasons I think this would make a lovely, special stocking stuffer is that it can be so nicely paired with a gift under the tree. The Little Dancer has been featured in several books, including multiple picture books and even a young adult novel depicting Marie's life as an aspiring dancer at the Paris Opera. The novel is Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer, and it's truly a moving story. The paperback would probably even fit in a larger stocking along with the pin, while the hardcover edition could go under the tree if that's what you prefer.

And the picture books would be great fun for younger girls to go with this keepsake pin! Two picture books I know of are Marie in Fourth Position: The Story of Degas by Amy Littlesugar and Ian Schoenherr, and Degas and the Little Dancer by Laurence Anholt. I love the way both cover illustrations capture the mood of the Little Dancer, but so differently!

And there are probably even more books out there -- clearly I'm not the only one whose imagination has been caught by the Little Dancer!



What: Little Dancer Pin, paired with a book!
Where: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website (or other museum stores)
How much (as of today's post): $48.00 (43.20 for members) (plus shipping)

Cosmic Cat Pendant

At this price, this is definitely not your everyday stocking stuffer, but it did catch my eye, and I haven't listed a "luxury" stocking stuffer in a while. What drew me to this Cosmic Cat pendant is that I'm into cats (duh!) and I'm also into the stars, both fictionally via reading so much science fiction, and with my interest in the space program. In any case, the Pyramid Collection catalog describes this as "a handcrafted pendant of antiqued sterling silver by fantasy designer Uma Silbey." It's 1.5" long and the stone is genuine opal. The online description doesn't specify, but I don't believe the chain comes with it, which is something to keep in mind.

What: Cosmic Cat Pendant
Where: Pyramid Collection
How much (as of today's post): $39.95 (plus shipping)

Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter

I'm pretty sure the folks over at ThinkGeek have figured out that if they make something Star Trek that's even just marginally cool, we science fiction geeks will snap it right up! Last year we bought the Star Trek Enterprise Bottle Opener for a number of our friends and it was a huge hit. This year we have the Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter as an option!

At $24.99, this isn't cheap, so it definitely qualifies as a "luxury" stocking stuffer. But if the bottle opener is anything to go by, this is high quality merchandise. The description says it's a "Laser Etched Stainless steel blade with solid zinc-alloy chromium plated body" (technobabble!). The blade diameter is 4 inches and the total length is 8.5 inches. Since it comes in a box that will be slightly bigger than those dimensions, that might make it a little big for a stocking stuffer. Another potential drawback is that it's hand-wash only.

But it's a Star Trek Enterprise pizza cutter!

(Oh, and here's a hint: ThinkGeek participates in Mr. Rebates, so if you sign up for that, you can get 4% back on all of your purchases. There are a zillion other stores that participate too!)

What: Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $24.99 (plus shipping)

Mechanical Kitty Coin Bank

Another item that's really too expensive for a stocking stuffer, but oh! it's so cute. And it's Friday.... which I've designated for "luxury stocking stuffers." This one is a Mechanical Kitty Bank from Japan, infused with that special brand of Japanese cuteness. You put a coin on the little fish "food bowl", and the clever kitteh hiding in the box pops out and steals it. As usual, ThinkGeek is clever with their descriptions, claiming that this kitty is saving up for that long-desire cheezburger.

Made of plastic, the bank requires two AA batteries to work, which are not included. In addition to being pricey at $29.99, the bank is also a little big for a stocking stuffer unless you have a pretty big stocking; it measures 11.5 x 12 x 10 cm (which I converted to learn that it's just under 5 inches on the largest side). You can choose a brown or white kitty, and you'll have different Japanese writing and graphics on the "cardboard" box depending which you choose.

Perfect for LOLcat lovers, or for teens into anime and manga, for whom anything cute and Japanese is cool!

What: Mechanical Kitty Coin Bank
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $29.99 (plus shipping)

KinderGlo Night Lights

Fridays are "luxury stocking stuffer" days -- days where I post about special items that are a little more expensive than you generally want to spend. I include them because I do think it's nice when a stocking contains at least one item that is more "gift-like", if that makes sense. And this one is too cute for words: KinderGlo Night Lights, which are available in the shape of a brontosaurus, an owl, a crescent moon, and (my favorite) a T-rex! These are portable, cool-to-the-touch night lights that you can set on the soft red, blue, or green, or you can let them cycle between all three! You can leave them on all night or set them for a 30-minute auto shut-off.

Last but not least, the night lights come with a charging station and a six-foot charging cable, and they are BPA and lead-free. Seems like they've thought of everything! The moon is the largest with height and width at 5.5 inches, while the rest are no more then 4 or 4.5 inches on their longest dimension.

What: KinderGlo Night Lights
Where: Vat19.com
How much (as of today's post): $23.95 to $25.95 (plus shipping)

Building Block Calculator

Looks like you can get anything made out of "building blocks" (sorry, I call them all Legos automatically, even though I know that's not accurate) these days: utensils, USB flash drives, tie pins for men, you name it. This building block calculator is a new one to me, though. It measures 5.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches, and comes in red, green, blue, or black. From what I can see of the buttons in the picture, it doesn't look like it does the higher math functions so it probably wouldn't be the thing for a student taking calculus, but it certainly would be sufficient in the home office for balancing a checkbook, or in the workplace for simple math tasks.

I remember loving Legos as a kid. I have several Star Wars and Harry Potter Lego toys now, but I still remember fondly the days when you just had plain Lego blocks and you figured out what to make with them instead of being directed on the box!

What: Building Block Calculator
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $26.99 (plus shipping)

Bhutanese Coin Necklace

Today's Friday "luxury" stocking stuffer is an authentic Bhutanese Coin featuring "Buddhism's eight auspicious symbols," set in sterling silver. This is so right up my alley, because it's unusual, it has symbolism, and it's set in silver instead of gold. The product description also says (and this is all new to me) that "Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked Himalayan country bordered by China and India. The economy is one of the world's smallest and least developed; however, limited amounts of various coins are minted." I think this is one of those jewelry "conversation pieces," if that makes sense.

What: Bhutanese Coin Necklace
Where: Animal Rescue Site store
How much (as of today's post): $32.95 (plus shipping)

Wallet Bottle Opener

The starting-out price for this stocking stuffer for men is not bad at $14.95, but it you want engraving -- which to me would kind of be the point -- the price does go up by another $9.95, and then of course there's shipping. Which moves this well into the category of "luxury" stocking stuffer. But it can make a unique and lasting gift tailored to an individual. What is it? A bottle opener that can be carried in the wallet like a credit card, but that can also be personalized.

What to engrave? The example shown gives important dates for the forgetful man to remember, but one reviewer on the website noted that she gave one to her son and one to his college roommate, with their college and year engraved on it. I think that's a terrific idea! You could also have a meaningful quote engraved, or make is a message from your kids to their father or grandfather.

Here are some product particulars:

• It measures 3 3/8 x 2 1/8 inches
  
• It's made of stainless steel
  
• It can be engraved with up to 5 lines, 20 characters each line. The size of the letters depends on how much you have engraved -- more characters will result in smaller engraving

Great idea for Father's Day, which always manages to sneak up on me....

What: Wallet Bottle Opener
Where: Red Envelope website
How much (as of today's post): $14.95 (plus more for engraving if desired) (plus shipping)

Buckyballs

I know that $29.95 for a magnetic toy seems super expensive, but I have played with Buckyballs and they are as fascinating as everyone says they are. Buckyballs come as a set of 216 tiny ball-shaped rare earth magnets that seem to take on a life of their own. Naturally they're not suitable for any child that might swallow them, but they're a fun gift for just about anyone else.

Seriously, check out the 2 minute demo video here. It's far more entertaining than anything I could say about them. ;-)

What: Buckyballs
Where: Buckyballs website, ThinkGeek.com, or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $29.95 (plus shipping)

Pool Ball Wine Stopper

Here's a neat luxury stocking stuffer for men: pool ball winestoppers from a company called Knobstoppers. They're made of real vintage pool balls, and you can choose either a color or a number (you can't choose both since pool balls have set colors that go with each number), except for 8-balls because 8-balls are apparently rare and they don't have them at this time. This is especially perfect for any guy who has a pool table and or a bar room down in his "man cave".

What: Pool Ball Wine Stopper
Where: Knobstoppers website
How much (as of today's post): $32.00 (plus shipping)

Hand-Carved Cat Stretching

Not long ago I posted about a stocking stuffer from the Southwest Indian Foundation, and here is another one that caught my eye: a hand-carved figure of a cat stretching, made of ironwood in Mexico. I love the way the simple lines capture the natural grace of a cat. The figure measures about 5 1/2 inches long, and would make a lovely stocking stuffer for the cat lover.

What: Hand-Carved Cat Stretching
Where: Southwest Indian Foundation
How much (as of today's post): $35.00 (plus shipping)

Zuni Flower Pin

Definitely a luxury item, this! This Zuni flower pin comes from the Southwest Indian Foundation, an organization whose mission is to "lessen the poverty and unemployment among the Native Americans of the Southwest, specifically members of the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Laguna, Acoma, and Apache tribes." I received their catalog in the mail the other day, and they have lots of lovely merchandise. Many of the items are handmade.

In particular, this pin is made of turquoise set in sterling silver, and measures 2 inches in diameter. I tend to prefer silver to gold myself, so this is just to my taste.

What: Zuni Flower Pin
Where: Southwest Indian Foundation
How much (as of today's post): $59.00 (plus shipping)

Nestling Birds Necklace

Handmade by Rhonda and Elijah Wyman and available through the Uncommon Goods website, these nestling birds necklaces are the perfect Mother's Day present. The necklaces are made of oxidized sterling silver (which is why they are dark in color) and can feature one, two, three, or four baby birds. The length of the chain is 16-17 inches, and the birds' perch is 2 to 2.5 inches wide.

What: Nestling Birds Necklace
Where: Uncommon Goods website
How much (as of today's post): $70 to $79 (plus shipping)

Ruby Locket

I definitely prefer unusual jewelry to the standard diamond on a gold chain, and this ruby locket from Signals certainly caught my eye. According to the description, it has a 1/4 inch faceted ruby, hand set in a sterling bezel (whatever that is!). The hinged locket itself is 1 1/8 inches and has a safety clasp, and it comes on an 18 inch sterling chain. I guess it attracts me because it looks like it could have a mysterious and interesting story attached to it..... In any case, it's definitely a luxury item, but with the ruby it would also make a really unusual Valentine's Day gift.

What: Ruby Locket
Where: Signals.com
How much (as of today's post): $69.95 (plus shipping)

Hand-Painted Wind Up Music Boxes

I tend to think of my "luxury Friday" stocking stuffer posts as sort of "fantasy items" -- the kind I would buy if money were no object. Today's post is no exception: I fell in love with these vintage-inspired music boxes from the Uncommon Goods website. I have a baby shower coming up at the end of the month, and oh! wouldn't I love to buy one of these! But these days I rarely deviate from a baby registry for baby gifts, because I know first-time parents in particular really need the practical stuff more than anything else.

But if I could swing one of these in addition to something more practical, you bet I would! These musical boxes are handmade and hand-painted, with the lyrics to "Love Makes the World Go Round" printed on the back. The little wooden knob, decorated with bunnies in pink or squirrels in blue, spin around while the music is playing. Aren't they sweet? They measure 4 inches long by 3.5 inches wide by 8 inches high.

What: Hand-Painted Wind Up Music Boxes
Where: UncommonGoods website
How much (as of today's post): $50.00 (plus shipping)

Chinese Zodiac Necklaces

Oh dear, at this price these qualify as uber-luxury stocking stuffers, but they're so pretty I wanted to bring them to your attention. These are Chinese zodiac necklaces handcrafted by Mindy and Grant Searcey and offered by Uncommon Goods. They're made of recycled sterling silver with semi-precious jade, and come in each of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac: pig, ox, dog, dragon, horse, monkey, rabbit, ram, rat, rooster, snake, and tiger. If you click on each individual necklace, you'll see the years to which they apply.

The rabbit and tiger are shown above. But oh dear, I would have to go and be the year of the monkey....

What: Chinese Zodiac Necklaces
Where: Uncommon Goods website
How much (as of today's post): $60.00 (plus shipping)

Personalized Hibiscus Ink Stamp

I realize it's certainly possible to find less expensive personalized stamps, but since this is a Friday (= luxury stocking stuffer day!) and I think this personalized hibiscus stamp from FineStationery.com is especially elegant, I'm going with it! The stamper stands 4 1/2 inches tall, and contains a black semi-permanent ink cartridge that is good for approximately 800 impressions (refills are available including several other colors). The stamp itself has the hibiscus in the center, surrounded by personalization of up to 60 characters (including spaces) around the outside.

As you can see in the example, there are lots of potential uses for this! One is as a family stamp with everyone's name, while another is a more traditional return address stamp with the actual address. Yet another use would be a stamp to personalize greeting cards you've made yourself, with text such as "For You, lovingly handmade by Jane Doe", for example.

If you don't care for the hibiscus (I admit I'm biased -- I have a tattoo of a hibiscus), there are plenty of other designs, including holiday themes such as a Christmas tree or a Christmas train. Have fun browsing the site!

What: Personalized Hibiscus Ink Stamp
Where: FineStationery.com
How much (as of today's post): $40.00 (plus shipping)

Star Trek Enterprise Webcam

My husband and I are off to another science fiction convention, so in honor of that, today's luxury stocking stuffer is a Star Trek Enterprise Webcam from ThinkGeek.com. I've never used a webcam before, but I've been hearing more and more good things about Skype, so perhaps it's time to take the plunge. The product info page says it's compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Mac.

To be completely honest, even though this is smallish, in its box it might be a tight squeeze for a stocking stuffer, so I hope you'll give me some slack. Of course, you could always put the DVD of the new Star Trek movie in the stocking and make this a paired gift by putting the webcam under the tree.

By the way, ThinkGeek.com participates in Mr. Rebates, if you happen to use that program. I did a lot of Christmas shopping at ThinkGeek, so I'm looking forward to a few small rebates. Nothing big... but every little bit helps!

Warp speed ahead!

What: Star Trek Enterprise Webcam
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $22.99 (plus shipping)

Baby Bird Utensil Set

While these adorable baby utensils are not cheap, they are also of high enough quality, beauty, and durability to be passed along as family heirlooms for the next generation and the one beyond that. They are hand cast in lead free pewter, and measure 4.75 inches long. They're the perfect stocking stuffer for a baby who is too young to really understand gifts and Christmas yet anyway, but who will come to cherish the items as they grow up. Alternatively they make a lovely small (in size) gift for a baby shower. (I still have the engraved copper piggy bank that an aunt gave to me/my mom when I was born.)

In addition to this "baby bird" set, there is also an ABC/123 set, and a hearts set. The baby birds are my favorite, though.

[NOTE: I first came across this item on the Gifting Gumshoe blog.]

What: Bird Baby Utensil Set
Where: Elsewheres Independent Art & Design
How much (as of today's post): $38.00 (plus shipping)