Terrarium
This 5-inch globe contains its own little garden, which your special someone can marvel over (while thinking of you) every day. Plants are included.
Mini ceramic creamers
- $8 each; 11/2-inch diameter; pigeontoeceramics.com
As place-setting pitchers or solo with a tiny bloom, these cuties are a winsome, affordable entrée to handmade ceramics.
Walton Ford: Pancha Tantra
- Taschen, 2009; $70; taschen.com
Ford’s lush watercolors depict the animal kingdom as you never dared imagine it; this coffee- table book is a sure conversation-starter.
Cedar candlestick holder
- $20; 11-inch diameter; raredevice.net
This easy-to-assemble piece is lovely in its simplicity―and priced right. It makes a wonderful hostess gift with a box of wax tapers.
Organic cotton dish towels
- $20 each; about 20 by 271/2 inches; branchhome.com
Add a splash of color to the kitchen with textiles that are part utility, part artwork.
Sustainable stars
- $15 for set of three; 53/4-inch diameter; branchhome.com
These hardworking reclaimed stars can add the finishing touch to a gift or decorate a tree. Made from recycled milk cartons, they’re available with red or green ribbon.
Glowbowls
- $95; 4 1/3 feet long; dianafayt.com
These luminous, delicate bowls (connected by thin wire) appear to float. Hang them indoors or out, with tea lights or air plants inside.
La Chamba handmade clay pot
- Pot: $75 for 6-quart size shown; stovetop- and oven-safe; bramcookware.com
- Book: Wiley, 2009; $35; wiley.com
Pair this pot with Paula Wolfert’s exotic, soulful cookbook Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking for a thoughtful gift combination.
Heirloom seed packets
- $1.25–$4 per packet; rareseeds.com
Inspire friends to start an edible backyard with seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds’ new location in Petaluma, California; try Little Marvel peas and Japanese Climbing cucumbers.
USB flash drives
- From $13 (1 gigabyte); free engraving; pantone.com
Our staff photographer loads these pocket-size drives with pics from the year, then sends them to friends and family. They’re available in a rainbow of colors that will make you smile.
Concrete planters
- From $43; $83 for 11-inch diameter shown; areasanfrancisco.com
Turn houseplants into art with modern Obleeek Objects planters, made from a custom concrete blend that’s 40 percent lighter than the usual stuff.
Bird cake stand
- $78; 7-inch diameter; whitneysmithpottery.com
Give your baked goods the elevation (and applause) they deserve.
Krogstad Aquavit
- About $25; housespirits.com for stores
Flavored with star anise and caraway seed, this Portland-made spirit (based on a traditional Scandinavian recipe) is a must-have for your liquor cabinet.
Orange juicer
- $16; surlatable.com
Share the simple joy of fresh- squeezed OJ or a homemade mimosa in the morning.
Vintage silverware garden markers
- $8 each; monkeysalwayslookshop.com
These quirky garden labels are made from flatware (some pieces are 75 years old); each has a patina that’ll wear nicely in the window box.
Gizmo headlamp
No, it’s not just for camping. This little headlamp works for nighttime grilling or any other task where a flashlight might be cumbersome.
Satellite GPS messenger
- $99 for original, $170 for new model shown; annual subscription fee from $100; findmespot.com for stores
Stay in touch with civilization when out in the wild― and when there’s no cell-phone signal.
Reusable produce bags
- $11 for set of five; 12 by 14 inches; flipandtumble.com
They cut down on plastic at the farmers’ market and can also double as toiletry bags.
Soda pop top necklace
- $38; 18 inches long; escamastudio.com
Made from recycled aluminum pull tabs, this chic strand shows that it’s possible to be eco-conscious and stylish.
Le Petit Dej’ Tray
- $92; 151/2 by 22 inches; aplusrstore.com
For breakfast in bed or a Saturday night’s worth of cocktails, this bold tray can handle it all.
Find Sunset gifts and more on your iPhone
Sunset gift picks are featured on a new Holiday Gift Guide app you can download to your iPhone for free.
The app, built by NearbyNow, allows you to find our 2009 gift ideas online or by using the app’s GPS technology to locate the closest store and reserve them for pickup.
You can use the app to search for gifts by category, recipient, or price. Along with Sunset's picks, you'll find gift ideas from sister magazines like Real Simple and Cooking Light, and from major retailers such as Nordstrom and Macy's.
