Elf slippers

What elves put on after work >>>
Made from repurposed wool sweaters, elf slippers by Oakville designer Shari Trnka are cute, cozy and environmentally correct. The wool has been felted (meaning it's washed and dried so it shrinks and becomes softer and denser). The slippers, in sizes for all ages, come with pointy toes or rounded and with or without repurposed leather soles for additional durability. If they're good enough for elves, they're good enough for humans, right? - Molly Gilmore
WHERE TO FIND IT: trnka.etsy.com, facebook.com/trnkacreations or sharitrnka@gmail.com
Price: $30-$50

Chrometta I slide harmonica

Give at your own risk >>>
If you have a musician in your life, they may not know that they absolutely need a harmonica. Seriously, if you buy one for your magnificent other, they may leave you for the harmonica. Especially if it's a slide. The Hohner Chrometta I is an eight-hole, two-octave slide chromatic harmonica in the key of C. It sports a cherry red plastic comb (body), and stainless steel drift pins that help the reed plates hug the comb. It's the bastard offspring of the seminal Hohner Chrometta 8, which probably doesn't matter to you. But it will when your partner leaves you. - Paul Schrag
WHERE TO FIND IT: Goldie's 753 Broadway 253.383.3410
Price: $25

Teacup candle

A gift Mother Earth will enjoy >>>
This time of year, DIY means Do-It-Yourself and Do-It -Yuletide.  Here's one cute, easy, and cheap gift idea that will impress your co-workers, friends and family. Plus, it's made with recycled materials, which will impress Mother Earth! Here's what you need to make a lovely teacup candle: One teacup - saucer optional (you can usually find these at thrift stores for less than a buck), old candles or new wax, and a wick (craft stores carry these).  Here's what you do: Melt the wax stovetop or in the microwave, position wick in tea cup with a quarter-inch sticking over the lip of cup. Pour wax into the cup, let set and voila! - Nikki Talotta
WHERE TO FIND IT: DIY, but may require a trip to the craft store
Price varies

Gas mask

Be the envy of your friends >>>
When most people go shopping for a gas mask, there is rarely any mind paid to aesthetic, quality, style or materials. And while function may trump form when it comes to gas masks, this little vintage Russian Civil Defense number is way more likely to get you the attention that you want at parties. You'll stand out in this sleek, taupe burner with delightful, stainless steel viewer rims. It even has its own cotton-carrying bag. All the folks in boring, old, black rubber gas masks will hate you. But you won't care. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: What? Shoppe, 740 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.8697
Price: $35

Oneworld Roller Derby Association

The gift of hip-checks >>>
As roller derby fans may or may not know, a large handful of Dockyard Derby Dames retired last year, including Femme Fianna captain Veronica Vicious.  While most DyDD vets have moved on to star in Hollywood movies or Broadway plays, Veronica likes to keep it low key by helping a community out and starting a new roller derby association.  No, not a new team, or even a new league ... but a whole damn new roller derby association.  It's awesome. OneWorld offers skate time, practice scrimmages, derby lessons, and a chance to simply be a part of roller derby at any skill level - all for a monthly membership fee of $37. Drop-in rates are also available. - Steph DeRosa
WHERE TO FIND IT: oneworldrollerderby.com
Price: $37/month

Mandolin

Something to pluck >>>
Stuck trying to decide between a nice acoustic guitar and a ukelele? What about a nice, arch-top mandolin instead? The mandolin is the perfect middle ground when it comes to plucked string instruments. The modern mandolin evolved from predecessors such as the mandolino, which was played with a quill, wooden plectrum or fingers, and the mandore, which is not a mystical creature with a beaver's head and cheetah's body, despite popular conception. These predecessors used strings made from fibers gathered from animal intestines. These days they use synthetic polymer. If that's disappointing, you can always make your own. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Guitar Maniacs, 737 St Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4741
Price: $89.95

Anything from Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium

You can't go wrong >>>
Things I have purchased from Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium: rare Star Wars Christmas DVD;  Wonder Woman light switch cover; Thunder Cats t-shirt; "I'm savin' up to party" coin tin; "Betty White is tired of your s***" refrigerator magnet; set of Bruce candles (Campbell; Willis; Lee); Talking Death Row Marv (Sin City). Things I haven't purchased there: Randy "Macho Man" Savage bendy; Greedo Storage Case; complete Voltron action set; Chips lunch box; bacon wallet; Dio "Lock up the Wolves" t-shirt; Hefty Smurf. If any of the preceding items excites you, go to Tricky's. You'll find something you want. Trust me. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium, 817 Division Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.5288
Prices vary

A movie poster from The Grand Cinema

Pop culture art >>>
The movie poster is not usually hailed as a legitimate work of art. For shame! One look can get us excited for a new film, or have us swapping stories about a golden oldie from our youth. This holiday, don't force your friends or family to stare at one more DVD or Blu-ray spine on their shelf. Fill that blank wall with some beauty instead. The Grand Cinema sells hundreds of marquee-sized posters all year long, with dozens available for only $1. Finally, art anyone can afford. - Christopher Wood
WHERE TO FIND IT: Peruse the full list at grandcinema.com
Price: $1

Mud Men

The Tang Dynasty is the definition of old school >>>
More than a thousand years ago, Chinese artists during the Tang Dynasty made so-called landscape bonsai, shaping amazing, realistic, miniature landscapes, nestled in a ceramic tray. To produce convincing reproductions of their favorite hillside or grove, they added rocks and tiny plants, huts, temples, animals and people. Mud Men grew from this art, depicting people living everyday lives. In some villages, every single villager had their own mud-made mini-me. These days, most Mud Men represent a set of standard figures. But they're still super cool. And Mandarin Antiques has a nice selection of really awesome, affordable Mud Men. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Mandarin Antiques & Pianos, 616 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.582.6655 ‎
Prices: $25 and up

urbanXchange shoes and accessories

Vintage awesomeness >>>
UrbanXChange is a trendy, vintage consignment store in downtown Tacoma. Got a hipster in need of a cheap yet stylish pair of skinny jeans? Need to find a unique sweater for your girlfriend? UrbanXchange is there for you. This store is especially ideal when shopping for women. Even though it does offer a small men's selection, the women's shoes and accessories here are some of the most noteworthy items. Look for feather earrings or gently worn shoes the likes of which Nordstrom has never seen! The selection here is not enormous, but the cool power is off the charts. - KK 
WHERE TO FIND IT: urbanXchange, 1932 Pacific Ave., Tacoma,  253.572.2280
Prices vary

The Gauntlet

Eastwood killing hookers >>>
In sleeper masterpiece The Gauntlet, Clint Eastwood is Ben Shockley, a downtrodden, alcoholic cop from Phoenix tasked with protecting a belligerent prostitute with mob ties harboring incriminating information about a corrupt, local power player. The rest of the movie is about Clint killing corrupt cops who are trying to kill the hooker.  The super stylized billboard poster promoting the film was produced by the legendary Frank Frazetta, who described it as depicting "muscled colossus Eastwood, brandishing a pistol, and scantily clad (co-star Sondra) Locke, her clothes teasingly shredded, clinging onto her hero." Everyone needs at least one Frank Frazetta poster. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: What? Shoppe, 740 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.8697
‎Price: $35

Healthy balls

Roll them in your hands >>>
Baoding balls are also known as Chinese exercise balls, Chinese meditation balls, Chinese medicine balls, and, my favorite, healthy balls. They are a traditional product of Baoding, China, thought to have been created during the Ming Dynasty. If you have a pair, you can learn to rotate them repetitively in one hand or the other and, in the process, improve manual dexterity and strength. They can also be used as a meditation prop. If you're looking for an endorsement, Aerosmith included clips of skull-shaped Baoding balls being rotated in the music video for "Eat the Rich." Get a pair. See what happens. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Mandarin Antiques & Pianos, 616 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.582.6655 ‎
Price: $15

Under The Cherry Moon special foil

Wall worthy >>>
Everybody knows about Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge. But Prince made two other films. One of them was Under the Cherry Moon, which was a box office casualty but had a sweet movie poster. The one at What? Shoppe is the foil edition, which is all shiny like Prince. In the film, Prince portrays gigolo Christopher Tracy, who spends his time taking advantage of wealthy French women with Jerome Benton from The Time. That is, until he falls in love with one of them. It tied with Howard the Duck for "Worst Picture" at the 7th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards. But the poster is totally wall worthy. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: What? Shoppe, 740 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.8697
Price: $40

Brownie Morrison

Your in-laws will love it >>>
I'm going to hell for this one. Would you like to come with me?  C'mon, say yes!  It will be fun, creepy and full of all kinds of embarrassingly hilarious blasphemy!  I don't care who you are, you can't help but smile at the thought of picking up all kinds of politically incorrect oddities at Brownie Morrison.  It's the only place I know where the window display consists of two male Ken dolls, naked and riding in a pink convertible Barbie Corvette.  OK, I may or may not have made that up.  Guess you'll just have to stop by, do some holiday shopping and find out for yourself. Brownie Morrison does sell Squirrel Underpants. - SD
WHERE TO FIND IT: Brownie Morrison, 712 Broadway, Tacoma, 206.406.5964
Prices vary

Mixtape

Cusack would do it >>>
Ready to go old school for your holiday gift giving? One word: mixtape. Or is it mixed tape? However you spell it, this is one tried and true method for showing some love. Whether you make it holiday inspired with classic songs like Adam Sandler's "The Thanksgiving Song," and Weird Al's "Christmas at Ground Zero," or you just throw in some faves like old-school Weezer or maybe some of KUBE 93's old-school jams, this gift is sure to please your besty or your lover. Just remember to decorate the tape lovingly with a sharpie ... and make sure the recipient has a tape player. - NT
WHERE TO FIND IT: The 1980s
Priceless

Anything from Archibald Sisters

Up the bizarreness anti >>>
Think Olympia.  Think politically correct.  Think politically incorrect.  Think singing pickles and rainbows.  Think gay and lesbian lip gloss, retro lunch boxes and notebooks for stay-at-home moms.  Think beautiful stationary, quirky coffee table books and lotions with scents you can create yourself.  Think wind-up toys and inappropriately sexual gifts.  Think local t-shirts, beautiful handbags and trendy bracelets. Think hours upon hours spent perusing the aisles of one of the most random gift shops in the state.  You know what? Forget it. Don't think about anything - just GO. - SD
WHERE TO FIND IT: Archibald Sisters, 406 Capitol Way S., Olympia, 360.943.2707
Prices vary

Gyno Exam Table

Get creative >>>
I don't want to meet them, but someone will decide it's too hard to pass up the chance to buy a functioning gynecological exam table. There are a lot of things one of these tables can be used for other than providing medical exams. It looks like it would be comfortable just for watching TV with the family. You could put your feet up in the stirrups, convert one of the drawers into a secret snack stash, maybe paint it up to look like the Kalakala. I don't know. If you use your imagination, the possibilities are endless. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Brownie Morrison, 712 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.683.2924
‎Price: $150

Tacoma-made Vitasphere Juicer

Buy local >>>
Something else to take credit for, Tacoma - we helped start the juicer revolution. Well, I mean ... we didn't do it. But the people who did were from Tacoma. Made during the last Great Depression, the Art Decoesque Vita-Sphere Juice Extractor was produced by Tacoma's own Vita-Sphere Mfg. Co. Known as "The Bomb" - because it's shaped like a piece of explosive ordinance - the Vita-Sphere juicer was an important part of thousands of Americans' morning routine. Constructed of die-cast aluminum, its stainless steel rim, screen and cutters pulverize fruits and veggies at 5000 rpms. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Broadway's Best Antiques, 742 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.617.3509
Price: $75

Our Money Matters Thurston County Savings Book

Eat for cheap >>>
For friends and family who love to dine out and shop locally, might I suggest gifting them with greater Thurston County's local savings book. Chock-full of coupons - more than $3,000 in savings! - this gift will keep on giving. Participating restaurants include Cicada, Mercato, Ramblin' Jacks, Tugboat Annie's, Oldschool Pizzeria and many more. It's a chance to dine for days! Plus, you'll help keep the spirit of South Sound sustainability alive. Of course, other services and merchandise are included in the book, but c'mon - dining for cheap is the best gift of all. - NT
WHERE TO FIND IT: Available at local businesses in Thurston County. More info at www.oly-wa.us/sustainsouthsound/buylocal.php
Price: $20

Sunbeam Waffle Witch

Legends of waffle making >>>
The Sunbeam Waffle Witch is a legend. Made in the early-to-mid 1930s, it's hailed as one of the greatest waffle irons ever created. Sporting plenty of chrome, the Waffle Witch is decorated with a beautiful, ornate filigree on the iron edge and accompanying, nested metal batter bowl. The iron swivels sideways to reveal a generous batter bowl, and swivels back for the big pour. You'll feel the magic as you take hold of its sleek, butterscotch Bakelite handles and the plug at the end of its cotton-wrapped power cord. This waffle iron could get you laid. - PS
WHERE TO FIND IT: Broadway's Best Antiques, 742 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.617.3509
Price: $125

LINK: Naughty and nice gifts