The Ten Best (sorta wierd) Holiday Catalogs

I have noticed  a whole new crop of holiday buying opportunities crossing my doorstep this season.  Some are quite interesting, indeed delightful.  I think we can stipulate that there are at least one hundred holiday books we all cherish (Harry and David, Hammacher Schlemmer, Vermont Country Store, yada yada...) so we will assume you know about the old standbys...meanwhile,  here are a  few, maybe new, ideas to pique your imagination

1. Zingerman's Bakery  www.zingermans.com

The pride of Ann Arbor, Michigan, this little bakery cum gourmet emporium offers some pretty sweet and hard to find stuff like swell olive oil and wonderful balsamic vinegars in addition to what appear to be amazing baked goods: breads and coffee cakes and the lot.  The catalog is cute, well designed and quirky.  All good things in my book.

2. J Peterman  www.jpeterman.com

Seinfeld may be gone, but Peterman's back complete with romantic prose, lush illustrations and curiously compelling merchandise. I feel strangely drawn to the Gladstone Bag, the 1947 Tartan Dress and of course the Hamami Turkish Towels. 

3. Zabar's  www.zabars.com

Those longing for the upper west side rejoice in the availability of classic New York treats from this 80th and Broadway stalwart. Kosher or treife, order treats and specialty foods like black and white cookies, rugelach, kosher franks and salamis and mini knishes. (Rabbi not included)

4. Penzey's www.penzeys.com

For any home gourmet to whom you plan a gift presentation, the amazing collection of spices and cooking  ephemera presented by Penzey's will delight. The catalog is not beautiful in the classic sense, but the recipes within are pretty swell.

5. La Tienda  www.tienda.com

Ever since Mario and Gweneth brought us the gastronomic delights of Iberia, we have been craving jamon and chorizo and tapas of every variety. La Tienda delivers a vast assortment of pork, almond, olive and crazy tinned fishes to satisfy.

6. MUJI USA www.muji.us

Lest you think we are interested only in food, let us move now to a swell Japanese department store (with convenient branch in JFK's Terminal 5) where very cool stationery, housewares and other clever, inexpensive trifles beg to be stuffed in a stocking. 

7. Think Geek  www.thinkgeek.com

Like it says, this catalog is filled with caffeinated everything, electro-trinkets and techno-gadgets sure to please gearheads, computer fanciers and those thrilled with all things iPhone

8. Dakin Farm www.dakinfarm.com

Ok, one more foodie place... this is the best collection of eat-your-way-through-Vermont merchandise found all in one place.  Ham, bacon, maple everything, this is what's for breakfast.

9. FAO Schwartz www.faoschwartz.com

No other can match the range, quality and uniqueness of the toys purveyed by the one, the only, the FAO. Even I, fifty-plus mother of one found herself wistfully eyeing the Barbie Global Glamour camper. Who wouldn't?

10. MoMa www.moma.com

And finally, the go-to place for quirky, design-y fabulous jewelry, housewares and wearables, the Moma catalog again presents lovely bits to give and get. (And all for a good cause!)

So shop , my housebound glee gatherers, and remember, only 34≈

shopping days till you know what!