Patina

Christmas stockings are not to be taken lightly. Sure, you’re off the hook re: size, minimum price, and gift wrap, but you’ve got some big socks to fill. Ditch the list, hit Patina, and don’t sweat the small stuff. ¶ Go quirky (bacon bandages, doggie-fart extinguisher), go geeky (Napoleon Dynamite sleeping mask, huge stag beetles encased in acrylic), go over the top (a single-serving cocktail shaker mixed with jewel-shaped ice cube trays). Flatter her (La Luz roll-on perfume, mini
brag-books in Japanese schoolgirl blasts of color) or fuss over him (a teensy golf utility knife, an eensy Kikkerland bike-repair kit). Even the grandest gourmand couldn’t snub a Laguiole corkscrew or Koziol funny-face stirrer peeking out of a stocking, right? ¶ Tried-and-true hits from seasons past: Buddha Bar CD compilations (you’ll probably be grooving to one from the time you walk in), tiny-but-mighty magnets, and the sock-it-to-me classic: a single stunning piece of jewelry tucked into the toe (note to spouse: yes, Dear Heart, this actually does happen in real life). Only so many shopping days to go; time to strut your stuffing.