Still scratching your head over what gifts to buy this season? Is the hole in your pocket smoldering from an impulse purchase?
No need to worry. With the smorgasbord of ethnic communities that make up Queens, you can stay local but shop global — and not break the bank.
From Dragon statuettes and Tibetan artifacts to handmade soap and scents, Queens has unique stores with big ideas and small price tags.
Ticket to India
Holiday shopping at the Butala Emporium, Jackson Heights (Picture: Julie Court)
No need to fork out $1500 on a plane ticket to India. Instead, find your inner peace — and gifts from the subcontinent — in Jackson Heights at Butala Emporium.
Pamper your senses with the natural, musky aroma of incense from India. Boxes of the scented sticks are cheap and make great gifts.
If you’re looking for something more decorative, head down to the basement, where you can find traditional hand-crafted puppets from Rajasthan and wall hangings with cute elephants and camels. The bright blues, reds and yellows will help brighten up any dreary day. Prices start at $15.
Butala Emporium is located at 37-46 74th St., Jackson Heights. (718) 899-5590
Tryst with Tibet
If Indian artifacts don’t calm your quest for inner gift happiness, then Tibet might hold the key to holiday salvation. Jewels of Buddha, neatly tucked away in Astoria, is a treasure trove of pretty jewelry from Tibet, Nepal and India.
The hand-crafted sterling silver drop earrings with colored stones are classics and can be used to add a dash of the Orient to spice up any outfit.
The store also stocks hand-printed tunics and scarves, traditional Buddhist ritual bells, conch shells, prayer beads and felt bags.
Jewels of Buddha is located at 31-90 37th St, Astoria. (646) 784-7875.
Trees and cheese
Hand made wooden toys at the Czech-Slovak store (Pic: Julie Court)
Need some new tree ornaments? Check out the tiny Czech/Slovak gift store on Jackson Avenue near 50th Avenue.
From tiny, hand-crafted wooden angels imported from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, to hand-blown glass Christmas ornaments, you’ll find items that are simple and artisanal.
If you feeling really adventurous, you can also make a go of gifting some Czech or Slovak food items, such as Slovak bryndza, or sheep’s milk cheese, which is similar to feta or parenica cheese.
Slovak-Czech Varieties is located at 1059 Jackson Ave., Long Island City. (718) 752-2093.
Kenyan masks at the Nubian Heritage store in Jamaica (Pic: Smriti Rao)
Next stop, Africa
Don’t feel like trudging up all the way to Harlem to shop for something Afro-centric?
Then check out Nubian Heritage of Jamaica.
With traditional scented oils to soothe frayed nerves, organic bath salts and herbs, the smells of Mozambique, Kenya and Liberia hang heavy in the store’s air.
The shop also boasts handmade silver jewelry, earrings and necklaces made of conch shells and Egyptian prints and artifacts.
Owner Chris Best, who is Liberian, imports his goods directly from the continent, stocking up not just on handmade leather pouches from Kenya, but also drums, masks and other African-themed knicknacks from countries as diverse as Mozambique and the Ivory Coast.
For the bookworms, there’s a wide variety of literature exploring the black, African and the Caribbean experiences.
Don’t forget to check out the Voodoo Handook of Cult Secrets (to unhex a spell that has been cast on you).
If the handbook doesn’t do the trick, try out the “Go Away Evil” soap.
Nubian Heritage of Jamaica is located at 155-03 Jamaica Ave. (718) 291-5105.
Feeling low? Here’s some Bamboo
If the recession continues to bog you down, why not try some feng shui to ease those blues?
At Lucky Bamboo Flower Shop on Flushing’s bustling Main Street, pick up gifts the Chinese believe will fetch you love, luck, money or even a job — like the Lucky Bamboo!
The Lucky Bamboo plant is not really a bamboo plant, but a member of the lily family meant to be a symbol of good fortune.
Practitioners of the ancient Chinese science of feng shui believe the bamboo represents the wood element, which influences life energy, growth, vitality and physical energy.
While buying your Lucky Bamboo, keep in mind that the number of stalks you buy has significance: three means happiness and longevity, five means wealth.
Other items at the store include dragon statuettes, representative of fame and career prospects, a collection of Chinese wall art, lucky jade figurines and several laughing Buddhas.
Lucky Bamboo Flower Shop is located at 41-42 Main Street, Flushing. (718) 939-3385.
Happy Holidays!
This piece first appeared in Queens Chronicle
