Episode 37, in which the author tries to write about shopping

Black Friday is upon us, and, as ever, I am staying as far away from the stores as possible. I will inevitably have to shop sooner or later, but this year, I'm going to try to stick to shopping online for my loved ones. In case you too fear the elbows of fellow consumers the way I do, here are a few places I'd recommend shopping for unique and wonderful gifts.

• MUJI - Every time I'm in the UK I make an effort to stop at MUJI. Their line of fab Japanese "brand free" items (MUJI means "no brand" in Japanese) continues to grow, and while they sell select items at the MoMA store, I'm desperately awaiting the opening of a MUJI in New York so I can shop for inexpensive slippers, bath salts, and paper products with fantastic packaging on a weekly basis. Great place for stocking stuffers (the atomizer gets a mention at the great mightygoods.com, who inspired this post), and even better for a collection of gifts from toys (including this floppy canvas dog which kids can draw on to create their own personalized pet) to beauty products to kitchenware and housewares that shouldn't offend anyone's sensibilities, if they have good sensibilities. Quite possibly the perfect one-stop shop. (If you want the full variety, the MUJI UK online store will ship to the United States if the items are in stock.)


• abebooks.com - There's something I find wonderfully personal about receiving an old, worn hardcover early edition of your favorite book (first editions are nice, but should be reserved for real collectors; there's not always a big difference in quality but there's a huge difference in price). Snoop around and find a good copy - ask the bookseller for a more detailed description if you're worried about quality - of M.F.K. Fisher's How To Cook A Wolf for your father-in-law who enjoys cookery, or a copy of your favorite childhood book for your friend who has just had a baby.


• Sam & Seb - Speaking of the little ones, Sam & Seb, a Williamsburg-based children's store, has curated a nice selection of clothes and toys for the tiny tots, including this adorably nostalgic set of farm blocks for your favorite kids who likes to wear OshKosh overalls.


• Oxfam America Unwrapped - For those with big hearts, this is where to go. Buy a cow for a family in a developing country for $75, or plant 50 trees for $30. They list gifts in various price ranges, starting with water jugs and peace books for children at a mere $18, or irrigating a farmer's land for 2 months for just $20.


• The Lomography Shop - For the budding experimental photographer, everything from Holgas, fisheyes, and flash filters, to pinhole cameras and Polaroids.


• Airside - Another UK treat, well worth the cost of shipping. Their sale items are still in style, and so worth a look. Perfect for your hip younger brother, or your husband who stylishly refuses to grow up.


• If there is one shop I make it out to, it will be Three Lives & Co. I love browsing this cozy West Village shop; I almost never leave empty-handed, and yet never feel pressured into buying anything I don't want to. They are curators as well, and their assembled collection is perfect for anyone who appreciates classic as well as eclectic works of literature. A great place to find a book on New York for your out-of-town relative or the newest best fiction on the market. The nicest staff in all of New York will help you if you get stuck looking for something for the last person on your list. No elbowing customers here, I promise.

© Zan McQuade. All rights reserved.