While many holiday gift deals can be found at big-name stores like Target, Chicago also has some wonderful boutique stores that sell unique and fun presents that make for great last-minute gift ideas.
This store caught the attention of Angelina Jolie when she was in Chicago, and I can understand why – it is Toy Heaven with games, puzzles, puppets, dolls, and even scooters and tricycles. And, if I mention Timeless Toys, I should also mention the
American Girl Place in Water Tower, 835 N. Michigan Avenue, where the little girl in your life can find her favorite doll and also enjoy an afternoon of lunch and tea – playing grown-up for the day
Mojo Spa is where owner and former personal chef Amanda Kezios whips up her own beauty products including Dr. Feel Good Body Relief with energized water and a special essential oil blend – the water is energized with crystals and sound therapy for major stress relief. One of my favorite products to buy as gifts at MoJo Spa is their soy candles that only heat two degrees above your body temperature so you can stick your finger in the candle without getting burned and spread the warm, moisturizing wax on your hands and feet. You can order all of MoJo Spa’s products online
This is a great present to buy for people who live outside of Chicago. In fact, I ordered a frozen deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati's known for their buttery crust for my cousins last year and they loved it. Prices (with express shipping) start at $58 for two 9-inch pizzas from Lou Malnati's. (Tip:
Learn how to make a Chicago-style deep dish pizza.)
I love my membership to the Chicago Botanical Garden, which for $80 for the year, gets me free parking (a $20 value), free admission, food discounts, and more. This makes for a great gift since a membership keeps on giving all year long. Other memberships to consider include a yearly family membership ($115) to the Museum of Science and Industry or the Field Museum ($100) and an annual membership ($80) to the Art Institute of Chicago. (If you are a fan of the outdoors, check out our
Holiday Guide to the Morton Arboretum.)
The Second City located on Wells Street in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood is a breeding ground for famous comedians such as Tina Fey, Chris Farley, and John and Jim Belushi. Get a comedy-loving friend in your life a gift card to one of The Second City's improv shows. The theater gift cards come in denominations of $25, which can also be used for comedy lessons.
For your favorite foodie, you can buy a gift certificate for a Chicago Food Planet food tour, which includes three-hour food tasting and cultural walking tours in some of the city's most famous neighborhoods, including a Near North Food Tour; a Bucktown/Wicker Park Food Tour; and a Chinatown Food Tour. Prices start at $45.
For the dare devil in your life, how about a gift certificate that will take them high above the city's skyline during a helicopter tour with Chicago Aerial Tours. Prices start at $85 per person.
This gift gives more than once not only to the person you gifted it to, but also to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Sales of Goose Island's Christmas Ale are donated to the depository, which provides food to those less fortunate, including a Christmas Day meal. I picked up a four-pack of the Christmas Ale at Whole Foods Lincoln Park this week ($11.99). Must say it was tasty. The recipe changes each year because as Goose Island says, "...so each yeasr we can share a newly brewed gift with our friends and community."
What better gift than the gift of health! Whole Foods Lincoln Park's new Wellness Club, which includes nutrition, fitness, yoga, and cooking classes, as well as health-focused special events and 10% off Wellness Club approved Whole Foods store items, has a special gift memberships this holiday season, including buy a one-month membership for $49 and get two Supper Club meals ($15 value) and a 30 minute personal coaching session. More offers and details can be found on the
Whole Foods Lincoln Park Wellness Club Web site.
Like my great grandmother Lockheart, I am a huge fan of Fannie May chocolates made right here in the Chicagoland area. At Christmas, I especially love the chocolate mini balls wrapped in colored foil - they look beautiful in a bowl at the holidays - as well as Fannie May's peppermint bark and their Colonial Chocolate Collection that includes chocolate toffees, Pixies®, Trinidads®, buttercreams, crunchy nut clusters, and more. Tip: Through December 17, you can get 50% off many holiday items when you order online and use offer code 17356
