As the holiday season approaches, Patch will be visiting area businesses to get a sense of what they have to offer for holiday shoppers looking to save, spend or splurge on gifts.
Today's gift ideas come from Mary & Blanche, a downtown Annapolis shop located at 188 Main St.
The store is full of unique, off-beat items like bacon flavored toothpaste and infaltable animal heads. There is a range of books, barware, office toys and clothing.
SAVE (Items $5 or less):
- Mints ($2.99)—The mint tins by the counter come in a variety of silly packaging, including After Therapy Mints, Sin-O-Mints and Enlighten Mints. The store's co-owner Blanche Rainford said they make great stocking stuffers.
- Bacon Balm ($3.99)—The store carried a wide selection of bacon flavored products including this flavored lip balms. Rainford said the bacon items—including the bacon breath spray—are big sellers.
- 10-color pen ($3.99)—Rainford said these pens are a big hit with kids and parents because aspiring artists can carry 10 different colors choices without it taking up a lot of space.
SPEND (Items $15 or less):
- Fake Mustaches ($8.99)—The store stocks a variety of mustache themed gifts like this set which gives the receiver a different fake mustache to wear each day of the week.
- Inflatable Mistletoe ($10.99)—Rainford said these are often shipped overseas to loved ones serving in the military as a fun way to say I love you.
- Rude Hand Gesture of the World book ($12.95)—The book has photographs of models demonstrating offending gestures from around the globe with a brief explanation of its meaning and origin.
SPLURGE (Items $30 or less):
- Red Cup Wineglass set ($17.99)—Ceramic cups molded to look like plastic cups sit atop wineglass stems. A fun gift for people in their early twenties whose beer pong days aren't so far behind them.
- Inflatable Animal Heads ($21.99)—Rainford said these inflatable animals sell really well, especially the moose head and make good gag gifts for hunters.
- Toilet Bowl Water Dish (23.99)—This ceramic water dish is good for smaller dogs or cats. It uses any plastic two-liter bottle to hold the water.
Want your business highlighted in the gift guide? Email:Anna.Staver@patch.com
Editor's Note: The price points for save, spend and splurge are based off the price range at each business highlighted in the gift guide.
