I don’t know about you, but when I think about the holidays I think about food. I think about the warm smell of fresh baked cookies, the turkey in the oven, the pumpkin bread and … did I mention cookies? So when I was putting together this week’s gift list, well, my thoughts drifted to you know what. Also, I’d like to mention that we have more food and food-inspired items in the store, from spice cookies and short breads to antique rolling pins and vintage utensils, to our line of Frances Palmer dinner and serving pieces. We couldn’t fit everything in this photo, nor did we have time to put everything online. So stop by the store to peruse our full selection of yummy gifts.

Starting at the top, we have:

• Ribbon Candy from Hammonds Candies, $9.50. A real Christmas treat. This really takes me back to when I would sneak candies from the dish at my Grandmother’s house. These candies are hand-made and gluten-free.
• Fishs Eddy Cereal Bowl, $7.50. Available in green, white, light blue, red and orange. Perfect for a bowl of cereal after a morning of opening presents, or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
• Savon de Marseille Liquid Fig of Provence Soap, $27.50. I wouldn’t recommend eating it, but the light scents of these gentle French soaps will make your mouth water. Also available in Verbena, Olive & Lavender, Orange Blossom and Rose.
• The Little Big Book of Comfort Food, $24.95. This book is packed with more than 200 family-style recipes for breakfast, lunch, snack, drinks, dinner and deserts.
• Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook, $30. Bubby’s has been a New York destination restaurant for nearly two decades. But now you don’t have to travel all the way to the Big Apple to savor Bubby’s brunch favorites. They’re all right here.
•   Fortune Cookie Ornament, $14. These gold painted glass ornaments are fun and funky. I only have a few left in the store, so call or come by soon if you want one.
• Vintage Fabric Kitchen Towel, $25. For when it’s all over but the dishes.

One reason I love Old Town is because it has such a beautiful waterway and wonderful sailing heritage. I love to walk along the marina with my family on warm summer evenings and watch the boats glide slowly along the Potomac. Last Christmas we took the kids on a river cruise with Santa himself. It was a real treat, and one they still talk about.

I was never much of a sailor myself, but I love the old nautical traditions and appreciate the historic significance this mode of travel and trade, adventure and exploration holds all along the Atlantic Coast. It’s what inspired this set of gift ideas. Not all of these items are available online, but what’s not linked below can be ordered by phone* or purchased at the store.

• Sail Seafarer Jute Pillow, $100, a wonderful ode to tall sailing ships, this 22-inch pillow is screened in navy blue with matching piping. You can practically hear the timbers creek and the gulls over head.
• Vaugondy 1745 Noir Globe, $240, this reproduction of a mid-18th century French globe would add a touch of elegance to any office, study or family room.
• Message in a Bottle Kit, $14, they say a message in a bottle can drift halfway around the world before washing up on a distant beach. Now your children can send their very own messages and see where their imaginations take them.
• A Field Guide to Sail Boats of North America, $21, includes illustrations and detailed descriptions of 255 boats, including statistical data such as draft, sail area, and hull construction — perfect for the sailing enthusiast in your life.
• The Paper Captain, $9.95, relive a century of nautical history with facts, figures, and stunning illustrations, then cut out and build 20 beautiful die-cut paper models — designed to float!
• The Louis Vuitton Cup, $75, this stately, illustrated volume offers an impassioned account of the competition’s inception and vision, and a closer look at seven landmark races in the regatta’s history.
• Eye of Time Desk Clock, $42, this smart and portable timepiece features a spherical lens that doubles as a magnifying glass, chrome stem and band.
• Knot Door Stopper, $50, this giant jute rope knot makes an attractive and interesting door stop or accent piece.
• Blown Glass Pearl in Oyster Ornament, $17, add a little undersea shimmer to your Christmas tree this year. Silver shell with pearl white interior.
• Cape Horn Anchor, $29, small brass anchors like this one were displayed beside the entrance to the family cottage to announce the homecoming of seafaring husband or son.
• Sailors Knot keychain, $7.50, monkey’s fist knot keychain with a solid brass shackle closure is expert ditty work — made by fishermen in off-season.
• Replica 19th Century Pocket Compass, $55, a miniature travel version of the ancient mariner’s compass. A set of concentric gimbaled rings make sure the compass always hangs level.

* To order by phone, call 703-838-0355. Our special holiday hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

We have two young children in our house so Christmas is a really big deal. Last Sunday they spent the morning circling toys in one of the newspaper inserts. My son literally circled everything in one book (except the girrrrl toys — yuck). My daughter was a bit more discerning and not quite as gender biased. She did show a preference for kitties, though.

Of course Santa won’t bring everything on their wish lists, but they might find a few of the goodies they circled under the tree.

As a parent, I try to balance my children’s diet of toys. Some toys are like junk food, they’re fun for a day (if they last that long), then wind up spending the rest of the year at the bottom of the toy box. Other toys are engaging, fun, teach kids to think and will get regular use.

If you’re like me, then you’ll appreciate the toys below. They are for younger children, but we have a fairly wide selection of classic books and other items that older kids would enjoy too. And, the best thing about these toys is that every one of them could have come from Santa himself.

• The Truth About Santa Claus, $19.95, a fun little book that uses “evidence” such as vintage illustrations and antique postcards to unearth the real Santa Claus.
• Belle Amis Puzzle Cubes, $49, a set of three all-cotton stacking cubes that little ones, ages 0 to 3, can use to create six different characters.
• Memory Match 16, $35, slide in one of four double-sided cards into a natural wooden board, then lift the red dots to match numbers, animals patterns and more.
• Handknit Stacking Rings, $67, hand crafted from soft pima cotton by women’s cooperative in Bolivia. Great fun for any toddler.
• Christmas Tree decoration, $17, this little tree provides a vintage touch to any holiday display. Guaranteed to take you back to your own cherished memories.
• Let’s Play Mail, $63, this fun felt play set comes in three great varieties — letters and postcards to mom and dad, letters to grandma and pa, and letters to Santa.

For me there are few gifts as personal and enriching as the gift of books. A well written story or a collection of beautiful photographs transports me to another time and place. It’s a chance to relax, an opportunity to escape. And when I give books I want them to remind the recipient of a good time we shared or of a warm memory they shared with me.

We’ve added several gift-worthy books to our online collection and you will find many more in our store, including classic children’s books. Here are just a few of my favorites that I thought you might enjoy — or enjoy giving — as well:

• The Coast of Maine, $17.95, photographer Carl E. Heilman captures Maine’s famous sandy beaches, tree-covered mountains, tidepools brimming with life, historic lighthouses and more.
• The 10 Best of Everything, $19.95, a very cool travel book with top 10 lists in dozens of categories by veteran travelers Nathaniel and Andrew Lande.
• Cape Cod, $35, a newly republished and illustrated edition of Henry David Thoreau’s 1865 classic about 19th century life on the Cape.
• Bob Dylan Lyrics, 1962-2001, $45, truly the ideal gift for any Dylan fan or classic rock aficionado. This hardback contains lyrics, vintage photos, album art and copies of handwritten lyrics.
• Scenes From the City: Filmmaking in New York, $49.95, from Annie Hall, Taxi Driver, Law & Order, no other city has starred in as many movies and TV series as New York. If you love New York, or the movies that called it home, you’ll love this book.
• Style and Substance: The Best of ELLE DÉCOR, $45, if you like ELLE DÉCOR, you will love this book. It takes a closer look at hundreds of rooms that were once featured in the magazine. Tres chic.
• The Blackberry Farm Cookbook, $60, this sumptuous cookbook offers a collection of more than 100 recipes that are as inspired by the traditional rustic cooking of the mountainous South as they are by a fresh, contemporary sensibility.
• Katharine Hepburn: A Life in Pictures, $45, captures this Hollywood giant from her early years in the studio system, through the famed Spencer Tracy period to her later career. A star; a fashion icon; and the quintessential class act.

And, in honor of Cyber Monday all purchases made today will receive 10 percent discount. At checkout, enter the coupon code cybermonday.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so very thankful so many of you have chosen to shop at Red Barn Mercantile for your home and holidays. The kids are still asleep, and the holiday craziness is still a few hours away, so I thought I would take a moment to offer some more gift ideas.

One of my favorite holiday memories — and one I am passing on to my children — is waking up on Thanksgiving Day, snuggling up on the couch and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Dan will make breakfast as the kids and I snuggle under our giant comfy quilt downstairs. My son has recently become a fan of Spiderman, so I know he’ll love the giant Spiderman balloon, and my daughter has worn out the Peanuts Thanksgiving video — she’s sleeping with Snoopy tucked under her arm right now. So she’ll squeal when the Peanuts characters float by. And they’ll both impatiently watch the entire parade waiting for you know who to make his first TV appearance of the year.

I’m sure you have similar Thanksgiving memories, or remember cuddling up with your favorite duvet or quilt. If you want to relive those moments everyday, or want to pass along the comfort of quality bedding, then I would suggest our new designs by John Robshaw. Each duvet, quilt and coverlet is prewashed and rewashed for extra softness. The prints are cool and colorful. And once you feel the 300 thread count percale cotton sheets you’ll want to wrap yourself up in them too. So without further ado, today’s gift list includes:

• Samode Pink Duvet cover, $425 for king; $365 for queen; and $300 for twin.  
• Lotus Sams, $90 for king; $75 for standard.
• Lotus Quilt, $375 for king; $350 for queen; and $300 for twin.
• Periwinkle Quilt, $375 for king; $350 for queen; and $300 for twin.
• Primrose Bolster Pillow (with insert), $246.
• Blossom Pillow (with insert), $100

Also included in the photo above is the ecru Pinwheel quilt by Mateo, $495. It isn’t available online but you can order it by phone at 703-838-0355 or buy it in person at the store.

We won’t be open today, I’ve got snuggling and cooking to do, but we will be open tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. And don’t forget our Black Friday 10 percent discount — buy from one Old Town Boutique District store and your receipt will get you 10 percent off your total purchase at any other participating store. For a complete list of stores, and more information, visit the Old Town Boutique District Web site.

Looking forward to seeing you all this Holiday season.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Take care,

Amy

From now through the holidays we will periodically offer a collection of gift ideas. Check back often or subscribe to our e-mail updates for new ideas. This week, we’re featuring items for your holiday soirees, including:

• Ivory White Christmas Wreath with glass bulbs, $52.
• Sol Cerveza Tumblers, $10.25 each.
• The Ultimate Bar Book, by Mittie Helmich, $19.95.
• Red Stripe Tumblers, $10.25 each.
• Horn bowls, large – $45; small – $20. 
• Brass Ball Bottle Opener, $24.
• Peterson’s Holiday Helper, by Valerie Peterson, $16.25

These and other gift ideas can be found in our Gifts section.

If you are still stumped on what to buy, consider a Red Barn Mercantile Gift Certificate, which are good online and in-person.