Last Minute Gift Ideas

It’s almost here—the big day and I have a couple of things left to buy. Host-hostess gifts, gifts for service people, teachers, the neighbor who sometimes blows the snow off the driveway—you know. Then there are the dice game gifts. In our family gathering, we always play the dice game so that means having lots of small but interesting gifts under the tree, wrapped but with no name on the tag.


If you don’t know what the dice games is—here goes. Everyone brings a few inexpensive but really fun gifts and puts them under the tree. When the game begins, we pass a tin pie pan with a pair of dice around the circle of people. Everyone rolls the dice in the pan and passes it to the next person. If you roll doubles, you pick up a gift, but don’t open it. Continue until all the gifts are gone. It doesn’t matter whether everyone has one or not. Then everyone opens his gift and must show it and talk about it to the group. When all the gifts are opened and displayed, the dice are passed again. This time when someone rolls doubles, he/she can take a gift from someone else. There should be a time limit on this phase of the game. When time’s up, everyone keeps what he has. It is always hilarious and seldom does anyone go home without something.

I left this category of gifts until last and decided to run around Red Wing and find some interesting stuff. Boy was that fun and kind of a break from serious shopping.

First stop, Meatheads. I couldn’t decide whether to try their special brats or a barbeque sauce. They had samples of the sauce and it was so delicious I decided to buy a bottle of that for some lucky person. It’s called “Wee Willy’s World Champion Barbecue Sauce”. It’s made in Minnesota and the first barbecue sauce to win the prestigious Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue held in Lynchburg, Tennessee and a Meatheads exclusive. It was a hard choice between the wild rice brats and the sauce, but I was afraid the brats wouldn’t hold up so well under the tree.

Next, West End Liquor Store where owner Kip Earney was happy to help me pick out a wine to take to a party. He steered me toward either a Riesling or a sparkling wine to go with holiday food, something almost any host can use this time of year. I went straight to the Washington State Rieslings, because I know them and love them, but I was drawn to a lovely German bottle, all dressed up in holiday style. Mosel land Ars Vitis was my pick. This should make a hit at the dice game.

Uff Da Scandinavian Gift Shop is one of Red Wing’s claims to fame and I knew I’d have fun looking for something special in there. Keep in mind that I am on a budget for these gifts of around 10 or 15 dollars max. The shop had so many beautiful one-of-a-kind things I wanted (not to give, but to keep) but not a great many in my price range. I was about to settle on some small wooden candle holders when I saw some adorable wooden egg cups from Norway ON SALE. Sorry folks, I bought the 8 they had left for an early Christmas present for myself.

Across the street to Moments On Main and I immediately found several small gift packs already put together and wrapped as if anticipating my quest. Since I am a foodie, and this is a food column, I am trying to stay on track so I chose an especially attractive small box of Earl Grey tea infusers, from Tea Forte and a ceramic single server for the pyramid-shaped infuser. If you are a tea drinker, this would be a perfect way to treat yourself to something special after shopping and stressing—even better taken in a bubble bath with some scented soap from New Tree—also included in the pack.

Whew, a lot of shopping and a lot accomplished but while in the neighborhood, Zig talked me into resting at Sarah's Restaurant (formerly Norton's) and splitting Sarah’s famous Gooey Chocolate Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream. A perfect ending

Merry Christmas!