November/December 2000

Picking the Perfect Present
Unique holiday gift ideas for anyone on your list

By Libby Grimm
Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be stressful, especially if you get a head start. Local shops often have the perfect gift available throughout the year, whether it is yuletide-themed or distinctively “islandy.”

Sea Shell Noel
Sanibel’s two She Sells Sea Shells shops are overflowing with every shell ornament imaginable, hundreds of which hang year-round on Christmas trees. Sand dollars, scallops, urchins, jingles, turkey wings, and tulips, to name a few, have been gaily decorated by hand with glitter, ribbons, stickers, or paint. Favorites include a reindeer scallop, an angel made of jingles in multi-shades of yellow, and the world’s most colorfully painted fish. 1157 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-6991, or 2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-8080.

Coastal Christmas
Of course Forest of Flowers Christmas Shoppe is a holiday shopper’s dream come true. Particularly striking are its hand-painted glass ornaments depicting some of the islands’ favorite creatures. Cartoon-styled dolphins, manatees, or pelicans frolic against a blue background of the sea or sky. Heart of the Island Shopping Center, 1622 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-0755 or 800/264-0711.

Sea-going Santa
The regal, majolica-style Neptune Santa figurine is made by hand in Tennessee especially for The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum Store. Santa carries a starfish staff and his sled, made of shell and full of gifts from the sea, is pulled by two seahorses. He is decorated in bright and muted colors, including emerald green, olive green, rose, yellow, cream, and gold. 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, 941/395-2233 or 888/679-6450.

Traditional Touch
Fine porcelain boxes from world-renowned Limoges, France, are timeless favorites and this proud “nutcracker” soldier is no exception. It’s a popular gift item sold at The Golden Pear. The shiny red, black, white, and gold fellow stands about four and one-half inches high. For added whimsy, a musical note is painted on the inside of the box. 2407 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-5681.

Laafs brighten the Holidays
People get a chuckle out of the collectible polyresin figurines and ornaments, which are actually known as Laafs. They arrived only recently in the United States and are based upon characters at Efteling theme park in the Netherlands. All have names and are available “for adoption” at Everything Under the Sun. Ornaments include a trumpet-playing angel and a chimney sweep. Figurines range from Santa to surfers to sunbathers. 2431 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/395-1230.

Christmas Collectibles
Collectors of colorful Fitz & Floyd ceramic figurines and tableware will find the Dallas-based company’s brand-new Florentine Christmas line at Ile Crocodile. The two holiday-festooned reindeer are sold as a pair and the others sold singly. Also available is Santa Claus in his magnificent sleigh, sitting amid a jumble of gifts and toys. 2330 Palm Ridge Place, Sanibel, 941/472-9166.