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Dear Chicagoist,
I've been living in the north shore for the last year now and as I'm coming up on my first Chicago Christmas shopping season I'm trying to think of things uniquely Chicago for gifts to family back at home in California and Europe. I'm hoping that the Chicagoist staff and readers can help!
Best Regards,
Edward
Dear Edward,
If you're anything like us, you've still barely even thought about holiday shopping and find the mere mention of Christmas makes you a little panicky. But since you've posed this thoughtful question to us, we can only assume that you actually aren't quite like us at all — but we hope we can still help out.
The first place we'd like to point you to is our famed Chicagoist Holiday Gift Guide, where Chicagoist staff have already brought up some excellent gift ideas that really can't be beat.
In terms of things that unequivocally scream Chicago, depending on your family members' tastes, you can consider hitting one of the many Chicago-themed souvenir shops scattered around the city (focusing on the downtown area, of course). We also like the idea of seeing what's in museum gift shops for some Chicago-oriented items that are potentially more interesting than a snow globe of the Sears Tower or a generic Chicago T-shirt. Now, a Chicagoist T-shirt is another story altogether, and is a highly recommended gift for everyone on your list.
If your family likes to read, perhaps some books on Chicago history would be a good idea? Maybe it's run its course by now, but we've given Erik Larson's Devil in the White City to quite a few non-Chicago residents to give them a tiny taste of Chicago history. For a huge taste of Chicago history, try Ask Chicagoist's favorite reference book, the Encyclopedia of Chicago. Architecture buffs might appreciate some books on our city's fantastic architecture — make sure there are lots of pictures! Actually, we always enjoy shopping at the Chicago Architecture Foundation's gift shop at 224 S. Michigan Ave. for interesting Chicago schwag and architecture goodies all in one. We really like the famous Chicago building ornaments.
As for bringing a taste of Chicago to your family, there are a variety of Chicago gift baskets offered by MyFavoriteCity. You can send along all the tacky stuff you find at souvenir shops, all wrapped up in one basket, including items such as a (insert your favorite Chicago sports team here) Sports Bottle, a Chicago mug, and a variety of food items with a Chicago flair (coffee, candy, nuts). Designer Baskets Ltd. has a good selection of Chicago gift baskets too.
How about that Chicago deep dish pizza? You can send your family assembled pizzas from Gino's East that just need to be popped in the oven for a real taste of Chicago.
FindGift has even more ideas for Chicago-themed presents on their Chicago site.
Of course, really, what better way to experience Chicago than to actually come here? Invite your family to see the real deal, and visit you all in one! What's that? Not really what you had in mind ...?
Help out Edward, everyone. What are some other Chicago-centric gifts that he could get for his family members?
Image via bluetypewriter.
Last-minute shopping? Need some advice? Email ask(at)chicagoist(dot)com.
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Excellent ideas!
You can get Chicago El station shirts at this website: www.toghaus.com. They have both boys and girls styles.
Garrett's popcorn!
One time when I was at school out west, I mentioned to a friend that I was home sick for Chicago. So for my birthday, I got three DVD's from him: "The Blues Brothers", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", and "The Super Bowl Shuffle 20th Anniversary Edition".
Now that he's going to med school out in Seattle, and he started getting home sick, I'm sending him "The Untouchables", "High Fidelity", and "The Hunter" (that one movie where Steve McQueen drives a car off the Marina Towers parking garage into the river)
I'm not saying they're the best movies ever, but they all make me love Chicago that much harder.
shit, high fidelity.. *scribbles furiously on her xmas list* what i love about that movie is that the book was based in london, they moved it to chicago, and it still works so, so well.
I was just going to recommend the EL stop shirts...those are great...the shirts he uses run small, that's my only other tip. Another great Chicago gift are old photos from the Sun-Times Real Chicago photo archive. the prints run a bit pricey ($35 for an 8x10) but they have some fantastic photos from the 40s to present day.
i saw an ad on the sun-times website for a Real Chicago photo book just yesterday.. $35 total, with an intro by roger ebert.
You can ship 'em a frozen pizza from Lou Malnati's.
Or bring them some Hungarian salami from the Paulina Market:
http://paulinameatmarket.com/
Also, Chicago: City on the Make by Nelson Algren is my favorite book about Chicago.
Thales' makes a good suggestion about Museum Gift Shops, and I'd say an especially good one to check out is the MCA. Does the Historical Society have a gift shop? I imagine they'd have good stuff too.
the CTA shower curtain!!!
I just sent these and these to some out-of-state friends.
the chicago history museum (clark and north) has a fantastic museum store with more chicago than you can shake a stick at....books, music, movies, chicago building ornaments, kitsch - the whole nine. recommended.
Another good Chicago book:
"City of the Century" by Donald Miller
If had to look at a map of the CTA everyday while showering, I think I'd commit suicide (I believe that is what happens when you take it every day for over 10 years or your life).
Lala,
Right, the History Museum. I forgot the Historical Society changed its name.
I'm sending some Intelligentsia coffee to my family out west. Just to show them Starbucks isn't the only game in town...
vit: you commit suicide? i think there'd be a lot more suicides if that were the pre-requisite.
Thanks for mentioning FindGift.com's Chicago section! Being the co-founder of FindGift.com and Chicago native I'm always looking to grow that section :) Happy Holidays!
There are some really nice framed Chicago skyline photos taken by the artist, Bob Horsch. Hes been a Chicago photographer for quite some time. My wife really enjoyed it for her bday gift.