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The Minnesota Daily

Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

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Santa and Jesus: Free market capitalists

Economy-boosting goodies for everybody on your list

The economic climate looks dour, but with the holiday season approaching faster than Santa makes it âÄòround the world in a single night, the spirit of giving hasnâÄôt turned to ice. We fabulous little elves at A&E are here to help you, the weak of wallet, find the perfect gifts for your nearest and dearest âÄî the kind youâÄôll be proud to hang up by the fire with care. For something entirely unique for the roommate whoâÄôs taken up all the closet space, look no further than Gaviidae Common , that expanse of shopping real estate stuck snugly between the bastions of Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH. To support fledgling Minnesota designers in their endeavors for fashion greatness, local style enthusiasts set up the MNFashion Holiday boutique specifically for that purpose. For $150 you can take home jewelry from Anna Balego or something sweetly bohemian from Calpurnia Peach , and the proceeds support these creative minds as well as the MNFashion collective, the perfectly-coiffed folks behind Voltage: Fashion Amplified and Fall Fashion Weekend. Yet another sweet little shop perfect for a particularly cool mom or the best girlfriend devoted to scouring the racks at the Salvation Army is REfind Vintage , an east St. Paul store that opened its doors only days ago. A vintage gift shows much more careful thought than something hastily grabbed off the shelves at Target, and an assortment of pretty china or a trinket to add to a china cabinet collection shows youâÄôre thinking of your loved one, investigating countless stores until that perfect piece is located. If you are feeling particularly generous toward a little sister or a niece, navigating the 7-year-old-girlâÄôs mecca of the American Girl store in the Mall of America would be a good choice, because that doll paradise is a little girlâÄôs dream. They tend to run toward the ridiculously expensive ($90 for a doll!), but even contributing to pioneer doll KirstenâÄôs holiday celebration with a new outfit ($22) would make the girl in your life very happy. If your girlfriend is coveting a pair of True Religion or Citizens of Humanity jeans for Christmas but you just canâÄôt pull the $200 together in time, look no further than the hidden gem we like to call Len Druskin Outlet . Blink and youâÄôll miss it in the basement of Southdale Mall, but please, donâÄôt hesitate to stop in. With all the merchandise at least 50 percent off, the deals to be had at the Edina store are ridiculous. A dreamily soft Trina Turk cashmere top, originally priced at $300, was nabbed for $60, while Puma sneakers and Rag & Bone jackets for guys can be had at a fraction of their original price, and if you dig a bit, youâÄôll find Chip and Pepper denim for 90 percent off. There are pieces from Juicy Couture, hockey-themed cufflinks and a rainbow of scarves, all for amazing deals. Their Black Friday sale is worth the early wake-up call! For a father, that snappy-dresser of a boyfriend, or any fan of âÄúEsquireâÄù magazine, stop into Martin Patrick 3 , a new menâÄôs accessory boutique in the North Loop. Swanky candles, tweed messenger boy hats and dapper turtle neckties line the shelves of this beige and green shoppe. Good deals arenâÄôt hard to come by, and the store has frequent 30-percent-off sales to entice the thriftier buyers. Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant would totally stop in here for fedoras and flasks on their way to a chic dinner party. If thereâÄôs a non-scarf-wearing man in your life, stop on into SurdykâÄôs or Dinkytown Liquors to pick up a bottle of top-shelf liquor âÄî a gift that keeps on giving! Whether it be Tanqueray or Patron, he would prefer this to another set of leather gloves or an electric razor any day. Remember, the economy needs your bolstering dollars, so December shopping is practically your civic duty! That doesnâÄôt mean, though, that you should blow your next paycheck on Bratz for your little niece. Remember, time is more important than your cash.

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