A match made ...
Four ways to light up a cold, dark winter.
Suggesting matches as a gift idea may seem like a tacit nod toward a bleak economy. It may even seem like a small step from that to lumps of coal. But think not such thoughts, fellow Americans. Instead, think of the flares of light your gift will offer far into the winter ahead.
Besides, these aren’t matchboxes as much as they are tiny masterpieces. And you’ve heard the one about good things in small packages, right?
You could tie these on top of a present, put them into a gift bag with other small presents or buy an inexpensive candle for someone on your list and make the gift stand out by including one of these matchboxes. Are you with me yet?
The graphic matchboxes above from HomArt feature horses, birds and hearts and have a vintage feel. For a more literary approach, Quotable matchboxes feature light-themed quotes from Alexander Pope (“Vital spark of heavenly flame!”), Ralph Waldo Emerson (“To the illumined mind, the whole world burns and sparkles with light”), William Blake (“Shine eternally”), Dante (“A great flame follows a little spark!”) and the like. These are larger than your average matches, so they’re both practical and poetic.
I’ve also found a couple of diminutive and interesting lamps recently.
The sun lamp looks like a basic jar, but it lights up at night after being stored in the sun all day, using LED and solar power. Sold by Charles and Marie and designed by Tobi Wong, the lamp’s sandblasted glass gives the light a soft, cozy glow.
This lantern from Eddie Bauer gets a mention because of its remote control. Even if you’re not a big camper, this gadget would be fun to have around – you can control the brightness, too. The company says that the LED light will operate up to 100 hours on 4 AAA batteries. That’s a lot of reading time after the s’mores are eaten … even if the s’mores came from your microwave at home.
Sun lamp, $44
Remote-control lantern, $19.50
Graphic matchboxes, $4
Quotable matchboxes 4-pack, $11.95
Charm-o-Matic 
December 7, 2009 at 3:23 pm |
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