There’s no reason to travel far to find great gifts for family and friends this season. Look no further than the Rye Ridge Shopping Center for its diverse collection of stores, plus free parking. Here are some highlights.

By Georgetta L. Morque

There’s no reason to travel far to find great gifts for family and friends this season. Look no further than the Rye Ridge Shopping Center for its diverse collection of stores, plus free parking. Here are some highlights.

 

From creative toys to one-of-a-kind gifts for the home, there’s always something new and different at Domestic Dry Goods Company. Give a Christmas memory of a lifetime with a Holiday Garden in a Bag ($12) that will allow your family or friends to plant and grow a Scotch pine. Other unique items are customized cutting boards starting at $42, tea leaf-reading kits for $24, and balancing nail puzzles for $10.

At Mixology, teens and tweens will enjoy patterned high socks for $15, colorful Wildflower phone cases for $36, jewelry from $15 to $36 and $3 choker necklaces, the perfect stocking stuffers. The store’s home collection includes Jonathan Adler candles from $38 to $88 and a fun Peace & Love Tic Tac Toe game, which also serves as an attractive coffee table piece for $98. For the college student in your life, consider a College Survival Kit with essentials for dorm living for $25.

At Indigo Chic, check out the fur vests, especially the latest styles in different colors, from $300 to $500. Silky tops with lace trim or embellished with beading will also be popular under the tree along with novelty jewelry from $80 to $200.

In addition to boots and shoes, Shoe-Inn is featuring fun and useful accessories, such as wireless speakers for $59, ultra thin on-the-go phone chargers for $42, and for the chilly days, fur wrist warmers for $65 or fur headbands for $80.

For men, head over to Z-Life Denim Lounge for Herschel backpacks from $98 to $150 and popular Alex Mill flannel shirts for $175 and up. The store’s top picks for women are Eugenia Kim fedoras from $325 to $400, beanie hats for $68, and, since fringe is in this season, fringe-trimmed skirts and bags.

Jazz up a child’s room with colorful initialed pillows ($32) from Lester’s and large beanbag chairs in various designs, including a giant hamburger, from $80 to $130. Also popular are candy patterned bags ($15-$50) and gloves ($15) with creative graphic designs. They stock a large selection of clothing for all ages, including fun patterned leggings for girls, great jewelry, pillows and throws from favorite sports teams, and unique gifts for infants and toddlers.

For the sports-minded, Sportech is featuring Fitness Trackers by Timex for $129 that sync with smartphones so you won’t miss a text while keeping in shape. Technology is also taking tennis to new levels with the Babolat Play, a racquet with sensors integrated into the handle allowing players to access information about their performance through their smartphone or computer. Regularly $399, this revolutionary product is now available at Sportech for $299. Other hot items are Nike elite basketball socks from $14 to $16, Nike and Under Armour printed leggings from $60 to $90, and a wall of paddle racquets if you’ve got game.

At the Wine Cellar this season, two of their favorites are The Holdings Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2013, on sale for $12.79, and Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Loire Valley, on sale for $15.19. Holiday gift packs of Italian, French, and blends are also available at $29.99 for two, and $39.99 for three. Cellar Select bottles are 20 percent off and non-Cellar select are 15 percent off, and there’s also a buy-one, get-one free special on Cellar Select Wine cases. These specials continue until January 2.

The health-conscious will love cookbooks, gift certificates, and gift baskets ($20 to $45) from the Blum Center for Health. Gift certificates can be used for cooking or meditation classes, CDs, or any retail products. Gift baskets can also be customized.

Last, but never least, is the family pet. Pet Valu has scores of plush toys ($5.99-$10.99), stockings filled with treats or toys for cats and dogs ($3.99 for cats, $8.99 to $12.99 for dogs), handmade holiday cookies without sugar ($8.99 for a pack of 6), and special dog butter from DOG for DOG, a dog-safe peanut butter without sugar. For every DOG for DOG product purchased, the company will donate products to Pet Valu for a local shelter.

Be sure to stop in Lv2bfit for its wide selection of accessories, fitness, and fashion wear, and Landsberg Jewelers, which has introduced a new collection, For Keeps, featuring silver lockets with customized charms. Don’t forget All Dressed Up, Dusty Rose, and the Coco Day Spa, plus the many eateries and exercise studios where gift cards are always a hit.

Port Chester and Byram have their shopping pleasures, too. Steilmann, the fashion warehouse on North Main Street in Port Chester, is a great destination for designer scarves, Italian leather bags, and cashmere sweaters. A top pick this season is a 100 percent cashmere cape that comes in a variety of colors, priced at $175, less a 20 percent discount.

‘Tis the season for panettone, the traditional Italian Christmas sweet bread that is a crowd-pleaser. Tarry Market on North Main Street in Port Chester offers a variety of panettone in festive packaging from mini versions for $7.99 that can hang on a tree, to larger ones for $39.99, to a more elaborate one with a white chocolate crèche in the center for $169. Shoppers can also enter a raffle to win a 22-pound panettone. Throughout the store, there is a wealth of gourmet goods, specialty foods, and gift baskets.   

It’s All About Me, the boutique on Mill Street in Byram, has several top picks for this season, including snoods in faux fur by Pia Rossini for $55 and all-silk Infinity scarves from $25 to $40. Home gifts, such as candles and coasters, are also handy items to have, along with a fun high heel cake server for $22. And, you can never go wrong with one of their sweaters, which range in price from $30 to $100. The boutique also offers free gift-wrapping.

Since the Port Chester/Byram area is filled with many popular restaurants — and one of the best bakeries around, The Kneaded Bread— a gift certificate for dinner for two is bound to be a stocking stuffer pleaser.