By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asia Weekly
Looking for the perfect gift for the people in your life this holiday? This is the “Northwest Asia Weekly” gift guide to help you shop for the most discerning people.
Whistle makes kids happy
Aiden and Alvin whistles (Photo: Assunta Ng)
When my 3-year-old nephew walked into my office, what caught his eye was the whistle on my computer desk.
Those are the remaining whistle I bought for the elderly in Chinatown, in case they are attacked in anti-Asian hate crimes.
He and his brother wanted them immediately. Before we gave them red envelopes for the new year’s money, they quickly gave up. But the whistle sounded like a new discovery. They whistled and rushed in the office, like a dancing band. Wow, every whistle that sells for less than $1 brings them so much joy and fun. What does it tell you about the child? For them, expensive gifts may not be the most attractive gifts.
Lego
Photo by Han Bei
For people who like to make things from scratch or make things by themselves, Lego bricks are a good choice.
Both children and adults love Lego bricks. Although they are expensive, they can cultivate our patience and enhance our creativity.
Restaurant and grocery store gift vouchers
Restaurant and grocery gift cards are practical gifts. Not only do you support the catering and grocery industries, your gifts also help create jobs. It’s easy to buy and send. Recently, I bought a gift and donated it to a non-profit organization. Mailing is a headache, because the post office is very slow, and packaging is another problem.
If you know your loved one’s favorite store or restaurant, please send them a gift certificate so they can use it at their convenience. If you are the recipient of gift cards, please use them as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may forget to use them. I once forgot the grocery gift card my friend gave me. When I found this card, it was eight years later, and the computer in the store could not read the password. So I wasted a gift.
Give food from Chinatown to friends
During COVID, I delivered food to my friends, and it may not be convenient for them to drive to a restaurant in Chinatown for takeaway. Just ask your friends or relatives, they will not be able to cook Christmas or New Year’s dinner, you can order from CID restaurant and deliver it to them. This is a great gift from the heart.
Expensive gifts impress people
800 USD sake (Photo: Assunta Ng)
To impress sake lovers, this huge sake bottle (the size of 4-6 regular bottles, see the back of the big sake) is shaped like a vase and is priced at US$800 in Uwajimaya.
Thoughtful gift
Dadong’s boss Harry received a plaque gift (Photo: Assunta Ng)
If you can create a gift, it makes a lot of sense. Northwest Asia Weekly produced a plaque containing the story of the source.
Asian gift basket
Gift basket full of Asian snacks (Photo: Assunta Ng)
If you want to make an Asian-themed gift basket, including bowls, chopsticks, sake, Asian snacks, Asian wine, Asian spices (more details later), sauces, Asian drinks, instant ramen, seaweed, Asian restaurants and Asian supermarket gift cards Wait. Just go to the Asian store and you can collect your items in less than 10 minutes.
Gift basket full of sweets, snacks and sake (Photo: Assunta Ng)
Asian spices
Is there an aspiring chef in your life, or just someone who likes to cook?
The Asian spice gift baskets will be a good addition to their cooking repertoire. An informal survey of culinary enthusiasts in my circle revealed some of their “must-haves”: coriander, turmeric, five-spice powder, ginger powder, star anise powder, curry powder, cumin, and Indian curry.
Tea
Various teas at Serenity Moon Tea shop (Photo: Ruth Bayang)
Unless you know what type of tea your recipient likes, Mako-she buys her tea from China and sells it at Serenity Moon Tea in Kent-recommends putting various tea bags in the gift basket: white, green, black , Oolong tea, red, herbal and decaffeinated, and a double glass tea cup. This is a great way to introduce tea to someone or give tea lovers a little bit of everything. It also includes Japanese and Ceylon tea used in the basket.
Photo by Ruth Bayang
books
Cindy Wong’s first children’s book “Starhug, a Journey of Hope, Healing and Hugs” (Photo courtesy of Cindy Wong)
Just released in Nordstrom stores nationwide and Nordstrom online, “Starhug, a Journey of Hope, Healing and Hugs” is Cindy Wong’s first children’s book. A heartwarming story about caring, being brave, supporting each other in difficult times, learning and growing together, has a lot of powerful information for the young mind. This book is a great stocking stuffing or holiday gift! Both children and adults like this book.
Recommended other books:
“Kissing Eyes in the Corner” by Joanna Ho, illustration by Dung Ho
This is a picture book for children that tells a story about learning to love and celebrate the eyes of Asians. This book tells about a young Asian girl who learned how to hug herself and the eyes of her mother, grandmother and other family members when she realized that her eyes were different from those of everyone in the class.
Other genres:
“Chaat” by Maneet Chauhan and Jody Eddy
Chaat means “lick” in Hindi, and the term refers to snacks or snacks. In this cookbook, celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan shared recipes and stories that were inspired by a trip across the country by train, eating chaat snacks along the way. This cookbook has been named “one of the best cookbooks of the year” by many publications.
“Homicide and Halo-Halo”, Mia P. Manansala
In the latest work of Mia P. Manansala’s humorous, warm and mysterious series, death in a beauty pageant upset Tita Rosie’s kitchen-it is immersed in rich Filipino traditions and filled with delicious Filipino food .
Gifts inspired by COVID
Masks are now a necessity.
There are some fashionable masks that you can buy online or as gifts. “Asia Weekly” was fortunate to receive masks donated by the Tacoma International Chinese Christian Church and my friend’s daughter Christo. Masks belong to the category of practical gifts. You can’t be wrong.
Dry goods
Dried Red Dates (Photo: Assunta Ng)
winter is here. It’s too cold for some people to go shopping. You can buy dry food such as nuts, mushrooms, and fruits for your loved ones so that they can get emergency food without going out.
Dried figs (Photo: Assunta Ng)
Assunta can be reached assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
