honolulu gift fair

bubble shack holiday lathers

the honolulu gift fair kicked off yesterday and a few of the folks featured on h|h will be setting up shop so swing by the blaisdell this weekend to pick up some last minute xmas gifts. there will be 250 vendors, door prizes, and a very shopper-friendly touch is that you will be able to ship your gifts at the fair which will save you a trip and a very long wait at the post office.

and just because you can't be there doesn't mean you can't check out what's new with h|h favorites and still get your order in the mail in time for the holidays!

bubble shack recently introduced their holiday lathers collection (check out the swirls!) with 10 new soaps inspired by the season. the haupia nut cake sounds lovely with coconut, macadamia nut oil, and oatmeal for a bit of exfoliation. these would make great stocking stuffers and since orders over $50 accrue bubblebucks for future purchases it really is the gift that keeps on giving!

punk rock rat + rooster

nine tail fox will also be at the fair featuring their sterling silver and pearl/gemstone jewelry. and, in my quest to find a holiday connection anywhere, let me just say that their punk rock rat ring reminds me of the mean rat king in the nutcracker ballet that i sat through many times as a child. stop by the ntf etsy shop and receive free priority shipping (holiday order deadline is dec 20th)!

handy hold all

finally, the style sisters at fashionista's market are stocking their booth with the latest designs at fm prices. i have to agree that this oh so pretty handbag hanger which has been selected as fm's favorite holiday gift is a much nicer way of keeping your bags organized and sure beats banging holes in the closet wall to hang hooks (guilty as charged).

alas, you have to get yourself to the gift fair to score one of these ingenious hangers in hawaii but i did a little digging and found it online just for you.

details, details, details:

• when: thu, dec 14th - sat, dec 16th
• hours: today 2p to 9p, fri/sat 10a to 9p
• where: blaisdell center
• admission: $5* general public, $3 non-residents/active military/keiki (4-10)

(*if you subscribe to roadrunner then check out oceanic's december ohana newsletter for a $2 coupon)

12 days of christmas

today i'm kicking off a new feature putting a kokua spin on the 12 days of christmas theme. if we can afford to shop 'til we drop then there most certainly must be a little monetary love somewhere (in the bank/coin jar/pay pal account) waiting for its chance to support all the good work of the non-profits that keep the aloha spirit alive in the 21st century.

first up is one of my favorites, hoa'aina o makaha which transformed abandoned land on the westside of oahu 20 years ago into an educational farm where island keiki are taught how to garden and be good stewards of the land.

the kids aren't just growing lettuce, mind you. nope, they are also learning about the uses of traditional hawaiian plants, make honey at the on-site apiary, operate their very own store (from stocking shelves to bookkeeping), and even learn how to monitor water quality. the demonstration farm also produces goodies from the land that is sold to the public to help support hoa'aina's many programs.

click here to learn how you can make a difference!

happy birthday oaks hawaii

okay, typically the birthday girl gets showered with gifts but designer roberta oaks has pulled a switcheroo and is throwing a sale to celebrate her b-day. and it's a doozy with 40% off everything in her online boutique.

having a hard time deciding what to choose? how about one of oaks' signature skirts or perhaps a pirate tee (arrr!) to tap into your inner swashbuckler.

• secret code: birthday (enter at checkout)
• expires: 11:59p on dec 14th

holiday bling at janet jewelry

origami tsuru + hawaiian quilt pendants

janet jewelry has got a lot of goodies stocked for the holidays. the sterling silver origami necklace is currently on sale and the perfect gift for brides-to-be (and sure beats folding 1001 cranes) while the hawaiian quilt pendant is another lovely idea for the more traditional ladies on your list.

the taken ring from janet's postmodern candy line is available in a rainbow of colors and a cute idea for friends who seem to attract fellas who can't take a hint. and, if you really want to impress that special someone, you have to check out the gold vermeil/pink tourmaline ms. charming earrings from the one-of-a-kind collection. no worries if it's a bit out of your price range since more affordable options of this design can be found in the limited edition department.

taken + ms. charming

janet is always busy creating new goodies in her nyc workshop so if you love what you see be sure to sign up and become a regular to get hooked up for her montly customer appreciation sales.

chess club

playing chess seems to be growing in popularity in the islands so if your favorite someone loves the game here's an idea for the holidays: a hawaiian chess set which replaces standard chess pieces with icons from ancient hawaii.

of course, if they prefer to whittle their own pieces à la tim robbins in the shawshank redemption, you can always upgrade their board to one made of koa. and, for the truly old school gamer, a game table made from a single koa log by maui woodworker peter naramore.

be back a little later with a few more inspirations for the holidays . . .