Gift Guide 2009

This holiday season, the rotten economy and flu fears have oddly conspired to make the World of Wasatch a better place. Acts such as purchasing expensive electronic gadgetry, designer duds and shiny fast wheels at crowded big-box stores are becoming ghosts of Christmas past.

Instead, we’re strolling and chatting up local artists and artisans, shopping at boutique-style shops staffed by charming, conversant people and even laboring to make our own creations to give as gifts.

Thus, City Weekly’s gift guide this year is spiced with “DIY” possibilities. The staff realized if we learned to make or do something that could serve as a gift, we’d be more popular and might be invited to more holiday parties. So, in “The Gift of Survival,” we explain how to carry on in this post-meltdown world by giving away hand-picked wild mushrooms, freshly killed wild turkeys and hand-built gingerbread houses.

And as idealistic as all that sounds, we know that some among us will always be material girls and boys. In “Shop Girl,” former City Weekly ad rep Christa Zaro breaks down her 10 best gift ideas from favorite local haunts. Wine broker Francis Fecteau’s got your foodies covered in “Let Them Eat Fruitcake.” And D.P. Sorensen makes sure local cronies aren’t left holding an empty bag in “Influential Gifts.”

Online, music reviewer Ryan Bradford looks back at the “aught” years and divines a guilty-pleasure soundtrack sure to please the audiophiles you love.

Even in the best of times, gift giving can be vexing. This year, make it easy—by making it. Easy.

The Gift of Survival
How to make it, grow it, pick it, brew it, race it, arrange it, intonate it & kill it.

Shop Girl
Christa knows just where to find that certain something for someone.

Let Them Eat Fruitcake
Inspired goodies for people who love food and knives.

Influential Gifts
It’s important to remember our elected folk in this season of giving.

Guilty Treasures
Gather up a decade of the best/worst music in one convenient track list.