If you bypassed Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Money, Noel Night and you are panic stricken thinking about the 15 shopping days left until Christmas, never fear. Many tasty, memorable and relevant gifts can be found locally.
Here is a small sampling from the array of options:
Durango: A Silver Past, A Golden Future
The new collectable book by Susan Dalton tells the story of Durango and its relationship with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Rather than a dense retelling of the region, Dalton tells the story visually through antique prints, historical photos, paintings, maps and postcards.
The book is $60 and available at Maria’s Bookshop.
Tickets to “Nutcracker”
If you’re looking for an early Christmas present, this traditional holiday ballet at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis will be even more dramatic this year accompanied by the San Juan Symphony. You are also likely to see some familiar faces, as 50 local dancers join the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara.
The ballet will be in town Dec. 11-13. Tickets are between $29 to $39 and available by phone at (970) 247-7657 or on online at www.durangoconcerts.com.
Nutcracker whipped honey
Not only is the packaging fun, inside is a blend of Honeyville honey and roasted almond butter. It is the perfect holiday topping for cookies, cakes, shortbread or baked breads, said Sheree Culhane, owner at Honeyville. A jar is $8.95.
Cranberry spice mustard
The staff at O’Hara’s Jams and Jellies make all its products by hand, and this mustard is a seasonal treat.
It is can be used as a glaze for ham, as a sauce for salmon to add texture or with chicken in a crockpot, said Kendel Teran, general manager at O’Hara’s.
The mustard can also be used on sandwiches or as a stand-alone dip when mixed with mayonnaise.
A jar is $8.
Beer Wine & Spirit Guide to Colorado
For the person in your life addicted to road trips and good spirits. The guide includes pubs and wineries, as you would expect ... but also festivals, 14ers, ski areas, national parks and coupons. The mission of the authors was to encourage travelers to find beer on their own at some of the 533 distilleries, vineyards and brewing companies in Colorado.
“We’re not trying to be academic or stuffy about it; it’s a fun thing,” said publisher Mike Laur.
The guide is $24.95 and available at Maria’s Bookshop, Ska Brewing, Bottom Shelf Brewery in Bayfield or visit www.beerdrinkersguidetocolorado.com/online.
