The Untapped Holiday Gift Guide

It’s that time of year. Need some gift suggestions for your friend/lover/puzzling family member? Want to give the secret santa gift that everyone will hope to snag? Untapped brings you some highlights in NYC.

1. Leather accessories by Campo Marzio. This Italian company based in Rome now has two locations in Manhattan. Products range from wallets and laptop cases to leather notebooks and cheerful pens. 72 Spring Street (Between Crosby and Lafayette) and in the Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle.

2. Wallpaper City Guides by Phaidon Press. Available in book form and as iPhone apps. These pocket sized guides are a must have for design conscious travelers. Each one compiles the most noteworthy landmarks, hotels, restaurants/bars, shops, and escapes beyond the city. Available online and in bookstores around the city. $4.99 for the app or $9.95 for the book

3. Exotic truffles by Vosges Haut Chocolat. Decadent chocolates with unexpected ingredients, like wasabi, curry powder, or Chinese star anise. There’s plenty to choose from with a holiday collection, an Aztec collection, a Champagne truffle collection, a rose collection, an Italian Collection, and even a vegan collection. $4.75 and up. 132 Spring Street (Between Greene & Wooster) and 1100 Madison Ave.

4. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. Missed the McQueen exhibit at the Met this summer? This book by Andrew Bolton tells (and shows) you everything. The New York Times called it “a reference book upon which future explorations of Mr. McQueen’s importance may be weighed.” Available at the Metropolitan Museum Store  at list price  and on Amazon for half the price.

5. Objets d’art by David Wiseman. Featured in the NY Times Magazine and the LA Times Magazine, David Wiseman has been gaining renown with his sculptures that capture the poetic and ephemeral beauty of nature. He recently created installations for the Dior flagship stores in New York City and Shanghai. He is represented by R 20th Century Gallery. Price available on request.

6. Mercury votive candle holders. Place a few of these around your home to create the perfect glow for your holiday parties. They’re so cheap you can afford to get enough of them to scatter around. $5 – $8. Available at West Elm, 1870 Broadway (at 62nd Street) and 112 W 18th Street (at 8th Ave.)

7. You might not think about it, but those vendors with the tables set up on the street can offer some great deals on prints and posters. They might charge $8 – $10 for a small print, but they’ll usually give you a discount if you buy a few. My favorites are the New Yorker covers like this one by Maira Kalman.

8. Out of Print t-shirts. Choosing a new book to buy for someone is always hard, so why not buy them a t-shirt featuring a print of a book you know they love? At The Strand, you can choose from the classics like The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Pride and Prejudice, The Sun Also Rises, Lolita, On the Road, and more. T-shirts are available for men, women and kids. $19.95 for kid’s sizes, $24.95 for men and women. The Strand, 828 Broadway (at 12th St.)

9. Luxury teas from Le Palais de Thes. This French tea boutique is opening in New York City in 2012, but you can already purchase beautiful  gift boxes of their signature teas on their US website. Founder FX Delmas travels all around the world–Darjeeling in India to Shizuoka in Japan, from Taiwan to the Golden Triangle–in search of the finest teas.

10. Champagne. It’s always classy. Dom Perignon, Moà «t & Chandon, and Veuve Cliquot are the crème de la crème. Italian Prosecco like Ferrari and Spanish Cava both tend to be less expensive than French brands. Moscato d’Asti is a sweet and declicious sparkling wine, perfect for dessert. Prices range, so consult your local liquor store.