Last week my blog highlighted the Drogeria on Broad Street. This week I was Christmas shopping at Quo Vadis Bookstore on Broad Street. I have blogged about Broad Street before, at Easter time but it is worth talking about them again for Christmas.
First, I want to make the case why you should buy Christmas presents made in Poland. Reason one: they probably don’t already have one. Reason two: the odds of someone else giving them the same thing is low. Reason three: reasonably priced but people will think you spent a lot more than you did. Reason four: they are really cool.
I walked around Quo Vadis to take a few pictures for this blog, but then realized a few pictures were not going to do it. There is something for everyone. Here is a list of potential gifts: Poland themed clothing, beer glasses (Poland theme and with Polish words), salt and pepper shakers (I liked the pair with the folk costumed girl and boy), dolls in folk costumes, Christmas cards, amber jewelry, glass giftware (some is marked down), candles, Poland themed key chains and decals for cars, winter hats, Russian nesting dolls, Christmas ornaments both Poland themed and regular ornaments, and table linens.
Polish Christmas ornaments are always in demand. Every year my Church Christmas fair raffles off a basket with a few Polish Christmas ornaments and every year it is a big money maker. I admit I am one of the many people buying the raffle tickets. Quo Vadis has several varieties of ornaments. They have the Poland themed ones. They also have round ones in several sizes decorated with Christmas and winter themes. They also had a selection of ones in different shapes like Santa, snowmen, teddy bears.
The next thing you should look at is the table linens. They have an assortment of Christmas table runners and dollies. They had two unusual table linen items. One is a six inch by 3 inch linen angel. I am not sure what they are meant to be used for, but I think I am going to pick up a few and put them under the glass that protects my table from damage from those people not familiar with coasters. They also had specially shaped linens to put in a bread basket or to wrap around a loaf of bread. I am thinking a nice loaf of bread from Kasia’s bakery wrapped in the bread linen would make a nice gift. (Of course, I have to control myself to not eat the bread).
They also had some very unusual made in Poland candles. Poland makes a lot of candles which are sold all over the world-like Crate & Barrel. These candles are Christmas candles and include both Christmas tree shaped candles and pillar candles with Christmas designs.
Quo Vadis has a nice selection of the wooden nesting dolls. They have a variety of sizes and colors. I know them as Russian nesting dolls and I didn’t check if they are made in Poland.
I am going to finish up this blog with two items I have purchased as gifts or for myself in the past. One is a Christmas CD of Polish Christmas carols recorded by the Polish church in Ansonia. The price is unbeatable at $5. The second is what I call the Polish Christmas kit. The package contains oplatki, straw, and a cd, everything you need for Wigilia.
The store owner told me she is expecting another shipment from Poland in the next few days, so if you stop in you might find even more gift ideas. If you come down to Broad Street to shop plan on having a nice Polish lunch or dinner at one of the Polish restaurants on Broad Street.
Remember-Buy Local, Buy Polish, Buy on Broad Street.
See you on Broad Street-
Dorena
