Winning at White Elephant, NYC style: $10 or under in Chelsea this week
December 5, 2022 5:31 PM Subscribe
I'm in New York this week, willing to travel ~20 mins from Chelsea on foot, and will probably hit the Union Square holiday market Thurs. My work holiday party is on Friday back in Denver. I would like to bring back the most coveted white elephant gift, in terms of uniqueness and/or deliciousness. $10 limit w/o tax. Perishable items okay if they can survive travel and still be tasty 30-some hours later. Hit me with your ideas.
This is my personal favorite at the Union Square Holiday Market: German Gingerbread (Oblaten-Lebkuchen - mixed Gingerbread assortment) for about $8-$10. I have only seen it at the Holiday Market and look forward to it every year. While you are there, get a cup of the hot mulled wine (gluehwein) with orange peel, cinnamon and spices. You can also pick up a bottle of Christkindles Kinder Punsch in a bottle for about $12. Over your target, yes, but too delicious to pass up. I think the stall is called German Delights.
posted by ichimunki at 6:02 PM on December 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ichimunki at 6:02 PM on December 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Check out Dan's Parents' House at the holiday market. They have a zillion vintage toys, collectibles and random tchotchkes that will generate a lot of nostalgia for people of a certain age (about 35-45 is the sweet spot). You could probably get one moderately sized/moderately desirable item or a handful of goofy little things for $10.
Also at Union Square but not at the holiday market - if Mother Pigeon is there, she sells cassette tapes for $10. What's on them? I have no idea. But she's rad and very New York and I'd encourage you to buy a pigeon for yourself while you're here.
Seed & Mill Halva - at Chelsea Market, super premium halva and tahini products, but it might be a little over your price point (they have a decent selection of packaged goods in the $12-$15 range).
Also in Chelsea Market, Chelsea Market Basket is a good gift store. They have fancy foods and random little gifty things. I have a little wind-up pigeon that I'm quite fond of and you can buy those there. I think I also got a box of delicious dominosteine there for much less than $10 and that would be a white elephant gift I would fight over.
Pearl River Mart would also be worth a browse while you're at Chelsea, but I can't think of a specific gift to looks for but they have lots of attractive, usually very well-priced housewares and sell imported snacks. They also sell blooming flower tea, which is a nice gift if it's not widely available near you.
posted by snaw at 6:07 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also at Union Square but not at the holiday market - if Mother Pigeon is there, she sells cassette tapes for $10. What's on them? I have no idea. But she's rad and very New York and I'd encourage you to buy a pigeon for yourself while you're here.
Seed & Mill Halva - at Chelsea Market, super premium halva and tahini products, but it might be a little over your price point (they have a decent selection of packaged goods in the $12-$15 range).
Also in Chelsea Market, Chelsea Market Basket is a good gift store. They have fancy foods and random little gifty things. I have a little wind-up pigeon that I'm quite fond of and you can buy those there. I think I also got a box of delicious dominosteine there for much less than $10 and that would be a white elephant gift I would fight over.
Pearl River Mart would also be worth a browse while you're at Chelsea, but I can't think of a specific gift to looks for but they have lots of attractive, usually very well-priced housewares and sell imported snacks. They also sell blooming flower tea, which is a nice gift if it's not widely available near you.
posted by snaw at 6:07 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Myers of Keswick is in your radius and has lots of random English stuff.
posted by praemunire at 6:28 PM on December 5, 2022
posted by praemunire at 6:28 PM on December 5, 2022
Or! You could go to Chocolate Moderne's little factory/store on W. 20th (I think?) and buy one of their bars, both beautiful and delicious at...$11. Bonus: if you show an interest they will probably offer you one or a few of their truffles to taste.
posted by praemunire at 6:31 PM on December 5, 2022
posted by praemunire at 6:31 PM on December 5, 2022
Fishs Eddy right near Union Square has really cute quirky whimsical kitchenware - you could probably find a great mug or something really fun. I’m not doing it justice- stop by and see for yourself!
posted by Champagne Supernova at 7:55 PM on December 5, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Champagne Supernova at 7:55 PM on December 5, 2022 [5 favorites]
Walk yourself down to Soho or over to Flatiron to Dominique Ansel and get an incredible cronut, or some other selection of delicious NYC only baked goods in a beautiful box. (Make sure you read what the latest rules are for getting in line to get a cronut and go at the right time if this is what you set your heart on. But also, everything is great so if you can't get a cronut, it's okay, you can get something else amazing!)
You're probably going to want to skip the lox, but you could bring fresh bagels from any number of bagel purveyors and grab some cream cheese when you get home to complete the package.
Chocolate babka from Breads bakery! Pre-wrapped, will travel well, is to die for.
NSFW, but I would kiss anyone who brought Levain cookies to a white elephant.
If you want to be funny, just get a bunch of Nuts for Nuts from a street vendor and an I Heart NY shirt for like $3.
(I feel like everything at USQ Market is too expensive for your exchange, but you might be able to get a little spice sampler from one of the spice vendors or like 1.5 bars of handmade soap.)
posted by luzdeluna at 8:09 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
You're probably going to want to skip the lox, but you could bring fresh bagels from any number of bagel purveyors and grab some cream cheese when you get home to complete the package.
Chocolate babka from Breads bakery! Pre-wrapped, will travel well, is to die for.
NSFW, but I would kiss anyone who brought Levain cookies to a white elephant.
If you want to be funny, just get a bunch of Nuts for Nuts from a street vendor and an I Heart NY shirt for like $3.
(I feel like everything at USQ Market is too expensive for your exchange, but you might be able to get a little spice sampler from one of the spice vendors or like 1.5 bars of handmade soap.)
posted by luzdeluna at 8:09 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Someone at our white elephant got a Breads Bakery Babka (we are on the West Coast) so there's a second vote (looks like they're closer to $17 though.) It was so good!!
posted by vespabelle at 8:18 PM on December 5, 2022
posted by vespabelle at 8:18 PM on December 5, 2022
Response by poster: No sign of German Delights at this year's holiday market, either at a stall or on the map, so I walked to Chelsea and got some halva and some other holiday presents while I was there. Thanks for helping me shift through the too many options, MeFi!
posted by deludingmyself at 12:26 PM on December 8, 2022
posted by deludingmyself at 12:26 PM on December 8, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
$10 will also get you a decently sized chunk of dark chocolate halvah from Seed + Mill, which is delicious and also in Chelsea Market (but with kind of limited hours, go early or they’ll be closed). The kind cut off the cake is better than the stuff in the plastic tubs.
posted by A Blue Moon at 6:01 PM on December 5, 2022 [2 favorites]