I was asked to keep my eyes and ears open for anything and everything that might be a good fit for Portland Magazine‘s Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve made phone calls to jewelry stores local to the Portland vicinity. I’ve traveled to Jewish gift shops in South Portland. I made my way through an Arabic market. (I was the only patron, though. Pop culture has made me believe that international markets are always bustling with activity.) Upon first glance, the market seemed like a regular grocery store with typical grocery store items. Flour, cooking oils, fruits and vegetables. I came back with photos of just about everything in the store, from candy to a hookah. What may seem like an ordinary, albeit colorful, lollipop to one person is shaped like a lobster buoy to another person.
What did end up in the gift guide based on my travels to various locations around Portland? A gold dreidel from the Bet Ha’am Congregation gift shop. A glass hookah set up with frosted reindeer from the Sinbad Market in Portland. I would love to know if anyone gives these gifts this holiday season!
–Taryn “Diego” Crane