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Issue Date: November 30, 2008
Gift guide: Small gadgets, tiny tech, teacup puppy
It's not old-fashioned thrift. Shoppers this season are loving all things undersized.
By Jane Buckingham
If you've been wondering whether size matters, the bad news is, it does. The good news, however, is that smaller is better. Well, for gifts anyway.
The iPod nano for music and movies comes in nine chromatic flavors.
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Gone are the days of endless packages strewn around the tree (or next to the menorah) wrapped in reams of shiny paper, tied with oodles of fancy bows. Nope, instead, you can expect one special size-challenged gift this year -- most likely wrapped in burlap or something recycled. From the iPod nano to the Flip Video Mino HD to the Smart car, all the cool stuff this holiday season seems to be shrinking.
So why is the land of the supersized so enamored with the miniaturized?
Perhaps the most important factor is that we're a society on the move. We want our favorite things to go with us, so they need to be small and durable.
Technology is leading the charge. When we didn't want to be stuck behind a desk to be on the computer, the BlackBerry let us run Microsoft Office applications on the go. The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip has a second LCD so you can check messages without flipping it open. And it's no longer enough to be able to use a wireless Internet connection at Starbucks -- we want to be able to use our device while walking to Starbucks! So the iPhone came along to transform a cellphone into a portable media center, and the new iPhone 3G turbocharges your Web browsing.
Remember those big hi-fi stereo headphones? Well, you won't be seeing them this year. Instead, you'll be looking for the nearly invisible noise-isolating earbuds that are replacing them. For earphone-free listening at home or on the road, new tiny speakers emit big, studio-quality sound. If you want to combine mini with old school, check out the Minox Digital Classic Camera Leica M3, which looks like the classic '50s camera but is small enough for Thumbelina to use.
Cosmetics companies are marketing mini everythings. Mini lip-gloss samplers by Stila and Lancome won't be stocking stuffers but rather coveted gifts. The Little Black Card pocket-sized beauty companion from Trish McEvoy looks like it should hold one blush, but it contains enough makeup options (eyeshadow, blush, lip gloss, liner) to outfit several contestants on America's Next Top Model.
The other great thing about minis is they let you sample without having to commit. Demeter, known for its kitschy and nostalgic scents, now is marketing mini-fragrances for $6 in fun scents like Hershey's Kiss and Tootsie Roll. A single fragrance once might have made a great stocking stuffer; expect two or three to make a fabulous gift this year.
Then there is the apparel for the "mini-mes" being pushed along in Bugaboo strollers or walking next to their parents. You know, the kids dressed just like their parents in matching Juicy sweatsuits, Seven jeans and C&C T-shirts. Everything that parents covet is being made smaller so kids can have it, too. Maybe it makes the parents feel younger or the kids older. Or perhaps it's just cute.
OMG! Is there anything more adorable than a teacup puppy?
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Still don't believe that everything has gone mini? Check out our pets. Forget a golden retriever knocking you down at the door: This holiday, be careful not to step on the teacup puppy Dad got for you. These wee ones are all the rage.
In tough economic times, small just feels right. It's more subtle. And small doesn't require as much wrapping paper, so we won't be sacrificing as many trees to fuel our gift-giving ways. In fact, you can expect to see more gifts in store boxes or wrapped in decorated recycled paper. It's environmentally friendly and costs less.
So remember, this holiday season it's not just the thought that counts. And when you're thinking gifts, think small. It says you're more hip, more environmentally friendly and, just possibly, more cute.
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