Permanent Turkey for Holiday Avian Decor

Roasty, toasty, and juicier than most real birds!

Thanksgiving isn't always about cooking. Sometimes, it's just about showing up somewhere and eating the fruits (or birds) of someone else's labors.

That's all well and good, but how can you participate and bring a gift suitable for both occasion and table? In the case of Thanksgiving, look no further than this handy dandy inflatable turkey. Folded neatly in a tin box, this plastic turkey inflates in minutes and adds definite drama to the holiday setting. Place it in the center of the table to sub for the real thing. Let it hang out on the sofa with guests (it makes a fine headrest in a pinch). Or, hang it from above the front door, as a sort of Thanksgiving themed mistletoe (perhaps mutual gobbles instead of kisses?).

At just $11.99, this is a holiday bird you can afford and use, time and time again. An added bonus: terrorizing vegans with it. At Perpetual Kid.

Scare Your Favorite Child with This Terrifying Stuffed Gobbler

Potentially one angry bird.

Sure, Halloween has come and gone, but there's no reason to not try to terrify the youngsters. Traditionally, Thanksgiving isn't a scary holiday, except for the turkeys who, if they had any inkling of what was coming, would immediately get passports and jet off to the safety of Canada or Europe.

Still, I find this ultra realistic stuffed turkey to be a bit menacing, especially if posed in the middle of a child's room a week before Thanksgiving. Trying to create a little vegan? It's never too soon to start! In years past, this particular site has boasted a gigantic version of the bird, standing at least three feet tall and bursting with avian ire. That version was over a grand, which seemed a bit much for a huge party trick. 

This little guy, on the other hand, sells for a comparatively low $160. And who knows: yours could be the weird kid who imprints to Gobbler and sleeps with him until college. Stranger things, including Indians helping out invading Puritans, has happened on Thanksgiving. At Chasing Fireflies.

Truly Portable, Premium Speakers from Nudeaudio

Enjoy music anywhere, even in the nude!

With the current level of technology, we can all carry around our personal music with us, all the time. But what we haven't been able to do, at least affordably, is listen to our music in open air, sans earbuds or headphones, anytime we want.

Until now. Sure, there have been portable speakers available for years. The problem? Try crappy, tinny sound and pesky wires. Nudeaudio sets out to change all that with its Move's Bluetooth audio speaker, a tiny speaker with a big sound, that wirelessly connects with Bluetooth enabled tablets, phones, and other musical storage devices. That means that the speaker can hang out wherever you are, whether it's an outdoor BBQ or an indoor kitchen, delivering music right next to you with great sound. And when I say hang out, I really mean it, because the Move boasts a cord to loop over a cabinet pull or hook. The colorways (mint and gray or coral and black) are stylish, and the silicone wrapped body gives it resilience.

Did I mention that it's $49.99? What a perfect gift for a tween, teen, metalhead, and any other music fan on your gift list. At Dijital Fix.

A Leather Potholder for Stylish Cooking Protection

It's so pretty and protective!

No matter how experienced a cook one is, eventually there's a stupid mistake. That stupid mistake often involves a metal pot handle, high heat, and a bare hand. Great suffering blisters!

There are plenty of potholders out there, ranging from hand quilted to ragged sack cloth, but this Pan Handle Leather Potholder by Patzbag protects palms in serious style. Made of tough, thick, tan leather, the holder simply slips over the handle and stays there. No protection memory lapses when the timer rings, no fumbling in drawers while the pot boils over. Plus, it's an ideal small but so thoughtful gift for the busy cook.

Handmade in Maine, the Potholder sells for just $13. By Patzbag on Etsy.

Warm the Toes with Wooly Slippers

They're purrrfect for chilly nights!

Los Angeles has been its typical schizophrenic weather self these past couple of months, toggling from super hot to foggy and moist and back again. We're all wheezing and coughing on smog and cold viruses. But now, it looks like Fall in all its moderate temperatures might be here to stay for a little while.

Naturally, most of the rest of the county (and world) has already switched seasons with certainty. There are chilly digits and appendages needing comfort. There's just about nothing nicer to ward off the chill and drafts than a good pair of slippers, and Haflinger makes the best ones. Crafted out of 100% boiled wool, these no nonsense scuffs boast contoured heels and arch supports (the Europeans really know how to treat their feet right). They come with rubber or felt soles, depending on how much heavy walking they'll need to endure. And they aren't soooo utilitarian. Take, for instance, these kitty cat slippers, each one featuring half a cat. There's a dog version, too, and either seems wildly appropriate for a pet loving tween girl (or a cat worshiping adult).

Quality like Haflinger doesn't come cheap: about $75 per pair. I will say, though, that my pair seems impervious to wear and tear. At Cuddledown.

Help Kids Hold Down the Fort with Stick-lets

This construction looks more solid than that of most suburban subdivisions.

There's been research aplenty done on kids and how they play, and the research overwhelmingly suggests that creative play (maybe sans adults) teaches kids more than just about anything else. And no, I don't need to cite this information. Don't you think it's just common sense?

One of the childhood experiences most rhapsodized about is outdoor play, fort building in particular. The Toad, as a very urban child, cannot share in this nostalgia, but I was making forts inside out of rocking chairs and blankets often; the need to build, duck, and cover seems ingrained. Drawing upon this fort building instinct is Stick-lets, a set of stretchy bands to hold together the sticks, furniture, and flotsam and jetsam that make up a traditional kid fort. Colorful and lightweight, Stick-lets seem easy enough to use that kids can go at construction solo. In other words, this is for independent and cooperative play. If you, the adult, want to build a fort, order your own set.

A 20-pack of Stick-lets is around $53, and will provide blessed hours of entertainment, both indoors and out. Order at Stick-lets and let the building commence.

Knot for the Wall Decor

Can also be used as a weapon. See David and Goliath for details.

Occasionally, or maybe often, I find myself drawn to essentially useless objects. You know, the sort of things that just hang out, looking cool and superfluous, on a ledge or attached to the wall. These sailor's knots fit that bill perfectly.

It could be argued that sailor's knots do really serve a purpose: to keep sails on boats from coming loose on their moorings, and that would be accurate. But a wall or ledge isn't a sailboat. Instead, I'd like to see these colorful hand painting sailor's knots as a metaphor for a complicated life, a convoluted communication, and the knot in one's stomach. Hang it on the wall, folks. Examine the knot in all its simplicity and complexity, its colorful beauty. And then, leave it hanging there, away from you. Useless object? I've reaccessed.

Find these beautiful, symbolic knots at Haus.