Know you want to get something super fun and original for a friend, family or co-worker, but not sure exactly what they want? You can’t go wrong with a gift card from Entrez! Open House. Your card recipient will be psyched to wander around this Oakland wonderland, finding gorgeous housewares, and clever accessories from brands like Alessi, Koziol, and Oakland’s Jenny Hurth. There are items that fit every budget, and the cards are available online in $20, $50, and $100 denominations.

Super cute accent pillows in a variety of colors from Industrielle, the hot urban chic boutique and gallery on Grand near Broadway. Pillows are by local designer Joom! Available for $35 on the Industrielle website.

Keep the little ones in your life cozy and warm with a cuddle blanket from Mariposa Baby! This pink one ($45) is so soft that many of my friends wish it came in adult size. And there are lots more to choose from on the Mariposa Baby website.

Give your Oakland-lovin’ girlfriend a yellow babydoll Tee that sports her pride and flatters her figure for $19. Lots of other Oakland tees and hoodies for men and women available on the Got Oakland? website.

One of our favorites, and a great gift for Oakland-lovers, this guide is perfect for people who want to travel sustainably, and those who love to explore the true soul of cities, not just the typical tourist spots. The first in the sustainable travel series by GrassRoutes Travel. Available for $16.95 on the Oakland Pride store and in lots of local stores around the city.

We announced Fwrap as one of our newest marketplace members last week, and we can’t let a holiday gift list go by without another mention of these clever eco-friendly gift wrap ideas. Save trees and time by tucking gifts into this beautiful fabric wrap instead of paper! Available on the Fwrap website!

This gorgeous asymmetrical Jade Branch necklace is just one of many playful and compelling original designs at Ear to Ear Jewelry. Each design is unique, made from a variety of materials including precious stones, antique and found charms, leather, silver, and more. Available for $75 on the Ear to Ear Jewelry website.

Last week, we introduced you to the newest member to our online marketplace - Akiba Design. This week, we thought you might want to give this incredible Spider Cuff Bracelet to someone special in your life. Available for $175 on the Akiba Design website.

WineSmarts makes learning about wine as much fun as it is to sip. This elegant game of question and answer cards is a great gift for novices and experts. Perfect complement to a bottle of Cabernet. Available for $10 on the Entrez! Open House website.

We still have a few left, so if you’re looking for a gift for the little Oakland cutie in your life, consider our own Oakland Cutie t-shirts. Available in 12-18 mos, 2T and 4T for $20 on the Oakland Pride store. All proceeds support Oakland Unwrapped’s community development efforts.

 Sound familiar? We featured this fabulous Oakland company last year and are proud to announce that they have joined Oakland Unwrapped Marketplace.

Make your gift giving eco-conscious. Fwrap offers an alternative to buying gift wrap that your gift recipient just ends up throwing away. Instead, these clever and beautifully-designed wraps are meant to be re-used for other gifts and storage. These elegant wraps also make wrapping much easier - no more cutting and taping! They come in several sizes and colors and each one includes a gift tag. Also check out their book covers and notebook covers. Fwraps have been featured in SF Chronicle (yesterday!) and Oakland Magazine, and they are all the rage with Sierra Clubbers. Buy them online at fwraps.com.

Our latest addition to the Oakland Unwrapped! Marketplace is Akiba Design. Akiba’s collection of jewelry ranges from her own gorgeous Roots Ring design ($160), inspired by her grandmother, to custom name chains. A very fun gift item for men: custom cuff links made from your own coins! See her collection on our marketplace and at www.akibadesign.com Also check the collection out in the flesh this Friday at our gift fair (see below!).

Join us and NovoMetro at Esteban Sabar Gallery for a community holiday shopping party on Friday. In conjunction with the First Fridays Oakland Art Murmur, NovoMetro will be launching their new print magazine: Oakbook, and Oakland Unwrapped! vendors will be selling their products in the flesh!

Products include Oakland books and t-shirts, jewelry, cards, artwork, housewares, and more. So come on out, check out the art, pickup a NovoMetro OakBook, drink some Lost Canyon wine, and see some great Oakland-made goods! For more info about this event, check out the chatter on Yelp! This Friday, December 7 from 7-10 pm. Outside next to 480 23rd Street (at Telegraph Ave.)

Feed your soul while shopping local at the Dimond winter festival this Saturday. Spiritual leaders will share words and music to celebrate diversity. Enjoy choirs, pancake breakfasts, photos with Santa, and holiday crafts and gifts from local vendors. Suggested donation $5 or canned goods for the needy. 10 am - 3pm. Fruitvale Presbyterian Church. 2735 MacArthur Blvd. at Coolidge Ave.

This is the 22nd year for the Holiday, Kwanzaa & Christmas Gift show, presented by the African-American Business Exchange. Come celebrate family and community while finding unique gifts sold by African American and other vendors! $5 Admission. Dec. 8th and 9th. 11am - 8pm. Oakland Marriott Convention Center, 10th & Broadway. www.kwanzaagiftshow.com

This week’s online buy is from Industrielle, the newest addition to the Oakland Unwrapped! Marketplace. You may remember that we reviewed this ultracool urban boutique and gallery when it first opened just over a year ago. Now they’re online, and they are starting to add products to the site, like these super sexy Boy Shorts ($15) from Oakland designer Evo Noche. Check out the current exhibits, plus housewares, clothing fine art and more for sale online and in the store at 33 Grand Ave. (510) 271-0633. http://www.industriellegallery.com

Help us spread the word about green and indie shopping in Oakland by encouraging your friends to join our mailing list. If they enter your email address when they sign up for the list, you will be eligible to win $100 worth of pampering — a facial for you and hand treatment for your friend!

Ananda Skin Spa & Sanctuary owner Amanda Miller will soothe you with a holistic, organic treatment you won’t forget!

Use the “forward to a friend” feature below, or have your friends go to this page to sign up and reference your address: http://www.oaklandunwrapped.org/join.ihtml

This adorable blanket is just one of many new items for sale on the Mariposa Baby website, part of the Oakland Unwrapped! Markeplace.

After having two sweet babies of her own to dress as well as shopping for countless baby showers of stylish friends and family members, Oakland’s Elizabeth Falkner decided that the market needed better options for truly special baby gifts. She knew there must be shoppers like her that did not want to give baby clothes that had boring, clichéd motifs like trains and ducks, or quirky graphics that were clever or cool, but unsuitable for a special gift. Fortunately for all us, she started Mariposa Baby.

Elizabeth designs all of the blankets, bibs, and outfits herself and has it all produced right here in the Bay Area. Gifts come in a free gift box that is made from 100% recycled materials and features a screen-printed butterfly on the top. Available on www.mariposababy.com

Everybody who is anybody knows and loves Oaklandish and what they stand for. They continue to update their line of t-shirts, hoodies and other fun silkscreened apparel. A must-have for Oakland lovers. Check ‘em out a local shop like AC Clothing and Bags, in their mobile ops unit, or online at http://www.oaklandish.com/shop/. Also check out their site for upcoming events in 2007!

Nathan & Co. is full of modern treasures for the home and body, including quirky items such as a salt shaker that shakes itself, a bath plug with an origami boat attached to it, and more traditional fare such as great smelling candles and cookbooks from favorite local restaurants like Dona Tomas, Bay Wolf, and Cesar. For anyone wanting to show their Oakland pride, I hella heart Oakland t-shirts run $20 for the men’s version and $24 for the more fitted women’s style. 3820 Piedmont Ave 10:30-7 M-Th 10:30-9 Friday, 10:30-5:30 Saturday 510 428 9638

Premier Fido Fleece Coats - Premier designed and perfected the collar-to-tail back Velcro closure that transformed the pet apparel industry. They paired this innovative design with top-quality fleece, because that’s what we choose to wear when the weather gets blustery. This durable, fashion-forward coat keeps a dog’s vulnerable underside protected, while their custom fabrics and pattern designs make sure that every dog wearing Fido Fleece is stylin’! Don’t settle for an imitation - there’s only one Fido Fleece dog coat! It’s available in a variety of styles and sizes. Prices range from $21 to $40. Get them at Paws & Claws in the Dimond District. 2023 MacArthur Blvd. 510-336-0105. Closed Mon., Tues-Thurs 10-7p, Fri & Sat 9-6p, Sun 12-5. http://www.pawsnclawsoakland.com

Treat your valentine to a scrumptious catered meal or flight of desserts from Patrice Reynolds at Fiki’s Pudding. Order up a dinner for two with dishes that include vegan caesar salad, ginger butternut squash soup, grilled teriyaki seitan, and more!
Or…Choose 4 desserts from wide variety of choices, including Tartlettes, Truffles, Walnut Chocolate Chip Brownies, or a vegan, organic S’Mores Kit! Yum! Patrice also sells her delicious desserts inside the Food Mill grocery store at 3033 MacArthur Blvd., so you can enjoy her delicious healthy treats year-round!

Patrice Reynolds, Fiki’s Pudding, 510.919.4312, http://www.fikispudding.com

Rock Paper Scissors Collective is a volunteer-run community arts space with a great gallery, shop, arts lab, and zine library in the Uptown District. Step into the bright space to find fun silkscreened tees, unique handmade clothing, wallets, jewelery, bags, and more. Many items are made of re-used materials, like plastic/foil juice snack bags, bike inner tubes, and even sailboat sails.

While you’re there you can read an independently-published zine in their Zine L