A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"The Art of Holiday Shopping" is from the November 2003 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
With December rapidly approaching, incomplete shopping can cause a harried holiday panic. Well, don't fret. We've got a solution. No need to brave the jam-packed malls to find something interesting and artful. For your entire Christmas gift-giving needs, visit one of Texas' many museum stores for unique finds that are sure to please even the quirkiest people you know.
Don't Pick the Bluebonnets
When you want to give something reminiscent of Texas but boots and a 10-gallon hat won't cut it, plant yourself at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. It exists to educate people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants. Wild Ideas, the charming gift boutique here, markets items that further this goal.
Packets of wildflower seeds, especially bluebonnets, sell better than anything else in-house and are an ideal gift for those green thumbs on your list. The many books, from biographies on Lady Bird Johnson to manuals on edible flowers, also interest visitors.
Houston's offerings from Mother Nature can be found at the two shops in the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The Collectors Shop is located next to the Cockrell Butterfly Center, while The Discovery Shop sits across from the box office. Both sell books, handcrafted items, and gorgeous stone jewelry. Pick out a bracelet, earrings, or necklace in smoky quartz or amethyst. The fascinating butterfly display cases--actual winged insects in acrylic boxes--start at $25.
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above, left: Modern art buffs can find the perfect gifts for those hard-to-shop-for people on their lists at the Dallas Museum of Art. above, right: This worker takes a moment to demonstrate one of the many intriguing toys in the Johnson Space Center gift shop, which is sure to delight any astronaut hopeful.
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