There are plenty of holiday gift items available at Lang’s Pharmacy in Weston. An added plus is free gift wrapping. —Patricia Gay photo

With Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, Westonites who haven’t finished their holiday shopping will be glad to know that right in town there are plenty of wonderful gift items available in all price ranges for everyone on their list.

Lang’s Pharmacy

Lang’s Pharmacy at the Weston Shopping Center is a winter wonderland, bursting at the seams with something for everyone in the family as well as friends, teachers, and that someone special.

The drugstore with much more, Lang’s also provides free gift wrapping, making the shopping experience even easier.

Bracelets and jewelry galore at Lang’s Pharmacy.

For the lady who likes bling, there is a sizable selection of unique semiprecious and sterling silver jewelry handcrafted by local artists such as Jennifer Barron.

For the fashionista, there is a great selection of designer handbags and purses, stylish dresses, sweaters, scarves, mittens, and gloves, and even some fun faux fur pieces.

Lang’s also carries a full line of Clarins cosmetics and fragrances.

For those who love holiday scents of spice and cinnamon, Lang’s has scented towels, pillows and candles.

For under $10 there are some beautiful artisanal soaps that make great stocking stuffers and hostess gifts.

The store also carries a line of platters, bowls, and handwarmer mugs by Clay in Motion pottery studios, featuring blue irises or the ocean tide pattern, and Weston ornaments, note cards, and paperweights designed by local artists.

Lang’s prides itself on its array of top-quality toys for kids of all ages, including crystal growing kits and energy labs, bingo and craft games, puzzles, and stuffed animals that would make any child’s face light up.

Basketful of dog toys at Lang’s Pharmacy.

Fido isn’t forgotten either. There is a basketful of soft dog toys for sale, some with jingly bells on them, at the front of the store.

It can sometimes be difficult shopping for Dad or Grandpa. But Lang’s has a nice selection of men’s wallets, traditional shaving brushes and shaving soaps, and Clarins and George Trumper skin treatments.

For the whole family there are Weston sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats, pajamas, slippers, and flannel pants, available in all sizes and colors.

Still undecided? How about a box of chocolate-covered pretzels or gourmet DeBrand chocolates from Chicago — all gift-boxed and ready to go.

Peter’s Market

For your holiday meals, as well as gifts for the foodies in your life, Peter’s Weston Market has you covered. There’s food, goodies and much more available at Peter’s.

Meat case at the butcher counter at Peter’s Market.

For Christmas dinner, there is a veritable barnyard for sale.

The butcher counter features standing rib roasts, as well as filet mignon steaks and beef tenderloins. For poultry, there’s turkey, duck, goose, and Cornish hens.

Rounding out the farm, there are legs of lamb and racks of lamb as well as pork crown roasts, pork tenderloins, and hams.

Seafood lovers can enjoy fresh Maine lobster and other shellfish, as well as salmon, sole and tilapia.

For Christmas Eve noshing, there’s imported panettone sweet bread and Lurpak Danish butter. The market’s deli is taking orders for cold cut platters and cookie platters.

The market also carries a wide variety of imported specialty sausages, olives and cheeses.

For dessert, there are cakes, éclairs, pastries, cookies, and a selection of pies from Michele’s in Norwalk.

For those on restricted diets, Peter’s has gluten-free desserts available, as well as sugar-free fancy cookies.

Stockings hung by the chimney with care need to be filled with something, and Peter’s Market has candy canes, chocolates, fruit, and hefty bags of pistachio nuts that will fit the bill.

Christmas spirits

At Peter’s Spirit Shop in Weston Center, there is a lot of holiday cheer to choose from, with all types of liquors and red, white and rosé wines available in all price ranges.

Peter’s Spirit Shop carries a wide assortment of holiday sparklers and liquors.

There are seasonal champagnes and sparkling wines on hand, such as Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, and the effervescent Billecart-Salmon brut rosé.

For the beer enthusiast, there are a variety of handcrafted beers, including a Duvel gift set of Belgian ale.

Whiskey lovers would enjoy one of the store’s many Kentucky bourbons.

There are also gift sets, such as Crystal Head vodka that includes two “skull” shot glasses, and Fragoli strawberry liqueur from Italy that features whole wild strawberries, and includes a pair of sipping glasses.

Stocking stuffers

Good things often come in small packages. The Weston Hardware Store sells lottery tickets and little toys that make great stocking stuffers or party favors.

The store also has Christmas lights and bulb replacements, winter and gardening gloves, and barbecue accessories such as spatulas, grill brushes and tongs.

With snow season starting, the store carries Flexible Flyers for the kids.

Feeling lucky? Lottery tickets at Weston Hardware make great stocking stuffers.

The Weston Service Center has gift certificates that may be used for snow tires, wipers and auto repairs.

Gas cards are always popular with teens who are just discovering the joys of filling up the tank.

La Roue Elayne at the Cobb’s Mill Inn also offers gift certificates for a night of fine dining or cocktails and dancing.

Reservations are now being accepted at Cobb’s Mill for New Year’s Eve. The night includes hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, open bar, dinner, live entertainment, and a champagne toast for an all-inclusive price, ranging from $150 to $170 per person.

Westonites

A number of Westonites have created items that would make excellent gifts.

Chocolatier Aarti Khosla makes fresh handmade chocolates with an Indian-inspired twist, using the finest quality fillings, nuts, and Belgian chocolate. Her candy creations are sold under the name Le Rouge – Handmade Chocolates by Aarti, and are available online at lerougebyaarti.com or by calling 203-293-6106.

Truffles by Le Rouge-Handmade Chocolates by Aarti.

Entrepreneur Timothy Cataldo has created a new board game called ONEUPMANSHIP, in the tradition of Monopoly but with a stock market theme and fun challenges and surprises. The game is available atoneupmanship.com. And if you plug in the coupon code westonforum you’ll get 10% off.

How about a book by a Weston author?

Just in time for the holidays, Mary Louise Santacaterina of Weston and her sisters have published The Sugar Plum Tree, a whimsical children’s book, available at Lang’s Pharmacy or online at thesugarplumtree.com.

For the cooks in the family, check out My Rio de Janeiro by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz and The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs, available at Barnes & Noble and amazon.com.

Also available on amazon.com are Fast Future by David Burstein, a nonfiction book about the millennial generation; Frogmen by Richard Hyman, about his adventures with Jacques Cousteau; Death in the Baltic by Cathryn Prince, about the sinking of the World War II boat Wilhelm Gustloff; and the thrillerDeadly Play by M.K. Perkins.

This Saturday, there is a Winter Farmers’ Market at the Norfield Grange from 10 to 2. Local vendors and crafters, including Viv’s Veggies of Weston, will be selling homemade jams, maple syrup, honey, fresh lobsters, vegetables, gift baskets, and much more.

The gift of giving

What do you get the person who has everything? How about the gift of helping others.

The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs

There are several nonprofit organizations in Weston that welcome new memberships or contributions.

At Wildlife in Crisis (WIC), a wildlife animal rescue group, you can honor someone by sponsoring a recovering wild animal in the person’s name.

A $50 sponsorship will aid an injured songbird, while $100 will aid an injured bird of prey such as an owl or hawk. The donor will receive a gift card, which can be emailed, and a photo of the animal as it recuperates.

WIC also sells sweatshirts for $45, T-shirts for $20 and tote bags for $20. Fleece vests for adults made in the United States are $40. For more information about sponsorships or gift items, visit wildlifeincrisis.org or write wildlifeincrisis@snet.net.

Give the gift of local news and information, order print and digitial subscriptions of The Weston Forum for students and friends at thewestonforum.com.

Gift memberships and donations are also welcomed by the Aspetuck Land Trust, Weston Historical Society, Nature Conservancy, WestonArts, Weston Education Foundation, Weston Volunteer Fire Department, Weston EMS, Weston Police Benevolent Association, Weston Food Pantry, Weston Senior Center, Weston Social Services, and Weston Warm-Up Fund.

And finally, for those have procrastinated about putting up a Christmas tree, you not only can still buy a beautiful fresh balsam or Fraser fir at Weston Gardens, at 1 Goodhill Road, but they will deliver it to your home and set it up at no extra charge (there is a small setup fee for trees over nine feet). They are also making custom-designed wreaths and centerpieces and have roping available, too.

Remember, too, the best gift is the gift of yourself. You can’t go wrong by spending time with loved ones this holiday season.

All photos by Patricia Gay

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