Czech Gift Ideas 2010

Czech Crystal

Crystal is the quintessential Czech gift. Studio Olgoj Chorchoi offers glassware which is unique and functional. This latest collection will certainly be the talking point of any dinner party. No wonder they won the Chief Editor’s Award at this year’s Designblok. The complete collection is available here and can be bought from Luxus Design. Glasses in this set range from 444 CZK for the whiskey glass up to 744 CZK for the champagne glass.

Rony Plesl is another important name in Czech glassware. This year he presents the elegant collection Tulip, which shares the same gentle curves of its namesake. In fact, lovers of Pilsner Urquell may already be familiar with Plesl’s work. Prices are on request.

For woman you’re trying to woo (or make up with)

Belda Factory is another Designblok prize winning local designer. They offers jewelry that ranges from the elegant to more daring designs to suit a number of budgets with items from 800 CZK  to 32 000 CZK. Especially elegant is their silver necklace. The sales staff is also very helpful and happy for people to come and try on pieces.

Necklace by Eva Jiřičná

If you want to indulge someone, send them to Lázně Mšené. This historical spa complex is 40 km out of Prague in the direction of Roudnice nad Labem (check here on Google Maps). For the holidays, the spa is offering some Christmas deals, such as Exotic Winter, Cooling Sea, Coconut on the Snow, Iced Chocolate, Winter Spas, Wellness Snowstorm and Honey Sparkles. Prices range from 1895 CZK to 4835 CZK. There is a choice of either a single room or a double and the prices include meals as well as the specified beauty treatment. The website is only in Czech; however, they are prepared to accept English-speaking clients.

For the man who has everything

So he thinks he’s got everything. Does he have an elephant? Or a lion? Though it might not be practical to actually get one of these for the house, the next best thing would be a year-long adoption of one of the critters at Prague Zoo. Adoption entitles the adopter to a free family visit and a tag with their name and a short message, not to mention a warm fuzzy feeling. The minimum amount for adoption is 100 CZK. All the information how to pay is provided in the link above.

Instead of an object, why not get someone an experience this year? Outside Prague in the town of Bystřice is the Glider Aerobatic Club, which offers a range of flights in planes gliders. Prices range from 750 CZK for 8 minutes to 2000 CZK for the aerobatic flight. Just announced, they also offer flights in a 1960s Czech military plane the Zlín Z-226 which the MiG pilots trained in. A spokesperson for the club said the pilots of planes all speak English and about half the glider pilots speak English.

Kids: Young and Old

In Prague 3, Žižkov, is a shop called Old Toys. Without doubt, the coolest things they have there are the old fashioned clockwork key-wound toys from 100 CZK to 500 CZK. Because the store specializes in toys, there is a good range. Kids of all ages still seem to love them.

If you’re more in mind for some responsible presents, i.e. clothes, NAJS have a cool range of brightly colored tees for kids with robot, animal and monster designs on the front, available for 350 CZK from their e-shop. Older relatives will wish they were small enough to fit into them.

NAJS T-shirts for kids

For the difficult personality

How about am original piece of art by one of the better-known Czech artists? No, the National Gallery is not having a fire damage sale. A wander around Prague’s many book shops will uncover more than volumes. Some even have original works by artists like Zrzavý or Lada. One such shop is the Ex Libris near the main branch of the municipal library (or the pub Hany Bany if that’s a better reference) at Veleslavínova 3. Original prints can be around 2500 CZK. Another shop to check out is Antikvariát Dlažděná at  Dlažděná 7, near Masarykovo nádraží.

Guilt-free Gifts

Getting a good present can also mean doing good. The website ekodárky.cz has a lot of suggestions for environmentally friendly and/or Fair Trade gifts. For example, they have a nice tea set, including Fair Trade tea, for 1295 CZK.

Of course, an even better gift is one that helps people. Through People in Need, it is possible to buy such things as drinking water, fruit trees, and even a cow for impoverished people. The company even includes a message from the sender. A full list of gifts can be found here.

Stocking Fillers

Finding an inexpensive gift which isn’t made from ferment grain or fruit is a tricky one. MojeMoje may well have something that is both practical and will amuse your friends. The company has a series of mugs for 200 CZK printed with either bů or tů.

A small item doesn’t have to be junk. The Garlic Card, about the size of a credit card, and invented by Swede, Herman Rasmuson, is a nifty, easy-to-use garlic grater, designed not to take bits of skin off in the process. It is available for 129 CZK through Eva and Co located in the DBK Center at Budějovická Metro stop.

Give the frustrated writer in your life somewhere to store their thoughts with a Tarakan journal. They range in price from 480.00 CZK, with covers made from vinyl records, to 80 CZK for those with a picture.  The journals are also available through Basmatee.

Christmas Cards

Silvie Luběnová has a series of limited edition Christmas Cards for 150 CZK for a pack of 30. These cards will allow you to say “It’s Christmas” without saying “I just remembered”. Her hand-drawn designs capture the local tradition in a way that isn’t pure kitsch.

Sakra! Christmas card bySilvie Luběnová

Note: On Thursday we will also bring you ideas for the 2010 Top International Gifts available in the CR.