[blindkid] Christmas gifts for the blind

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Feature Writer Karen Crowder - Five Great Places to Buy Unique Christmas Gifts
                                  
By
 December 9, everyone is inundated with emails, TV ads and catalogs 
tempting them to shop for gifts before Christmas. For blind shoppers, 
home readers have opened a world of shopping through catalogs sent on CD
 or cassette. Here are five stores where treasured gifts can be bought.

In
 September, I was researching where to buy lilac fragrances and 
discovered Pacifica Perfume. It is located in Portland Oregon. The 
organic home bath and body products impressed me. All products are 
reasonably priced and the French lilac had tantalizing reviews. I phoned
 them and was impressed by their warm and professional manner. I 
received my order of lilac soap and perfume at the end of September. I 
like the soap and its light lilac fragrance. The sweet floral scent is 
reminiscent of spring lilacs blooming everywhere in New England. In 
November, I shopped there again and bought lilac products, which will 
make good Christmas gifts. Pacifica sells bath and body products, as 
well as candles and reed diffusers in 24 scents.
  
I have shopped
 with Make Scents and enjoy their products. This company focuses on 
accessibility, and has Braille labeling on their products. They also 
have travel sizes of their scents and can do custom scents of any 
product from shampoo to cologne. My favorite scents are baby powder, 
rain and lilac. They have home fragrances, candles and other lines of 
bath and body products. They are patient and attentive to blind 
customers, and describe their products well. Their store is located in 
Columbia, Missouri.  

LL Bean is a store that sponsors home 
readers. I was fortunate to shop with a friend at one of their outlet 
stores in Dedham, Massachusetts in 2009. The attentiveness of everyone 
there made me feel as if I had gone back in time to an old-fashioned 
clothing/department store. The people were friendly and allowed me to 
touch their moccasin-like slippers before purchasing them. I looked at 
sweaters, and put them on my wish list. I also bought an outfit, which 
they made sure fit perfectly. I bought warm winter gloves and organizers
 as Christmas presents for my family. I have not shopped there since, 
but put soft-sided luggage and lovely sweaters on my wish list.

Parfum1.com
 is a lovely web site to browse when you want to find discounted vintage
 or unusual fragrances. In mid-October, after browsing their extensive, 
accessible website, I phoned them, and bought Yardley products and an 
organic rain-scented body lotion. The man was cordial and knowledgeable 
about the store's products. They have other brands such as Elizabeth 
Arden and Demeter. 

Dollar tree stores remind me of five and dime
 stores. I have often shopped there or looked on their accessible 
website. I continue to be amazed at the quality of their glassware and 
stoneware mugs. Last Sunday I bought Christmas wrap, bags, tape and 
three lovely mugs as gifts. Everything is $1 or less. Looking on their 
website tonight I discovered they have many types of coca cola glasses.  

Here is contact information for these stores and websites. 
Pacifica perfume phone 1-866-337-7100 for customer service. 
Pacificaperfume.com.
  
Make Scents phone 1-800-225-0290.  www.makesscentsonline.com

LL Bean phone 1-800-441-5713 for customer service. www.LLbean.com  

Parfum 1 phone toll free 1-866-7 27-3861. www.parfum1.com 

Dollar Tree toll free number 1877-530-8733. www.dollartree.com

In
 our frantic haste to buy gifts by Christmas we forget gifts are often 
given after the holidays. Anyone's mood is lifted after receiving a 
belated gift on a cold January day when the holidays are pleasant 
memories.