I prefer to buy all the holiday gifts for my friends and family from local businesses and craftspeople, but it’s not always possible: many recipients live far away, or need something very specific. And sometimes the online price, even with shipping, is far less than it is anywhere else – and I am not, by any means, wealthy. So there’s that whole needing to make the house payment thing. Should you have backed yourself into a corner and need a few quick fixes this holiday season, there’s plenty – whether you’re buying for a local friend, your spouse, or a faraway family member – on Amazon:

furniture

• attractive spindle-sided cushioned bench for $99
• pretty tile-topped endtable
• a similar piece without the tile, and in a darker finish
• another endtable, this one with a cabinet & shelving
• neat drop-front desk at a terrific bargain
• low, four-shelf storage unit
• wall hook with shelf
• another wall shelf with a bit more detail
• "lowboy" shelf / cabinet storage unit

lighting

• a very cool copper and glass table lamp
• mission / prairie glass pendant
• interesting stained glass table lamp
• pretty Tiffany-glass pendant
• a pretty, minimalist outdoor sconce
• a very nice traditional wall sconce

tools & fixtures

• the be-all, end-all of hammers: the truly great douglas 20-oz framing hammer
• 115-piece tool / home repair set, at a great price
• a very pretty, classic American Standard bath fixture
• an attractive Greene & Greene doorbell

books

• Simon Hyoun’s The American Craftsman, a book of plans in full color
• Christian Gladu’s (of The Bungalow Company) new Small Bungalows
• The Essential Guide to the Steel Square – a must-have for woodworkers and builders
• Taunton’s new guide, Affordable Remodel

and finally, for those who are either completely nuts, ridiculously rich or have a 30-foot entryway to light:

• Meyda Tiffany’s Avondale 2-tier, 10-arm chandelier for just over $11,000. And whoopee – free shipping!