Happy holidays - and that's an order! - gift catalogs

Black Enterprise, Dec, 1992 by Marjorie Whigham-Desir

Want to find just the right present for those on your holiday gift list, but have no time to go out shopping? Let your fingers do the walking instead and use mail-order catalogs. Besides those you get in from your local department store and the big three--Sears, J.C. Penney and Spiegel--there are hundreds of products being sold through direct mail. Last year, 96 million adults shopped via mail, spending from $25 to $35 billion according to the Washington, D.C.-based Direct Marketing Association. Convenient for consumers and cost-effective for manufacturers, catalog shopping also has given rise to a spate of Afrocentric products marketed by mail. To get an idea of the variety of catalogs on the market, here is a sampling of a few unique and interesting ones to help you with your holiday shopping. (All are free, unless otherwise noted.)

Culinary Delights

Baskets Because, 20 First Plaza NW, Galleria #22, Albuquerque, NM 87102; 505-247-9892. Want to send a little Christmas spirit with a Tex-Mex flavor? This New Mexico-based gift basket company specializes in offering unique and authentic Southwestern items such as blue corn chips and chile pistachios, red and green chile salsa, bizcochitos--the official state cookie--and a Native American handcrafted kachina doll. Or create a customized basket. Prices start at $29.95. Baskets are shipped worldwide within 48 hours after the order is received and are based upon weight; next-day and second-day air are available at an additional cost. Allow at an additional cost. Allow up to five business days for delivery. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for a free catalog.

Caribbean Cake Connoisseurs, 56 Grandview Ave., Edison, NJ 08837; 800-322-5452. Friends who've sampled the delicious black cake and fruit cakes of the Caribbean will love getting these authentic, tasty treats for the holidays to share and enjoy. The gourmet cakes are available in gift-wrapped packages of six 4 oz. mini-rounds or loaves for $22.50, a 1 lb.8 oz. bundt-shaped cake for $23.95, a 2 lb. cake for $28.90 and a three-pounder for $34.95; available as either black or brown (fruit) cake. No refrigeration is necesary; large cakes can be safely stored for up to one year and miniatures for two months. Allow two to three weeks for delivery after placing order; however, UPS second-day is available at an additional charge. Visa and MasterCard accepted.

Harry and David, P.O. Box 712, Medford, OR 97501-0713; 800-547-3033. Your clients will enjoy receiving gifts of fresh fruit, nuts, candy, cake, smoked meats and other items from a mail-order food company that's been in the business almost 60 years. Gift packs like the Merry Mix-up featuring a variety of apples, pears, cheeses, nuts and candy start at $19.95 and go up to $149.95. If unsatisfied, nonperishable items can be returned for credit. Allow two weeks after order is received for delivery. Federal Express rush and overnight service is available for an additional charge. American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Diners Club accepted.

The Popcorn Factory, P.O. Box 4530, Lake Bluff, IL 60044-8098; 800-541-2676. Kids and grown-ups alike love popcorn, especially those gift cans featuring an assortment of flavors and other snacks. Gift tins of sweets and other treats are also available. Packages are shipped worldwide via UPS, prices start at $14.95; Federal Express service available for an additional cost. American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa accepted.

Christmas Collectibles

Beautiful Brown Babes, 608 Woodland Ave., San Leandro, CA 94577; 510-632-0291. Doll collectors will love to have one of these porcelain, made-to-order black dolls. Each doll is constructed of hand-poured porcelain and are signed and dated by the artist. Prices range from $110 to $1,250; American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Items are shipped via UPS within seven to 10 working days; next-day and second-day air service available. A catalog costs $3, which is applied to your order.

Globalcrafts Catalog of the Christian Children's Fund, P.O. Box 518, New Windsor, MD 21776-0518; 800-366-5896. Unique and interesting one-of-a-kind handcrafted items from around the world for children and adults, from Guatemalan ikat woven vests to handcrafted doll furniture from India are featured. All profits from sales are returned to the individual artisans or their cooperatives. Prices start under $10. Visa and MasterCard are accepted and overnight delivery is available.

Ebbets Field Flannels, P.O. Box 19865, Seattle, WA 98109-6865; 800-377-9777. Baseball fans and collectors of Negro League memorabilia would enjoy receiving and wearing a re-creation of the jerseys, caps and jackets of Negro League teams such as the Kansas City Monarchs and New York Cubans. Sizes range from small to XX-large, and prices range from $44 for caps to $295 for jackets. Items are shipped via UPS, unless specified otherwise; allow two to six weeks for delivery. American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.