Canoga Park Quilt's 2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

'Cause no matter how far away you roam

When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze

For Canoga Park you can't beat home sweet home

I met a man who lives on Runnymede, he was heading for

Carl's Jr and some heat-lamp pumpkin pie

From Loma Verde,  folks are traveling 

Down to Roscoe’s dollar store

From Topanga to Vanowen

Gee, the traffic sure is slowin’

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

It's a sentiment that really hits the mark

If you want to be happy in a million ways
For the holidays shop in Canoga Park!

With Christmas just a few days away, we've enlisted the entire staff of the Quilt to act as Santa's little helpers and get to work finding our readers the presents topping the lists of most every Canoga Park resident, from the tiniest tot to their doting grand-folks. Here you'll find gifts & goodies galore to fill each stocking or lay 'neath the tree to surprise and delight on Christmas Day.

All items are available as listed as we went to press, and all of our local merchants included are good folks, no foolin', so shop locally and tell 'em you saw it in the Quilt!

Oh — and be sure to click on the photos to see our selected items in exquisite enlarged detail!

GUESTS WILL THINK they've taken a magical trip back in time when they step into the spare powder room and see a bar of Nature Scents herbal soap by the sink. The pure, mild soap — a favorite of those who cherished soft, clean skin in the late 1970s — recreates the essence of herbs and scents of the season. Desiccated, disintegrating bar transforms into creamy lather with warm water and just a bit of elbow grease. 50¢ each (and each bar contains a 7¢ off coupon* good towards a future purchase). Assistance League of San Fernando, 20944 Sherman Way, #107, Canoga Park Calif.

*Coupon expires March 31, 1979.

NO CHRISTMAS FEAST IS COMPLETE without a hearty helping of Preserved Vegetable, from the first name in Preserved Vegetable, Fuyang Fuchunjiang Canned Food Co., Ltd.  Ready to serve right from the can as a delicious side dish, Preserved Vegetable also helps make a marvelous soup — just add pork, chicken, dried shrimp (or what have you!); heat, then serve. Generous 12 oz. can is plenty for the holiday table, but pick up an extra can or two in case unexpected company arrives. Preserved Vegetable, 99¢ per can, available at Hoa Viet Market, 21001 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, California.

THE CHILDREN WERE NESTLED all snug in their beds while visions of salted prunes danced in their heads — that is, if Don David, "The King of Nuts & Candy," has anything to say about it. Generous one ounce package of salted prunes, or saladitos, will satisfy any savory craving — helps with pesky sodium deficiency associated with hyponatremia and severe dehydration, too. Indulgent grandmothers can be forgiven for keeping a ready supply in their salted prune dish for visiting tots — it's known to pay off tenfold in kisses and hugs. $1 at Trend Peddler Grand Tiendita, 21530 Sherman Way, Canoga Park.

START A NEW TRADITION this New Year's Eve: At the stroke of twelve, ring in the new year by tossing fun Pow Pow Party Snaps at the ground and get ready for a bang-up good time. Livens up any holiday get-together. Sprinkle on a busy dance floor to transform a sedate slow dance into a peppy fox trot. More economical than using firearms to discharge live ammunition into the air. Safer, too. 50¢ per box. 2 boxes, $1. Roscoe Jr. Market,  20927 Roscoe Blvd. in Canoga Park.

LITTLE WENDY AND WILLIE will love finding this funny toy top in their Christmas stocking — handmade the old-fashioned way with real wood —and personalized with their initial. Hours of yuletide fun. Just 25¢. National Council of Jewish Women Thrift Shop, 21716 Sherman Way in Canoga Park.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE A LITTLE JOLLIER when you trade in your tired old wassail-bowl for a frosty mug filled with any of 8one8 Brewing’s hearty libations — and raise it to toast friends and family. Choose from Matador Red Ale, Valley Girl Blonde, or Good Day IPA (with more on the way). Available by the glass on tap at Canoga Park’s better bars & pubs. And cross those hard-to-buy-for loved ones off your gift list by sponsoring them for membership into the nanobrewery’s exclusive Founder’s Club, limited to just 818 local craft beer enthusiasts. 8one8 Brewing, 8951 DeSoto Ave., Canoga Park, Calif.  

"THE PASTRIES? OH, THEY'RE FROM FRANCE" you'll tell yuletide guests as they delight in the light, caky treats you'll serve with coffee. (You don't have to tell them they're from France Donuts here in Canoga Park — and we won't give away your secret!) Choose from more varieties than Santa has reindeer, each more delicious than the last. From 90¢. France Donuts, 21119 Sherman Way, Canoga Park. "In the Glen Square Shopping Center."

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL GIFT of the season. Beloved entertainer Andy Williams sings a dozen of his most-requested holiday tunes (many as performed on his popular NBC television program) from "White Christmas" to "Silent Night" on this long-playing record from Columbia. You'll find it for $1.99 in the cd/record/book/institutional adult diaper section. Goodwill Industries, 7107 Owensmouth Avenue, Canoga Park 14.

YOU'LL SAY 'BAH HUMBUG' NO MORE to sticky hands from positioning and repositioning and re-repositioning the tree at milady's direction with a GOJO Fast Wipes® Multi-Purpose Towel. Scrub away grease, grime and evergreen sap with GOJO Cleaning Power. Each pre-moistened wipe measures a generous 9 in. x 10 in. Simply wipe hands and discard. Just 69¢ at Ho-Ho-Ho O'Reilly Auto Parts 21061 Sherman Way in Canoga Park.

EVEN JOLLY OLD SAINT NICK needs a smoke break during his journey delivering presents throughout Canoga Park and points beyond — and a trusty King brand lighter is there to help him "light the way" to the relaxation only cigarette smoking brings. Butane-filled and available in a plethora of decorator colors, each lighter is good for well over a thousand lights. Imported. $1 at Mustang Liquor & Jr. Market, 21121 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, California.

WHAT BOY WOULDN'T THRILL to finding a brand new bicycle by the tree on Christmas morn? And if a new bike is out of Mother & Dad's means, here's the next best thing: A complete seven-piece bicycle tire repair kit with patches, blowing tube, scraper and adhesive. Lack of instructions encourages problem-solving and resourcefulness in little Johnny, perhaps inspiring him to find an old used Schwinn at the local junk shop that he can bring back to life, thus bestowing upon him the greatest gift of all — the gift of self-reliance. Bicycle Tire Repair Kit, $1.79 available at Pay 99 Cents Plus or Less, 21828 Sherman Way, Canoga Pk.

GIVE AN OLD PAIR OF DUNGAREES NEW LIFE with Carieer brand temporary jeans transfer. Pretty "snake emerging through concrete with human skull in its mouth" motif looks smart & stylish on blue jeans, glasses, caps, tee shirts and more. Or delight a loved one by secretly applying it to hood, door, or windshield of car for a fun Christmas surprise. Available for one dollar at MAA 99¢ Plus Discount King, 21428 Sherman Way in Canoga Park.

LEGEND HAS IT THAT MRS. CLAUS herself gets her hubby's famous red suit clean as can be with Mexico's famous pink laundry soap, ZOTE — a tall order indeed considering all the soot-lined chimneys he travels up and down on the big night! One thing's for sure: ZOTE's been a favorite with plenty of other busy little housewives for hand-washing their delicates and getting out stubborn stains since 1970. Hefty 7 ounce bar will keep your missus happily laundering load after load. $1 at 99+ Plus Store, 7230 Variel Avenue, Unit G, Canoga Park Calif.

BEFORE THE KIDS HEAD OUT THE DOOR, play "Secret Santa" and tuck a Jif To Go cup, filled with rich, creamy peanut butter, in their pocket — a better way to snack on the run, whether they're off to tag alley walls or head into West Hills to see what gifts UPS has left for them on strangers'  doorsteps.   •   Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse — with PIC mouse traps, for pest-free living. Four traps per pack handles small infestations before they get out of hand. Disposable, too — and kills fast without chemicals. Simply bait with peanut butter. Your choice, $1 each at Dollar Tree, 20936 Roscoe Boulevard.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer appears sans permission of Videocraft Int'l. © 1964.

WITH PARTIES BEING THROWN, relatives visiting,and cherished friends dropping by (perhaps even old Saint Nick himself!), the Christmas season brings plenty of guests into the home. And don't be fooled — they may seem wowed by the tree and your knack for holiday decorating, but the real place to impress is in the bathroom. Premium bath tissue does the trick. Soft, absorbent and, best of all, septic-safe so everyone can feel good about flushing.  $5 for a package of 12 double-rolls - enough for Christmas cocktails with the neighbors, incontinent carolers who sheepishly beg ingress, the big New Year's Eve wing-ding — even Uncle Frank's egg nog-aggravated irritable bowel. Big Lots (formerly Pic & Save), 21910 Sherman Way in Canoga Park.

RUDOLPH AND PALS AGREE: The best 'reindeer games' are played on a lush, thick carpet of grass. Naturally attracts neighbors walking their dogs all the way from the next street over. Varieties abound and the friendly folks at your local Green Thumb can help you choose from Marathon, Marathon II, Augustine, Green Wave and more. Prices start at just 61¢ per square foot. Green Thumb Garden Center, 21812 Sherman Way, Canoga Park 18.

FRUITCAKES WILL BE FORGOTTEN when a lucky recipient is instead given the gift of good taste: a handy holiday two-pack of Arby's signature potato cakes. Shredded potato arranged in convenient isosceles right triangle format — then fried to a crispy golden brown. Comes in their own potato cake holder, so gift-giving's a snap. $1.89 buys a set of two. Arby's Roast Beef & More, 7011 Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Canoga Park — plenty of free parking.

HERE'S ONE ELF WHO'S GOTTEN DOWN OFF HIS SHELF — lured, perhaps, by the enticing aroma of State Fair brand classic "corn dogs." Batter-wrapped hot dogs provides a good source of protein without annoying by-products. Made with real honey, too, and eating couldn't be easier with handy real wood gripping stick. Two corn dogs per package. 99¢ in the freezer section at 99¢ Only (North), 20914 Sherman Way, Canoga Park.

THANK HEAVENS MARY hadn't insisted that the Holy Spirit put one of these on, or we'd have nothing to celebrate! Fun & functional fantasy® brand latex condoms come in colors as lively and vibrant as a string of Christmas lights. Highly effective against pregnancy when properly used; reduces the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases, too. Lubricated, so penetration's a snap. Box of 12 in assorted colors. 99¢ Only (South), 6820 DeSoto Avenue, Canoga Park. "On the Winnetka border."

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE a more magnificent centerpiece than one that showcases the well-known green bottle of Pinalen Original Multicleaner. ♬ Freshens, cleans & degreases ♪ ♫  goes the familiar tune, as beloved as any traditional Christmas carol. Try uncapping it this year, for a clean pine scent that's at home in any holiday setting. What's more, it's at the ready to clean up any yuletide mishaps, from spilled Preserved Vegetable on heirloom tablecloths to bits of greasy potato cakes mashed into new berber carpeting. $1.09 at La Tia Store Mi Tiendita, 7230 Variel Avenue, Suite E, Canoga Pk.

PIGGY BANKS ARE PASSÉ. Banks in the shape of large cocks are what the gift-getting set is crowing for. At over a foot tall, life-size plaster rooster bank gaily decorated in bright, realistic colors is perfect for tucking in nickels and dimes as a loved one saves up for the real thing. $4.99 at Vallarta Supermarket. Two Canoga Park locations to serve you, 21555 Roscoe Blvd & 21208 Sherman Way.   •   This handsome Animal Instinct brand cock ring lets everyone know that's your cock when you bring him out at a company Christmas party, family function, back alley, or vacant lot for competition cockfighting — or just to proudly display. Adjustable; fits most any size cock. From 50¢. Adult Warehouse Outlet, 7233 Canoga Avenue, Canoga Park, Calif.

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

It's a sentiment that really hits the mark

If you want to be happy in a million ways
For the holidays shop in Canoga Park!

Merry Christmas from The Canoga Park Quilt!