Fall is in the air, and we are headed into another holiday season! If thinking about finding the perfect gift for your loved ones induces dread instead of Christmas cheer, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re shopping for friends, family, kids, grandparents, or anyone in between, stop by and see us in Tempe. Supporting a local small business is just a bonus!

For the handy person in your life

My dad is the go-to person in our family for all home projects. As a child, I remember him always tinkering with something around the house. He remodeled our kitchen, family room, and entryway before I turned 12—usually enlisting my brother, sister, or me to hold the flashlight. No matter the problem or project at hand, he always seems to know just what to do. 

The thing these projects all had in common was a trip to the hardware store. There was always a specific screw missing, or a new tool that would fit the job just right. More often than not, Dad would return from these trips with not only the items on his list, but also two flashlights (buy one get one free), another tape measure (20% off), and extra duct tape (impulse buy at the register). His workbench is covered with plastic bags from the hardware store corralling all these just-in-case goodies. 

This year, I’m planning to gift him this Toyo brand steel toolbox to upgrade his organization. Sturdy and sleek, this toolbox is perfect for the small odds and ends that every handy person accumulates. I may even get him one in black and one in salmon for color-coding capabilities! It’s big enough for all the essentials, yet small enough to stow in his car.

Bonus picks for the handy type: 

• Toyo Small Accessory Case in white or speckled indigo
• Kuru Toga Mechanical Pencil with rotating tip
• Hakoake 2-Way Portable Knife and Scissor Tool

For the sophisticated friend

My aunt Joy is an incredible party planner. From family dinners to formal weddings, she pays special attention to the smallest details to make each event memorable. Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Joy’s house included custom name cards at each place setting – I still use mine as bookmarks! The invitations to her daughter’s wedding were a work of art, down to the envelopes beautifully addressed by hand. 

I have the perfect gift this year to recognize her talent and feed her creativity: this beautiful Sailor fountain pen paired with luxurious ink. Writing with this pen makes me feel like a cross between a character in the Harry Potter universe and an old-world poet. It’s fun to customize the ink color, then watch it glide onto the page. Your pressure and the angle of the tip changes the line from thin to thick and back again. 

Bonus picks for the sophisticate:

• This reusable handkerchief 
• The Yellow Bouquet Letter Set, to keep in touch even after Christmas is over
• This classic Great Wave Japanese art print

For the Taylor Swift fan

The Eras Tour may be coming to a close, but Swiftie fandom is forever! Diehards know that Swift famously categorizes her songs as glitter pen, quill pen, or fountain pen songs. Glitter pen songs are the sparkly bops that you know from the radio, quill pen songs are old-time ballads, and fountain pen songs are the honest confessionals Swift is known for. Inspire the budding songwriter in your life with one of each: 

• Zebra Glitter Highlighter
• Sailor Fountain Pen Set
• Okay, we don’t carry quill pens… but you can still set the Evermore tone with our owl-inspired incense!

Swift has also made no secret of her love for cats. The singer has three, dubbed Meredith, Olivia, and Benjamin. Fluffy white ragdoll Benjamin was pictured along with Swift on the cover of Time magazine. Go crazy with Kinkan’s host of cat-themed items!

• A pale pink tote bag with smol cat or white cat
• The Cat Paw Glass
• Cats Art Print
• The Cozy Cat Letter Set

For the student who needs a mid-year pick-me-up

Growing up, back to school season was my favorite. I couldn’t wait to see the displays of shiny new notebooks, pens, and lunch boxes pop up in stores. I would lovingly select every item on my school’s list, down to the erasers. Fueled by new-crayon smell, I couldn’t wait to organize my desk and locker. Inevitably, by December, all those perfectly crisp notebooks had bent corners, and I could never seem to find my favorite pen. The holidays are a perfect time to re-harness that back to school magic from August so you’re ready for January!

Some of my favorite picks for students this Christmas season are organizers for backpacks or desks. For me, an organized bag is an organized mind! Check out these selections to keep pens, pencils, and erasers in line: 

• Standing Animal Pen Case Choose from penguin, Boston Terrier, Shiba Inu, black cat, spotted cat, or budgie
• Bloomin Zipper Silicone Pen Case in red, yellow, lavender, or green
• Silicone animal pouches in regular or mini for smaller items
  

And let’s not forget about lunch! Turn packing food for the day from a chore to a pleasure with these adorable lunchtime accessories. 

• Dual bento box
• Totoro Drawstring Bento Bag
• Chopsticks with travel case

For your favorite silly goose

My elementary-aged niece and nephew are sometimes the toughest people on my list to shop for! Often, the things they enjoy the most make no sense at all to me: a “special” rock collected on a walk around the block, a prized matchbox car obtained through a trade with a friend, or a worn paperback passed down from my generation to theirs. I love the way they see the world, where even the tiniest or most ordinary things can be seen as special. 

Sometimes it’s hard to recapture the magic of being a kid—which is why I appreciate Kinkan’s many whimsical selections! These small touches are sure to delight any child, but they can also bring simple, silly little moments of joy back into the grind of adulting. 

• Fruit-shaped erasers, the envy of any elementary classroom
• The Clip Family animal bookmarks make for a sweet companion during reading time 
• A cuddly Octopus Keychain plush – or choose from other animals like flying squirrel, red panda, or capybara 
• Axolotl plush pen case, because, well, axolotls just look really silly!

For the tea lover in your life

In my family, after any holiday meal comes pie with tea. Apple pie, pecan pie, pumpkin pie – whatever the flavor, it’s sure to come with a perfect pastry crust, courtesy of my mom. It’s an art she’s perfected through practice, and lots of it! One year, she made a New Year’s Resolution to become a pie crust expert. She baked a new kind of pie every week – a year my siblings and I still remember fondly! 

And what’s pie without tea? As soon as I hear the tea kettle warming up on the stove, I know dessert is near. For me, a slice of pie and a cup of hot tea is as close as life gets to perfection. You can channel the same joy this Christmas, or make any day feel special with Kinkan’s collection of teas and tea things! 

• Add some grace to your dessert table with the Shigaraki Ware Tea Pot
• Save money by making your morning matcha at home with this complete Glass Matcha Set!
• Try a new flavor, like Genmaimatcha tea or Kohata Matcha

For the friend who knows everything is better when it looks cute!

I’ve been working at Kinkan for a few months now, and I still love seeing customers come in for the first time. Inevitably, the word I hear repeated over and over is, “CUTE!” Whether you’re looking for a sweet stocking stuffer or know someone whose notebooks look like works of art, sometimes life just needs a little touch of cute. Check out these picks to get you started: 

• Washi tape in tons of fun patterns like gold stripe, froggo, or shoes & doggies
• Slim and adorable stick scissors
• Pastel tape dispenser in pink or mint green
• Stickers galore! Try a large panda in a donut on vinyl, or choose from sticker sets with flowers, art supplies, or trees (and many more!)

Bonus: Gift Wrapping Essentials

We’ve all heard that when it comes to gift-giving, it’s the thought that counts. What better way to show your thoughtful care than by wrapping each gift with love? Whether you need a last-minute gift here in the Phoenix area, or you’re making an ordering online, don’t leave without everything you need to present your gift well! 

• Traditional Japanese gift wrap (it’s reusable!)  – furoshiki cloths
• Tape dispenser
• Stainless steel scissors