gift guide

Find your way home in this engrossing labyrinth game by Indian artisan Rakesh Pathak. Carved from mango wood, the game challenges you to guide a trio of stainless steel marbles through the circular maze and to the center, or "home."

When the miracle in Bethlehem blessed the world with God's son, an archangel guided and protected the holy family with his tender wings. Motivated by this story of sacrifice and unconditional love, Guatemalan artisan Liz Oliva uses her expertise in pottery arts to create this ceramic semi-abstract sculpture whose pieces represent God's will protecting Joseph in his role as a family head, Mary in her role as a sweet nurturer and baby Jesus in all his innocence.

From the delicate petals of a carved lotus blossom, a seated Buddha emerges, framed by floral latticework. Master woodcarver Wayan Rendah uses local suar wood to carve this statuette, achieving remarkable details. Rendah presents the Buddha figure in a peaceful and meditative state with his eyes closed. The Buddhist teaching of love and meditation plays an important role in the Balinese Hindu belief system. In short, Buddhism preaches that a wholesome existence guided by the right thinking, conduct, livelihood, mindfulness, and concentration will release one from the painful cycle of life and death.

Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family carves this exquisite image by hand. She carries on the extraordinary art work of her late father, Nyoman Subrata.

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), c.563-c.483 B.C.; b. Lumbini modern-day Nepal.

It is said that a fortune-teller divined that Siddhartha Gautama would become a teacher of the world. At age 29, Siddhartha left his wealthy family in pursuit of the truth. After six years, Siddhartha had the religious epiphanies on which Buddhism is based. In short, a wholesome existence guided by the right understanding, the right thinking, the right speech, the right conduct, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right mindfulness, and the right concentration releases one from the painful cycle of life and death. Today, hundreds of millions of people follow his philosophies of compassion and detachment. This sculpture of Buddha is carved in suar wood.

Inspired by the petroglyphs found in the Armenian regions, artisan Narek creates a dapper brown leather bracelet equipped with a brass snap closure. The piece is accented with a sterling silver pendant featuring an ancient bull draw, a spiritual guide that traditionally symbolizes bravery and strength.

Flowers blossom with lavish exuberance on a jewelry box that is completely carved by hand. Afroza Ishaq creates the exquisite design guided by hear father's teachings and in a tradition unique to Kashmir, where walnut grows. The wood is left to dry for up to three weeks before the master carver can work on it. This jewelry box is lined, has a removable tray, and has a discreet locking system that can be opened by sliding to the right.