Home for the holidays, Seattle style

Heading home for the holidays? If your family doesn't breathe Seattle air every day, there might be some awaiting your safe return from the big city who are entitled to something souvenir-ish.

But who wants to bring home souvenirs and holiday gifts? Instead, let's combine concepts and come up with something really great -- a gift that screams Seattle, something definitely associated, but not impractical.

Pike Street Market Downtown on Pike and First Avenue is a great place to start. Up and running since 1907, the market has become a staple for Seattle tourism and local business.

World-famous Pike Place Fish, famous more for the fish-tossing show than the fish, brings a crowd to the main entrance on a daily basis. True, packing a 23-pound halibut ($183.77) home in the suitcase may not be the most enjoyable event for you or your clothes, but fear not, aprons, T-shirts and sweatshirts for mom or dad with the official logo are going for $20 this year.

If it's fish they'll adore, orders can be placed online at www.pikeplacefish.com for things like a sockeye salmon gift box for $34, which includes shipping and second-day delivery.

Just south of the fish is Market Spice, a much more pleasant-smelling shop with a variety of teas (available by the pound in bulk or pre-bagged) and associated items such as mugs and teapots of various shapes and styles.

Although many flavors are available, the one to bring home is the house special, Market Spice Tea. A sweet flavor with just the right amount of spice sells in boxes of 24 bags for $5.50 (regular) and $9 (decaf). Since the coffee craze has moved outside Washington borders, it may be time to get unique with an old Seattle favorite.

Speaking of Seattle favorites, a large pointed needle comes to mind quite frequently. How to bring it home without being too cheesy is the task at hand.

The Space Needle gift store, now located at SpaceBase (the base of the needle for those new to the area), gives the shopper more than enough variety to chose from. Really, who doesn't need a bag of needle noodles ($6.95) with a matching pair of pot-holders ($3.95)?

For the candy-crazed siblings, a cinnamon Space Needle sucker ought to do the trick at $2.50 each.

Whether it's friends or family for whom you are shopping, Seattle, being the large city it is, has a plethora of practical souvenirs. Whether a 23-pound fish is your souvenir of choice or not is obviously dependent upon those special someones at home and just how special they really are.