□ Valley River Center offers
great gifts for the holiday season
ired of getting your dad a Hickory Farms Beet
Stick every holiday season? This year, why
I not get him a spiral sliced ham? Or. better yet.
how about a terret?
You can find all o( these things, and more, at the
Valley River Center The American economy is turn
ing around by most accounts, just in time tor the hol
idays. People are emptying their wallets and
smashing their piggy-banks with a vengeance atter
several years ot recession What better way to spend
all ot the money you earned this summer than by
blowing it on people you don't care that much about,
but (eel culturally obliged to buy gitts lor? And where
better to blow it than at a mall?
The mall, one ot America's most important insti
tutions. is chock-tull ot great gift ideas Stores are
crammed next to each other and are so diverse that
you can eat, prance around in lingerie and go to the
bathroom all at the same time' Sales abound this
time ot year, and it you're thrifty, you can purchase
all your gifts and still have enough lett to spend on
yourselt. which is what the holidays are really about
anyway.
Let's start out at Meier and Frank It you're into
clothes or shoes, Meiet-and Frank has them Col
lege sweatshirts and jackets are great gifts
"Leather has been really big this year," said Seth
Sjostrom, the lead associate of the store
Leather is very comfortable and stylish, especial
ly it you're m a vicious motorcycle gang
Pendleton products are also very popular and will
warm friends and loved ones during the cold Ore
gon winters It you can't afford a Pendleton prod
uct to warm your friends up. a hearty bowl ol soup
with country vegetables works pretty weft too.
For those who prefer to stay indoors during the
holiday season, games can be fun. Duckopofy stands
out as particularly amusing. This spinoff of Monop
oly uses Eugene and University landmarks instead
of distant geographical names. For other University
paraphernalia, check out the Oregon mini-football
a green, soft, durable synthetic leather for a "soft
er catch" ($10.99) This would be a great gift lor a
younger sibling or a girlfriend
If you're looking for quality gifts and a chance to
boost the state's economy in the process, try the
“Made in Oregon" store. It is overflowing with every
Tum 10 GIFTS. Payc I5B
j In search of the perfect gift
that will make parents ecstatic
It's that time ot the year again. Time to dig out
the cJay, crayons and construction paper to cre
ate the ultimate, perlect gift for your parents.
Unfortunately, unless you're under 10. that tac
tic ism exactly the best one to use for the holiday
season Though it may be appreciated because, after
all. it's the thought that counts, constructing a crude
ashtray of clay for parents who don't even smoke
doesn't cut it anymore and may leave you feeling
a bit cheap
Therefore, it's time to hit the streets in search of
the gift that screams, "This is perfect for Mom/Dad1"
Although you may not realize it. there are many
places in this great City of Ducks to locate or get
ideas tor the perfect gifts for your parents.
The most obvious gift, of course, is duck and Uni
versity paraphernalia Many parents go bonkers over
these "Look." they say proudly to anyone within
earshot while pointing to various parts of their body
, "my child attends the University of Oregon!" The
University Bookstore on East 13th Avenue and Agate
Street is stocked with sweatshirts, T-shirts, socks,
and even Oregon tennis shoes, which sell for $19.95
a pair, for such parents.
Other popular items include window stickers,
glassware and jewelry,
"Virtually anything in the department can be gifts
for parents," said Ellen Crownover, University Book
store sales associate
Sweatshirts at the bookstore run S12.50-S69 95
For the thrifty, there's Oregon Sportswear at the Uni
versity Center on East 13th Avenue and Hilyard
Street With the 25 percent to 60 percent everyday
discounts off suggested manufacturers' retail prices,
sweatshirts cost $25-$45. and hats, another popu
lar item, cost $10-S25. (Be warned, however, that
these gifts can wear thin for parents of upperclass
men with closets full of Duck stuff.)
Perhaps your parents have shed all care for clolh
mg and prefer exercising their literary minds. Allen
Brigham, manager of Valley River Center’s Walden
books, said the hottest names in the world of books
this holiday season include Stephen King's "Night
mares and Dreamscapes," Rush Limbaugh's “See,
I Told Vou So," and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's
"The Hidden Life of Dogs " Ever so popular are the
"Far Side" books by Gary Larson, anything with
Turn to PARKNTS, Page I5B
JU
MTWMXMW&
We ship your stuff home!
1 to 1000 pounds, computers, stereos. TVs
Insured, custom packing
Boxes for sale
UPS. Emery. Motor Freight
2705 Willamette Street • 344-3106
(convenient parking)
MERALD CITY COMICS
Vour campus connection for..
COMICS
New Releases
Back Issues
Subscription
Discounts
GAMES
AD & D
Cyberpunk
Cthulhu
Ars Mogica
Kius we kciii/uuT/atliL movies (VH5)
770 E. 13th • Eugene • 345-2568 • 10-6 Mon-Sun