Feel-Good Shopping in Houston

You can make Black Friday more meaningful by putting your shopping dollars to good use at local non-profits and independent stores.

Freak out your drunk friends with a set of Ghost Goblets. These hand-blown tumblers feature a wineglass inside. Get these, along with other arty presents, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston gift shop. 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7300 or visit www.mfah.org.

Support an independent bookstore when you shop at Brazos Books. You'll find all the titles currently on top of the Indie Bestseller list (sort of a poor man's New York Times Best Seller list), including Toni Morrison's A Mercy and P.D. James's The Private Patient. 2421 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-523-0701 or visit www.brazosbookstore.com.

Have a baby on your list? The Children's Museum of Houston has put its gift shop online, just in case you can't make it down to the real thing. Check out the noisy Whoozit, a rattle / squeaker / crinkle paper / happy monster all-in-one, ready to attach to a car seat or stroller. There's something about stimulating auditory skills on the box, but we're guessing it's just fun to squeeze and punch, too. 1500 Binz. For information, call 713-522-1138 or visit www.cmhouston.org.

Get some Oaxacan woodcarvings, masks, hand crafted figurines, santos, paintings, or one-of-a-kind jewelry at Manos Magicas, a folk art gallery run by one of the leading experts in Mexican folk art in the state, Dr. Madeleine Crozat-Williams. This rabbit by Mexican artist Moises Jimenez is just one of the many things you'll find here. 4819 Blossom Street. For information, call 713-802-2530 or visit www.lasmanosmagicas.com.

If you want to save the planet while you shop try Green by Adeline, owned by designer Adeline Sung. Green by Adeline has 100 percent eco-friendly fashions, with minimum environmental impact and sustainable materials. 5136 Richmond. For information, call 713-871-1888 or visit www.greenbyadeline.com.

For more shopping choices, check out the winners of the Best of Houston 2008 City of Sin winners here.

-- Olivia Flores Alvarez