...but you'd still like to get her something completely different this holiday season. I am aware that this is an "events" blog, but if you're like me you've had to put off some of your "events" in order to afford presents, so instead of telling you where you should drink tonight (though I'll find a way to slip it in somewhere), I'm going to send you to South Bethlehem for another reason: to find the most unique gifts in the Valley.

We'll focus on the two or three blocks of 3rd Street located between the Fahy Bridge and McGrady's Pub, which consist primarily of art galleries and shops without a trace of big name recognition. Arguably the most innovative of these stores is Home & Planet, a space dedicated to selling items made from recycled goods and/or organic material. If you think a wallet made from a juice box or a purse styled from someone's old license plate would be the perfect gift for someone on your list, this place is for you.

While Home & Planet may be a great place to shop for your wacky friends, I know the harder people to shop for are usually in the family. Check out Cleo's Silversmith Studio & Gallery for Mom or for a girlfriend; they offer jewelry you won't find in the mall. Any female on your list go for something from Comfort & Joy, a toned-down Pier 1-type store without all the furniture. The "typical" guy might be harder to shop for on 3rd Street, but a Dad with an artistic eye would like anything from the art galleries along the way, although the majority of what's available will cost more than he'd want you to spend. The fall-back for anyone on your list can be found at Tallarico's Chocolates.

There are, of course, plenty of other places in the Lehigh Valley to find "unique" gifts, but I don't think you'll find a greater concentration of them than on 3rd Street. So feel free to get away from the mall and all the gifts that your less imaginative family members will be getting anyone else anyway and head to South Bethlehem; when you're done you can grab a drink at McGrady's with all the Lehigh kids suffering through finals week (there, that's the "event" part of this blog, please pay me now).

-Ryan