Forget malls: Top shops for Black Friday

Hardly any of us can avoid the box stores this season. However, handmade gifts and those not mass produced, are perhaps the shortest distance to someone's heart, and maybe even easier on the wallet in these troubled economic times. Around New England, in its nooks and crannies, are shops busting with gifts for those on your list...avoid the mall crowds on Friday and try one of these...

1. Roseberry Winn, Tiverton, R.I. - gorgeous handmade porcelain and unique pieces to compliment anyone's table setting

2. 1 World Trading Co., Nashua, N.H. - a store with ethics, this new shop sells only locally made, Fair trade or earth-friendly items

3. Stonewall Kitchen, York, Maine - for the Foodie...all Foodies...yum

4. G. Willikers Toy Shop, Portsmouth, NH - an eclectic mix of toys for kids, that make their imaginations and hearts sing

5. G Squared, Falmouth, Mass. - a shop that brings together the best local talent under one roof

6. Boston Coasters, Cambridge, Mass. - functional art at its best by using imagery by a talented pool of artists, and printing those images on functional products

7. Artisans Hand, Montpelier, Vt. - celebrating over 30 years of bringing over 100 artisans together in selling hand made creations from A to Z

8. Ten Thousand Villages, New Haven, Conn. - sounds like Connecticut's version of 1 World Trading above. (There are also locations in Brookline, Cambridge -- as in People's Republic of -- Milford, and Northampton -- again, as in People's Republic of)

9. Oak, Boston - what I like to refer to as a real live Etsy

10. Clancy Designs, Jamestown, R.I. -- I'm talking fun glass here folks