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Look inside for help with all your holiday gift-giving needs

BEST GIFTS FOR KIDS

Top gifts for kids of any age

For kids who love stuﬀed animals: A Squishmallow

Anna Lane, Janelle Randazza and Ben Yoder

Kids are brutally honest – give them a present they don’t like and they’ll let you know. On the other hand, if you ﬁnd them a great gift, they’ll light up with joy.

Relying on our testing, expertise as gift givers, and experience as parents, we came up with a list of the best gifts for kids.

These kid gift ideas at diﬀerent price points are sure to please, with options that range from educational gifts to the hottest toys and trendy must-haves.

Squishmallows are all the rage for younger kids and tweens alike. The super soft and cuddly creatures are collectible and come in a variety of adorable shapes, sizes, and colors. They’ll love unwrapping one of these puﬀy creatures.

For kids who like projects: KiwiCo Crate

A KiwiCo Crate subscription is a gift that keeps on giving month after month. Whether you have a toddler or a teen, KiwiCo has a box that’s designed just for them, with projects that are fun, creative, and educational.

For kids who love to read: A monthly book subscription

Encourage your child’s love of reading with a book club subscription from Bookroo. With book clubs designed for kids up to age 12, Bookroo delivers hand-picked books right to your door every month.

Best gifts for babies and toddlers

For developing small motor skills: Green Toys Stacker & Shape Sorter Green Toys’ shape sorter and stacking set helps infants and toddlers develop their motor skills. The eight-level stacking set and accompanying sorter with eight lightweight shapes are crafted from 100% recycled plastic. And you can toss them in the dishwasher for an easy wash.

For kids who are beginning builders: Mega Bloks

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Building blocks are a great way to encourage small motor coordination, but classic wooden blocks can be heavy for little hands. Mega Bloks are made from colorful, lightweight plastic, and can be clicked together to build tall towers and other structures.

For kids who are crawling: Pullback vehicles

Many of the toys marketed to prewalkers are really boring, but not so this set of Melissa & Doug Pull-Back Vehicles. What makes these soft cars and trucks so fun is that you can rev up the wheels and race them around the house. And parents will love that they don’t make a lot of noise and don’t

7480 W Bell Rd #106 (623) 233-6105 Casa Grande 1355 E Florence Blvd #113 (520) 836-2096 Mesa 4360 E Main St #103 (480) 325-2500 Estrella 1170 N Estrella Pkwy #101-102 (623) 932-9159 Glendale 5301 W Bethany Home Rd (602) 783-8190 Phoenix 1275 E Bell Rd #100 (602) 787-4200 Phoenix 668 W Camelback Rd (602) 246-6800

Creek 20851 E Rittenhouse Rd #106 (480) 888-7640

Tan 2720 S Market Street #101 (480) 855-3843 Scottsdale 8698 E Raintree Dr #107 (480) 991-9913 Surprise 14155 W Bell Rd #101 (623) 583-3800 Tempe 8455 S Emerald Dr (480) 940-1301

Marketplace 2010 E Rio Salado Parkway #110 (480) 590-0770

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two tunnels, and it comes with a carrying case so you can fold it up and store it when not in use.

For kids who love to clean: Let’s Play House! Dust! Sweep! Mop!

Put them to work helping you clean while they have fun, with Melissa & Doug’s Dust! Sweep! Mop! set. The wooden set includes a broom, mop, and duster so they have all the tools they need to do a thorough job.

For kiddos who are sporty: An indoor bowling set

Keep your tiny sports fan entertained with the Crate&Barrel Indoor Bowling Set. The pins and ball are made out of rubber, so you won’t have to suffer through the cacophony of crashing bowling pins. It comes with a pin set-up template and a see-through plastic backpack so the game can easily be transported outside when the weather warms up.

For the kid who wants a not-soclassic train set: Brio Disney Princess Castle set

If you’ve got a kid who loves trains and princesses, look no further than Brio’s Disney Princess Castle train set. The18-piece set includes three magnetic train cars, plenty of wooden track, and three Disney princesses.

Plus, it’s compatible with all other Brio train sets so your child can extend their track as far as their imagination can take them.

For kids who like to create: A PlayDoh oven

Play-Doh is a classic kids gift idea for good reason: It’s fun, good for their small motor skills, and engages their imaginations. The Play-Doh Magic Oven comes with all the gadgets they need to “bake” up pies, cakes, and muﬃns. The oven lights up and even dings when their creations are “ready.”

For kids who are Bluey fans: 13inch Bluey Talking Plush

With the Bluey Talking Plush, adventure is

around the corner for your favorite 4year-old. At 13 inches, it’s the perfect size for snuggle time, too.

For kids who love Play-Doh: Made By Me Mixy Squish

Super stretchy, Mixy Squish air dry clay is easy to sculpt and squishy when dry. The mega pack includes 12 colors with pre-mixed textures. Your future artists will have hours of fun, and parents will love that it’s not sticky and easy to clean up.

For cool imaginary play: An ice cream set

Take their imaginative play to a delicious new level with the Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter. The self-contained set has everything children need to run their very own ice cream shop, including eight different ﬂavors, six toppings, two cones, a cup, an ice cream scooper, tongs, a wooden spoon, and even six pretend $1 bills.

For kids who love nature: A pair of binoculars

Kids who are curious about the natural world will appreciate the gift of Scotamalone Shock Proof Kids Binoculars designed just for them. These lightweight, colorful binoculars are easy for kids to use, and come with a neck strap so they won’t get dropped too often.

For kids who like to ‘cook’: Blues Clues & You! Wooden Cooking Playset

You can give your child all the fun of a play kitchen without having to cede half of your living room, thanks to the compact Melissa & Doug Blue’s Clues & You! wooden cooking playset. Kids will love that the reversible grill top turns into a sink, and parents will love that there’s a built-in storage rack for all the little pieces.

For kids who love TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 4-pack

Your favorite kid will be shouting “cowabunga” as they play with these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ﬁgures. They’ll have hours of fun as Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael ﬁght evil forces – and eat lots of pizza.

For screen lovers: A kid-friendly tablet

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is an updated version of our best tablet for kids. It also comes with plenty of pre-installed apps and videos so you won’t be forced to spend too much time downloading – and purchasing – a boatload of games for your kid.

For screen-free entertainment: A box that tells them stories

A Yoto Player is one of the best screen-free ways to hold your child’s in-

This beautiful wooden Brio Disney Princess Castle Train set includes ﬁgurines of popular Disney princesses Aurora, Belle, and Cinderella.

BRIO

Blues Clues and Melissa & Doug join forces for the 42-piece Blues Clues & You! Wooden Cooking Playset.

MELISSA & DOUG

terest. Designed for children ages 3 to 10, it works with content cards that play everything from full-length novels to short stories, kid-friendly meditations, and educational lessons. The best part about this audio player? Kids can oper-

See KIDS, Page8

Mixy Squish takes Play-Doh to the next level. With this modeling clay, kids can create masterpieces that will last. MADE BY ME

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ate it without any adult assistance.

For kids on the go: Our favorite scooter

Scooters are always a popular gift, but if you’re not sure which one to buy, we’ve taken the guesswork out of choosing the best scooter. Our kid testers all agree that the Micro Maxi is the perfect scooter for ﬁrst-time riders. Not only is it easy to use and super fun to ride, it has awesome light-up wheels.

Best gifts for 6 to 9-year-olds

For kids who love dolls: Barbie Dreamhouse

With Barbie as popular as ever, this updated Dreamhouse is the ultimate gift for Barbie fans. Between pool parties and sleepovers, they’ll have hours of fun playing with this toy that encourages imaginative storytelling.

For kids who dream of stardom: Their own microphone

If the kid in your life dreams of one day performing on America’s Got Tal-

ent, why not encourage their aspirations with a Bonaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone? The Bonaok pairs wirelessly with Bluetooth so they can perform their best karaoke songs right at home.

For kids who love accessories: Super Smalls Super Entrepreneur Bead Kit

If the kid on your gift list likes crafting and jewelry making, Super Smalls

is the place to shop for them. The innovative brand carries a huge selection of bead kits, accessories, bejeweled hair clips and more bling that will add just the right ﬁnal touch.

For kids who are iPad addicts: Osmo Osmo blends digital games with a

physical component for a very cool, interactive experience. The Osmo Genius Starter Kit comes with everything your child needs in order to play ﬁve diﬀerent mind-bending games.

For kids who like getting mail: A Highlights Magazine subscription

Give them the gift of their very own monthly magazine subscription with Highlights. It’s ﬁlled with short stories, crafts, and fun mazes and games.

For kids who love dolls: A top-rated American Doll

We’re big fans of dolls from the American Girl Historical Characters Collection because they’re a great way for kids to learn about the past while they play. Plus the coordinating book series can engage even the most reluctant readers.

For kids who are fairy fanatics: Got2Glow Fairy Finder

The Got2Glow Fairy Finder will have your kiddo searching high and low for fairies. Once they catch them, they can take care of them by telling them hello, giving them hugs, and feeding them. This toy even allows kids to trade fairies with their friends.

Kids

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For kids who love LEGO: A Super Mario building set

LEGO sets are always popular, but the classic gift has gotten even cooler with a Super Mario collaboration. Kids will love that they can build a course for Mario and his friends to travel, and then they can take it to the digital realm by pairing it with an app.

For the kid who wants to learn code: The Root coding robot

Learning to code doesn’t have to be complicated, especially with the Root coding robot. Download the companion app and they’ll quickly master putting together sequences of code to make the Root do things like draw pictures, sing songs, and walk up a wall.

For kids who are sports lovers: Blitz Champz card game

Got a football lover who needs to work on their math skills? Blitz Champz is the answer. This fun-for-the-wholefamily card game teaches strategy and reinforces math skills.

For fashionistas: KumiKreator necklace and bracelet maker

This kit includes everything a child needs to make friendship bracelets and

necklaces, including a design book, thread, beads, and clasps. Before you know it, they’ll be making unique jewelry for their BFFs.

For kids who like to battle: A toprated Nerf gun

Give your kid a competitive edge with the Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander. Whether they like to shoot targets or battle it out with their friends, our favorite Nerf gun will give them the winning advantage – and it’s tons of fun. Don’t forget some extra Nerf bullets so they never run out.

For the kid who likes ﬁdget toys: Nee Doh Nice Cubes

The Nee Doh Nice Cubes translucent cubes are a sensation with kids and tweens alike and it’s no wonder: The cool-looking cubes have just the right amount of squishy and stretchy to help with focus and relieving anxiety.

For the kid into spooktacular style: Monster High Fashion Doll Clawdeen is the loveable leader of the pack at Monster High. Your dollloving kiddo will love playing with this highly poseable doll and all her friends.

For kids who love space: Interactive Constellation and World Globe

Bring the night sky right into their room with USA Toyz 3-in-1 Interactive Constellation and World Globe. During the day, kids can learn about geography on this colorful globe, and at night simply plug it in and see the night sky come to life on the ceiling of their room.

For a fun family game: Hedbanz Hedbanz is quite honestly one of the best games to play with kids. It moves quickly so no one gets bored, and it almost always ends with someone laughing really hard.

For kids who like STEM projects: A gravity-powered marble run Science-minded kids will go gaga over GraviTrax, a super cool kit that en-

ables them to design and build their own marble runs. There are no electronics here, just plain old science in the form of gravity, magnetism, and kinetics.

Best gifts for tweens and teens

For the kid who is a budding scientist: A crystal-growing lab

Indulge their love of science with the Mega Crystal Growing Lab, a kit they can use to grow eight colored crystals. When the crystal-growing is complete, your budding scientist can exhibit their experiments on a light-up display base that can double as a night light.

For tweens who are on TikTok: LetsGlow Studio

Tweens can take their TikTok videos

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The Super Mario LEGO set collaboration is a video game course come to life. LEGO

The interactive Got2Glow Fairy Finder allows kids to ﬁnd and take care of fairies – and even trade them with friends. WOWWEE

These Nee Doh Nice Cubes are a hit with kids who love to squish.

Create a beautiful crystal display with this National Geographic Mega Crystal Growing Lab kit. BLUE MARBLE

Creek 20851 E Rittenhouse Rd #106 (480) 888-7640

Tan 2720 S Market Street #101 (480) 855-3843 Scottsdale 8698 E Raintree Dr #107 (480) 991-9913 Surprise 14155 W Bell Rd #101 (623) 583-3800 Tempe 8455 S Emerald Dr (480) 940-1301

Marketplace 2010 E Rio Salado Parkway #110 (480) 590-0770

Kids

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to another level with the LetsGlow Studio set. They can use all the included props and the LED glow light phone attachment to turn themselves into the coolest inﬂuencer out there.

For tweens who have a green thumb: Disco Ball Planter

Disco is back, baby, and a Disco Ball hanging planter combines the trend with a way for tweens to bring some plant life to their bedrooms. It catches the light just like a real disco ball, and it’s a cheeky piece of room decor that they’ll love.

For tweens who love building: Lego Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance

With 1,132-pieces, the Lego Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance will challenge even experienced Lego builders.

The augmented reality app lets them learn more about the Martian environment and the rover’s mission.

ForteenswholikeWordle:Awayto play with the family Wordle The Party Game pits players

against each other to see who can solve the Wordle in the fewest number of tries. There are no computer-generated words here, however. Each player takes a turn coming up with the answer, and whoever ends the game with the lowest score wins.

Forteenswhoprefergamesofskill: An escape room in a box

Older kids will love this game that brings the fun of an escape room right to their house. Escape the Crate sends all the clues they’ll need to solve a series of increasingly diﬃcult challenges.

Forteenswholiketostayhydrated: Stanley Tumbler

They’ll feel like they are stylishly walking on air with these platform Beslip Cloud Slides. BESLIP

A giant water bottle is all the rage among the teenage set, so why not get them one of the oh-so-popular Stanley Quencher water bottles? They come in a variety of vibrant colors, and the insulated,40-ouncecontainerwillkeepbeverages hot or cold longer than even your teen can stay awake.

For fashionable teens: Cloud slides

Also in line with the “trendy with teens” theme is a pair of Cloud Slides. The cushy foam sandals are extremely comfortable – and extremely stylish. Available in a wide array of colors and with a price tag under $20, this is fashion that’s aﬀordable.

Sure, Wordle is fun to play every day on a phone, but what if the whole family could compete in real life? You can, with Wordle The Party Game. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY REVIEWED

BIG BOOK of SAVINGS

Archie the Axolotl speaks using sign language, but he’s just one of many Squishmallows to have visible and invisible disabilities in their backstories. If your child is still young enough to make a new friend out of these adorable dolls, they’re well worth looking into.

Moxie is undoubtedly the most expensive gift on this list, but, for any kid with social-emotional diﬃculty, neurodivergence, or depression, this amazing robotisarealtreat.SentfromtheGlobal Robotics Laboratory, Moxie is designed to be a personalized companion for any

Whether it’s through casual conversation or one of many of Moxie’s socialfocusedmissions,thistoywillkeepyour kids busy for hours. And, while a somewhat complicated subscription was once required, now you can buy Moxie as an all-in-one package at a much lower price. If you and your little ones love tech and social learning, Moxie can’t be

It’s hard not to feel left out as a kid when you never see people like you represented in the media, books, or toys. Thankfully, the tide is turning, and we are seeing more diversity representation across the board. Lego bricks have been ever present in toy boxes for about 70 years, and now the brand is, at long last, expanding the potential of its buil-

LegoFriendsrepresentseveraldifferent kinds of disabilities, like ADHD, limb difference, and Down syndrome, just to name a few. Obviously there are no physical differences discernible on the characters with invisible disabilities like ADHD, but the fact that each of these characters has a disability story means more kids can feel included and valued. That fact alone makes the Lego Friends series one of our favorite toys

Adaptive

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Zenimal

Most of the gifts featured on this list are focused on playtime, but sometimes allkidsneedisamomenttorelax.That’s where Zenimal comes in. This soft, silicone audio player features nine guided meditations, ranging from 3-15 minutes long, focused on subjects like relaxation, empathy, and gratitude.

For children struggling with sleep issues, or those living with someone who is, this meditation toy can be a lifesaver. It’s not as full featured as some of the services you may be able to access through smartphone apps, but the fact that Zenimal doesn’t require a screen might actually be a good thing.

Busy Fingers Tangram Puzzle

We love the Busy Fingers Glittery Tangram Gel Puzzle because it’s great for keeping neurodivergent kids calm and engaged.

Not only does it serve as a ﬁdget toy, but the shapes can be combined to create all kinds of pictures.

The companion card set gives kiddos speciﬁc pictures to work toward, but even if that style of play is a little advanced, this gel puzzle has a lot to oﬀer in terms of sensory play.

On top of its core functionality, this puzzle is also a breeze to throw in a bag or purse pocket to keep your little one entertained on the go.

Quiet Mind Pillow

If you’ve got an older kid or teen who might be aging out of Squishmallows, the Quiet Mind Original Weighted Pillowisanicealternativethatoﬀersmuch of the same comfort through Deep Pressure Stimulation.

Our tester loved this product for its calming properties, durable design, and portable form factor. The price of this pillow may leave some shoppers feeling mild sticker shock, but someone who often ﬁghts anxiety might believe its soothing beneﬁts are worth every penny.

PS5 Access Controller

As its name implies, this specialized gaming peripheral is designed to help those with dexterity limitations play the latest and greatest games on Sony’s ﬂagship console.

The PS5 Access Controller allows players to build an accessible controller that suits their dexterity needs. SONY

Unlike the standard DualSense controller, the Access Controller is an entire controller kit that allows users to essentially create a version of the PS5 control scheme that works for them.

The ﬂat design is tailored for mounts and wheelchair trays, and its buttons and sticks can be customized with a wide variety of included caps to facilitate the best possible gameplay experience.

For those who already use switches and pedals to game, AUX ports ensure

These Curvd noise-reducing earplugs come in a variety of colors and with a handy aluminum case. CURVD

those accessories work too. This may be the most innovative adaptive controller we’ve seen to date.

BIG BOOK of SAVINGS

THAT WON’T DISAPPOINT

2025 SCOTTSDALE AUCTION |

JANUARY 18-26

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Children 12 years of age and younger receive free admission with a ticketed adult on Family Day, Saturday, January 18, which includes STEM Fest presented by Honeywell.

Special pricing for Seniors, Military, and First Responders.

Unique

Continued from Page 18

a truly unique gift that suits them perfectly.

Easthill Big Capacity Pencil Case

Students of all ages get excited about school supplies. This case is cute and useful, with three large-capacity compartments for a calculator, pens, pencils, and more.

Kong Jumbler Ball Dog Toy

The Kong Jumbler Dog Toy comes in medium or large, and it has a squeaky ball inside to entice any dog into playing. Reviews say it has great longevity and that dogs love it.

“Company by Amy Thielen”

This gorgeous collection of delicious recipes would be a perfect gift for a host or hostess. It will show you appreciate being invited – and that you’re looking forward to the next time.

“New York Times Custom Birthday Book”

If you have a friend celebrating a milestone birthday, consider this beautifully bound book, which includes the front pages from their birth date and on

that date every year since. ban.do Vintage Inspired Vase

The ban.do Vintage Inspired Vase trended on Tiktok and for good reason: it’s cute, timeless, and really stands out on a coﬀee table.

Swiss Arabian Layali Rouge

This perfume was trending on TikTok for being suited for a “woman being fed grapes.” Withnotesofpapayaandlemon, it’s a slam-dunk for anyone who enjoys amazing smells.

Blue Q Funny Woven Dish Towel

These dish towels have cheeky designs and come in fun colors. Simple and cute, they’re made of 100% cotton.

SingerM1000MendingSewingMachine

With 32 stitch applications, the Singer M1000 is a great starter sewing machine for someone interested in learning how to do small mending and projects.

See UNIQUE, Page21

Swiss Arabian Layali Rouge. SWISS ARABIAN

Blue Q Funny Woven Dish Towel. BLUE Q

buyanewtechgiftforsomeone:Howdo you single out the year’s best products from the ocean of sub-par stuﬀ? Luckily, it’s easy – you check out our picks below. Reviewed tests tech all year long, and this gift guide is chock full of our most beloved gadgets, so now’s the time to grab a few of these awesome tech gift ideas before they sell out.

Best gadgets to give

For the book lover

testing by storm. It’s easy to use, with a crisp display and a solid price point. It boasts weeks of battery life and comes equipped with enough storage to allow you to store and read up to 16 GB of

Jall Sunrise Alarm Clock: For the

Tech

Brio

gaming, this is the keyboard you should get. The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini keyboard is the mini version of the best gamingkeyboardwe’vetested.Itseasily accessible secondary and tertiary functions, customizable proﬁles, and excellent connectivity make it a great ﬁt for Mac or PC users.

Valve Steam Deck: For the gamer

The Valve Steam Deck is still one of the best handheld gaming devices you can buy. It seriously impressed our tester thanks to its easy set-up, comfortable design, and impressive game emulation support.

Valve oﬀers a wide variety of options, but if you want to pay a little more for top-notch hardware (including an incredible screen), the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is a great device, as well. It was our favorite game console of 2023.

Meta Quest 2: For the one who wants to get into VR

If you’re shopping for someone who lovesgamingbuthasyettodiptheirtoes into VR, the Meta Quest 2 is a good starting point. Not only is it still one of the best VR headsets we’ve ever tested, it’salsoveryaﬀordableforwhatyouget.

The Meta Quest 3 is also available, and we absolutely love it. It’s among our favorite electronics of 2023. But at $300, the Quest 2 remains a great headset at a great price.

Seagate expansion card: For the one who needs more space for games Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles were the biggest launches a few years ago. Additional storage helps your favorite XBox fan make the most of their system by storing a ton of games.

Seagate’sproprietaryexpansioncard can expand the XBox’s storage capacity seamlessly. You won’t have to move games back and forth between the con-

sole and an external hard drive to play them. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s the kind of thoughtful gift that’s sure to pleasantly surprise the gamer in your life. AcerPredatorXB253Qmonitor:For serious gaming

Our top-rated gaming monitor may seem like overkill for the non-PC-gamer crowd, but for anyone hoping to trounce the competition, the 24.5-inch Acer Predator XB253Q is a necessary tool.

Our testing revealed outrageously smooth performance, not to mention high refresh rates, excellent response times, and a thin bezel design. It even includes an adjustable stand so your gamer friend can turn it any which way they want.

XBox Game Pass: For avid XBox fans

XBox and PlayStation both have services that let fans try out the newest video games as they come out. It’s sort oflikeNetflix,butforgaming.Ifyourgiftee spends a ton of time on their XBox, it’s hard to find a better deal than Game Pass. The Game Pass library features a host of high-powered, first-party games that would normally cost $60 each, plus an ocean of fun, creative indie games.

NintendoSwitchOLED:Forgaming on the go

Our favorite game console, the Nintendo Switch OLED brings a new, highdeﬁnition screen and better storage to an already-great machine. The Switch’s versatility in moving from gaming on your TV to a portable handheld is fun, and Nintendo’s great lineup of characters and games makes this one a musthave.

Check in on your pet from anywhere with the Petcube Cam.

PETCUBE

The Steam Deck is still the handheld gaming PC to beat. STEAM DECK

The Logitech

4K Webcam is a great gift for aspiring streaming stars or anyone who takes video calls. LOGITECH

Cullin Sofa in vibrant yellow or olive boucle fabric with a plush feel and black angled wood legs. 87” x 36”

Sofa $1,495 Chair $949

Shown with Morris Chairs in taupe eco-leather $219 each

Venice Recliner with power leg, backrest, and neck adjustment and rock/glide motion. Available in tabasco red (shown), black, cement grey, latte beige, or safari taupe top-grain leather.

Large $2,395 Small $2,295