Ashanti stools, kente cloth bible covers and compact discs featuring such popular African singers as Baba Maal or Salif Kieta should be on the shopping list of every Afrocentrically-minded shopper this season. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa, a visit to True Reflections is not a choice.

It's a necessity as that inexorable window of opportunity closes a little more as each day passes. It doesn't matter if you haven't made up your mind about what that perfect gift is. There's something here for everyone. The Ashanti stools sell for around $210 each while kente cloth cushions can add a dash of colour to a sofa or bed. While Christmas is celebrated from December 24 until January 1, Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and runs for seven days. It is a festival which originated in the 1960s by cultural American nationalist Mulanga Karenga and is based on the harvest festivals that are common throughout Africa. True Reflections in its new location at the corner of Reid and Parliament streets has a stock of intriguing gift ideas. For children there are dolls, trucks, activity cases and crayons. For the younger children there are a range of "touch and feel'' cloth variety books as well as more interactive delights for those between three months and two years.

33 African goods make great gifts such distinguished local authors as Dale Butler, Ira Philip, and Dr. Eva Hodgson. The adult on your list may enjoy an article of clothing. If it's for a dressy occasion, suits for the gentlemen or dresses for the ladies are always a good place to begin, especially if your intended loved one doesn't mind a little kente motif to spruce up their wardrobe. All of the Nigerian men's jackets are made of heavier material to withstand the colder months as well as lighter weight brocades which go for between $110 and $140. However, if you cannot decide what style of African attire they may like, there are samples of the continent's cloth which can be given as a gift and later made into an outfit. But dressy occasions need not be the only reason for buying clothing. Accessories such as leather handbags, umbrellas and earrings can also be purchased to spiff up and complement that evening wear. For the bathroom there are tissue racks with soap dispensers and soap dishes in red, black and green designs. If it is a splash of silver that you need, True Reflections has an assortment of Kenyan earrings and chokers as well as necklaces. Moreover, there are jewellry boxes to place these items in for safekeeping when they are not being worn. If clothing or jewellry do not meet your needs and you want a gift for the home, you can purchase one of the several Nepalese masks which adorn the store's walls, or batik Masai prints.

Perhaps a more adventurous gift could be a set of napkin holders or even place mats. There are also photo albums with a lovely kente embroidery. Undoubtedly there are some shoppers for whom none of the foregoing list of gift ideas is appealing. Don't give up yet! Perhaps a set of greeting cards with positive African images is what you need. You can compose your own Christmas or Kwanzaa message to that special someone in the card and perhaps add a few bucks or a gift certificate so that they can purchase the gift of their choice! PHOTO SEAT FOR A QUEEN -- The Ashanti stool will brighten up the decor of any living room and make the perfect gift for those relatives or friends who want a piece of Africa close to home.