Mostly practical but occasionally whimsical gift guide

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Chrome pigs piggy banksPiggy banksChalk 401k piggy bankHedgefund piggy bankBlack cat piggy bankVintage stoneware creatureVintage stoneware animalGlassesCocktail shakerCube-shaped jiggerWood ice bucketRecipe coasters2011 Home & Garden gift guideStovetop espresso potMug-top coffee filterPendleton plaidRed velvet throwDIY blanketWood planterBamboo handsUntrash CanTumbling composterTree trunk slicesSlatePolished maplePlastic lunch containerStainless steel lunch container

Designer Harry Allen's chrome piglet banks are so joyful, you'll be tempted to invest in the charming design. The resin and marble banks are cast from a piglet that died of natural causes and are available in several bright colors. Each can hold up to $10,000 in dollar bills, the manufacturer says. Among the places where they were spotted: <a href="http://galleryoffunctionalart.net">the Gallery of Functional Art</a> at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, where they were $225.

Chrome pigs piggy banks

( Mike Garten / Areeaware )

Designer Harry Allen's chrome piglet banks are so joyful, you'll be tempted to invest in the charming design. The resin and marble banks are cast from a piglet that died of natural causes and are available in several bright colors. Each can hold up to $10,000 in dollar bills, the manufacturer says. Among the places where they were spotted: the Gallery of Functional Art at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, where they were $225.

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