Last week, we took a little break from talking about the dreaded/beloved holidays and instead, ate some breakfast (read about that here). But since Hanukkah has already arrived and Christmas is barreling toward us, we’re going to attend to some business today.

We’re going to discuss holiday shopping and where to do it in Long Beach. 

But first, we’re going to address a condition that tends to hit some of us sideways this time of year: gift-giving anxiety. Often, this illness is managed one of two ways: You either finish all of your holiday shopping by November or you wait until the week of. 

In the past, I’ve coped by using the latter strategy (ahem, procrastination). I’d spend weeks agonizing over the perfect gift, and suddenly it’s Christmas Eve and I’m scouring the mall for anything that might ~ spark joy ~ on the big morning. I’ve also fallen into gifting ruts. It started when I was 16 and saw how I’d struck gold when my dad opened Led Zeppelin’s “Mothership” four-LP box set on Christmas morning. He was ecstatic. Over the next 10 years, he’d unwrap a record on every birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day. 

Look, I’m not saying this is always a bad thing (no complaints from my pops), but one of the things I’ve learned over the years is how much people appreciate gifts that are unique and can’t be found anywhere else. 

So, without further agonizing, here are some of the places you can score gifts of the creative variety in Long Beach this month.

Night markets

First, check out this list of night markets, compiled by my colleague, Jake Gotta (yes, the guy from Instagram).

Gift giving can be something of a performance, especially if those presents will be opened in front of an audience — your family or someone else’s. Sometimes, that’s precisely why coming up with ideas for personalized gifts and executing those ideas can be a particularly terrifying experience. 

If this is a concern of yours, I’ve got a solution for you. Holiday or night markets are the single best places to find impressive and super cool one-of-a-kind gifts: Candles, vintage clothing, plants, jewelry, handmades, books, art and more wares. Plus, they usually have food (and sometimes drink-drinks), so they’re way more fun than the mall.

My favorite local night market is one called Nyte Mrkt. It’s often held in a warehouse that just barely fits dozens and dozens of makers selling a good range of giftables. Plus, they always have live music and local food vendors. The next one is this Saturday (Dec. 16) from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at 4321 Atlantic Ave. More information here. 

If you found yourself feeling a bit peckish after shopping, you can hop over to the city’s annual food-forward night market in Downtown, which is also happening on Saturday. The Long Beach Night Market, a ticketed event (starting at $7), will offer adult beverages and plenty of local food vendors from 6 to 11 p.m. along the Mosaic Promenade. More information here. 

Shops, shops, shops

If mining for goodies at a night market just sounds too exhausting for you, I’ll make it even easier with these shops in Long Beach. At each of these places, you’ll be able to find a whole smorgasbord of items suitable for gifting and impressing. 

• Make Collectives (430 E. First St) – This cute little East Village shop is full of fun trinkets, housewares, records, pots, jewelry, cards and both vintage and new clothing, bags and accessories. They also sell smudge sticks, crystals and other mineral stones, if you’re into that sort of thing.
• Songbird (2240 E. Fourth Street) – I have purchased many, many gifts from this Retro Row shop over the years. From Dolly Parton prayer candles to Bob Ross enamel pins to those tail-swinging “kit-cat” clocks — this is the place you want to look for celebrity, pop-culture and subculture-friendly gifts.
• Goods on Orange (3414 Orange Ave.) – This one is technically branded as a vintage store, but they do have the goods. Here you’ll find a retro-lovers labyrinth of ‘60s and ‘70s knick-knacks, vintage books, clothing, colorful mugs, records, furniture and more, more, more. 
• Kitchen Lingo Books (2116 Fourth St.) – This one is a little more specific. But in my experience, cookbooks, even for those who don’t cook much, can still be a great gift. What makes Kitchen Lingo unique is that they specialize in vintage cookbooks as well as new books. The owner, Matt Miller, once told me that he calls them time capsules. 
• Cityology (4718 Second Street) – This is one of those classic everything-gift shops. If you’re looking for something to invoke some laughter, they’ve got more than a few options. They’ve also got tons of skincare products (including a whole soap section for manly men who might like soap labeled for men, including the Man Bar), journals, fun socks and more. They’ve also got a selection of crystals and tarot cards.
• Luna Belmont Shore (4928 Second Street) – Just down the street from Cityology, you’ll find Luna, which has been around since 1993. It’s a little on the pricey side but they have thought of everything here. From jigsaw puzzles to cocktail glasses to jewelry to children’s stuffed animals and beyond. This is also the place you must go if you’re looking to buy Christmas ornaments. 
• Fingerprints Music (420 E. Fourth Street) – If you’re looking for the motherload of music memorabilia, records, tapes, CDs, books, music postcards, etc. — get yourself over to this record store in Downtown. 

Bonus: If you’re looking for more guidance on shopping thrift and vintage stores in Long Beach, read this, this and this. 

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Where are you shopping this holiday season? Email me.