1. Start early. That nip of chill in the air in the northern hemisphere, or the temperature rising in the southern hemisphere is a signal to savvy shoppers that it’s time to start thinking of holiday gifts. Make your list and then plan scenic drives through the forests and farmlands of New York State to shop in small towns and at festivals and special spots along the way. Inspiration will come!
2. Get into the Holiday spirit. Historic villages and towns across the state don their holiday finery and carolers take to the streets for shopping celebrations. Among the grandest is the 30th annual Victorian Stroll in Troy (in the Capital-Saratoga region) on Sunday, December 2, when musicians, dancers, magicians and storytellers perform along the town’s historic streets.
In the Finger Lakes region, candle-lit historic buildings, carolers, children’s choirs and riverside fireworks set the scene for downtown Owego’s “Lights on the River Festival”, on Friday evening, December 7, while Skaneateles shoppers enjoy an old-fashioned Dickens Christmas every weekend from now until Christmas downtown.
3. Deck the Halls. Hand-crafted ornaments, wreaths and other decorative items make great gifts. Once Upon A Christmas and Red Sled Christmas Shoppe, both open year round, are among the many shops selling holiday items in Port Jefferson, located on Long Island. Plan to come November 30 to December 2 when the 17th Annual Charles Dickens Festival livens up the streets with a parade, choral groups and a Santa’s workshop.
Set on a 65-acre farm in Aurora in the Finger Lakes region, MacKenzie-Childs, Ltd features country-chic holiday décor, including nutcrackers, and quality tree skirts, chair cushions and table toppers as well as exquisite menorahs with shops in Manhattan and Long Island. And at the Sugar Loaf Art & Craft Village in the Hudson Valley, seasonal favorites include hand-crafted holiday ornaments, pottery and wreaths as well as handmade furniture, art and leather goods.
4. Learn the Craft of Giving. Hand-made items and original pieces of art are by definition unique, and each region of New York State offers opportunities to buy exceptional works at their source. For example, known for its comfy chairs and distinctive furnishings, singular jewelry pieces, hand-dipped candles and other traditional crafts, the Adirondacks provides scenic routes to the workshops of local craftspeople and collective venues like the Adirondack Artists Guild Art Gallery.
5. Discover timeless treasures. The joy of discovering that just-right object from the past makes antique-hunting so exciting. Hudson Valley is always a picturesque place to go antiquing and gallery-hopping in towns like Hudson, with more than 80 businesses, along with Beacon and Hyde Park. And in the Finger Lakes area, Corning’s Gaffer District is rich in antique shops and glass studios, while historic Canandaigua is known for its delightful boutiques and art galleries.
6. Fashion the perfect fit. Hand-crafted items, often made to order, can be the perfect fit for someone special. In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, have a desk made to order or select a homemade rug or quilt along the Amish Trail or pick up some pottery, woodwork and furniture in the studios of Ellicottville. For hard to fit feet, consider made-to-order shoes from Aurora Shoe Company in Aurora, a charming town in the Finger Lakes area brimming with antique and craft shops. At alpaca, goat and sheep farms throughout the state, kids of all ages can often pet farm animals and select from sweaters, hats and other hand knit items.
7. Please the palates. From artisan cheeses to fine wines and beer, special interest “trails” across the state offer fun ways to sample and purchase tasty gifts. Holiday season tours include Wreath Finery at the Wineries, December 1 to 2, where participants receive a grape wreath and ornaments as they winery-hop the Shawangunk Wine Trail in the Hudson Valley region. The Finger Lakes, Long Island, Greater Niagara, and Chautauqua-Allegheny are also among New York’s many regions with winery trails.
8. Peruse the Malls. Shopping malls throughout the state make finding name brand gifts a breeze. Many offer valet parking and concierge services, but one of the most indulgent shopping experiences awaits at the upscale Americana Manhasset on Long Island. With shops such as Prada, Gucci and Chanel, this center offers complimentary personal shopping and concierge services. Here, shoppers can relax and sip tea in a cushy private lounge while reviewing the custom selections of their personal shopper.
9. Shop for Savings. Bargain seekers can find most of their favorite brands at outlet malls across the state. Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in the Hudson Valley region boasts the world’s largest collection of luxury designer and name brand outlets with 220 stores, including Chanel, Versace, Wedgwood, and Williams-Sonoma Outlet. The Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls also combines an upscale ambiance with outlet pricing, presenting 150-plus top designer names including Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic Factory Store, DKNY, LeCreuset, and Eddie Bauer. In the Adirondacks, the Factory Outlets of Lake George comprises four area outlets, while Tanger Outlet Centers has two factory outlet centers on Long Island: the Riverhead center with over 165 designer outlets, and the Deer Park center with 85.
10. Find inspiration at museum shops. Visiting a museum? Be sure to check out the shop for quality reproductions of jewelry and other collection pieces. For example, the Akwesasne Cultural Center museum shop in the Adirondacks specializes in high-quality Mohawk black ash and sweet grass basketry. Appealing to lovers of the American Arts & Crafts movement, the Copper Shop Gallery, at the Roycroft Campus Corp. in East Aurora in the Greater Niagara region, sells handmade works in a variety of mediums along with exotic wearable art and jewelry. And in the 1000 Islands-Seaway region, the shop at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Watertown’s Paddock Mansion offers a changing stock of items such as folklore books, reproduced coverlets, and Depression era glass.
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