Deep breath, here’s a few ideas for last-minute shopping

There’s always the obvious: perfume and jewelry. Nothing wrong with that.

But for procrastinators in need of last-minute Christmas gifts that don’t seem so last-minute and maybe have a local leaning, the clock is ticking.

The time to buy that perfect present is going fast. And, at this point in the gift-buying game, stores are crowded with people desperate to remember that thing the special person in their life mentioned a month ago.

Andy Dinnison, owner of Atticus Coffee and Gifts as well as neighboring novelty shop Boo Radley’s, is all too familiar with the scenario. “I’ve been downtown for Christmas for 30 years. I’m not trying to sound sexist. It’s very much men.”

This is what he expects to see Christmas Eve: “A lot of men desperate for us not to close, who are somehow surprised that Christmas is upon them and in a big quandary because the Seahawks game is on.

“Then, they’ll try to rush. They’ll try to remember what their wife mentioned to them a month ago. Was it at Atticus or Auntie’s? All they know is that it was blue.”

Don’t be those guys.

You got this, last-minute shoppers – with help from a few local retailers, including Dinnison, and this Handy Gift Guide in the Inland Northwest.

Things

For the …

Fan of Spokane – Vintage Spokane prints by local artist Chris Bovey of vintagespokaneprints.com. His posters hang on the wall behind the register at Atticus, open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve at 222 N. Howard St.

Atticus also sells a selection of T-shirts and sweatshirts from The Great PNW, a local company specializing in Northwest-themed hats, mugs and more.

Both the posters and the tops have been best-sellers, Dinnison said, noting, “The Bovey stuff is huge. So is the Great PNW.”

Aspiring Dane – The next big thing: anything associated with hygge, the wholesome Danish concept of coziness. There’s no literal English translation, but the term means finding warmth and contentment, sharing and celebrating the moment, and creating kinship and sanctuary. A comfy home – read: scented soy candles, strings of lights, throw blankets and pillows, hot drinks – is a big part of the concept, which is rooted in 1800s Denmark and, thanks to a handful of new books, is already trendy in Britain.

Here and now in America, Dinnison said, “I think people really want to get out of their heads. They want that cozy feeling.”

The day before Christmas Eve, Joshua Jackson, 20, of Spokane, was searching for lavender-scented candles, tea and soaps for “a very good friend,” who happens to be a female student at Whitworth University. They met in June.

“She’s a huge camera-coffee person. And she loves anything lavender,” said Jackson, who had a budget of $25 to $50. “If I could, I’d buy her a new camera, but that’s really spendy.”

Wisecracker – Look for kooky Christmas ornaments, irreverent books and toys, and, Dinnison said, “fun, silly, subversive socks,” among other gag gifts at neighboring Boo Radley’s, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Jon Benedict, 23, of Spokane, was planning to stop there after Atticus. He was shopping for his mom, who – earlier in the day – decided to surprise him by driving here from her home in Vancouver, Washington.

“I sent her a gift in the mail already,” said Benedict, who described his mom’s taste as “eclectic” and was looking for something “quirky” she could display in her living room. He settled on a “ceramic baby head,” amber-and-smoke scented candle and a Spokane-made mug with a design by famed local sculptor Harold Balazs.

At Boo Radley’s, Josh Yandell, 36, owner of nearby Pistole Boardshop, picked up an anatomy-themed thermos for his wife. “She’s a nurse,” he explained.

Yandell shops at Boo Radley’s and Atticus for Christmas every year.

“Everything I get comes locally,” said Yandell, who shops for presents in spurts starting in November. The day before Christmas Eve was his last run. He was picking up stocking stuffers: a calendar, mints, socks, a sticker.

Gourmand – Put together a gift bag of specialty food items, such as spice blends, gourmet cheeses, locally roasted coffee beans and locally made beer, wine or spirits. Head to Huckleberry’s Natural Market, 926 S. Monroe St. (open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Eve) or Rocket Market, 726 E. 43rd Ave. (open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Day).

Christmastime is the busiest time of year at Rocket Market, where, co-owner Alan Shepherd said, many last-minute shoppers are “looking for stocking stuffers.”

Consider seasonings from Spiceologist, whiskeys from Dry Fly Distilling, mead from Hierophant Meadery and teas from Colbert-based Winterwoods Tea Co. Or, or ask Shanda Shepherd for help.

“She’ll do it for you,” said husband Alan Shepherd. “You can tell her how much you want to spend. She can customize it, whatever you want” – Asian pears, pomegranates and, while supplies last, loaves of stollen.

Plus, she’ll pack presents in a reusable Rocket Market tote. The neighborhood grocer also sells pint glasses, growlers, hoodies and T-shirts with its brand.

Top-sellers this time of year are extra-virgin olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, chocolates and wines. New is a line of five Rocket Market wines, all of which are $10 except for the Cab, which is $15.

“The Rosso is just dynamite,” Alan Shepherd said. “It’s pretty inexpensive for a really nice bottle of wine.”

Bibliophile – Look for books by local authors, including Sharma Shields (“The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac,” winner of the 2016 Washington State Book Award for fiction), S.M. Hulse (“Black River,” winner of the 2015 Reading the West Book Award) and Spokesman-Review columnist Shawn Vestal (“Daredevils” and “Godforsaken Idaho,” winner of the 2014 PEN Robert W. Bingham Prize).

Or, try “American Copper” by Gonzaga University professor Shann Ray, any title from Jess Walter or Sherman Alexie, and “The Hour of Lead” and “Lonesome Animals” by Bruce Holbert.

Spokane bartender Cody Winfrey just self-published “Fairy Tale Cocktails.” And Gonzaga University graduate Jeff Koehler, a travel and food writer, offers several cookbooks, including “Spain” and “La Paella,” as well as his latest, “Darjeeling,” winner of the 2016 International Association of Culinary Professionals Ward for Literary Food Writing.

Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Experiences

Give the gift of …

Relaxation – Pamper your love with a gift card to a local salon or spa.

Spa Paradiso in Kendall Yards offers a Tranquility Massage ($90 for 60 minutes, $129 for 75 minutes), which – according to its website – aims to “calm, soothe, and melt away tension, bringing a renewed sense of well-being and leaving your skin with a healthy glow.” The super-deluxe version: a Champagne and Rose Massage with Body Scrub Treatment ($135 for 60 minutes, $150 for 75 minutes), which includes a champagne- and rose-scented body scrub, followed by a Tranquility Massage with rose oil body butter.

The spa provides printable gift certificates online at spaparadiso.com. If you know your gift-receiver’s schedule, book them an appointment online and, in many cases, save $20.

Live music – Consider tickets to Spokane Symphony or other live musical performances. The symphony offers much from which to choose: superpops, chamber soirees, classics and special performances, to name a few. And you can buy tickets online: spokanesymphony.org.

Upcoming musicals at the INB Performing Arts Center (inbpac.com) include “Mamma Mia!” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” (Or, for foodies, there’s “Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science” in March.)

Similarly, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Road, offers prepaid cards, which provide 10 admissions for the price of eight to its Summer Concert Series from Memorial Day through September. On the web: arborcrest.com. The winery is open noon to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve. Pick up a bottle or two to go with the concert card.

Dinner and a movie – Gift the classic date night with gift certificates to her favorite restaurant and movie theater. The Magic Lantern in downtown Spokane offers gift certificates, and it’s open Christmas Eve. On the web: magiclanternonmain.com. AMC Theatres, also open Christmas Eve, offer gift cards, too. They can be found at amctheatres.com. Of course, let them pick the movie.

Or, opt to get a gift that gives all year. The annual pass at the Garland Theater costs $70. (Buy two and get $5 off the second one.) The theater is open Christmas Eve. On the web: garlandtheater.com.

For stocking stuffers, consider local candy, not necessarily to sneak into the theater but to whet appetites or satisfy a sweet tooth. Spokandy Chocolatier, a Spokane institution since 1913, is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve. On the web: spokandy.com. There’s Bloems Chocolates Flowers Paperie at River Park Square, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve. On the web: chocolates-flowers.com and riverparksquare.com. Both locations of Bruttles Gourmet Candies will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 12609 E. Sprague Ave., in Spokane Valley and 828 W. Sprague Ave., in downtown Spokane. On the web: bruttles.com.

Staying classy – Help refine some skills – from cooking and knitting to whatever else they’re into. The Culinary Stone at 2129 Main St. in Coeur d’Alene is open from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, and it sells gift cards that can be used toward cooking classes. Knitknit at 311 E. Coeur d’Alene Ave. in Coeur d’Alene is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and offers gift cards that are good toward knitting workshops. On the web: knitknitcda.com. Parrish and Grove in Saranac Commons, 19 W. Main Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas Eve and offers gift cards that could go toward workshops or building your own terrarium. On the web: parrishandgrove.com.

Weekend away without leaving town – Book a night or two at one of the hotels in the Davenport Hotel Collection, which offers a variety of packages, including Sip and Stay for wine enthusiasts, spa treatments for an individual or couples, and Sunday brunch. The hotels also offer gift cards in preset denominations – $25, $50, $100, $250 – to use toward an overnight stay or in the spa or restaurants. On the web: davenporthotelcollection.com.

The lakefront Coeur d’Alene Resort also offers seasonal, spa and other packages for overnight stays and spa and salon services. Gift cards are available in amounts you determine. The resort is at 115 S. Second St. in Coeur d’Alene. On the web: cdaresort.com.

Weekend away with leaving town – Go to the lake. Rent a room or cabin, preferably with a fireplace, on Priest Lake. Walk in a winter wonderland. Go snowshoeing. Sip bourbon-infused hot chocolate by the fire. Hill’s Resort offers one-night getaways with a $50 credit toward dinner for two. For more about its specials, visit hillsresort.com/home/specials/. Elkins Resort, established in 1932, is another longtime favorite, especially among snowmobilers. Visit elkinsresort.com for winter rates and reservations.