The festivities run from this Friday, Nov. 23 to Dec. 21. What to look for? A large, glittery, red ornament.
Here's the gist. The glittery ornament will be on display at 26 Anacortes businesses and moved around each week. While checking off your holiday gift-list at one of these businesses keep your eyes out for the ornament. Once it's spotted, ask a staff member for an "I Found the Cheer Here" card. Wander down the street to another participating shop and find their ornament. Once you have a total of five cards from different stores turn them in to enter drawings and a final grand prize with items from participating businesses.
The cheer doesn't end there. Each Saturday during the holiday season there will be free carriage rides at select businesses and carolers roaming the streets spreading holiday joy. Carriage locations: December 1st at Read Me A Story, December 8th at Upstage Boutique and Men's Store, December 15th at Alley Cat Antiques and December 22nd at Donatello's Flowers and Gifts.
Warm up with hot cocoa at two local favorites Le Crema Cakes or Penguin Coffee. Their cozy atmosphere will seep into your toes as you decide what store to head to next. With a range of stores, including antiques, candy, clothing, music, boutiques and gift shops, you'll have plenty to choose from. Anacortes shop keepers and their staff are friendly and helpful and go out of their way to help you find that perfect gift.
Ana-Cross Stitch will help you get your knit on with a weekend long drawing starting November 23rd. With a purchase anyone can enter to win three prize packages Friday, Saturday and Sunday. To help keep you bright-eyed for your holiday shopping, coffee and breakfast treats will be offered at 8am Saturday Nov. 24. New yarns and fiber art items will be coming in throughout the season. Including possum hair yarn, hand dyed lace yarns, artistic buttons and Nuno felt flowers. Fun ways to show off knitted socks are the Peek-a-Boo clear boots. Keep your knitting projects on track with their special commission Freeburg pottery yarn bowls. Or keep armfuls of yarn tidy with Hyde & Reed yarn baskets. If you're looking for finished items check out Funky Anna's Boutique for Nuno felted flower brooches, capes, wraps, scarfs, purses and ruffles.
Anacortes has many antiques shops to explore. Alley Cat Antiques and Days Gone By Antique Mall are downtown. Left Bank Antiques and Home Sweet Home are uptown. Downtown you'll find Buer's Floral & Gifts offering much more than their beautifully crafter bouquets. Inside this corner store you'll find affordable gifts for the home and fun costume jewelry. Lamps, throws and an array of interior architectural pieces for décor.
Seabear, which was started in Anacortes by a local fisherman, is known for its Made in Washington foods and specialty gifts. Insider secret, the Anacortes location is the warehouse hub and the only store brined fish bellies can be found.
At Donatello's Flowers and Gifts you'll find a plethora hand-crafted pieces. Many are US or locally made, as well as, artisan gifts from Europe. During October spend $50 and receive a $5 coupon which is good till the end of the year. Donatello's annual Open House stars November 2nd, from 6pm-9pm, and continues through Sunday. Donatello's creates masterful flower arrangements, including pieces with driftwoods and mosses for the fall season. The shop is full of fragrance soaps, bath products and candles that range from Washington made La Vita E Bella candles and goat milk soaps, to Thymes bath products, MILK shea butter soaps and many more. Dazzling jewelry, earrings bracelets and charms, including, Alice Sheehan's nesting charms, are a perfect way to show artistic flare.
Local artist, Cynthia Richardson, has several eye-pleasing pieces. Display holiday yummies with a patterned Sherman Oaks cutting board from California or recycled glass bowls from Turkey and Spain. Jean, the owner, gave me the inside scoop. If you sign up for her mailing list you'll be the first to know about periodic sales and special discount days.
Looking for that perfect addition to your wardrobe? Upstage Boutique & Men's Store has been dressing folks for over thirty years and their Winter Clearance always begins early. Kathy's Upscale Resale Boutique offers gently used clothing for all occasions. Boudoir Bed & Bath Burton has intimates and decorative items for entertaining. Burton Jewelers will make any holiday outfit a jaw-dropper.
Epicure for the Passionate Cook is the place for the chef in your life. Learn how to make the perfect pie dough or cranberry sauce. Get tips for brining and recipes suggestions. This store is a feast for the eyes with gadgets and gizmos, LeCreuset cooking ware, a variety of cookbooks, flavored oils, baking necessities, Nordicware cast iron, USA copper core and Diamond Plus skillets, Epicurean boards, and Caldrea hand soaps and cleaners. If you're buying a gift, get it gift wrapped for free. The owner's philosophy "A passion for cooking and sharing food will bring people to the table any time of year."
Sheelys Floral & Gifts is quite a surprise when you enter you'll notice that owner John Atkinson has a heart for Orchids and will gladly share his knowledge with you. Browse the store and be amazed by the colorful Surya rugs, rattan furniture pieces hand selected. Holidays are a time for this shop to shine and it does in such northwest style including keepsake ornaments.
The page isn't turned yet. Read Me A Story has toys for all ages and books for children and young adult. Their selection of toys ranges from Cobra cars, Thomas the Train, Bella Popz Ganz, Groovy Girl's, activity and crafty sets, sciences sets, models, magic and everything in between. Boxes and Bears have gifts, games and toys. Earthbound Books offer a range of gently used second hand books. Watermark Book Co. has the latest books in hardbound and paperback.
Many shops are open seven days a week and promote store events on Facebook. No matter what your holiday gift list is, Anacortes businesses will keep the cheer here.
From the Chamber's Fall 2012 marketing newsletter.