PANAMA CITY — Transform Christmas shopping from a daunting task to another reason to be inspired in a season of giving.
Find local gifts in markets and stores, where you can see items up close and talk with crafters, cooks and employees. Strike up conversations with other shoppers to get more feedback.
Handcrafted
The Lynn Haven Farmers Market is open 11 a.m. to dusk Tuesdays at Sheffield Park in Lynn Haven with fresh seasonal produce, plus honey, jelly, baked goods, plants and handcrafted items for cooking. On Saturdays, the St. Andrews Waterfront Farmers Market features vendors at Smith Yacht Basin 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Grand Lagoon Waterfront Farmers’ Market is open 8 a .m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays with the region’s makers, bakers and growers in the Capt. Anderson’s parking lot off Thomas Drive. Sample fresh produce and baked goods and listen to live music to get into the holiday spirit.
On Nov. 29, Nicole Fowler of Palmetto Jewelry (FowlerLibrary.com) will bring her custom designed jewelry to the Holiday Market, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the East and West Greens and North Barrett Square in Rosemary Beach. She creates single- and double-strand pearl necklaces, earrings and hanging wine bottle lamps.
“The freshwater multi-colored pearls are the most popular,” said Fowler, a math teacher at Bay High School, who began Palmetto Jewelry as a hobby. “They are all natural stones assembled using sterling silver with Swarovski crystals.”
Wes Swenson invites the community to his ninth annual Backyard Craft Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 and 1-4 p.m. Dec. 7 at his pottery studio, 308 Wisconsin Ave., in Lynn Haven. Check out stoneware pottery, unique porcelain figurines, baskets, cane flutes, handmade brooms, jewelry, quilts, shawls, hand painted greeting cards, leather goods and lathe turned wooden bowls. Harry Warnberg, Charlotte Moreau, Paul McAuliffe and Brian Skoskie will provide entertainment.
Food and wine
Give a taste of where you live with flavored sea salts from Gulf Coast Saltworks created from the salt of Panama City Beach.
Chef Paul Ashman, assistant professor of Culinary Management and coordinator of Culinary and Hospitality Management Programs at Gulf Coast State College, has developed four flavors of hand harvested sea salts — Lime, Ghost Pepper, Pecan Smoked and White. The all-natural salts are available at Blue Heron Fine Gifts and Emerald Coast Olive Oil in Panama City Beach, as well as at the Farmish Market and Somethin’s Cookin’ in Panama City.
Emerald Coast Olive Oil’s pure extra virgin olive oil or vinegar, available in gift sets, also make great — and healthy — gifts. Stop by the Pier Park store to sample your favorite flavors, perfect to use in holiday recipes.
Smoky Walt’s Rub, available at Somethin’s Cookin’, is a great stocking stuffer for the man who likes to grill. Creator Walt Abbott also teaches cooking classes on smoking and brining meats at Somethin’s Cookin’. The gourmet bistro and shop sells cooking and wine gadgets for more stocking stuffers, dinnerware and Christmas-themed gifts from the Vietri Gallery, Beatriz Ball, wine, local cookbooks, its own bottled vinaigrette, Capt. Anderson’s House Seasoning and VooDoo Juice Bloody Mary Mix created by Ray Morris in Panama City Beach. The bistro is hosting an open house Friday and Saturday with wine or wassail and hors d’oeuvres and imported cheese. Get a gift certificate for a cooking class for kids and adults for the chef in the family.
VooDoo juice also can be found at other local retailers such as Tarpon Dock Seafood Market in Panama City and Carousel in Panama City Beach. Carousel, which has been run by the Lahan family since 1967, is a supermarket, wine cellar, package store and gift shop in one.
Now is your chance to stock up on muscadine wine by the bottle or the case for gifts and parties during retirement specials at SeaBreeze Winery in Panama City Beach, which owner Lynn Webb is closing Dec. 31. Island Red is the most popular of the SeaBreeze labels.
Avenue Sea in downtown Panama City features designer showrooms with luxurious table settings in a variety of styles and tastes for the Christmas holidays as well as an assortment of gift items. Dinnerware lines include Gracious Goods with iron accents and Skyros Designs, as well as servingware from Beatriz Ball.
“Skyros has beautiful colors and an excellent glaze. Brides are loving it. Gracious Goods is great when people want something neutral to add to their collection. The cake dome has just been fabulous as a gift,” said Avenue Sea owner Christine Stringer. “The Mermaid Tales Wine Room features fine wine and select accoutrements for entertaining with style such as premium wine or martini glasses and home bars.”
Avenue Sea has wine clutches in a variety of patterns and colors, which can be put with a bottle for a gift.
“This is an insulated bag that could pass as a purse,” said Stringer, who uses the clutch as a lunch bag when she goes to market.
The Manhattan deluxe cocktail case Legacy Collection makes a great men’s gift, and the Veritas wine glasses are made of lead-free crystal — making them “very break resistant.”
“We would love to do a wine gift basket,” Stringer added.
Dress up
Girls can find the tutus for their dolls and themselves at Laugh Out Loud in Pier Park.
“We sell them for newborns up to adults,” said owner Suzy Ellerson.
Though the store is closed Thanksgiving, it is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Black Friday. In addition to tutus, find fun T-shirts, jewelry, purses and hair accessories.
Personalize your gift with a monogrammed koozie or appliqué dress from Two Friends Closet, a children’s clothing boutique run by local friends Lauren Johnson and Krista Chapman (Etsy.com/shop/twofriendscloset or Facebook: Twofriendscloset Krista-Lauren).
Paradigm Dry, salon and blow dry bar in Pier Park, is the exclusive retailer in the area to carry the luxurious Oribe line of skin care grade hair styling and shampoo products. Gift sets are available for the Signature, the best option for most, the reparative Gold Lust and For Shine & Brilliance.
Oribe’s signature fragrance, Cote d’Azur, is a blend of Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine and warm sandalwood for women and men, while the Silver Pearl has notes of leather, fresh bamboo and green fig leaf.
“It smells so good, it could be unisex. I’m wearing it,” said David Deale, director of education at Paradigm Dry.
Paradigm also sells Dry Diva designer mildew resistant shower caps and Indie Girl hair ties.
“The Indie Girl hair ties don’t leave a crease in the hair, even after wearing your hair up all day, and they are non-damaging,” added Elizabeth Bush, who opened Paradigm Dry with Lindsay Reeves in July.
And when you are ready to brush it all out, they have Ibiza Hair brushes.
“These brushes are made of the root of the boar. The more inexpensive ones are made with the tip which is why it doesn’t grip the hair,” Deale said. “They impart body and shine. The handle on the product doesn’t slip. It’s very ergonomic design. I’m obsessed with them, amazing! It’s a very good drying brush, (which) curls instead of having to do it with the curling iron.”
The Mole Hole in Panama City has Vera Bradley footwear and hooded robes, perfect for relaxing in style. Vera Bradley’s holiday line launched Nov. 20. Carry black and white houndstooth into winter with bags featuring two sets of interchangeable straps. The Mole Hole also has a large selection of gift items and jewelry, including Chamilia and Sorrelli — also available at Plum Delightful and Out of the Box in Panama City.
Get active
For those who enjoy life on and in the water, Diver’s Den carries everything from spear guns to the Intova Sport HD II Camera and Video, waterproof up to 200 feet.
“These are comparable to GoPros,” said employee J.D. Moore.
Gift certificates help give experiences, such as scuba diving lessons and dive charter trips, for the year ahead. Black Friday deals at Half Hitch start at 7 a.m. Nov. 28 on fishing, hunting and sports gear.
If you just need an excuse to walk off your Thanksgiving feast, the Panama City Mall is open Thanksgiving Day from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., then again from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Black Friday.