He's Making A List, Checking It Twice!

By HATTIE FOOTE

I recently got my eight-year-old son’s Christmas list, and at first, I was pleased to see it was brief. “What a humble king,” I thought to myself proudly, a smug albeit short-lived parenting moment.

1) MacBook computer 2) kids cyber quad bike 3) a real-life pug

That’s it. Poor Santa. After hearing Ritchie Rich give his sales pitch, I turned my attention to my ten-goingon 17-year-old daughter’s wishes, which quite honestly sounded like MY wish list! What can I say, the girl has taste! It would be easy to order everyone’s Christmas gifts on Amazon and call it a day, but that’s soul-sucking. My husband Chris has been a small business owner in Coronado for 15 years, and trust me when I say I know firsthand how paramount supporting local business is. So many of these family-run businesses support all of Coronado’s causes throughout the year, and I challenge you to show them the same support that they show our town this holiday season. So, without further ado, welcome to Hattie’s 2024 Gift Guide! I wanted to call it Hattie’s Favorite Things, but didn’t want people to confuse it with Oprah’s Favorite Things giveaway and get everybody all riled up! You get a real-life pug, you get a real-life pug, everybody gets a real-life pug!

I must start off this shopping experience with a hot tip that will make any self-care lover in your life very happy. We no longer must go over the bridge or wait days for mail delivery for clean, quality beauty products! Lara Savic was one of my first mom friends. Our daughters Lux and Emma would toddle around Spreckels Park and story time with Mr. Mike and Miss Jean at the library together, and in the blink of an eye, the girls were in fifth grade together! Last month, Lara, along with her husband Veljko, opened Savon De Coronado, a dreamy shop filled with so many pretty things. We stopped in to say hi and left with two bags of products; I am certain you can find a gift for anyone (including yourself)! They are a must-shop; make sure to check them out at 1024 C Ave!

Speaking of pretty things, if you haven’t popped into Seaside Papery during the holidays, you are missing out. It is magical, smells of Frasier fir and peppermint, and at every corner, there are bits and bobs that would delight even the hardest person to shop for. They usually have sparklers, too, so make sure to plan for New Year’s Eve and grab some because they sell out quickly! Lumo has sparkly things, too, if you are looking for beautiful jewelry! I don’t have to tell you twice about the stores that are hits with the kids, like Fuzziwigs, Geppetto’s, and 5 Loaves 2 Fish; I am sure we are all frequent fliers in those wonderful shops! Don’t forget Bay Books has a great kid section, or if you fancy an experience over a thing, I highly recommend AR Workshop Coronado or The Monarch Academy, both wonderful, locally owned spots that offer kids a place to experience art and well-being.

Now, what I am about to say can be controversial, but let’s face it: sometimes, no matter how intentional you are with your gift-giving, a gift card can be the best option. And no, not a Target gift card; most local businesses offer them. A gym membership at Coronado Fitness Club, boxing lessons at Roundhouse Fitness! A massage at Calla Lily or nails at Nail Studio! Village Theater movie tickets or dinner at Stake! I would take any and all of those gifts in case you were wondering (wink). Don’t stress about the perfect gift, because as cliché as it sounds, it’s truly the thought that counts. Happy Holidays, Coronado! Sending warm wishes to you and yours. See you at the Christmas Golf Cart Parade, vroom vroom!