SHOPPING AROUND

An informal survey of county stores finds there are plenty of unusual items out there, one of which is sure to please even the fussiest person on your Christmas list. And, whether you’re feeling extravagant or dollar-conscious, there are plenty of those items, too.

Store: Grant Boys (Costa Mesa)

Most Extravagant: Handmade Belgian Browning over-and-under shotgun with gold inlay, $6,499

Most Unusual: Battery-powered thermal socks, $23.69 (batteries extra)

Best Value: All-wool German army pants, $19.99

Store: Frog House Surf Shop (Newport Beach)

Most Extravagant: Custom-built Kazanis long board surfboard, $450

Most Unusual: Rubber Ducky rainbow-colored condoms, $2.50 (six-pack)

Best Value: Rip-It surfboard, $265

Store: Dana Book and Navigation (Dana Point)

Most Extravagant: Cassens & Plath sextant, $1,050

Most Unusual: The Sailor’s Game (board game) with solid pewter game pieces, $49.95

Best Value: “Annapolis Book of Seamanship” by John Rousmaniere, $29.95

Store: The Book Vault Rare and Used Books (Santa Ana)

Most Extravagant: Signed, limited-edition copy of “Reminiscences” by Gen. Douglas MacArthur (in slipcase), $500

Most Unusual: “Mickey & Minnie Mouse Cutout Doll Book” (published in 1933), $350

Best Value: “A Barefoot Doctor’s Manual--Practical Chinese Medicine and Health,” $10

Store: Neiman Marcus (Newport Beach, Fashion Island)

Most Extravagant: Hand-tooled leather show saddle embellished with sterling silver and 18-carat gold, $108,000

Most Unusual: Tepee custom-made by Mescalero Apache tribe in New Mexico, $5,400

Best Value: Cashmere sweater, $160

Store: Two-Wheel Transit Authority (Fountain Valley)

Most Extravagant: Eddy Merckx Team 7-Eleven racing bike, $2,400

Most Unusual: Kuwahara 18-speed tandem mountain bike, $2,000

Best Value: Louis Garneau cycling shorts, $27

Store: Roger’s Gardens (Newport Beach)

Most Extravagant: Custom-made doll house, $5,000

Most Unusual: Antique bird house, $100

Best Value: Crystal vase, $26

Store: Princess Jewelry & Loan (Garden Grove)

Most Extravagant: 4-carat diamond ring, $75,000

Most Unusual: Emerald, diamond and sapphire ring in the shape of a fly, $700

Best Value: Silver charm, $5

Store: FAO Schwarz (Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza)

Most Extravagant: Life-sized handmade toy lion, $4,800

Most Unusual: Pony-sized wooden rocking horse, $1,700

Best Value: Scottish terrier toy dog, $12

Store: Godiva Chocolates (Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza and MainPlace/Santa Ana)

Most Extravagant: 10 pounds of Godiva chocolates in a golden box, $250

Most Unusual: Lady Godiva snow globe with half-pound of chocolates in a black lacquer box, $55

Best Value: Quarter-pound assortment of chocolates in cherry-red moire box topped with a Lady Godiva Christmas ornament, $10

Store: Alternative Christmas Market (Garden Grove United Methodist Church)

Most Extravagant: Pregnant heifer cow sent to poor rural town in the U.S. or village in the Third World for milk and crossbreeding with local stock, $500

Most Unusual: Individual donation toward construction of village hydroelectric project in Indonesia, $35

Best Value: Large blanket delivered to disaster victims worldwide, $5

Store: Pottery Barn (Newport Beach)

Most Extravagant: Belgian hand-woven wool shawl, $250

Most Unusual: Tea kettle painted in cow motif, $35

Best Value: Christmas tree salt and pepper shakers, $7.50

Store: Diane Nelson Gallery (Laguna Beach)

Most Extravagant: Marco Sassone neoimpressionist oil painting, $75,000

Most Unusual: Functional art table by Colas Moore made from old farmhouse window (panes replaced with imported French glass, $2,800

Best Value: Set of 50 limited-edition lithographs by Henri Matisse (color etchings), $10,000

Store: St. Ives (Costa Mesa, South Coast Village)

Most Extravagant: Antique French vanity dresser and chair, $2,595

Most Unusual: Antique-style ink pen handcrafted in green glass, 14-carat gold, sterling silver and quartz crystal with one faceted emerald, $310

Best Value: Small pewter frame, $11

Store: Cost Plus (countywide)

Most Extravagant: Authentic British telephone booth, $3,999

Most Unusual: Handmade Indonesian wooden string instrument, $129

Best Value: Chinese acupuncture balls, $12.88

Store: Adventure 16 (Costa Mesa)

Most Extravagant: Four-season VE 25 tent by North Face, $550

Most Unusual: British walking stick made of solid ash, $40

Best Value: Bomber hat, $24.95

Store: Sherpa (Buena Park Mall)

Most Extravagant: Black Hills 10-carat gold necklace, $425

Most Unusual: Hand-embroidered satin pillow edged in lace, $28

Best Value: Hand-crocheted table runner, $5.95

Store: Stor (Tustin)

Most Extravagant: Eight-foot European-style modular kitchen (includes cabinets, countertops, flooring), $600

Most Unusual: Red chili pepper garden in wooden crate, $12

Best Value: 12-piece glassware set, $12

Source: Individual stores