THE HUNT IS ON : Where to Find Those ‘Perfect’ Gifts in 32 Days or Less

It happens every year. Just when you’ve recovered from Halloween, the retailers of the world unite to give you a real scare (spooky music, please)--the Holiday Shopping Countdown. Friday, thousands of shoppers will tuck the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers in the freezer and, charge cards in hand, trudge dutifully to the local mall to begin the quest for the Perfect Gift.

But lo--we bring you tidings of great joy. When you’re ready to stray off the beaten path, there will be plenty of other merchants, galleries and craftspeople waiting to tempt you. Here are just a few.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Stroll through a 19th-Century-style American marketplace at the Harvest Festival, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 23 through 25, at the Anaheim Convention Center (800 W. Katella Ave.). Nearly 400 artists and exhibitors in period costumes will be on hand to demonstrate and sell wares ranging from holiday wreaths and handcrafted wooden toys to tapestry handbags and leather goods. Cloggers, jugglers and bands performing traditional American music will provide the entertainment, and foods of a variety of American regions will be sold. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Tickets: $2.75 to $5.75; under 6, free. Parking is $5. (714) 999-8900.

Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town Christmas Crafts Festival (8093 Beach Blvd., Buena Park) is an old-fashioned country fair featuring gifts and entertainment from Christmases past. Friday, Nov. 23, through Dec. 24, artisans in 1880s garb will demonstrate and sell their crafts in the street of Ghost Town. At a Santa’s Workshop, kids can visit with the Big Guy and sample some baked goodies from Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen. Carousel figure carver W. P. Wilcox will show off his skills in the Ghost Town Crafts Barn. There will be daily performances of the Dickens’ holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol,” in the Bird Cage theater. Opens at 10 a.m. daily, closing times vary. Admission is $2 for adults, free for children under 12. (714) 220-5200.

Heads-Hands-Hearts, a coalition of local female artists, will sell their works Sunday, Nov. 25, through Dec. 31 at the Alta Co. (506 31st St., Newport Beach), a coffeehouse and gallery. Items will include hand-woven scarves, jewelry, hand-decorated wrapping paper and clothing, watercolors and photographs. (714) 675-0233.

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce will present its 14th annual Christmas Festival Dec. 2. Shopkeepers on West Coast Highway between Acacia and Hazel streets will have open houses, and there will be food and wine tastings, other refreshments and entertainment by big bands, clowns, jugglers, mimes, carolers and others. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shuttle service is provided along the route. (714) 673-4050.

Objects and foods used in holiday celebrations around the world will be sold at the Bowers Museum (2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana) during its Multicultural Holiday Festival Dec. 15, noon to 2 p.m. on Dec. 15. Activities will include a Las Posadas procession and a Chinese dragon mask workshop. Tickets: $10 per family or $5 per person. (714) 972-1382.

FUND RAISERS

If you’d like a beautiful Christmas tree without the fuss, the Las Damas del Mar auxiliary of the Children’s Home Society of California will auction professionally decorated trees at its benefit dinner-dance Nov. 30 at Irvine’s Radison Plaza Hotel. Proceeds will benefit the society’s family and adoptive services statewide. Tickets: $75. And while you’re in the holiday mood, you might contribute a gift for a needy youth, which the group will distribute at its Children’s Christmas Party. (714) 542-1147.

Farther afield, the Long Beach chapter of the society will present a Christmas Fantasy, a dinner-dance that will feature an auction sale of gift items and decorations and also 300 travel and entertainment packages. The event is Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel. Tickets: $65. (213) 432-3391 or (213) 596-9187.

The next day, the group will have its Festival of Trees, a tree auction and family Christmas party with holiday entertainment and snacks. Tickets: $7.50. (213) 597-8938.

The Jack and Jill Guild of Children’s Hospital of Orange County will have its 19th annual Christmas Boutique and Home Tour Dec. 7. It will include tours of four luxurious homes and a boutique featuring gourmet food packages, gift items and holiday decorations. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Tustin Hills Racquet Club (11782 Simon Ranch Road, Santa Ana). Not open to children younger than 11. Tickets: $18 to $20 for the tour and boutique; $5 for the boutique only (limited hours apply). (714) 532-8675.

The Orange County Philharmonic Society will have a holiday boutique at its House of Design (2009 Victoria Drive, Santa Ana) through Dec. 9. Kitchen and gourmet items, children’s toys and more will be offered by local craftspeople and interior design shops. Proceeds benefit the group’s youth programs. Tickets: $12 (includes home tour). (714) 553-2431.

FOR THE KIDS

The Newport Harbor Art Museum (850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach) welcomes young shoppers to its Children’s Holiday Party and Shopping Spree Nov. 29. Youngsters ages 5 to 12 can choose handcrafted items and other goodies for all on their gift lists, at prices for kid-size budgets. While their purchases are wrapped, the party-goers can nosh in the museum cafe, visit with Santa and catch a magic act under the supervision of museum staff members. Tickets: $12. (Reservations must be made by Friday, Nov. 23). (714) 759-1122.

The nimble-fingered can make ornaments and gifts at a Dec. 1 origami workshop at the Children’s Museum at La Habra (301 S. Euclid Ave.), then watch a performance of “Not a Creature Was Stirring” at the La Habra Depot Playhouse next door. Workshop: $2; show, $6 to $8. (213) 905-9793.

Family members can work side by side on multicultural crafts projects Dec. 8 at Family International Art Day ’90 at the Irvine Fine Arts Center (14321 Yale Ave.) The event includes the workshop, storytelling and international foods and entertainment. Tickets: $10. (714) 552-1018.

Children can create their own Victorian-style gifts and decorations at the Victorian Holiday Crafts Workshops at the Discovery Museum (3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana). Sessions are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 8 and 15, and will include games and treats typical of the era. The event is open to children ages 5 through 12. Fee: $12 (reservations required). (714) 540-0404.

Thousands of glittering lights will brighten the seven-acre Roger’s Gardens (2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar) during the nursery’s Christmas Fantasy promotion. Shoppers can choose from fresh and potted arrangements, decorative housewares, china and crystal. The nursery gallery will feature unique Christmas ornaments from professionally decorated trees. Watercolorist Jane London will demonstrate her work Friday through Sunday, Nov. 23 through 25, and Santa will be in residence Monday through Saturday. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (714) 640-5800.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE

If you’re looking for Swedish clogs or Chinese collectibles, check out Old World (7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach). You’ll find those and American goods and also German restaurants and bakeries for a quick pick-me-up. Most stores are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (714) 895-8020.

Thirty-eight stores carrying everything from Mexican imports to cowboy boots can be found at the Fiesta Marketplace (4th Street between North Bush and French streets, Santa Ana). Beginning at 3 p.m. Dec. 9, the merchants will have a procession and ceremony to dedicate a religious mural, with a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony afterward. A bilingual Santa will be on hand Dec. 15 and 22. Fiesta Marketplace is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. (714) 543-3648.

Third World Handarts (369 N. Anaheim Blvd., Orange), a nonprofit group dedicated to helping artisans in Third World countries and the U.S. Appalachian region, carries handcrafted toys, clothing and jewelry and more, all at reasonable prices. Countries represented include Africa, Turkey, Thailand and Chile. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Dec. 22. (714) 634-1685.

The Little Saigon area along Bolsa Avenue in Westminster offers an abundance of one-of-a-kind shops and services. See accompanying story (pg. 13) for details.

MUSEUM SHOPS

The works of 20 Orange County artists will be showcased Nov. 30 through Dec. 8 at the Modern Museum of Art Christmas Gift Sale (5 Hutton Centre Drive, Santa Ana). On sale will be handmade jewelry, glassware and ceramics; hand-painted shoes, hats and clothing, and a selection of gift items from South America. Gift shop hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. (714) 754-4111.

You can stuff the kiddies’ stockings with educational toys or books (many priced at $5 or less) from the Children’s Museum at La Habra gift shop (301 S. Euclid St.). Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (213) 905-9793.

At the Newport Harbor Art Museum gift shop (850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach), you can browse through a selection of unique children’s toys, jewelry, collectibles and art books. The shop is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (714) 759-1122.

The Laguna Art Museum shop (307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach) offers contemporary art clocks, unique neckties, jewelry, art books and calendars. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (714) 494-8971. Items at the museum’s satellite shop at South Coast Plaza (3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa) include suede handbags and whimsical glass teapots. Hours: Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (714) 662-3366.

SHOPPING GETAWAYS

If you like to shop till you drop--and still have plenty of cash left after you do it--you might consider a weekend shopping package at a hotel.

Through Dec. 28 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dana Point, guests can enjoy a two-night stay, a gourmet welcoming basket and shuttle service to South Coast Plaza for $350. (714) 240-2000.

Through Jan. 6, the Westin South Coast Plaza offers a Thursday-through-Sunday shopping package that includes welcoming cocktails, gifts or discounts from selected South Coast Plaza merchants, gift-wrapping and shuttle service to the mall. Price: $75 per night; limited space available. (714) 540-2500.

DISCOUNT SHOPPING

If the thought of paying full price for holiday gifts brings out the Scrooge in you, pick up a copy of “Buying Retail Is Stupid!” by Trisha Crumley, Deborah Newmark and Bonnie Cunningham (Newmark Management Institute), a handy guide to off-price stores and shopping centers in Southern California. (A reminder: Many discounters do not accept credit cards, so call ahead.) Local listings include Freidman’s--the Microwave Specialists in Orange, which offers more than 75 kinds and a full line of accessories; B & B Marine Equipment & Service in Newport Beach, which carries goodies for the sailor in your life; and Nordstrom Rack in Santa Ana, where you can pick up shoes, clothing and accessories from past seasons at the chain’s regular stores at 30% to 70% off.

Barstow, situated midway between L.A. and Las Vegas, is hardly around the block. But the prices and selection at the Factory Merchants Outlet Plaza (2837 Lenwood Road) may make it worth the drive. You can find savings of 20% to 70% off regular retail prices on items from such name-brand companies as Lenox, Fieldcrest, Gant, Anne Klein, Ralph Lauren, London Fog, Oshkosh B’Gosh and more. Shopper extraordinaire Buckita Benson offers trips there through her Outlet Shopping Tours. The $24 package includes luxury bus transportation to and from the center, refreshments and a comprehensive store guide. The next tour scheduled from the Orange County area is Dec. 8. Call (213) 372-9930.

SPECIALTY GIFTS

Those fancy gourmet baskets overflowing with imported goodies and fine wines make impressive gifts. But they can also make a serious dent in your holiday budget. With a little legwork and imagination, though, you can put together your own at significant savings. A good first (and possibly last) stop would be Trader Joe’s, the food and wine chain, which has stores in Laguna Hills, Fullerton, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach. There are variations, but the stores generally offer items such as dried fruits, gourmet nuts (macadamias are now available at $5 per 12 oz. bag), cheeses, sausages, and imported wines and beers (with big savings on these). A $14.99 Stoli Sampler, for example, has three flavors of the pricey Stolichnaya vodka.

In Old Town Orange (corner of Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street), antiques from Victorian furniture and artwork to ‘50s collectibles can be found among the 35 shops and mini-malls in the area. After shopping, you can relax at one of the area restaurants or sit next to a sparkling fountain. Most stores are open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (714) 633-7766.

Uncle Pat is pining for an early American armoire and Aunt Sue dotes on antique doilies. Chances are you’ll find both at Old Barn Antiques in San Juan Capistrano (31792 Camino Capistrano). Housed in five historic buildings, 65 merchants offer a variety of antiques and collectibles ranging from delicate linens to 1960s memorabilia. All stores are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. (714) 493-9144.

‘TIS BETTER TO GIVE

A number of charitable groups give you a chance to spread that holiday cheer to those less fortunate. Here are a couple of ideas . . .

Give a goat (or rabbit or heifer or chicken) to a needy family through the Alternative Christmas Giving Market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday until Christmas at the United Methodist Church of Garden Grove (12741 Main St.). Make a donation of any size toward the purchase of livestock, seeds, medicine of other necessities for the underprivileged, and you will receive a card describing the gift to give to someone on your list. The funds are channeled through local and international charitable organizations, among them the Church World Service/United Methodist Committee on Relief and Real Help of Garden Grove. (714) 991-5558.

The Orange County office of the Salvation Army hopes to aid 20,000 deserving folk during the holidays. Their bell-ringers will be out in force at all major shopping centers from Monday, Nov. 26, through Christmas Eve. At the Laguna Hills Mall, the group will have an Angel Tree listing the names and ages of needy children. Shoppers may take a name, purchase and wrap a gift for that child and return it to the tree for the group to distribute on Christmas Eve. Donations of cash, food and wrapped gifts and also helping hands to aid in sorting and distributing the goodies are welcome at the Salvation Army Christmas Headquarters (101 S. East St., Anaheim). (714) 558-9354.

MALLS

OK, we put it off as long as we could. If you absolutely must venture to an epicenter of holiday buying frenzy, here’s a list of some of the larger shopping complexes in Orange County. But don’t say we didn’t warn you. . . .

Anaheim Plaza (500 N. Euclid St.) has 66 specialty stores and restaurants as well as the Broadway and Mervyn’s. (714) 635-3431.

Brea Mall (Imperial Highway and State College Boulevard) features Nordstrom, the Broadway, May Co. and Sears, and more than 160 specialty shops and restaurants. (714) 990-2732.

The Buena Park Mall (Buena Park and Stanton avenues) has May Co., Sears and J.C. Penney anchoring 170 smaller stores. (714) 634-8734.

At the City Shopping Center (1 City Blvd., Orange) are May Co., J.C. Penney and 120 shops and restaurants. (714) 634-8734.

Huntington Center (7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach) has the Broadway, Mervyn’s, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward and some 23 other stores. There’s a tree lighting Dec. 1. (714) 897-8282.

Laguna Hills Mall (24155 Laguna Hills Mall) has about 80 shops anchored by the Broadway, Buffums, J.C. Penney and Sears. (714) 586-8282.

It’ll be a Tinseltown Christmas at MainPlace/Santa Ana (2800 N. Main St.), decked out for the holidays in Hollywood-inspired finery. Concerts daily through Christmas Eve. The mall features a Nordstrom, Robinson’s, Bullock’s and 170 shops and restaurants. (714) 547-7800.

The Mall of Orange (2298 Orange Mall) offers Sears, The Broadway and J.C. Penney plus nearly 100 shops and restaurants. (714) 547-7800.

Mission Viejo Mall (27000 Crown Valley Parkway) has 140 stores including Robinson’s, May Co., Bullock’s and Montgomery Ward. There will be a menorah-lighting ceremony Dec. 12 and daily performances from choral groups. (714) 364-1771.

The recently renovated Newport Center Fashion Island (62 Fashion Island, Newport Beach) offers Robinson’s, Buffums, I. Magnin, the Broadway and Neiman Marcus, plus nearly 200 specialty shops and restaurants. Strolling carolers and brass quintets entertain daily through Dec. 24. On Friday, Nov. 23, a 110-foot Christmas tree will be lit in a ceremony whose host will be Pat Boone. (714) 644-2020.

South Coast Plaza (3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa) and the Crystal Court (3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa) offer Bullock’s, I. Magnin, May Co., Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sears, the Broadway and Robinson’s and more than 300 smaller shops and restaurants. For the holidays, there’s Christmas Lane, a collection of holiday gift and decor shops, and Santasfaction, an elaborate Santa set-up for kids. At South Coast Plaza Village (Sunflower Avenue at Bear Street, Santa Ana) a Christmas Crafts Show will run Friday through Sunday, Nov. 23 through 25. (714) 435-2000.

Westminster Mall (195 Westminster Mall) features Robinson’s, May Co., Buffums and Sears and nearly 200 smaller stores.