High-Tech Presents but an Old-Fashioned Tree : Gift shops: Victorian and rustic ornaments are common this year, reflecting values of hearth and home.

The Christmas tree is a visible and enduring symbol of a time to indulge in comfortable family traditions. Tree trimming is one of those traditions, and the activity also pays off for holiday merchants as well.

Valley stores are gearing up for the annual consumer pilgrimage to select decorations that reflect each tree owner’s personality. A look at the local retail scene indicates that high-tech presents are generally left underneath the Christmas tree, not on it. Even shops specializing in offbeat items have toned down their holiday displays in favor of the familiar.

Valley retailers said several traditional themes dominate this season, best reflected in a myriad of Victorian-styled ornaments. Customers will also find Vermont in the Valley, with lots of back to the woods rustic items. As for Christmas colors, the perennial favorites--red, green and white--are joined this year by rich blues, purples and yellows that duplicate the glitter of precious stones.

Where can holiday shoppers find these tree treasures? A host of cozy, privately owned gift boutiques offer unique, generally affordable items. In fact, the proliferation of these shops over the last decade or so has been providing fierce competition to the larger department stores because many showcase their Yuletide trinkets as early as September or October instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving.

“Christmas is a collection of memories for most of us,” said Paper Goose co-owner Chuck Walker. “We can be as weird and funky as we want all year, but this season represents traditional values, warmth and security.”

Generally, home, hearth and the holidays are one and the same at Paper Goose, which opened five years ago in three locations--Studio City, Woodland Hills and Glendale. The stores feature several fully decorated trees from which ornaments can be selected. The opulence of the Victorian era is reflected in tree decorations such as a small porcelain girl dressed in a rose-colored velvet gown and a European glass ball covered with rich gold satin.

“Romance is in,” said Walker, who criticized the recent Southwest home decorating trend with its peach, mint and terra cotta colors and styles that spilled over into Christmas. “Cold and clinical. And who really wanted to decorate a fake cactus anyway?” he asked.

This year, Paper Goose offers trimmings made of braid, medallions, mirrors, tapestry and crests. The country look is strong there, in the form of miniature log cabins, bears in rocking chairs, autumn fruit and dried flowers. Most ornaments cost from 50 cents to $20.

At Christmas International in Woodland Hills, there’s little difference between July and December. This wonderland is dedicated exclusively to Yuletide decorations from July to January. With 25 theme trees, customers are almost blinded as they enter the store’s 4,000 square feet of winking, blinking and twinkling decorations, complete with piped-in holiday music and chilly air conditioning.

“People are increasingly adding animation in the form of moving characters, and they also like the musical and speaking ornaments,” said owner Jeani Wade, noting the continuing popularity of the Disney, Sesame Street and Muppet characters. And it’s no surprise that Bart Simpson has made the leap from television to tree ornament, she said.

In the “Crystal Forest” section, with a tableau of artificial snow and hundreds of tiny lights stretched around silver and white trees, there are ornaments made of sterling silver, icelike crystals and snow pearls arranged in animated scenes. In other areas of the store, there are decorations shaped and colored like sapphires, emeralds, rubies, jade, ivory and coral.

For sports fans, Christmas International has ornaments shaped like sailboats, running shoes and baseball bats. Pet lovers aren’t left out either, with dogs, pigs, cows, lambs and cats depicted. Victorian keepsake decorations have hearts pierced with arrows, tiny ornate lace hats, harlequins, velvet purses, swans and doves, all in pinks and deep burgundys. “Baby’s First Christmas” is another popular line, with porcelain, wood and glass booties, cradles, farm animals and bunnies.

Bargains can be found for less than a dollar. But Wade also designs custom trees and decoration themes for her more affluent customers, with prices to $4,000.

Both Love and Kisses in Sherman Oaks and Nordstrom in Canoga Park report a huge demand for personalized ornaments this year.

At both locations, whimsical as well as traditional ornaments are made of bread dough that can be personalized for free by an on-site artist. Among the mostly red, green and white decorations, Nordstrom’s Gift Gallery is featuring hand-carved items and a silver pewter drum ornament that opens up as a gift box. Ornaments are less than $50.

Love and Kisses carries a full line of Hallmark limited-edition keepsake ornaments. The 1990 Hallmark theme is light and motion, with a large selection of bears and Santas engaged in activities such as driving a bright yellow taxi, riding a spaceship or composing a letter to Santa on a computer. Sizes and materials for the collection vary, with prices from $7.50 to $20.

“Most people like to save special ornaments from year to year. They don’t usually go out each year and buy brand new themes,” said Love and Kisses owner Marilyn Kove, who opened the boutique nine years ago.

At Cost Plus, there’s little in the way of “cutesy” ornaments. Instead, the Woodland Hills store adds an Asian flavor to the holidays, not surprising since most of its stock is imported from Taiwan, India, China and other Eastern countries. Although many of the mass-produced selections are less than $5, they are high quality and creatively unusual. Look for delicate bamboo or light wood pianos and teapots interspersed with graceful, exotic animals such as zebras, dinosaurs, and tigers in subtle colors.

Another import haven, Pier One Imports, with locations in Encino, Studio City and Van Nuys, stresses bold and vibrant colors. The “jeweled look” can be found in wood-crafted balloons, glass clowns and moon-face tree ornaments. The stores also offer simple hand-painted paper Santas, angels and soldiers, and sleek, sophisticated glass balls in plums, blues, reds and yellow.

Heading east toward Riverside Drive in Burbank, is Rubber Boots, a place packed to the rafters with out-of-the-ordinary items.

Owner Angela Cartwright, the former child star from “Lost in Space” and “Sound of Music,” salutes the holidays with a large Christmas area in the center of the store. There are literally hundreds of items to pick and choose from, so be prepared to browse.

Rubber Boots also has something unusual--a foot-high artificial “Mail a Tree,” in its own decorated box, with tiny ornaments for trimming. The gift, which can be held in the palm, is perfect to dress up an office desk or send to a long-distance friend. It sells for $17.

Take note: Behind every art gallery is a vacuum cleaner sales and repair shop. If this sounds strange but intriguing to tree ornament connoisseurs, check out The Peters Company in Studio City. Owner Jack Seguine took over this neighborhood appliance shop in the 1970s--and still operates it as a repair shop--and began collecting interesting gallery-quality imported and domestic gifts.

On hand are the one-of-a-kind “Elegant Eggs,” designed by local artist Sharon Arnett. The eggs are hand-cut with a dentist’s drill and decorated with Austrian crystals, rhinestones, braids and bone china. Inside are hand-sculpted blown glass and porcelain miniatures from England. Just add a strong hook and string for hanging. They are $65 per egg and up. Seguine also offers multicolored crystal hummingbirds from $5 to $13.

Last but certainly not least, there’s always a back to the basics scenario: Create your own ornaments. Kit Kraft in Studio City is a family-owned hobby shop that has been serving the do-it-yourself crowd since 1946.

Ornaments can be made for less than $5 with a little ingenuity, the owners said. There are bins with Styrofoam balls, eggs, cones and tiny detailed Austrian crystal beads. Unadorned wooden figures can be dressed up with acrylic paints in countless colors, glitter, beads, bright satin fabric, hooks and string. For the more ambitious there are molds to pour plastic and paint over. And for the creatively shy, packaged kits come with instructions, shapes and the necessary materials.

“It seems like every year more and more people come in to make their own ornaments and gifts,” said manager Mike Sitkin. “It’s very rewarding, more personal and a lot of fun.”