Try Something Old as a Gift

So you want to show a little flair in your gift-giving this year, forgoing the typical sweaters and ties for something that shows you put some thought into it?

The collectibles market is a treasure trove of great gift ideas, and there are many reasonably priced items for everyone on your gift list.

“I’ve noticed people are thinking about what they’re buying each person, and such effort is sure to be appreciated,” says Paula Radi, owner of the Sleepy Hollow Antique Malls in Garden Grove and Long Beach. “People are buying gifts that aren’t new, because they realize such things have lasting value.”

Also, by buying collectibles as gifts, you can avoid the crowds at the major malls. The old town areas of Orange (at Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street) and Garden Grove (at Main Street and Garden Grove Boulevard) are full of antique and collectibles shops, and there are at least 50 other such stores throughout the county.

A few hints for shoppers:

* Look for things with special significance.

For example, a Tasmanian Devil doll for your brother--who just might resemble the wild-eyed cartoon character--will mean a lot more to him than another compact disc. Such a stuffed doll was spotted at Kids in the Neighborhood, a collectibles store in Garden Grove.

If your grandma used to give you Coca-Cola when you were little, why not get her a Coca-Cola tin sign or advertising tear sheet?

There’s a lot of advertising that bears common and not-so-common first and last names. You can get a Franklin on your list a Franklin Cigar Co. sign or a Ruth’s Home Run candy bar sign. All these advertising items are available at Sleepy Hollow Antique Mall in Garden Grove.

* Keep the recipient in mind; don’t buy something just because it’s nostalgic for you.

Through television reruns, many kids are familiar with some of the cartoons and shows their parents watched as kids, but not all of them. A Howdy Doody doll or Hopalong Cassidy memorabilia won’t mean much to kids today, but they do know Road Runner, Yogi Bear and Flipper through reruns.

Trolls also span generations. “Trolls are very, very hot this year,” says Wally Wood, owner of Kids in the Neighborhood. “Their price range of $2 to as high as $70 makes them affordable, as well.”

* Don’t make assumptions based on someone’s age.

A lot of people into the Beatles today were not even born when the Fab Four broke up. But the flip side to that is not everyone who was 16 in 1963 would appreciate a set of Paul, John, George and Ringo figures.

* For kids, buy things that can be played with.

It seems cruel to buy a little girl a Barbie doll and then tell her she can’t take it out of the box because it’s a collectors item to be preserved. If you’re giving a gift to a child, look for toys that are fun to play with. Avoid those you think will be a smart investment. Otherwise, you’ll both probably end up disappointed.

Items such as pogo sticks, wooden dolls and tin wind-up toys are things kids can have fun with.

“Disney was very good about making items to be played with,” Wood says, including games, block sets, stuffed animals and puzzles.

* It doesn’t have to cost a lot to mean a lot.

There are a lot of items priced under $10 that make great gifts to put in stockings. Think political buttons, unused postcards, comic books and bookmarks--older additions of which are all available at collectible stores.

Also, “nostalgic candy makes a great stocking stuffer,” says Susan Leon of the Rocking Chair Emporium in Orange. Her store sells Sugar Daddys, Zots, candy buttons, candy sticks and Pop Rocks, among other things, all priced under $2.

* Sleepy Hollow Antique Mall, 12965 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 539-9187, and 5689 Paramount Blvd., Long Beach. (310) 634-8370. Hours for both: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays during holiday season.

* Kids in the Neighborhood, 12883 Main St., Garden Grove. (714) 537-2790. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday .

* Rocking Chair Emporium, 123 N. Glassell St., Orange. (714) 633-5206. Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.