Shop local this season as the perfect gifts for everyone in your life are right around the corner. 
Cheeky Monkey Toys
The California designer’s Palo Alto store captures the essence of modern minimalism and reflects the brand’s laid-back Golden State vibe. The shop is resplendent in organic design elements such as bleached walnut and white brick, a color and texture aesthetic that carries throughout all her offerings—clothing, shoes, accessories, decor and tabletop items. Look out for lovable items like cozy, well-cut sweaters, a dreamy leather bucket bag, sheepskin throws, ceramic candles and the bestselling woven Nicaraguan wall hangings. There are also options for the little ones, such as shearling booties and cashmere hoodies. Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
Operating since 1851 as the West’s oldest independent bookseller, Books Inc. is full of gifts for the readers in your life. The store is well-stocked with rare tomes, and the knowledgeable staff will go to great lengths to find just what you’re looking for. Regulars have also dropped reviews that gift-wrapping here is, to quote one, “da bomb.” In July, the store launched a subscription program called Adventures in Learning: Every month, experts at the store deliver four books—catered toward families who are homeschooling, from pre-K to grade 8—to your home. Town & Country Village, Palo Alto
Holiday candle from Hudson Grace
Searching for that perfect present for your entertaining aficionado friends and family? Look no further than Hudson Grace. Founders Monelle Totah and Gary McNatton spent months in Europe curating glassware and decorative accents from artisanal, family-owned factories. Standouts include Italian white ceramic dinnerware, towering tapered carafes, Champagne buckets, quartz votives and coffee-table books such as Memos by Diana Vreeland and Architectural Digest’s The Most Beautiful Rooms in the World. Town & Country Village, Palo Alto
A wonderland for kids who appreciate thoughtful, nontypical playthings, Cheeky Monkey makes choosing gifts for kids a snap. You’ll find quirky card games, whimsical arts and crafts projects and more. Retro games such as Ms. Pac-Man, magnetic dart boards and mini Foosball tables, unconventional board games and learning toys for little ones, such as Baby Drums and InnyBin, make holiday shopping fun. The store also offers wish lists and free gift wrapping. Menlo Park
A gem for DIY fanatics, CraftBox offers craft kits for both adults and children. Crafting appointments at the in-store space in Los Gatos can be made, but the shop also offers a selection of craft kits available for purchase online. Corded dog collars, macrame wall hangings, hanging planters and key hooks are just some of the available projects. CraftBox also sells art tools, such as glue guns and paint supplies, leather tooling sets and more. Los Gatos
Art from Anthem Home
Owner Janelle Loevner scours the globe for unique, chic items for homeowners and interior designers, making the destination home store a go-to for gorgeous furniture, accessories, loungewear and alfresco decor items. Gift offerings include fabulous place mats, William Yeoward crystal tumblers, Baobab candles and luxurious decorative pillows. Aerin Lauder’s AERIN lifestyle brand pieces, such as shagreen photo frames, Calinda vases and brass-footed deco bowls, are also available. Menlo Park
Photography by: Anthem Home photo by Sara Steisel/courtesy of Anthem Home; all other photos courtesy of brands
