Shopping can be one of the most important but stressful elements of the holidays. To avoid the mall and department store crowds, you might be tempted to just buy everyone identical red sweaters or Amazon.com gift cards. But here are some ideas for alternatives that are more personalized and thoughtful and that help San Francisco and San Franciscans--and can be obtained without sacrificing your sanity.
For presents that everyone can use, see our separate guide to SF Bay Area food and foodie gifts.
GIFTS THAT DO GOOD
ScholarMatch
Give someone a scholar: ScholarMatch gift cards support financially needy but high-achieving college-bound students. The gift card recipients describe what kinds of students they’d like to support; the students in turn send updates on their progress. Founded by San Francisco author Dave Eggers, ScholarMarch assists students through the college admissions process and beyond, It’s helped about 300 students with more than $650,000 in scholarships since its May 2010 launch.
Changing the Present
A slew of ideas for charitable gifts including memberships to nonprofit groups and gifts that benefit the environment, animals, human rights, education and other good causes. You’ll find something for everyone.
The Pirate Supply Store
Also the site of 826 Valencia, the nonprofit writing center for Bay Area youth co-founded by award-winning author Dave Eggers, the store plies San Francisco literary maps, student-written anthologies with forewords by luminaries like Daniel Alarcón, Khaled Hosseini, Lemony Snicket and Robin Williams, other literature, and pirate supplies such as hooks, glass eyes, games, tattoo remover and treasure chests.
At 826 Valencia St., San Francisco 94110.
Creativity Explored Annual Holiday Art Sale
December 5-31, 2014
Prints, paintings, stationery, drawings, sculptures, fabrics and ceramics made by more than 135 disabled artists are on display and sale.
At Creativity Explored Gallery and Studio, 3245 16th St., San Francisco 94103.
MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS
Get your holiday shopping done and treat yourself to an exhibit, all at one stop. Culturally rich San Francisco has numerous museums with shops carrying thoughtful items for all ages. Admission to the stores is free.
Among others, there are the Asian Art Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Cartoon Art Museum, Contemporary Jewish Museum, Exploratorium and the Museum of the African Diaspora. The Museum of Craft and Design carries San Francisco coasters and dish towels printed with the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge and the F Market trolley car. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's store is open on Yerba Buena Lane (though the museum itself is closed until 2016 while it's being expanded). It has Tina Frey sculpted charcuterie boards, models of Sutro Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge and other Bay-Area-designed and -made products, and publishes a holiday gift guide categorized by price levels. The museum stores at the de Young and Legion of Honor have an annual gift guide whose highlights include Keith Haring designs on tote bags, iPad covers and playing cards, coinciding with the de Young’s Keith Haring: The Political Line exhibit.
SEE NEXT PAGE FOR MORE SAN FRANCISCO GIFT IDEAS --->
For presents that everyone can use, see our separate guide to SF Bay Area food and foodie gifts.
GIFTS THAT DO GOOD
ScholarMatch
Give someone a scholar: ScholarMatch gift cards support financially needy but high-achieving college-bound students. The gift card recipients describe what kinds of students they’d like to support; the students in turn send updates on their progress. Founded by San Francisco author Dave Eggers, ScholarMarch assists students through the college admissions process and beyond, It’s helped about 300 students with more than $650,000 in scholarships since its May 2010 launch.
Changing the Present
A slew of ideas for charitable gifts including memberships to nonprofit groups and gifts that benefit the environment, animals, human rights, education and other good causes. You’ll find something for everyone.
The Pirate Supply Store
Also the site of 826 Valencia, the nonprofit writing center for Bay Area youth co-founded by award-winning author Dave Eggers, the store plies San Francisco literary maps, student-written anthologies with forewords by luminaries like Daniel Alarcón, Khaled Hosseini, Lemony Snicket and Robin Williams, other literature, and pirate supplies such as hooks, glass eyes, games, tattoo remover and treasure chests.
At 826 Valencia St., San Francisco 94110.
Creativity Explored Annual Holiday Art Sale
December 5-31, 2014
Prints, paintings, stationery, drawings, sculptures, fabrics and ceramics made by more than 135 disabled artists are on display and sale.
At Creativity Explored Gallery and Studio, 3245 16th St., San Francisco 94103.
MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS
Get your holiday shopping done and treat yourself to an exhibit, all at one stop. Culturally rich San Francisco has numerous museums with shops carrying thoughtful items for all ages. Admission to the stores is free.
Among others, there are the Asian Art Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Cartoon Art Museum, Contemporary Jewish Museum, Exploratorium and the Museum of the African Diaspora. The Museum of Craft and Design carries San Francisco coasters and dish towels printed with the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge and the F Market trolley car. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's store is open on Yerba Buena Lane (though the museum itself is closed until 2016 while it's being expanded). It has Tina Frey sculpted charcuterie boards, models of Sutro Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge and other Bay-Area-designed and -made products, and publishes a holiday gift guide categorized by price levels. The museum stores at the de Young and Legion of Honor have an annual gift guide whose highlights include Keith Haring designs on tote bags, iPad covers and playing cards, coinciding with the de Young’s Keith Haring: The Political Line exhibit.
SEE NEXT PAGE FOR MORE SAN FRANCISCO GIFT IDEAS --->
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