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Take the stress out of shopping!

By Meg Olson

There are too many people north of the border. Too many cars. It’s big and scary and not someplace you should go when they all start moving around in fast shopping mode. Shop at home. Beat the crowds before they find out we’re down here.

Little stuff
The Point does have a disproportionate number of gas stations. Besides the obvious – five choices to fuel up in the space of two blocks – it means there is an embarrassment of riches for stocking-stuffer seekers. There are giant jawbreakers at the USA, goofy toys and lighters shaped like pigs at the newly renamed Texaco, formerly MP.

The gas stations have bigger offerings as well. You can pick up a sporty little pink toy jalopy at the Chevron station. Dylans may be part of the Shell station, but the store is also the local coffee roastery and sells all sorts of coffee gadgetry.

Outside of the fuel outlet spectrum, compact gifts can be snapped up at many local retailers: earrings at the Blue Heron Gallery would fit nicely in a Christmas stocking toe and Nielson’s Building Center has hats with built-in headlamps that could be glowing out the top on Christmas morning.

Besides some nifty inexpensive gifts the International Marketplace has everything you might need outside the box: wrapping and tape and bows and lights and cards.

Big Stuff
Westwind Marine sells boats, from big, shiny and fast to small and practical and sitting on a trailer. They also sell zippy little electric scooters and nifty workout clothes. Who knew?

You’ll find more scooters at Nielson’s Building Center – perhaps the beginning of a trend that will have the whole town zooming around with sporty little helmets. They also have big shiny stainless Weber barbecues and big yellow DeWalt power tools. What’s more, even if you don’t buy anything, you can enter to win the world’s biggest Christmas stocking or a big fuzzy bear in a big cart full of toys.

Art is big, sometimes in size but always in spirit. Blue Heron Gallery features the works of over 50 artists – that’s a big selection of works and there is enough variety to suit every taste and budget, from unusual jewelry with a Native American flavor to watercolors of local scenes. Owner Kitty Doyle is recently back from a trip to Africa with new jewelry and baskets.

Liberty Wine Store has really big bottles of champagne, and smaller bottles with big price tags and enormous taste. Flowers by Sandy has massive Wow bouquets for $50 and up, as well as fresh wreaths and less imposing holiday decorations.

Then there’s the hot tub store. Oh, I mean, Nielson’s Point Roberts Electric, which sells all sorts of appliances. But what is more likely to get you a smooch under the mistletoe, a stove or a hot tub?

Tasty Stuff
Caffé Capanna churns out a steady stream of Christmas treats over the holidays, from gift baskets full of cookies, morning rolls, biscotti, muffins, shortbread and anything a customer may have a craving for, to a spread of sweets for a party.

Dylan’s makes special baskets for the holidays, dipping into their eclectic collection of gourmet foods and foodie stuff, from simple and inexpensive to ooh-la-la. They will put together baskets on any theme, for a golfer, a gardener or candlestick fancier.

At Larry’s Liquors holiday cheer is coming with holiday gear, and you can buy someone Elvis Merlot, get a poker set with your whisky or a little thermos with your Drambuie.

As they do all year, the staff in the meat department at the International Marketplace is ready to take any special orders for a giant holiday joint or a raft of two-inch steaks.

Not Stuff Stuff
Point Roberts is almost like one big spread-out spa. You can start out with a personal training session at Exercise by Design (945-2342) in the morning, get your hair reinvented by Robin Nault (945-1301) after a light lunch at Brewsters and follow it up with a walk on the beach and a full-moon yoga workshop at Madrona Yoga (945-5536). Now how would that day look in a bundle of gift certificates?

You can get or give a squeaky clean house for the holidays with Evergreen Cleaning (945-2508) or Shmonty Cleaning (945-1744), and really be ready to deck the halls.