Black Friday makes it official: Holiday shopping has begun in earnest.
But, before you head out to the mega-mall to navigate huge parking lots and long lines, it’s worth a quick stop right here in our own backyard.
Granted, at first glance, shopping in Solvang seems fit only for the curio-seeking tourist, and Sagunto Street in Santa Ynez seems a shopping destination for those with a two-block attention span. But look again.
Valley retailers offer what is, arguably, one of the quaintest and most convenient shopping experiences on the Central Coast.
From books to crafts, antiques and quilts, home interior, cutlery, souvenirs, toys and gourmet delights, the Valley covers every interest, especially the hard-to-buy-for person on your list.
Throughout the month of December, valley retailers welcome local patrons with open houses, a parade, a tree lighting, an old fashioned nativity pageant and even a life-sized gingerbread house.
Christmas of yesteryear, it turns out, is alive and well all around us.