If Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday shopping season, then it’s game on.
Sure, Christmas isn’t until Dec. 25, but it’ll be here before you know it.
And if you’re shopping for friends and loved ones for Hanukkah, the pressure is on. This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated Dec. 7-15.
Say you want to stay close to home to do your shopping this year. There might not be a mega mall in town where you can purchase everything you need in one giant shopping spree, or even a huge department store where you can fill your cart.
Still, there are plenty of stores – mostly located on the main drags – where you can find a lot of what you’re looking for.
Let’s start on County Line Road.
Two must-hit places are the Justa Farm Shopping Center and the Marketplace at Huntingdon Valley. And the good news, as you know, is that both malls are next to each other, on the same side of the street. Justa Farm is on the 1900 block of County Line, the Marketplace is on the 2000 and 2100 blocks. And there’s plenty of parking.
Hanukkah and Christmas shoppers will surely want to check out Everyday’s a Holiday, at least for the name alone. Coffee mugs, candles and food boxes – with the recipes in large print on the front – are some of the popular items to give relatives and friends. If you’re shopping for a pet, there’s an array of toys to keep them busy and a selection of scarves, pajamas, sweaters and jackets to keep them warm this winter. Want to make your house look nicer for the holidays? Pick up holiday-themed flags, placemats, tablecovers, pillows and other decorations.
After leaving Everyday’s a Holiday, you can put your goodies in the trunk and check out the other stores in Justa Farm, many of which are good spots to get gift cards – Palz Tap House, Dairy Queen, Capt’n Chucky’s Crab Cakes or even the Fred Astaire Dance Studios for that loved one who’ll need some lessons before hitting the dance floor at the next family wedding.
Across the way at the Marketplace, a featured destination is the Hallmark Gold Crown store. And for locals who live near or prefer to shop on the other side of town, there’s a Norman’s Hallmark in the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center on Huntingdon Pike.
At either Hallmark store, a shopper can come out with plenty of goods that will look nice in a stocking or under a tree – calendars, scented candles, candy, cards, plush throw blankets and more. You’ll also be able to dress up the present with your choice of wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and bows. And get your house in the holiday spirit with ornaments, a manger scene, “Days until Christmas” countdowns, flags, mini-trees with lights, wreaths and other decorations.
The Marketplace is also a nice stop for gift cards, including Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa and Penn Cinema, which is the place for the movie lover in your life. Mean Girls, Madame Web and Kung Fu Panda 4 are just a few of the anticipated movies of 2024.
Want to help a loved one get in better shape, or perhaps make a New Year’s resolution to shed a few pounds yourself? LA Fitness has gift memberships, as does the Crunch Fitness in the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center
In addition to the selection of holiday items at Norman’s Hallmark and the opportunity to gift a membership at Crunch Fitness, the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center is a good spot to grab gift cards from merchants such as Starbucks and Iron Hill Brewery.
Iron Hill has a nice deal. Buy a $75 gift card, and get a $25 bonus card during the same purchase. That’ll pay for plenty of food and drink.
Rite Aid might not come top of mind when thinking about holiday shopping, but the store at the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center has a selection of toys, along with everyone’s favorite stocking stuffer – Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off games.
While the local shopping centers provide a nice place to do your holiday shopping locally, there are also spots on Red Lion Road, Byberry Road and other corridors where you’ll find what you’re looking for, from a gift card from the new Cafe Carmela on Philmont Avenue to the venerable Flower Station at Byberry and Philmont, which just added Christmas trees to its selection.
Happy Shopping to all!
