One-of-a-kind treasures and old-time Yuletide merriment bring the magic of the season to life at these 5 New England holiday shopping towns.
By Kim Knox Beckius
Oct 21 2016
Holiday shoppers stroll Congress Street in historic downtown Portsmouth, where shops such as the Portsmouth Candle Company provide inspiration for gift-giving.
Photo Credit : David J. Murray/Clear Eye PhotoIn this throwback downtown set amid steep hills and wild rivers, historic brick façades showcase an extraordinary mix of old and new. Brattleboro is home to four independent bookstores. Find hot releases at Everyone’s Books, plus thrillers and crime at Mystery on Main Street; then peruse the trove of old volumes at Brattleboro Books and Basket’s. Within the city’s small footprint, you’ll find gifts from around the world—all with a local connection. brattleboro.com
Don’t Miss:Holly Days, Holly Nights, when retailers and restaurants offer the season’s best deals. Must Shops:Boomerang (new and used vintage fashions), Gallery in the Woods (global and local handcrafts), Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters (sporting goods). Refuel:Deli-made sandwiches and hot selections at the Brattleboro Food Co-op.
It’s New England’s only place to shop at any hour, 365 days a year—and to talk to a Christmas tree. What enables the conifer at the corner of Main and Bow streets to converse during Sparkle Weekend? Organizers will only reveal: It’s magic! Those two words sum up your search for cozy gifts, from flannel sheets to moose pajamas, in this coastal town’s factory outlets, specialty shops, and always-open L.L. Bean flagship store, where musical holiday light shows delight nightly.freeportusa.com
Don’t Miss: Sparkle Celebration, featuring a parade of lights, train and horse-drawn wagon rides, and promotions. Must Shops:Wilbur’s Candy Shoppe (chocolate-factory tours and sweet gifts), Brown Goldsmiths (jewelry), Vineyard Vines Outlet (preppy attire). Refuel:Afternoon tea at the Harraseeket Inn.
SEE MORE:Visit L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine | The Flagship Store
Don’t let Victorian-era architecture and subdued holiday lighting fool you: Cool downtown galleries and boutiques elevate gift-giving to an art form. Whether the goods are quirky or classic, Main Street’s surprising displays make wandering its three long blocks a visual adventure. Handcrafted items—including many by New England makers—abound, so when you spy the ideal gift, have it wrapped on the spot—you may never see anything like it again. explorenorthampton.com
Don’t Miss:Bag Day, when thrifty shoppers flock to Thornes Marketplace first thing for shopping bags that entitle them to 20 percent savings at participating retailers. Must Shops: Kestrel (rustic home goods), Faces (novelties galore), PINCH (contemporary crafts). Refuel:Espresso and artisanal baked goods at Woodstar Café.
Step one: Board the free Vintage Christmas trolley on December weekends, and scope out the diverse shops along the brick sidewalks of this city by the sea. Step two: Resist the overwhelming urge to buy gifts for yourself. Actually, you’re already financially ahead when zero-sales-tax New Hampshire is your holiday-shopping headquarters, so treat yourself to a fun outfit or tickets to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Music Hall. vintagechristmasnh.org
Don’t Miss:Candlelight Stroll evenings at Strawbery Banke for Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations through the centuries. Must Shops:Pickwick’s Mercantile (Victorian-style wonders and small-batch perfumes), janegee (botanical bath-and-body products), Salt Cellar (gourmet seasonings and salt lamps). Refuel:Holiday Dinners at Strawbery Banke’s William Pitt Tavern.
Holiday retail therapy meets 300 years of history along Main Street. Like a nostalgic Christmas card brought to life, gracious storefronts reflect red-beribboned lampposts and tree branches swarmed by white firefly lights. With tasteful gifts at down-to-earth prices and festive goings-on throughout December, don’t wait to visit—but come the darkening hours of Christmas Eve, Books on the Common is the one place, co-owner Ellen Burns assures us, “open until the last procrastinator leaves.” destinationridgefield.com
Don’t Miss: Holiday Stroll, featuring free horse-drawn rides, shopping specials, and merriment. Must Shops:Nancy O. (luxurious yarns and “statement” accessories), The Toy Chest (distinctive playthings), Audrey Road (vintage-inspired clothing and gifts). Refuel: Holiday Luncheons at the Keeler Tavern Museum.
Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee Magazine's Travel & Branded Content Editor. She is a Connecticut-based writer and photographer whose passion for New England inspires everything she does, whether it's riding a giant inflatable lobster in her wedding gown, naming her daughter so she shares initials with L.L. Bean or sending free fall leaves in the mail to autumn lovers around the world. She’s the author of six books on Northeast travel, including New England’s Historic Homes & Gardens, and has been the voice of New England travel for About.com since 1998. GoNewEngland.about.com
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