There are a lot of free-standing, locally owned gift shops, antique and collectibles sellers and craft boutiques. You'll have to do some walking to get to them all, but any exercise you can get is beneficial this time of year.

To start, park near the Kailua Village Shops near Liberty House or Kailua Shopping Center with Times as an anchor. Patronize those stores first because it's the courteous thing to do. Traffic is bad around Hahani Street so its easier to walk than drive from place to place, though it gets hot. Wear a hat.

If you find yourself getting tired, there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy a drink or light meal.

So what are you waiting for? It's only 11 miles from the heart of Honolulu, not exactly a world away as townies fear.

Alii Antiques I and II

Linda Yee Hoy was collecting colored glass in the days before eBay and "Antiques Roadshow."

"I didn't know what I was collecting," she said. "I was just interested in the colors. That's what caught my eye."

Those pieces of glass they found also happened to be attached to names like Daum, Galle and Tiffany.

After collecting glass, she moved onto ivory, Hawaiiana and furniture. "I never could stick with one thing. Once you start collecting, you get interested in learning more about it, and the next thing and it just goes on from there."

When, after 12 years, her collecting grew "out of control," she and her equally acquisitive husband Charles opened Alii Antiques, packed with so many antique, vintage and collectible items that you could linger for an hour and still not see everything.

The store stocks European and American pottery by makers such as McCoy, Bauer, Roseville and Redwing.

There's an abundance of Depression glass starting at $10 for a cup and saucer and Carnival glass starting at $25 for a cup. Popular now among collectors from Japan are Murano glass sculptures from the '50s, priced from $295. There is also crystal and Bakelite jewelry; Mah-jongg tile bracelets are $25.

When the shop overflowed, the Yee Hoys moved the Hawaiian rattan and furniture to an adjacent building, calling it Alii Antiques II. Find koa end tables, calabashes and framed art here.

"We have everything for the beginner to specialist," Linda said. "When we got started nobody was collecting. Now there are a lot of young people looking because they learn what things are worth on 'Antiques Roadshow.' "

At 21 Maluniu Ave. Open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Call 261-1705.

Other collectibles:

Doug's Art & Antiques, 153 Hekili St., 262-5695. Small shop features American pottery, original J. Kelly menu covers and Matson covers in koa frames ($225 to $325), Hawaiian sheet music from $6 to $10 and a variety of Asian collectibles.

Heritage Antiques and Gifts, 767 Kailua Road, 261-8700. Rivals Alii on volume, with jewelry and jewelry repair shop, glassware and porcelain.

Old Pali Road Antiques, 320 Kuulei Road, 261-7946. Specializes in old kitchen wares, linens and vintage jewelry.

The Hunter, 764 Kailua Road, 262-4868. Someone else's throwaways may be your treasure; this place is for those on a budget.

By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Vintage pottery at Alii Antiques include the $195 Redwing
vases and Roseville dishes selling for $245, left, and $275.

Island Treasures Art Gallery

Give a craft fair a permanent space and this is what it might look like. Works by contemporary Hawaii artists fill three rooms.

One of the most unusual items is a koa-mason jar candy dispenser, $30, that serves up one M&M at a time. For the family arbiter, there is a koa gavel set for $275.

Porcelain Hawaii artist Peter Okumura offers delicate angels or ball ornaments topped by hand-tinted plumeria ($17) to decorate your yule tree.

Kani of Hawaii pottery ranges from $31 to $150 for a basketweave dish lined with ceramic plumeria and foliage. Stained glass night lights, $29, in the shape of the humuhumunukunukuapua'a, hibiscus, honu or bird of paradise will add color to any room.

Framed photos and prints, locally published children's books, food items and lauhala lampshades are also available.

At 629 Kailua Road, Suite 103. Holiday hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 261-8131.

A Country Treasure

Those with a taste for American-style folk art will feel at home with this shop's selection of wood blocks, candles, painted drawer pulls, Raggedy Ann dolls, quilts, an assortment of collectible Boyds Bear Bearstone figurines, starting at $13.95, and Teddy bears.

Said owner Lowell Greer, "I think they're made for women over 30. They pick them up and carry them all around the store."

For the local household, there are a number of quaint, rustic-looking hand-painted signs reading, "Gone Fishing," "Remove Shoes, Mahalo," and the like. These sell for $16.95 to $18.95.

At Kailua Village Shops, 539 Kailua Road. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Call 262-4344.

By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Rustic wooden signs at A Country Treasure store make
charming island-style gifts for the outdoorsy person.

Paint it Pottery

Give your gift a personal touch by choosing from one of the more than 100 unpainted ceramic items available here and painting them with your own design. Artistic ability is not a prerequisite. For the aesthetically impaired, templates allow you to trace patterns onto the clay, then just fill in the lines with paint. You can stay within the lines, can't you?

A flat tree ornament featuring a reindeer, Santa or snowman shape costs $10. A pet dish runs $16 to $21; a plain mug is $17; a saimin bowl runs $22; a flared vase is $16. All prices include studio time, use of glaze, overglaze and the cost of firing. Pick up the finished piece of pottery in five to seven days.

Inquire about private parties.

At Kailua Village Shops, 539 Kailua Road. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call 230-8500.

Global Village Market

This little boutique accommodates do-it-yourselfers and those who just want to buy what they see.

There's a fair selection of beads, starting at about 5 cents per piece for small carved bone beads, crystals and findings for making your own jewelry. Finished bead bracelets and necklaces are also available, starting at about $12. Casual wear and accessories make it possible to complete an ensemble on the spot.

Soaps, candles and more gifts fill the other half of the boutique.

At Kailua Village Shops, 539 Kailua Road. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Mary Zs

This little boutique specializes in easy-to-wear clothing for days and evenings in fabrics such as linen and velvet.

Dress up the basic garments with silk-velvet wraps, about $50, and jewelry of silver and semi-precious stones starting from $10.

Indonesian basket bags are $18; cotton crochet hats are $12 to $16.

At Kailua Shopping Center, 572 Kailua Road, 263-1221. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Other clothing:

Manuheali'i, 629 Kailua Road, 261-9865. Original, locally designed, apparel for men, women and children in colorful Hawaiian prints.

By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Sisters Dawn, left, and Debbie Ah Chick model apparel
and jewelry from their boutique, Global Village Market.

Under a Hula Moon

Half of this store is geared toward the kitchen; the other half to the child's bedroom.

For moms there are Hawaiian-themed place settings and ornaments, colorful ceramic cappuccino mugs for $17.50 and tea-based body mists, at $11.50.

For kids there are plush toys including Maurice Sendak "Where the Wild Things Are" monsters, from $7.95 to $38.95; Madeline tea sets, $14.95; and Ty Beanie Kids ($9.95) with extra clothes ($5.50).

To give kids an edge in the classroom, "The Mozart Effect" tapes ($11.95) and CDs ($21) claim to improve concentration and enhance the learning experience.

At Kailua Shopping Center, 572 Kailua Road. Holiday hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays; 263-1221.

Baby Showers Hawaii

Your baby's first Christmas memories may be of Emmie Newman's plush comforters, stitched from Hawaiian print fabric, $29 premade or custom-made. Custom pieces take a week to three weeks to deliver, depending on availability fo the fabric you select from the shop's offerings.

Newman sews the comforters with the help of her two daughters and friends who pitch in when demand is high, "So you know it's not made in a sweatshop with blood, sweat and tears," she said, "but with love."

In addition to the comforters, the shop carries diaper bags, bib and burp pad sets, car seat covers, cabana sets and bikini sets with matching pareo, muumuu and sun hats for infants and toddlers.

Baby Showers also carries the plush Humpty Dumpty-style "Honolulu Babies" huggable dolls, $10.95, dressed in Hawaiian prints.

At Kailua Shopping Center, 600 Kailua Road, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. 262-8934

Pick me ups

Brent's -- Deli sandwiches, bagels and lox, omelettes and frittatas are specialties here. They also have the basics covered, such as a burger with fries and the vegetarian sandwich "Joanne Loves It," that is a favorite of many people not named Joanne. At 629A Kailua Road.

Maui Tacos -- Order a quick wrap, delicious fish tacos ($3.75) or nachos ($4.95-$6.99), then head over to the salsa bar for hot stuff and all the diced onions, cilantro and jalapenos you can handle. In the Kailua Village Shops.

Teddy's Bigger Burgers -- Most customers feel the hand-shaped pure beef burgers are worth a wait longer than your typical fast-food burger place. The burgers come in half- and third-pound sizes, and are so juicy you might want to bring your own wet wipes. In the Kailua Village Shops.

Morning Brew -- Light sandwiches, salads, bagels with lox, granita and coffees draw the young and hip who like to hang out and older folk who bring in the New York Times to read. In the Kailua Shopping Center.

Diane's Boston's Best Seafood -- No frills shrimp and sea scallop rolls, $7.99, and other sandwiches and deep-fried seafood platters running $7.99 to $14.99. At 151 Hekili St.

Cinnamon's -- Have an omelette your way with home-style fries, or choose from any number of local-style breakfast and lunch specialties. Hopefully, you'll have your shopping finished by dinner time. In Kailua Square.

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