Time to get out the Post-its, find the perfect gifts, and make your own holiday wish list!

By Stacey Marcus
Photographs by white/packert

When was the last time you closed your eyes and made a wish? We’re not talking about praying for a particular presidential pick or stock market soar, but one of those childlike wishes when you blow on a dandelion or try to pluck a star from the sky and actually believe it will come true? The holidays are the perfect time to believe in magic, and the North Shore is the ideal spot to celebrate the holiday spirit.

We’ve scoured the North Shore to bring you a bounty of gifts to bestow on your family and friends so that you don’t have to travel far and wide to celebrate in style. Does your toddler dream of dressing up in couture and enjoying her own private photo shoot? Are you wishing to bellydance with your girlfriends, enjoy Godiva chocolates, and a privately catered dinner in the grand salon of a posh beachfront inn? Perhaps you yearn for the simple things like a fresh cup of gourmet coffee, a couple of bonbons, or the aroma of pine wafting through your home.

Whether the loved ones and cherished friends on your gift list this season want to drive along the shore in the ultimate sports coupe, tune into the latest technology, slip away to a spa, light a fragrant candle, or enjoy a New England cruise with a crew of seven aboard a mega-yacht, we’ve got you covered.

Women

Silky Smooth
Longing for the days of young, smooth skin? Look no further than the Clarisonic Skin Care System which uses a dual brush sonic oscillation system to deep clean your skin at 300 times per second. Kit also comes with trialsized cleansers.
$195
Rouge
322 Derby Street
Salem
978.740.1044
rouge.com

Good Scents
The Frasier Fir Collection from Thymes has an amazing pine fragrance to delight the senses throughout the holiday season. Makes a great hostess gift.
$28 Candle, $65 Diffuser
Zinnia
Two Enon St.
N. Beverly
978.232.9664

Walk Like a Bulgarian
These bangles from the Journeys Collection by Orna Lalo are hand-made in Bulgaria and stack with style. Choose from multiple color combinations.
$49
Sweetwater and Co.
32A Main St
Rockport
(978) 546-9895

Also, be sure to check out the Sailor’s Valentines at Sweetwater – a great gift for a loved one or the ideal decoration for your living room!

You’re Beautiful
Stila’s Surprise and Shine Record A Message Talking Gift Palette includes three eye shadows, a lip and cheek color, plus your own personal greeting. $40 Rouge Cosmetics
322 Derby St.
Salem
978.740.1044
rouge.com

Lean and Green
Run greener in the Trance 8 with BioMoGo. This hot new item from Brooks features the same high-performance support technologies that made its predecessor famous, but this season it gets an eco-friendly upgrade with BioMoGo, the first-ever biodegradable midsole.
$140
Athlete’s Corner
427 Paradise Rd.
Swampscott
781.598.4441

It’s a Cinch
Get in the spirit of the holidays with some sparkle, courtesy of Vintage Ruby’s belts in fabulous mod fabrics. Distinctive oversized buckles, including the new reversible suede flower buckle, close the loop on an outfit that you’ll really dig.
Native Sun
11 Market Square
Newburyport
978.465.4120
13 Main St.
Andover
978.470.0800
shopnativesun.com

Rabbit Redux
She’ll adore this anchor toggle necklace cast in sterling silver by twin sisters Heather and Kerry Alice Collins in their Nahant studio. Their unique collection is part forest finds, part rock star, and part silly romantic.
$125
Twigs and Heather
781.405.2569
twigsandheather.com

Chocolate Nirvana
Ballotin Chocolates carries an exquisite line of chocolate – from bars to bonbons and cookbooks. The bonbons are a great choice for any a sweet accent with boxes from petite (two pieces) to grande (48 pieces), for the smallest indulgence to a luxurious, elegant gift. Prices vary.
Ballotin Chocolates
16 Unicorn St.
Newburyport
978.465.3800
ballotinchocolates.com

Star Struck
The 16-inch starfish necklace, a signature piece of Naugus Head Designs, consists of five strands of freshwater pearls with a stunning
handcrafted centerpiece of Fair Trade fine silver.
naugusheaddesigns.com

Stellar Scent
As impetuous and moody as a rebellious young Italian beauty, Tocca’s Stella indulges your senses with blood orange and spicy lily. A flirtatious combination of white freesia, wild diamond orchids, sheer musk, and sandalwood create a fresh, sensual fragrance. Gift sets and other products available.
$68
rouge cosmetics
322 Derby St.
Salem
978.740.1044
rouge.com

Tigress Woods
Callaway Golf has developed the Gem Set, its first-ever line of golf clubs designed specifically for women – clubs that are lighter, with shorter shafts and smaller heads – to make swinging and connecting with the ball so much easier.
Golfers’ Warehouse, Danvers Crossing Mall
Danvers
978.777.4653
golferswarehouse.com

Peace Purse
Express yourself with this stylish mantra clutch embroidered with a peace sign or Om symbol. Available in black with fuchsia pink, white with turquoise,
purple with silver, gold with orange, or black with white.
$90
First Date
28 Chestnut St.
Andover
978.247.8999
shopfirstdate.com

Men

Dream Boat
Build the boat of your dreams with MasterCraft’s newest inboard luxury performance boat, the MariStar 255. Choose from over 450,000 color schemes and add so many bells and whistles that your new luxury crossover SUV might get jealous. With dealers located in Pembroke, Mass., (nefwm.com) and
Gilford, N.H. (silversands.com), the MariStar line offers packages for both inland and offshore boaters.
$89K to $110K.
mastercraft.com

Wild Ride
Take a ride on the wild side with the Polaris RZRS. Its razor sharp performance illuminates where this side-by-side ATV got its name. Hit the dunes or the trails with the ultimate in power and performance.
Begins at $13,999
Plaistow Powersports
107 Plaistow Rd.
Plaistow, NH
603.612.1000
plaistowpowersports.com

Charge It!
Behold the world’s first highway-legal, all-electric two-wheel vehicle. With no gas, no oil, and no emissions, the sleek Vectrix goes 62 m.p.h., goes from zero to 50 in 6.8 seconds, and gets 35 to 55 miles on a single charge. Vectrix is now sold at Riverside Motorsports in Somerville, its first Boston-area dealer.
$9,395,
Riverside Motorsports
2 Union Square
Somerville
617.628.6400
riversidemoto.com

Powder Power
Arctic Cat Z1 Turbo Sno Pro is one fast feline. Turbo power and a twinspar chassis make this snowmobile the fastest four-stroke on the market.
Starting at $12,500
Hudson Cycle Center
2 Flagstone Dr.
Hudson, N.H.
603.882.1573
hudsoncycle.com

Double Take
The Victorinox Swiss Army set is a mix of high-tech outerwear and urban design. The softshell vest is water repellent and windproof.
$195
John Farley Clothiers
31 Water St.
Newburyport
978.462.5401
johnfarleyclothiers.com

Mr. and Mrs. Shearling
If Brad and Angelina were to visit the North Shore, they would definitely don these stylish shearlings when shopping for the holidays. A fusion of style and warmth creates an ideal partnership.
Women $895 to $2,195, Men $1295 to $2,495
Giblees
85 Andover St.
Danvers
978.774.4080
giblees.com

Kids

Royal Ride
The perfect pram for the doll who demands nothing but the best. Similar to the full-size version, with the usual attention to detail that you’d expect from Silver Cross, each doll carriage is made in West Yorkshire, England, using hand skills passed down from generation to generation.
$699
Chulamama
320 Derby St.
Salem
617.921.2335
chulamama.com

Virtual Virtuoso
Wii Music enables players to play more than 60 instruments from around the world with the Wii controller and nunchuk. From the drums and violin to the saxophone and Japanese kettle drum, Wii Music is a game that the entire family can play together.
$49.99.
Can be found wherever electronics are sold on Boston’s North Shore, including Best Buy and Circuit City.
bestbuy.com, circuitcity.com

Disney Drama
North Shore Music Theatre’s production of Disney High School Musical 2 makes its New England premiere on the main stage for a limited run from Dec. 18 to Jan. 11.
$65 and $79. Subscriber, senior, group and youth discounts are available.
North Shore Music Theatre
62 Dunham Rd.,
Beverly
978.232.7200
nsmt.org

Prehistoric Pet
Preschoolers will be tickled by Kota the Triceratops. Featuring sophisticated electronics, animatronics and design, this life-size baby dinosaur comes alive.
$299.99
Toys ‘R’ Us
300 Andover St.
Peabody
978.532.0400
toysrus.com

Crystal Ear
Her iPod needs a little bling! Add a little sparkle to her iPod with chicBuds, earphones with Swarovski crystals. It comes with a retractable cord that won’t catch on objects or get knotted up in a purse or gym bag.
$45
Harlow Boutique for Her
49 Maple St.
Danvers
978.767.2311
harlowboutiqueforher.com

Dress Up Divas!
Photograph your children ages 2 to 4 in costume couture. Dawn Norris Photography provides vintage inspired clothing and a great experience for both parents and children. Only 15 sessions are available.
$250 for weekdays and $350 for Saturday appointments.
Dawn Norris Photography
One Merrimac Landing
Newburyport
978.325.1453
dawnnorris.com

Gadgets

QLph
Translation: Cool phone. Verizon Wireless Blitz is perfect for heavy texters or those who simply want to keep in touch. This device makes it a breeze to blog, browse the Web, or send messages with a touch of the My Messaging key.
$69.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement.
Verizon locations on the North Shore including Beverly, Peabody, Reading, and Saugus.
Also available online at www.verizonwireless.com.

Sleek Shot
The Casio Exilim EX-S10 is the world’s smallest and thinnest 10.1 megapixel camera. Featuring YouTube Capture Mode, the camera is also iTunes-compatible. Smile!
$229
Best Buy
230 Independence Way
Danvers
978.774.9494
bestbuy.com

New Nano
Thin and beautiful! The new iPod nano – the thinnest iPod ever – features an elegant new design that blends a brilliant two-inch display with a curved aluminum and glass enclosure. It offers automatic Genius playlist creation and goes into Cover Flow with just a turn of the wrist.
8GB $149, 16GB $199
Apple Store North Shore
210 Andover St.
Peabody
978.531.2802
apple.com/northshore

Petite Perk
Love the taste of fresh-brewed coffee but tight on space? Reading-based Keurig’s Mini Brewing System is a great solution for gourmet coffee lovers in locations where space is tight and elaborate features are unnecessary. Perfect for vacation homes, cabins, college dorms, boats, RVs, or home office desktops.
$79.95
keurig.com

Reality TV for Birds
Wingscapes BirdCam captures bird photos and videos while no one’s around. The weatherproof, motion-activated digital camera gives an up-close look
at birds and other animals in stunning color and detail.
wingscape.com

Got Directions?
For the person who never asks for directions, give the GO 930óthe top of the line of TomTom GPS devices. It comes with up-to-date fuel prices and many other features, such as Map Share and Help Me!
$499
Best Buy
230 Independence Way
Danvers
978.774.9494
bestbuy.com

Splurge

Hot Wheels
The 2008 BMW X6 is one of the hottest cars this holiday season. Cruise the North Shore’s landscape in this jaw-dropping vehicle that combines the agility of a coupe with the versatility of an SUV.
MSRP: $80,375
BMW of Peabody
221 Andover St.
Peabody
978.538.9900
bmwpeabody.com

Prime Time
Vacheron Constantin has built the ultimate watch: the one that you create. By selecting metals, face types, bands and other attributes on an animated touch screen, you can custom design your own Quai de LíIle using over 400 possible configurations.
$33,000-$85,000,
Royal Jewelers
58 Main St.
Andover
978.475.3330
royaljewelers.com
Stranded in Style
No mistletoe necessary when you present Marco Bicego’s 20-strand Siviglia bracelet set in 18kt yellow gold with diamonds.
$8,310, Long’s Jewelers
35 Cross St.,
Peabody
978.531.6900
longsjewelers.com

Happy as a Clam
Live like the sailor of your dreams on the 125-foot NAMOH mega-yacht. During your week-long charter, expect fresh meals, hot tubbing, kayaks, jet skis and more.
Prices start at $10,000.00 per person.
Carol Kent Yacht Charters
144 Pleasant St.
Marblehead
781.631.1800
www.carolkent.com,
International Yacht Collection, LLC.
954.522.2323
info@iyc.com
www.iyc.com

Outside the Box

Lighthouse Love
Enjoy dinner at the Newburyport Lighthouse with your own private wait staff, catered by one of five of Newburyport’s best restaurants.
$450
The Lighthouse Preservation Society
800.727.2326

Tour Amor
Olde Ipswich Tours will be your personal host on a fabulous two-week tour to France’s irresistible Provence, plus the French and Italian Rivieras.
Price varies depending on season.
Olde Ipswich Tour
8 Herrick Drive
Ipswich
978.356.5163
ipswichtours.com

R&R at a B&B
Give the gift of rest and relaxation at a cozy bed and breakfast with a gift certificate from BnBFinder.com. Select from over 1,500 locations in New England and the US.
travelgiftcertificate.com

‘Belle Noir’
A unique work of art, wheel-thrown by a potter and then hand carved by Diane Chen of Gloucester. Each piece is one a one of kind creation, which, because of its high-heat firing, is durable and admirable.
$2,900
mimi gallery
26 Market St.
Ipswich
978.356.0804
mimi-gifts.com

Blue Christmas
Take a break during the holiday rush with a girlfriends getaway. The ‘b Girly’ package at blue, the Inn on the Beach, features belly dancing lessons, a privately catered dinner in your suite, cooking lessons with top area chefs, and more.
Prices start at $2,000.
blue, The Inn on the Beach
20 Fordham Way
Plum Island
978.465.7171
blueinn.com

Body Bliss
Slip away into complete relaxation with a treatment to release tension from your head, face, and d’ecollete. A Tibetan Treasures treatment for feet and hands will help to reveal silky, smooth skin.
$350
BodiScience Holistic Spa
100 Cummings Center, Suite 150F
Beverly
978.927.9909
bodiscience.com

Tuscan Fun
Take a culinary trip to Italy and leave your passport at home. Packages include cooking classes, pizza making, specialty food preparation, and more.
Italy Eats
104 West St.
Beverly Farms
978.927.5555
italyeats.com

Also: In the spirit of giving, click here to learn about The Giving Tree program for helping victims of domestic abuse.