By M.P. Klier

REMEMBER LAST YEAR when you swore off that commercialist rat race called "shopping in December" and vowed to deal with this year's holiday gift list by making candles/lamps/soaps/hats for your nearest and dearest? You now have a few hours between getting off work and catching the red-eye flight/bus/train/ride back home, where your family and friends eagerly await you and your unique San Francisco gifts. Too bad you never got around to learning how to knit, or even buying the supplies. What to do? Fear not. Where there's a will and a wallet (or even a coin purse), there's a way.

The neighborhood shopping strips discussed below have all the major gift groups (books, music, clothing, food and drink) well covered, as well as a high concentration of presents you didn't even know you were looking for – perfect for that headlong dash down the street in search of last-minute gift-wrapped strokes of genius. You could always head to Union Square and get a Victoria's Secret bra, a George Foreman grill from Macy's, or a giant inflatable Eeyore ($150) from the Disney Store, but in the spirit of Tiny Tim, we recommend spreading your holiday cheer among some local merchants. Note: all addresses are in San Francisco unless otherwise noted.

24th Street

Even if you don't live in the hood, Noe Valley's main street between Castro and Church is made for breakneck-paced holiday shopping. A cluster of independently owned, mostly reasonably priced stores lies within a three-block span.

If you're buying for the "baubles, bangles, and beads" type, head to Gallery of Jewels (4089 24th St., 415-285-0626), where shelf after mirrored shelf houses handcrafted jewelry by local and international artists. Designs range from minimalist to funky to extravagant, and while you could easily drop hundreds here for an 18-karat-gold opal ring, you can also pick up a lovely one-of-a-kind enamel-and-sterling silver necklace by Keiran Best or Melissa Muszynski, bracelets made out of recycled high-tech materials by Willy Scholten, and vintage-glass or pearl earrings in the $40-$90 range.

Just for Fun-Scribbledoodles (3982 24th St., 415-285-4068) may be the place to cross a lot of people off your list in one fell swoop. Who couldn't use an Edward Gorey or antique-radio postcard book ($9.95), a 2003 calendar featuring favorite animals, vintage Library of Congress posters, or modern art ($6.95-$18.95), a Colonel Sanders or Betty Boop bobblehead ($14.95), a Mad Libs book ($3.99), a fancy leather journal ($55), or an art nouveau MacKintosh frame ($59)? There's also a good selection of toys and board games (Lincoln Logs! Twister!), watches, and seasonal items, including imported glass ornaments in nearly every form (from $6.95).

Searching the cheap record bins at Streetlight Records (3979 24th St., 415-282-3550) for the perfect Bruce Willis, Bonnie Tyler, or Hall and Oates album ($1) for your easily amused nearest and dearest won't take up too much precious pre-Super Shuttle time. Or head straight to the convenient displays of staff recommendations to find super supper jazz for your sister-in-law, rock or techno that will put your brother ahead of his pack, and golden oldies for your dad.

When a box of Russell Stovers from Walgreens just won't do, you can fill the void with gourmet chocolates from Chocolate Covered (3977 24th St., 415-641-8123). To make your last-minute gift seem less last-minute, put those truffles or peanut butter cups in one of owner Jack Epstein's handmade silk-screened tins (from $12.50) adorned with the image of your recipient's favorite movie star, baseball player, San Francisco landmark, or even family photo (custom tins usually take three days, so call ahead). For the less sweet-teethed, there's a great selection of lunch boxes ($7-$32), including Dr. Seuss, Dracula, Iron Maiden, and the Power Puff Girls.

Ambiance (3958 24th St., 415-647-7144) and Designers' Club (3899 24th St., 415-648-1057) may be packed with Noe Valleyans shopping for the sophisticated lady in their lives. Both offer contemporary clothes that won't totally bankrupt you, along with purses, jewelry, and scarves. Other designer lines hang a few doors away at boutiques like Riki (4037 24th St., 415-641-4407), YoYa (4028B 24th St., 415-550-6788), and A Girl and Her Dog (3932 24th St., 415-843-0346).

You can be fairly certain your gift won't be a duplicate when it's from Guys and Dolls (3789 24th St., 415-285-7174). One of the city's best-edited vintage stores, it has dapper suits and ties, smashing dresses and coats, enviable jewelry and bags, incredibly patterned textiles, and decorative items from the 1900s to the 1970s – all in excellent condition and reasonably priced. A smattering of new, vintage-inspired shirts, dresses, skirts, and jackets round out the selection.

For bibliophiles, head to Phoenix Books (3850 24th St., 415-821-3477) or Cover to Cover (3812 24th St., 415-282-8080). You could also pick up the latest issue of the magazine devoted to your givee's pet topic, whether it's rugby or poetry, at Good News (3920 24th St., 415-821-3694) and enclose a card saying a subscription is on the way – then order one.

Valencia Street

Sure, it gets crammed on the weekends, with all the knuckleheads parking in the middle of the street before heading off to their new favorite bar or restaurant, but don't let that keep you away from San Francisco's hipsterville. And if you can't find anything here between 16th and 22nd Streets the 99¢ stores of Mission Street are mere blocks away.

Reda Darwish has indeed amassed a multicultural selection of wrapable gifts at his new store, Multikulti (539 Valencia, 415-437-1718). Hand-painted Turkish bowls, Egyptian water pipes, Peruvian embroidered pillows, Moroccan belly-dance outfits, and other Indonesian, pan-African, and Native American items can be found to fit a budget of $6 or $60. Befitting Darwish's percussionist past, there are also plenty of world music offerings, including hand drums (around $85), kazoos ($1.25), accordions ($18), and CDs.

Among the tantalizing gift options at Therapy (545 Valencia, 415-861-6213) are journals made out of old hardcover books, Scott Bruce's book Cereal Boxes and Prizes: 1960s ($29.95; a much better read than the back of the Grape Nuts box), ye olde-looking metal advertising signs and vintage fruit posters (around $10), and an eclectic mix of women's and men's clothing and bags at pretty decent prices. Visit its sister store at 758 Valencia (415-621-5902) for home furnishings in all sizes, from smiley-faced Kozial utensils (around $5), adorable pink poodle aprons ($30), and arty glass bowls and vases ($25-$52) to jewel-toned plastic-and-wire candelabras ($40) and a fab retro bar set ($975).

Sadly, Valencia doesn't have a Lush, but it does have Currents (911 Valencia, 415-648-2015), home to enough natural soaps and other bath products to bring good scents to everyone. Make up a gift basket of aromatherapy bath teas for purity, fitness, or serenity ($2.50-$8), handmade vegetable glycerin soaps in rainbow, star, vegetable, and moose patterns (around $6), and a selection of bath bombs ($2.50-$3.50) – or choose from prepackaged sets (around $20).

Just off Valencia, the rightfully illustrious Ruby Gallery (3602 20th St., 415-550-8052) offers beautiful jewelry and handbags, jaw-dropping hats, and present-perfect decorative items, such as lanterns and pillows by local designers. The jewelry is accessible, and prices aren't too hard on the bank account, whether you go for the pressed-flower necklaces (from $30), the bracelets made out of antique buttons ($45), or Dayna Hinson's line of rings and leather chokers hand-stamped with words like "wish," "oh," and "star" ($50-$90).

Give the gift of happiness, peace, luck, spiritual power, house blessings, or safe passage (R.I.P. Olga 7/4/91-12/6/02) with a votive candle ($3.75 or less) from Botanica Yoruba (998 Valencia, 415-826-4967). You can also find patron saint candles, aerosol sprays, and soaps, along with essential oils, statues, and other items to bring glad tidings into the lives of those you love.

Like medicine for the shopping weary, Home Remedies (1026 Valencia, 415-826-2026) offers an easy trip down Santa Claus lane for kids and adults. Pick up a San Francisco-scene dish towel ($6.50), fingerless gloves ($8), an illustrated, needle- and yarn-inclusive learn-to-knit scarf kit ($22), a feather- and fur-topped tool set ($35), a gorgeous, supersoft woven wrap in tangerine, aquamarine, plum, or olive ($55), a Space Boy flashlight with a Morse code siren ($12.95), and Mother Goose nesting blocks ($22), along with a few show-off pillows and linens and some regional food specialties, like maple syrup and hot sauce.

Bookstores are heavy on the ground in these parts, with Abandoned Planet (518 Valencia, 415-861-4695), Borderland Books (866 Valencia, 824-8203), Modern Times (888 Valencia, 415-282-9246), and Dog Eared Books (910 Valencia, 415-282-1901) housing enough fiction and nonfiction titles, zines, small-press beauties, calendars, cookbooks, mysteries, and histories to make you want to curl up in front of the fire (or central heater) for the winter. And for the note-inclined, there's Aquarius Records (1055 Valencia, 415-647-2272), a good place to test-drive the latest death metal, electroclash, noise, pop, jazz, or ambient CD before putting it under the tree.

Haight Street

Given Haight Street's historical lot as a stomping ground for hippies and tourists, you might be planning on avoiding the area unless your recipients fall into one of those categories – Jerry Garcia dolls, anyone? – but there are plenty of places to spend your money besides head shops between Masonic and Stanyan.

First and foremost, there's Amoeba Music (1855 Haight, 415-831-1200), where you can find something to please anyone with ears – and eyes, too, thanks to the easy-to-search selection of old concert posters from local clubs and far beyond. Two blocks down at the independently owned Booksmith (1644 Haight, 415-863-8688), pick up an autographed copy of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Other Wind ($25) or Dan Savage's Skipping towards Gomorrah ($23.95) as well as other great hard- or softcover reads.

For you, dear last-minute shopper, Happy Trails (1615 Haight, 415-431-7232) will indeed be a happy place. The kitschy, thematically arranged offerings include such singular items as cowboy-boot pizza cutters ($12.95) and cotton Wild West pajama sets (a dear $59.95), lots of tiki, skull, superhero, and Elvis items, Last Supper paint-by-number sets ($29.95), strings of hot dog- and horse-shaped lights ($15.95), Magic Garden kits ($6.95), black lights ($17.95), self-adhesive sideburns ($8.99), and rubber chickens ($10.95).

Remember those crafts you were going to learn how to make? Well, at Mendel's (1556 Haight, 415-621-1287) you can find the supplies for people who already know how. There are make-a-pet-dish kits ($12.95) for the animal lover, mosaic house-number sets for the new homeowner/renter ($25), paint-by-number kits ($5.95) for the budding realist artist, fabrics and buttons galore for the sewer, and yes, tie-dye kits ($19.95) for the Deadheads. And Mendel's rubber stamps, stickers, coloring books, and stencils make perfect stocking stuffers.

It would be close to impossible not to find the perfect magazine, comic, or small-press book for even your most difficult gift recipient at Anubis Warpus (1525 Haight, 415-431-2218). Imagine the joy your unemployed friends will experience as they unwrap Sell Yourself to Science ($16.95) or The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving ($14.95) – and the horror your parents will experience as they watch your younger sister ooh and aah over the latest tattoo or body-piercing tome. Plus, there's an enviable selection of belt buckles (grizzly bears, banjos, states), a few racks of club-ready clothes ($5-$20), and plenty of nose and tongue rings to choose from.

Kid Robot (1512 Haight, 415-487-9000) sells collectible Western and Asian vinyl action figures, such as the bad-ass Ray the Aerosol Can ($59.95), Stereo's Who's Next Girl ($69.95, complete with disposable camera), Michael Lau's Crazychildren series (from $21.95), the Mulletheads ($7.95), Planet of the Apes characters ($19.95 a set), and Run DMC ($19.95). Kid Robot also stocks very intriguing stuffed items like Friends with You Albino Squid ($44.95).

Haight Street also has heaps of options for clotheshorses, including cool takes on basics at True Blue (men's: 1415 Haight, 415-626-2882; women's: 1427 Haight, 415-626-2331) and Behind the Post Office (1510 Haight, 415-861-2501); over-the-top clubwear like satin and lace bustiers ($48), boas ($10-$90), gold halter tops ($28), and royal blue velvet hip-huggers ($84) at Piedmont Boutique (1452 Haight, 415-864-8075); and vintage finds at La Rosa Vintage Boutique (1711 Haight, 415-668-3744), Buffalo Exchange (1555 Haight, 415-431-7733), and Held Over (1543 Haight, 415-864-0818).

Grant Street

Those taking part in gift exchanges with a $15 limit will want to stay between Clay and Columbus Streets, an area chockablock with stores selling gewgaws like chopsticks (79¢), parasols ($3), slippers ($4), chirping birds-in-a-box ($2), San Francisco T-shirts (three for $10), and the gift of last resort, cable car ornaments (99¢). Merchandise and prices vary only slightly from store to store.

Peking Bazaar (832 Grant, 415-982-9847) is one of the larger emporiums and a good first stop. Pick up colorful bowls and sushi plates (from $2.95), snappy brocade photo albums ($12.95) and handbags ($15-$20), and on the higher end, kimonos ($36-$40), rice cookers ($35-$65), and iron teapots ($45-$65).

Nearby, China Bazaar (667 Grant, 415-391-6369) has much of the same spread across its three floors but offers some important additions, including bonsai trees ($3.99-$24.99), jade necklaces ($85), kitsch items like lava lamps ($9.95), those pin blocks that form whatever shape you put into them ($12.95), and the best and cheapest selection of bobbleheads ($9.95). The toy selection ranges from gag items like itching powder and fake blood capsules (under $5) to cute stuffed "Tofu" dolls ($2.99) and Hello Kitty castles ($18.95) to Universal Studio monsters ($14.95), radio-controlled miniracers ($14.95), Gameboys (around $35), and binoculars ($24-$44).

The gift of a wok could be the perfect way to wean your Midwestern relatives off their steak diet. The Wok Shop (718 Grant, 415-989-3797) has wooden-handled stir-fry spectaculars starting at around $15, as well as other cookery items like knives (from $3.95), moon cake molds ($4.95), and salad spinners ($12.95).

For hot-water lovers, Tea Ren Tea Co. (949 Grant, 415-362-0656) probably has more varieties of green, black, oolong, jasmine, and ginseng Chinese tea than any other store in the city. The staff really know their brews and can help you find the perfect blend for every mood or situation. Or pick up a tea gift package ($14-$30) to go along with that teapot ($45-$99).

Those willing to drop a little more cash should head north on Grant past Columbus into the realm of North Beach shopping. The four blocks below Filbert Street are lined with cafés and pizza joints for sustenance, as well as a poster shop, a record store, and a half dozen clothing boutiques, including those of the lingerie and vintage variety. For women's clothing both timeless and timely, make a beeline for MAC (1543 Grant, 415-837-1604), a 10-year-old family business run by Kris Ospital and her brother Ben.

You'll have to leave Grant Street, but no gift-seeking mission to North Beach would be complete without a visit to City Lights Bookstore (261 Columbus, 415-362-8193). There you'll find what you need among the vast selection of beat poetry, critical theory, politics, fiction, nonfiction, handmade zines, and art books. Another plus: the store is open until midnight. Also on Columbus, Biordi Art Imports (412 Columbus, 415-392-8096) has hand-painted Italian dinnerware and Maiolica-style pottery sure to add warmth to anyone's kitchen, including goblets ($50-$70), platters (from $60), oil and vinegar cruets (from $75), utensil jars (from $70), and fruit baskets (from $48). The four-by-four-inch Italian proverb trays – painted with such sayings as "Canta che ti passa" (Sing and it will pass) and "Il riso fa buon sangue" (Laughter is the best medicine) – are a bargain at $7.

Polk Street

The blocks between California and Pacific Streets offer a mix of shops old and new, cheap and dear. A gift from Bargain Bank (1541 Polk, 415-345-1623) may not win over your blue-blooded in-laws, but then again, you never know what kinds of wine, gourmet food, housewares, and toys you'll find for cheap. The stock is a rotating mix of what the family-owned business has acquired from liquidation, overstock, and bankruptcy sales, including things you'd pay much more for in highfalutin stores.

Toward the other end of the scale, Sugarpoppy (1552 Polk, 415-775-4979) has fashionably tweaked women's clothing by Lemon Twist, Manifesto, Dema, Built by Wendy, and Trina Turk. Prices may be higher than what you'd expect for a mint green pair of corduroys ($100-plus), a transparent top ($80), or a brown turtleneck with an orange chair on the front ($62), but you're paying for quality. Sugarpoppy also has vintage-glass jewelry by David Aubrey, handbags you'll want to hang on to ($62-$249), and most important, sales racks with vastly reduced price tags.

For the art lovers and the barren-walled, there's Antiquarius (1783 Polk, 415-922-2722), where original fine art prints of architecture, wildlife, and landscapes start around $70 and head into the thousands. Another option is Vintage Poster Art (1845 Polk, 415-776-4178), which offers a more reasonably priced selection of prints.

You never know what perfect gift you might stumble on at One Half (1837 Polk, 415-775-1416). It could be the palm tree three-sectioned serving dish ($10), Der Nutcracker ($11), the Metro food chopper ($5), or a carrot-, pea-, or red pepper-shaped throw rug ($22). Naturally, there's an assortment of candles ($3-$11), as well as motherboard address books ($10), cute Walker bags ($14-$49), adult and children's fiction and nonfiction, Monet-ish paintings, and toys.

Naomi's Antiques to Go (1817 Polk, 415-775-1207) may make you feel like an elf in a china shop, even if you don't usually get excited by plates and cups. American dinnerware and pottery by Bauer, Cobalt, Russell Wright, Fiesta, and Roseville – exquisite sculptures and functional pieces – could help someone start, or add to, a collection.

Get somebody a piece of the past – whether that encompasses old sheet music, 1940s tin toys, Brownie cameras, or 1980s advertising characters like those singing raisins and the Tasmanian Devil – at J. Goldsmith Antiques (1924 Polk, 415-771-4055). The olde-tyme waving mechanical Santa on the sidewalk should put you in the proper holiday spirit. Prices are a bit higher than what you might bid on eBay, but who has the time for that?

Fillmore Street

This bustling five-block span (between Bush and Washington) in Pacific Heights might surprise you with its shopping variety. Sure, there's no small number of high-end clothing boutiques where those with money to burn can purchase an $800 jacket (Margaret O'Leary, 2400 Fillmore, 415-771-9982; Heidi Says, 2426 Fillmore, 415-749-0655), but they're balanced by a scattering of secondhand clothing stores (Crossroads, 1901 Fillmore, 415-775-8885; Seconds to Go, 2252 Fillmore, 415-563-7806; Repeat Performance, 2468 Fillmore; 415-563-3123).

Among the old suits, costumes, and 1960s dresses at Departures from the Past (2028 Fillmore, 415-885-3377) are new fishnets ($10), tiaras ($18), and ruffly bloomers ($20). For underwear that costs more than some outerwear, cross the street and step inside My Boudoir (2029 Fillmore, 415-346-1502), where the $245 nighties and $135 camisole sets are as gorgeous as you'd expect them to be at those prices. And then there's Body Options (2216 Fillmore, 415-567-2085), where a $39.95 velour suit in blue, pink, or tan could make a comfy gift for grandmothers everywhere.

Mainline Gifts (1928 Fillmore, 415-563-GIFT) offers whimsical products like walkie-talkie pens ($20.95), Flensted paper mobiles ($30), music-box innards that play "Hey Jude" or the Pink Panther theme ($9.95), alarming gummy penises and breasts ($5.95 each), microwavable aromatherapy (apparently not an oxymoron) neck pillows ($34), and Kozial utensils (around $5).

Tucked in among the envelopes and manila folders at Brown Bag (2000 Fillmore, 415-922-0390) are supercheap handmade paper photo albums ($15.50), Zippo lighters ($28), Elizabeth cutout dolls (Queen, $3.95; Taylor, $12), animal masks ($2.95), "dead duck" rubber duckies ($3.95), the tiniest tarot card set in the world ($6), and candle sets ($8.98), along with boxes of stationery ($7 and up) and glass ornaments (from $2). And you can wrap it all up in T-bone steak wrapping paper ($4.95).

A silk robe ($92) or a floral, wooden-handled purse ($18.95) from the decidedly French-flared Nest (2300 Fillmore, 415-292-6199) is not the sort of gift that would end up in the exchange pile. Neither are the French posters ($12) and metal signs ($20), hooks made out of old perfume ads ($22), Parisian teapots ($90), or stunning quilts (around $450 for a queen). Toward the back are children's clothes and toys, as well as a lovely learn-your-animal-names bowl set ($9).

College Avenue

If, say, you were on your way to Oakland International Airport with an empty red sack to fill, the shops at Market Hall (5655 College, Oakl.), steps from the Rockridge BART station near Keith Avenue, would be a good substitute for a factory of gourmand elves. The Pasta Shop (510-547-4066) has all manner of local and international treats, including Galantino olive oil in olive branch-decorated ceramic jars ($30), vegetarian plum pudding ($8.95), mincemeat pies ($11.95), French biscuits in Cezanne tins ($9.95-$12.95), Italian panetone (from $6.95), German stollen ($8.99), jams, hot sauces, cruets, dishes, kitchen utensils, and cookbooks. The staff at Paul Marcus Wines (510-420-1005) can suggest the perfect vintage to serve with prime rib, ham, and probably even fruitcake. Then stop into Peabury's (510-653-0450) for coffee beans, exotic teas, tea and coffee pots, truffles, and Italian confections; pick up cookies ($11.95 a pound) from Grace Bakery (510-428-2662); and don't overlook Bloomies (510-547-0444), which, in addition to more than 100 types of fresh flowers, sells lovely herb and dried-flower wreaths ($40-$75).

Heat south a few blocks toward Kales Avenue for lots of present ops. The exceedingly helpful staff at Redhound (5523 College, Oakl.; 510-428-2785) can help you find the right ball, bone, or leash for the most pampered pooch and the best catnip, cozy, or scratching post for the most beloved cat. Give your favorite animal a new bowl and some healthy eats to fill it up.

Buying presents at Ugo's Delacar Comics (5517 College, Oakl.; 510-601-8804) could help someone live, or relive, his or her Justice League, Wonder Woman, Avengers, Logan's Run, or Jungle Girl fantasies. You'll find superhero prices on new comics, collectibles like Blunder Bread and Crust Toothpaste Wacky Packs (50¢-$4), original and reissued tin toys, and vintage comics dating from 1948, along with the requisite Power Puff Girls and Simpsons stuff.

Always worth a visit, Saturn Records (5488 College, Oakl.; 510-654-0335) has a near-unparalleled selection of collectible LPs to make the soundtrack, blues, spoken word, and easy listening fan smile. The selection of newer releases is heavy on the noise, experimental, and indie rock.

SFO

Last but not least, the truly desperate traveler will want to use his or her postsecurity check time to browse the minimalls of San Francisco International Airport, with its cavalcade of Fisherman's Wharf-variety shops selling San Francisco magnets and T-shirts and sourdough everything. For gourmet food and wine there's San Francisco Bay Traders, Made in California, and the California Product Shop, and yes, Virginia, there is a See's Candies. Even the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has a place at the airport. There's also branches of the Museum Store, Discovery Channel, and Mont Blanc. If you didn't think of anything for Dad, take a look around San Francisco Golf, which bills itself as the "largest airport golf store in the country." And last of all, stock up on reading material for the flight. When you're through with the New York Times, you'll be spending the rest of the flight wrapping up the results of your hard day's work.