Christmas is a time of giving and receiving, but the former may prove challenging – especially when you need financially friendly ideas. Even when it’s the thought that counts behind a gift, you still need to look like you’ve thought about it, and socks don’t always leave that impression.

To make this Christmas challenge a bit easier, The Sacramento Press looked at local stores in Midtown that have some fun options, each of them under $20.

The Beat
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 1700 J St.
Store hours:
Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

The Beat is an independent music store that sells all genres, new and old. Here, a unique gift can be bought for the music lovers on your Christmas list.

Vinyl records
Suggested for: Lovers and collectors of old music.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price range: $10 - $20
“Vinyl records transcend all age groups,” said Jeff Tyler, 47, manager of The Beat. He said that a vinyl record is perfect for the dad or grandpa who wants to reminisce their yester-years by listening to the soundtracks of their lives. Tyler asked, “Who does not want to relive their childhood?"

For $16.98, a shopper can give the unique gift of Michael Jackson’s “Farewell My Summer Love” vinyl record. It can be framed, or played on the freshly dusted record player.

In the rare vinyl records section, shoppers can find albums by the likes of The Beatles, The Platters, Green Day and Madonna. Tyler also said that there is a resurgence of interest in vinyl records among teenagers this year.

"The parents are going to know what they are,” said Tyler, “because they played them when they were younger. Grandparents will know, and teenagers are learning."

Band poster
Suggested for: Lovers and collectors of new music.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price range: $15 - $20
These posters are just as collectible and decorative as the vinyl records above. One example is this 30 inch-by-30 inch 3 Doors Down board poster, sold for $20 and perfect for that special someone.

Metro Electronics
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 1831 J St.
Store hours:
Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Metro Electronics is the place for electronic parts. Any geeks who wants to build their own computer can find something they need here. There are no widescreen TVs, video games or iPod accessories. Instead, they offer parts for TVs, radios and other electronic devices, and a wide range of do-it-yourself kits for building radios, burglar alarms, LED displays and other doohickeys.

Roulette wheel
Suggested for: Any teen or adult who’s run out of things to solder.
Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $19.95
For the adults who love soldering and making objects light up, the store carries LED mini kits, including a roulette wheel. Once built, the LED lights randomly light up a number, much like the ball on the real thing. There are other potential gifts like this for the same price, including a “riding Santa,” with lights that flash in a way to animate Santa on his sleigh.

Tyranomech
Suggested for: The people who keep taking your radio apart so they can put it back together.
Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $16.95
A solder-less mechanical motorized wooden kit, Tyranomech is perfect for teenagers who enjoy challenges outside of Lego products. Builders follow the instructions to piece this wood dinosaur together, so that it can walk (or really wobble) across your table or counter. Batteries are not included, but there’s enough change with your $20 budget to cover that.

The store’s general manager, Bob May, 58, said that this toy is perfect for kids who want to get into basic robotics, because the kit includes real gears and motors. He also admitted to putting some of these together himself, and said they can make adults feel like kids again.

"They are different," May said. “You can say, ‘I built that’ instead of, ‘I bought that.’ ”

If a dinosaur isn’t quite what you need, there’s also an Automech for the same price, which rolls on wood wheels rather than waddles on wood legs.

Trés Chic Boutiqué
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 2228 J St.
Store hours:
Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

A fun and friendly apparel store, Trés Chic Boutiqué has been in operation for 18 years. The owner, Susan Tiesing, 53, is proud of the fact that most of the store's special-occasion dresses are one of a kind. If you shop for something here, you won’t have worry about someone finding and wearing the same dress.

“We want our customers to have something unique and individual,” Tiesing said.

Here are some examples of items they have “in stock” now.

Guitar pick earrings
Suggested for: The girl who needs more casual (but stylish) earrings.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $19.99
The funky guitar pick earrings’ fun and playful design goes well with casual denim outfits, Tiesing said. They come in red, blue and purple – but they won’t be in the store for long.

Scarves
Suggested for: Girls who wanna have fun.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $19.99
This lavender scarf is a great gift for style and weather alike. Made from 100 percent pashmina, the silky material can be worn with casual or formal attire.

Fingerless gloves
Suggested for: Girls who wanna have warm hands.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $15
Fingerless gloves with attached mitten are great for anyone caught texting all the time. The gloves’ fingerless tips make it easy to type when needed, and the attached mitten can be used for additional protection against the winter cold.

Vintage-inspired gloves
Suggested for: Sophisticated women, and those who think they’re sophisticated.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $18
These vintage-inspired gloves are perfect for adults, according to Tiesing, because of their muted color, showing sophistication and maturity. The polyester and cotton materials are stretchable, making them comfortable to wear.

The Book Collector

Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 1008 24th St.
Store hours:
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

This used book store has more to offer than today’s world will admit. The store carries more than 20,000 used books, which are mostly under $15, making it a great place to find what your bookworm friends and family want. Here’s a perfect example:

“The Adventures of Peter Cottontail” and “The Adventures of Mr. Mocker”
Suggested for: Young readers and read-to-ers.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $5 each
These old and worn books still have enough life in them for kids to read along, making them great Christmas gifts. Store owner Rachel Hansen said adventure stories of personified animals are classics that kids from the ’40s and ’50s enjoyed, and the kids of today will enjoy, too.

"When a parent gives a child a book,” Hansen said, “then it's not just the gift of the book, but the gift of time."

Christmas is a perfect time for these books, she said, because with bedtime stories, parents and their children can spend that special time together reading the books and enjoying each other’s company.

Peradice
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 918 24th St.
Store hours:
Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday noon - 4 p.m.

A card and gift store that opened in June, Peradice carries greeting cards, candles and other home goods. Lighthearted and bright, the store has plenty to offer to its customers.

“Doofus and Darling’s Manners for the Modern Man”
Suggested for: Your guy friend who sometimes doesn’t get it or your boyfriend who could learn a thing or two.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $12
A fun book on a funnier subject, this book tells what it really means to be chivalrous in this day and age. Best used as a joke gift rather than as a manual.

Candle tins
Suggested for: Anyone who needs to relax this Christmas. In other words, anyone.

Image by: Ellen Dominguez
Price: $8
These scented candle tins come with scents like “coconut milk mango” and “tangerine teakwood.” They’re handy items when you need to cover another scent or finally have enough time to take that long, relaxing bath.

Handmade earrings
Suggested for: Moms, sisters, girlfriends, wives and any jewelry-loving female with pierced ears
Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $18
These earrings were handmade by local Pam Nichols, a friend to the store Peradice, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Doilies are included with purchase.

Cuffs
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 2523 J St.
Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.,
Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Cuffs is a fun place to find both new and vintage clothing. The store has clothes and accessories for men and women, some clothes are fashionable and cute, and some are downright kinky. Let’s start with the kinky.

Toddland underpants
Suggested for: The one you know will laugh the loudest.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $18
These men’s boxers come in playful prints, from owls to tuxedos. Comfortable, practical, and not a reason to smirk.

Vintage ties
Suggested for: Males who plan to look sharp in their suits.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $12
These ties come in different colors and styles, and all are very classy.

“They all have their own back story,” said Kaitlyn Hester, 21, a clerk at Cuffs. “We just don’t know them.”

Mighty wallets
Suggested for: The one who keeps forgetting to pay you by “losing” his wallet.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $15
Their mighty wallets are named for their strength and eco-friendly impact. Children often try to tear the demo wallet, twisting and wringing and biting, yet the wallet stays intact. It’s small and snugly and fits into your pocket while holding your cash. They come with different designs, from “Star Trek” to red flannel.

Mixed Bag
Image by: John Hernandez
Location: 2405 K St.
Store hours:
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The self-proclaimed “one-stop gift shop” – for kids, at least. Mixed Bag is packed full of fun toys and goofy joke gifts, quite a few of them falling in the $20 price range. Here’s some of the highlights.

FuzzyFriends slippers
Suggested for: Kids who fit them and fiancés who need them.

Image by: John Hernandez
Price: $19.95
These silly slippers take the form of ladybugs, bumblebees and other cute animals. They’re great for little ones who want both new slippers and new toys, and in this weather, no one needs to have cold feet.

Sock-It-To-Me socks
Suggested for: The one who’s tired of argyle.

Image by: John Hernandez

Price: $8.50
Yes, we just went there. But these socks can get away with saying, “I thought of you when I saw these.” With patterns from bicycles to mustaches, these socks give a better connotation to “funky.”

Even if you woke up this morning to find that Christmas is creeping up on you, there’s still time to give. Make that Christmas (shopping) list, and don’t forget to check it twice. The only thing better than finding a gift that keeps on giving, is being that gift yourself.
 

The article is co-written with Ellen Dominguez