A procrastinator’s guide to Christmas shopping and shipping in the Sacramento area
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can entail a long list of errands and tasks from making travel plans, whipping up an old family recipe, to gift buying. To alleviate the pressure of the latter here’s a roundup of local, last-minute ideas for stocking stuffers and items at the top of the list for friends and family.
Still need a tree? Check out our online guide.
Escape Room tickets
Sacramento-based Enchambered was voted the best escape room in the nation by USA Today in 2019. The puzzle-laden experience offers three adventures to choose from; Containment Breach forces you to emerge from a lab emanating heavy doses of radiation, Whispering Halls gives you the chance to become part of a paranormal research team investigating a haunted manor, Witch Manor leaves you bogged in a bayou and run-down cabin. Gift cards are available with a holiday panache: a wax sealed envelope.
Allspicery
Grab a pinch of seasoning or a tonic blend as a gift for the culinary enthusiasts in your life. The shop, located next to the capitol, offers a number of gift sets for a variety of palates from Francophile with herbes de provence and fleur de sel, to the Italia Spice Kit with black truffle salt and roasted garlic granules. Pick up the makings for a gingerbread creation or the kick in this year’s stuffing.
Amazon shipping deadline
Friday, Dec. 20, is the last day for free standard shipping that will arrive by Christmas Eve. Prime members can dilly-dally a bit, with Sunday the cutoff for many items. Amazon says about 10 million items can still be purchased Monday, and if you like the exhilaration of cutting it close, a true procrastinator can choose same-day delivery for some items on Christmas Eve.
Sacramento SPCA
Adoptions through the Sacramento branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) are being given an added bonus during the holiday season in Sacramento, with a special delivery from the PAWliday Express. Beginning Friday, elves with the Sacramento SPCA will deliver up to 10 adopted animals to their new homes and families.
Andy’s Candy Apothecary
Tired of being sweet to relatives and the ravenous hordes engaged in last-minute shopping? Substitute that yuletide cheer with a bevy of holiday-hued confections from Andy’s Candy Apothecary. The downtown candy shop offers a number of treats across the holiday spectrum from chocolate coins for Hanukkah to cherry-flavored Santa Clauses. Gift boxes are filled with treats, crafted as a feast for the eyes.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 5:00 AM.