Local Holiday Shopping Guide, Support Small Businesses in Los Alamos

For holiday shoppers in Los Alamos, a compact roster of locally owned shops and seasonal markets offers a range of gifts from art and books to specialty foods and custom crafts. Fuller Lodge Art Center and Step Up Gallery feature regional art, prints and handmade gifts suitable for home giving. Samizdat Bookstore and Teahouse stocks books, teas and small batch gift items and regularly hosts author events and fundraisers that double as community gatherings. Los Alamos Makers sells maker goods and offers gift memberships along with custom laser engraved pieces and other craft items.

Rotating local jewelry and craft vendors appear at the YMCA Winter Vendor Market and at Fuller Lodge holiday markets, providing opportunities to purchase one of a kind items from area artists. For food gifts and pantry presents, the Los Alamos Cooperative Market and other specialty food purveyors carry curated pantry items, local preserves and seasonal holiday foods that are easy to wrap and share. Experience gifts are another local option. Classes and museum memberships support nonprofit programming while offering recipients year long value.

To find pop up markets and weekend craft fairs, check the event calendars at VisitLosAlamos.org and LosAlamosMainStreet.com. Those pages list seasonal bazaars, vendor markets and community events where shoppers can meet makers directly and buy early to avoid sold out items. Local markets also often serve as fundraising venues for nonprofits, so purchases can have a multiplier effect inside the county economy.

Practical shopping tips include bringing reusable bags, confirming winter and holiday hours before you go, and buying early for popular items. Consider gift cards for small shops when timing is tight, or opt for experience gifts that directly support museums, classes and community organizations. For Los Alamos residents, shifting some holiday spending to these local options helps sustain small business revenue streams and preserves cultural offerings that benefit the entire county throughout the year.