3 San Diego Things We’re Loving This December

A Big Way to Shop Small

Close that Amazon tab. There’s a way to do all your holiday shopping in one spot while supporting local businesses. Touching down at Broadway Pier in downtown Dec. 2–3, the family-friendly Makers Arcade Holiday Fair will host nearly 150 artisans slinging cozy sweatshirts and blankets, candles and candies, toys for kids and critters, and more. Your ticket ($6 in advance, $7 at the door) also gets you access to food trucks, photo ops, games, and cocktail bars. Sure beats stuffing all those cardboard boxes in your recycling bin.

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Pure Gold

Designers Victoria Schulte and Charlotte Zappulla worked together at edgy-cool SD jewelry brand Marrow Fine before striking out on their own with Crevette Design Studio. The pair launched their first collection, Flow, earlier this year, forging gold rings and earrings in playful, ripply shapes. They do charms, too, including a limited-edition, pegasus-stamped coin (available through the end of this month) and a teeny crustacean—an ode to their moniker, which is a French pet name literally meaning “shrimp.”

Here Comes Santa Clause

Sorry, Santa Clause Lane—the big man is landing on Orange Avenue this year. St. Nick poses for photos on select days this month in The Hotel del Coronado’s central courtyard, surrounded by sparkly Christmas trees and Victorian architecture that feels way more North Pole than a busy mall. After your little one has shared their wishlist with Father Christmas, hit the hotel’s seaside, outdoor skating rink. Open through Jan. 7, it’s a slice of Santa’s icy abode set smack-dab in the middle of Coronado’s beachfront beauty.