Holiday markets in Los Angeles for finding the perfect present

The bottom level of Vintage Land will be decked out for the holidays December 19–21. The special edition of Los Feliz Flea will host a vintage market and artisan pop-ups, where you can find unique, handcrafted items perfect for gift-giving. Grab a hot cocoa or coffee to keep warm, and shop the day away amid live music. Admission and parking are both free, and the market is pet-friendly. If you’re able, bring a donation for the toy drive, which will benefit the Art is My Drug Foundation. And if you need a break from shopping, you can test your gaming skills at Vintage Land’s VR Escape Room.

A favorite of in-the-know shoppers, MAUM Market champions AAPI artists, creatives and entrepreneurs, and the result is a mindfully curated shopping experience. Founded in 2022, MAUM regularly pops up both in New York and in L.A., at ROW DTLA. The next market will take place right in time for last-minute Christmas shopping. Find accessories, art, kids’ toys, beauty and wellness goodies, ceramics, clothing, jewelry and home wares at the family-friendly and pet-friendly pop-up.

Every Sunday you can find dozens of food vendors at this market at ROW DTLA, with a mix of much-loved pop-ups and future foodie stars. But from December 1–22, you’ll also find a festive market with unique gifts, holiday-themed food specials, photo ops and what’s being billed as “the world’s biggest condiment bar.”

The Los Angeles Christmas Market at ROW DTLA promises to transport you to a European Christmas market (though reports from early visitors suggest it doesn’t quite live up to that promise). The somewhat steeply priced ticketed experience offers shopping, festive food and drink (think soft pretzels, currywurst, schnitzel, apple cider and eggnog), photo ops and holiday activities like alfresco film screenings.

Have a crafty start to the Christmas shopping season at Craft Contemporary’s annual holiday marketplace. If you’re making a list and checking it twice, consider this shopping event for unique handmade gifts and an opportunity to buy directly from the emerging and established L.A. makers behind them. And when it comes to wrapping those gifts, drop by the handmade holiday wrapping and cards workshop, where you can make one-of-a-kind, upcycled paper creations to wrap your new treasures ($15, includes materials).

One of the best small-business shopping events in the country, the biannual Unique World—which recently rebranded from Unique Markets and is celebrating 15 years of pop-ups—features clothes, accessories, wellness products, art pieces and artisanal foods from a curated lineup of up-and-coming brands. Rub elbows with the different designers and artists showcasing their work. Then stop by the Femme Fatale Bar for a drink from woman-owned L.A. brands Future Gin and Nomadica Wine. Don’t miss the Studio, which will be offering custom embroidery, permanent jewelry and tarot readings. Unique World is the perfect place to find, well, unique gifts for those on your list.

Any crafter worth their weight in cashmere yarn knows that Renegade Craft Fair is the fair all other fairs aspire to. Held in urban epicenters around the country, Renegade is a locally focused marketplace showcasing work from hundreds of the best contemporary indie craft artists. Aside from the wares, Renegade offers all sorts of homemade DIY fun and festivities: think classes and demos, free photo booths and tons of tasty food trucks. Renegade hosts an epic spring fair, along with a supplemental holiday fair in wintertime that helps you check everyone off your gift list—including yourself.

The multicity Jackalope Arts fair is back again this year, featuring over 150 local artisans and high-quality, handcrafted goods perfect for gifting. Both the Pasadena market (held in Old Pasadena’s Central Park November 9 and 10) and Burbank market (held on San Fernando Boulevard as the Downtown Burbank Winter Arts Festival on December 7 and 8) offer free admission.

Looking for unique handmade gifts this holiday season? Artists, designers, creatives and makers will set up shop for this holiday fair outside Hugo’s Tacos in Atwater Village (3300 Glendale Blvd). If it’s anything like past markets, you’ll get to shop everything from artisan jewelry and apothecary goods to ceramics, prints, candles and even handcrafted aprons for the cook in your life. Interact with the makers themselves (third-party sellers are not allowed), while crossing family and friends off your holiday gift-giving list. 

We could spend hours wandering the Huntington’s gardens—and about just as long in its wonderful gift shop. Well, here’s an excuse to spend even more time there: this one-day-only artisan pop-up market, which brings more than three dozen art, home, jewelry, craft and fashion vendors to the visitor center’s Haaga Hall. We recommend French-style caramels from Le Bon Garçon, old-Hollywood-inspired makeup from Bésame Cosmetics, and retro L.A. menus turned into art from Vintage Menu Art. Admission is free and doesn’t require a museum ticket.

Calling all vintage lovers! Shop dozens of the top vintage retailers (local and national) and private dealers at this market. A Current Affair is a major source for stylists, designers and anyone in search of one-of-a-kind vintage ranging from perfectly worn-in jeans to rare and collectible designer pieces. Shop an array of vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry dating all the way back to the Victorian era at the market’s new West Hollywood Design District location.

Travel back to the Victorian era with this holiday celebration at the Arboretum. The front lawn of the 1880s Queen Anne Cottage, which has been recently restored, will host visits with Santa, carolers and food trucks all weekend, plus lessons from the Historical Tea & Dance Society (Sunday only). Grab a hot cocoa or hot toddy and browse goods from local artisans at the on-site holiday market. Vendors include jewelry design studio Elk Neck, Everyday Ornaments and Sierra Honey Co.