Shopping for a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or just because? We're here to make your gift shopping a little less fearful + a little more cheerful.

These gifts are sure to say, "Of course I listen to you info-dump about your interests and hobbies — it's what I love about you." Whether you mean it or not, that's totally on you.

For the coffee connoisseur

One thing most coffee lovers value is convenience. So in order to gift them something close by + caffeinated, we recommend a gift card to one of Sacramento's local chains.

Pachamama Coffee — Shop from a variety of bagged coffee for an at home supply, or give a gift card that the recipient can use themselves at any of Pachamama's six locations. If it's good enough for Ryan Seacrest, it's good enough for us.
Temple Coffee — Pay for your loved one to join the Coffee Club, which delivers freshly roasted coffee straight to their door. You can also shop coffee brewing supplies on their website.

For the gamer

Give the gamer in your life a blast from the past with a retro console from 1-Up Retro Video Games. Shop in person at its Downtown storefront (2325 J St.) or scan what's in stock online.

If they're 21+, we recommend gifting them a pint + pinball game at Coin-Op Game Room. We recommend hitting the arcade during happy hour, which is Tuesday-Thursday, 4-6 p.m., or Friday, 4-7 p.m.

Capital Books started as a book review business in 2008. | Photo by SACtoday staff

For the reader

If you have someone in your life whose nose is always stuck between two pages, we recommend a few gift options from our beloved downtown indie bookstore — Capital Books (1011 K St.). Bibliophiles in Sacramento would love any (or all) of these:

Book bundle — Give some guidance + let the staff do the rest. They'll hand pick the perfect selection, and even wrap it for you.
Membership — Support local + give a gift that keeps giving. Memberships include perks like extra discounts, free merch + special access to partnered local businesses.
Gift card — Let them shop to their heart's (and your budget's) content.

For the shopper

A 916 Gift Card makes gifting money a bit more personal + a lot more local. Whoever receives this card can use it to shop from a swath of Downtown Sac stores, restaurants, and bars.

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates started as a wholesale operation in 2005, with its first brick-and-mortar shop opening in 2008. | Photo by SACtoday staff

For the sweet tooth

Gourmet truffles, artisanal jams, and decadent hot cocoa are just scratching the surface of Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates — a chic stop for sweet treats downtown. Shop its holiday gift collection or stop by the storefront for a gift card.

For the art enthusiast

Aes·thete (es-theet), noun — a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation of art and beauty.

If you know one of these, then gift them with a Crocker Art Museum membership. This gift gives free museum admission for a year, exclusive invites to members-only events, and discounts for the museum's store and events.