My 2025 Holiday Shopping Experience

I know, I know, Christmas feels like it was forever ago — or not, because January always seems to take its sweet time… and February always goes by at the speed of light — but I still couldn’t help to write a recap about my 2025 holiday shopping experience.

I actually got my shopping done within a reasonable time. Ok, ok, maybe it doesn’t help my case that I attended the Annual Procrastinator’s Holiday Market in Clackamas, Oregon. At least this year, I wasn’t running around doing my shopping on the 24th, as usual. Proud of myself for that!

Every year I tell myself that I’m going to start early and each year that goes by, the holiday season zooms in faster than the year before. What made this year particularly special though was getting to #shopsmall for the majority of the people and fur babies on my list. I attended three market events in the Portland area.

The Procrastinator's Holiday Market was the first one. Though it was a bit crowded and hard to walk though while eyeing all the handcrafted goods and goodies from over 350 (yes you heard that right!) local small businesses, I had a great time. Even got to have some yummy authentic tamales from one of the many food vendors there.

When I got there it was SO cold. I mean it is Oregon in late December so what else did I expect? Some of the vendors were outside and the majority were indoors. I managed to score some gifts there for my boyfriend, my cats, my mom, and sisters. Aren't dads always the hardest to shop for? I mean what do we get for those dudes that have given us everything and never ask for anything in return? *cries in Spanish*

The other two took place at the “creepy Portland mall” as my boyfriend and I like to call it. It’s basically a dying mall called the Lloyd Center, where most of the retailers have closed their doors. Most of them appeared to have closed up shop in a hurry and even left full cases of water bottles, signs, fixtures and other random items behind.

Rumors say this will be last time the Lloyd Center will be open during the holiday season because it’s going to be demolished to build a stadium (or fancy apartments that nobody can afford — do we really need more of those??).

I figured since I was already sort of in the area, might as well swing by.

This was the first time going to this mall where I actually had a HARD time finding parking, so I knew inside the mall, it was going to be good. The first market I stumbled upon there was the Naya Native Made Winter Marketplace. From hand-beaded jewelry to crocheted home décor to handmade clothing, there was so many things to choose from and all made by Native American artisans.

Though some of the items here were a bit out of my holiday shopping budget and understandably so because they were all really well made or you could just tell the hours that went into crafting each item, I managed to score a pair of earrings for myself.

Hey after all that shopping I did earlier, I deserved a little something.

Earrings Handmade by Nizhoni Beads. Follow them on Tik Tok and Insta: @nizhoni_beads

Aren’t they beautiful? Can’t wait to use these to style my brand’s fashion photoshoots!!!

Lastly, I spent a good couple of hours at another holiday market in the "creepy Portland mall" held in the space that used to be the old H&M. Found so many goodies there and a cute cactus plant for my dad planted in of one of those blue mini Lowe's buckets. So freaking cute I almost wanted to keep it for myself.

Sadly, I didn't get to snap a picture of it before I gifted it to my dad, but I did take a pic of these others I also found at the Procrastinator's Holiday Market. I am determined to become a plant mom again this year.

The shopping experience at the second holiday market at the Lloyd Center was quite interesting. All of the booths were set up by the artists that were selling products, but none of them were present to handle the payments. Basically when people came in, they were given a red paper bag so they could fill it with the goodies for their loved ones (or themselves, no judgement 😉). On the first floor, they had cashiers to check you out. And trade your red paper bag for a brown one with all the items ready to take home with you.

This seems like a quite efficient way to do a market. Paying for everything all at once. No making awkward conversation with the vendors…

I actually did something similar back in the day at a few of my community college student market events. As an introvert myself, can’t decide which method I like better. I've done both.

Pic of me from back in the day (around 2017) selling my flower crowns and hair accessories.

Oh yes, those are hair bows with wolves on them.

If I do any pop-up markets or shows for Wonderland Wolf in the future, I would love to be present. I love sharing all about the brand and how it is aimed to help apple shaped women feel fashionable and good about themselves. I could literally talk about this for days…   

Overall, the shopping experience was really cool! Yes, arguably, I feel like I spent a bit more money on Christmas this past holiday season, but it was all well worth every penny. I was so happy to come home with all my sustainable brown paper bags.

As consumers, this is how we can make our voices be heard. In the way we spend our hard earned cash. I mean wouldn’t you rather use that money to spend it wisely from a smaller business that really cares about delivering the quality of the product, rather than a huge corporation who only care about how much their top executives are able to make each year off the rest of us? Something to think about.

'Till next time!

Ana :)