When my mother-in-law mentioned suspected shipping delays when asking for present ideas for the kids sometime around Thanksgiving, I hadn’t heard anything about it. With 99% of our family out of state, we still have a couple of shipping nail-biters — though, thankfully, Santa was able to get the most important requests curbside or shipped in time. As far as the post office, it was busy when I went midday Wednesday. I don’t usually have to go to the post office for holiday shipping so I can’t speak to how busy they normally are, but I drove by the first post office I was going to try and the line was so long it was out the door by at least seven people. The second one had a total line of about 10 people when I got there and the backup at the self-serve kiosk grew during the time I was there. This is all to say that the local present-buying options stood out a bit more on social media after this past week.

Last week, we talked about some options to shop at local shops, which are around all year. This week will be your last chance for a couple of outdoor local holiday markets, plus one local gift card option that you can give completely contact free.

This is the last weekend of the Edmonds Holiday Market held Saturday, Dec. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on 5th Avenue between Edmonds City Hall and the Edmonds Historical Museum. There are plenty of gift options, with more than 50 vendors offering wine, jewelry and pottery, plus different types of foods and baked goods. For more information on the holiday market, visit EdmondsHolidays.com.

The Perrinville Holiday Market will be Sunday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the southwest corner of the intersections of 76th Avenue and Olympic View Drive. There are five vendors “featuring handcrafted jewelry, crystal trees, Christmas ornaments, garden art, metal art, candles, designer pillows, masks, and special gift items from local artisans and crafters for all your holiday shopping.” Alicia Crank, Edmonds Planning Board member and Black in Edmonds series founder, posted some of her purchases from this market earlier in the season and shared that the mask vendor had options for every team in the NFL. The Edmonds Rotary will also be at the market with novelty slippers, face masks and wreaths and swags made by the Floretum Garden Club. You can find more information about the market on their Facebook events page HERE.

If you are looking for an online option, you can still support local businesses by using Edmonds Cash, through the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce. “Edmonds Cash is a community currency purchased online and redeemable at one of our many participating local businesses in the greater Edmonds area,” the chamber notes. Since each certificate can only be used at one business, they offer smaller increments so the recipient doesn’t have to use the total amount all in one place. For more information and to purchase Edmonds Cash, you can head to EdmondsChamber.com.

If your list is all crossed off and you’re in the market for something to do, there are also local options that are either virtual or socially distant. Edmonds Parks and Recreation is offering “a family-friendly holiday adventure through three different parks.” Find out what makes winter in Edmonds parks so special as you follow Marty the Mouse on his adventure of meeting animal friends and avoiding predators. Signs at each location, which require a smart phone for QR code scanning,  include a letter that helps you play their word scrabble game good for an entry into a prize drawing. You can also get an entry in the drawing by tagging @EdmondsRecZone in your Marty the Mouse adventure pics on social media. This adventure, which includes walking on some unpaved trails, will be active through Jan. 15. Visit EdmondsWa.gov.for all the Marty the Mouse information.

Lynnwood Parks and Recreation has announced its online course offerings for this “unique winter.” They are offering Pre Ballet and Tiny Timber Music classes for toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy with an adult. Those ages 6 and up can do Tae Kwon Do online and teens (to adults) can choose from Ballet or Spanish for Beginners and a “full collection of specialized certification courses with our  Online LEARNing courses.” Registration is open for these online classes at CityofLynnwood.PerfectMind.com.

While it’s usually a bit of a drive to get to, the Bellevue Arts Museum is offering free 3D tours of their current exhibits right now including “America’s Monsters, Superheroes, and Villans.” This exhibition collects figures of playtime icons ranging from well-known DC and Marvel comic book characters to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s anti-hero, Rat Fink, to Hollywood monsters of the 1960s. I really love the Bellevue Arts Museum and we usually visit at least once a year (during spring or holiday break), which is always made easier with their free and convenient parking. This is a chance to see the museum without having to drive on 405! You can find more information on this exhibit at BellevueArts.org.

— By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds mom of two boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time.