Holiday Gift Shopping in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Quirky little Jamaica Plain, the liberal, funky, new bohemian meets retro yuppie neighborhood in the city of Boston, has a great shopping district (if a stretch of Centre Street about five blocks long can be considered a "district"). I can't guarantee you'll get out with your wallet in tact, but with an afternoon to kill, you should be able to find something for everyone on your list.

Let's start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start…

The very first shop you'll come to as you stroll along Centre Street in the retail and restaurant section of town is Pluto. Nestled between the Ten Tables French restaurant and the new Bon Savor café, Pluto is a treasure trove of eclectic items, perfect for the gift shopper. Scented candles and jewelry, calendars and journals, novelty items of all kinds abound in the remarkably dense little store. Its emphasis is on fun, high quality items, quirky finds, and humor. It's a little pricey, but whether you are shopping for a man, woman, or child, you can usually count on Pluto to have something fun and appropriate. Pluto is located at 603 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Phone: (617) 522-0054.

About one city block south and across the street, step into Jamaicaway Books and Gifts. Jamaicaway is a beautiful shop with a large selection of bestsellers and African American authors. African art and trinkets adorn the beautiful little store, and are for sale. You'll find masks, paintings, jewelry, carved boxes… all kinds of things. There are gems to be found for a variety of folks on your Kringle list. Jamaicaway Books and Gifts is located at 676 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130. Phone: (617) 983-3204.