Mazatlan is without a doubt a shopper´s paradise any time of the year. Just ask the many visitors who arrive with two bags of luggage and go home with four. And now that Christmas is here, the pleasure of shopping for loved ones kicks into high gear. The variety of gifts, whether Mexican handicrafts or imported classics, can be overwhelming for shoppers in a hurry. As your eyes glaze over after hours of going from store to store, you may miss some of the beautiful, unique presents Mazatlan has to offer. Here are a few which we guarantee will earn you a big hug on Christmas Day. It´s exquisite. I might start a collection. In the small town of Santa Clara del Cobre, in the mountains of Michoacan, craftsmen have been making hammered copper utensils for four centuries. Up until 45 years ago, most of the pieces they crafted were utilitarian dishes, spouts, caldrons and pails. With the introduction of plastic, copper began to take a backseat and the town began to die. Just in time, master coppersmiths arrived from Mexico City and the States to teach the artisans the fine craft of decorative copper. The town survived and has become the home of exquisite Mexican hand-hammered copper treasures. No one is more enthusiastic about copper art than Alice Nobles, owner of Mazatlan´s Copper Gallery in the Golden Zone. She read about Santa Clara del Cobre, visited it and fell in love. She is particularly proud to display the beautiful pieces of Abdon Punzo, Master Coppersmith who, for the past 15 years, has won first place in the National Exposition in Mexico City. Pictured here is one of his creations priced at $900USD. This, or any of the handmade pots in Alice´s store, will make an original gift for that special person on your Christmas list. They´ll go perfectly with my new cocktail dress. Jewelers and jewelry lovers will tell you that this year Tanzanite is everyone´s favorite gem. Originally introduced in 1991 in New York at Tiffany & Company, the lustrous bluish-purple gem is mined in Tanzania, Africa and comes in varying grades. The darker the colour, the more precious the gem. Whereas diamonds are a “10” on the strength scale, tanzanite at “7” is a fragile gem and as such jewelers do not recommend it as an every day adornment. Rather, this beautiful, lively gem is perfect to light up a special occasion. Owner Jose Rubio Lizárraga of Rubio Jewellers in the Hotel Costa de Oro picked these three tanzanite pieces as his favorites. The gems in each of the pieces are surrounded by diamonds and set in white gold. Rubio warns that very good imitation tanzanite, some from Russia, is being sold and if you are interested in buying this gem, ask for a certificate of authenticity. The prices on these exquisite tanzanite pieces from his shop are $3,690USD for the earrings, $1,569USD for the ring and $1,650USD for the necklace and pendant. Rubio carries many grades of tanzanite jewelry to fit any Christmas budget. Let´s hang it right now. You get the hammer. A wonderful place to shop for Christmas are stores which specialize in Mexican arts and crafts, but often there are so many items to look at that you may miss something special. In Mazatlán, modern art sculpture is difficult to find with dedicated art galleries being few and far between. Recently, more art and craft stores are displaying young artists´ work on their walls. One such young talented artist is Omar Centeno of Guadalajara. Omar works in wood, glass, resin and plaster, framing his creations in iron.

The piece pictured here is plaster cast in relief, but he also paints masks in fanciful designs, each one an interesting original. Miguel, of Michael´s Gallery in the Golden Zone, goes on a regular buying trip to Omar´s studio. He recently returned with a stunning collection of the artist´s most recent works of flights-of-fancy moon and sun relief sculptures. The creation here is priced at 22,450 pesos. Michael´s has a good variety to choose from for all budgets. For the art lover on your Christmas list, these pieces are well worth collecting. This is lovely. What’s it made of? Tinwork is one of Mexico´s most underrated crafts. While American collectors have been gathering pieces privately for years, Mexicans themselves have always considered the metal to be the “poor man´s silver.” Traditionally, every article in silver had its more humble equivalent in tin. Poorer churches displayed tinplate crosses, religious icons and casings, and toys were often crafted of tin. There has been a recent revival of interest in tin art works and with it the resurgence of tinsmiths. At Madonna, in the Golden Zone, owner Cristina has an avid interest in Mexican crafts. She particularly appreciates the tinwork artistry found in religious icons made by Mexican artisans. She recently collected for her store a good variety of these works, including an intricate tinwork church, the center of which holds a candle. These pieces are beautifully designed and crafted and unique to North American eyes. The lovely Christmas tree and angels photographed here are priced at 219 pesos for the tree, and 39-52 pesos for the angels. These unique Mexican Christmas gifts will shine for many years to come. Look at the intricate work in this. Pottery is an ancient craft and the Aztecs and Mayans were masters of the art. In the Guanajuato area of Central Mexico a family group of indigenous people continue the art using methods that date back to the 1500s. But now their designs are not only influenced by their ancestors, but also those of the Spaniards and Moors. The result is exquisite handmade pottery, blemish free, of intricate patterns. Upstairs in the Designers Bazaar owners Luis & Roberta Vercellino have collected a series of these stunning pieces. Roberta points out that most shoppers, other than collectors, are unaware of the perfection and value of this pottery. The plate showcased here costs 550 pesos and has been hand-etched, painted, fired several times in an outdoor wood pire and left to dry in the sun. If it rains, the process can take weeks. Roberta is enthusiastic about the design and quality of these pieces, and recommends any of them as unusual, authentic gifts of Mazatlán and Mexico. I always wanted a Palma Zica. You´ve searched and searched and still can´t find the perfect gift. Personal shoppers say when in doubt – buy a plant. Everyone loves anything green, growing and flowering inside and outside the house. According to the horticulturist at Vivero Diana, the most popular indoor plant is the palma areca. It simply requires light and occasional watering to flourish. For the garden, the petunia wins hands down. But if you want something exotic, consider the visually arresting and easy to care for Palma Zica. It is a slow growing palm which is almost indestructible. The Palma Zica in this photo is just 10 years old and costs 4,500 pesos. While it may not be a good idea to take this on the plane, it will make a gift that keeps giving for any garden lover in Mazatlan. Feliz Navidad everyone. And happy shopping!