Believe it or not, the holiday season is fast approaching. So what does that mean, besides cold weather, warm food, and hopefully a whole lot of togetherness with family and friends? Presents, of course! Whether you're going home or sticking around Shanghai for the holidays, chances are you'll be on the prowl for some gifts that represent good ol' China. Well, forget the well-meaning but entirely overdone tea tins and Buddha statues. Get creative and peruse this year's Shanghai Gift Guide to help get you in that holiday spirit!

1) Custom Made Sunglasses
Shanghai is the city of custom-made delights – pick a random object and you can be fairly certain someone will make it just for you. At Baodao Optical Shop, across the street from Shanghai North Railway Station, it's all about the sunglasses. For around 70 RMB per pair, choose the frames (knock off designer) and the colour of the lenses (options include everything from basic black to pink to yellow to purple). Then choose the level of protection you want and voila, custom made sunglasses for friends and family alike!

Baodao Optical Shop (宝岛眼镜) View In Map
Add: Rm 39, 2F, 228 Moling Lu, near Tianmu Xi Lu, Zhabei District, Shanghai
地址：上海市闸北区秣陵路228号, 近天目西路
Opening hours: daily, 10:00-18:00

2) Lomography Equipment
Lomo photography mainly focuses on "oversaturated colours, extreme optical distortions, rainbow-colored subjects, off-kilter exposure, and blurring." In short, wickedly cool photographs. You can find all you need and more for such a project at Lomo, a three-story shop that sells all things photography. Cameras range from 200 RMB to almost 5,000 RMB, while other accessories and merchandise include leather carrying cases (300-2,000 RMB) and shirts (around 190 RMB).

LomoView In Map
Add: 126 Jinxian Lu, near Maoming Lu, Luwan District, Shanghai
地址：上海市卢湾区进贤路126号, 进茂名南路
Tel: 021 6256 1054
Opening hours: daily, 12:00-22:00

3) Handbags
For those who want (and can afford) to splurge this holiday season, check out the newest handbags sold exclusively in Shanghai. Heirloom bags are made of such exotic materials as python skin, leather, and stingray (yes, stingray). Needless to say, this is not the gift you want to give your vegan, animal-lover friend. But if you have someone in your life who likes to be on top of the latest trends and doesn't mind her bags draped in animal skin, then this is the place for you. The current line is retro inspired and guaranteed to draw attention.

HeirloomView In Map
Add: 78 Xinle Lu, near Xiangyang Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai
地址：上海市徐汇区新乐路78号, 近襄阳路
Tel: 021 5403 6930
Opening hours: daily, 10:30-22:00

4) Propaganda Art
Living in China, you're inundated with propaganda all the time – so what better way to show that to your family and friends than by buying them colourful, so-old-they're-now-cute propaganda posters? Creep down to the basement of this random apartment complex to find a huge collection of original and copied posters, along with other delightfully cheesy Mao-era antiques. If you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?

Propaganda Poster Art CentreView In Map
Add: BF, Bldg B, 868 Huashan Lu, near Fuxing Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai
地址：上海市徐汇区华山路868号B号楼, 近复兴西路
Tel: 021 6211 1845
Opening hours: daily, 10:00-17:00

5) Traditional Instruments
For that music lover friend of yours, nothing beats a traditional Chinese instrument. Stop by Shanghai No. 2 Music Store for a wide variety of all the classics, such as the guzheng, pipa, and dizi. The erhu (basically a two-stringed violin) is still one of the most popular instruments in China today and can run anywhere from 380 RMB to 3,500 RMB. It's a slice of ancient China, as some of these instruments have been around for over 3,000 years, and it's a cool way to surprise music fans who think they've seen it all.

Shanghai No. 2 Music StoreView In Map
Add: 271 Jinling Dong Lu, near Guangxi Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai
地址：上海市黄浦区金陵东路271号, 近广西路
Tel: 021 6320 3538
Opening hours: daily, 10:00-18:00

6) Handmade Shoes
While custom-made shoes would also be a great gift, the chances of secretly finding out the exact size and mould of your friend's foot might prove a bit difficult. So if you're going for the surprise element, stick to the handmade silk-embroidered slippers and shoes at Suzhou Cobblers. Done in delightfully bright colours and breathtakingly intricate designs, these shoes are sure to stand out from the crowd. Choose from flats to platforms to anything in between for a unique gift that simply screams "China!"

Suzhou CobblersView In Map
Add: Rm 101, 17 Fuzhou Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai
地址：上海市黄浦区福州路17号101室, 近中山东一路
Tel: 021 6321 7087
Opening hours: daily, 10:00-18:30

7) Cupcakes
For the person in your life who has it all, or who simply can't stand to stuff one more trinket into their tiny apartment, the gift of cupcakes is a wonderful gift indeed. And what better way to surprise them by having freshly baked goodies delivered directly to their door? That's what you'll get from "oh my goodness", an online organic bakery that specialises in gourmet cupcakes. Choose your base flavour, then pair it with any one of their delicious frosting flavours to create the perfect combination. Your friend's stomach will thank you.

oh my goodness
Add: Delivery Only
Website: www.omgbakery.com

8) Kitschy ClothingView In Map
Sometimes nothing will do but some sassy, panda-centric clothing. That's the idea behind Hi Panda, a chain store that sells shirts and other clothing apparel by local designers. Choose from items that display a cheekily drawn panda in a variety of locations – just don't expect anything but a frown from this too-cool creation. After all, there's nothing China loves more than a cranky panda, right?

Add: Tianzifang, 240 Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu, Luwan District, Shanghai
地址：上海市卢湾区泰康路240号, 近思南路
Tel: 021 6466 7009
Opening hours: daily, 10:30-20:00

9) Art Supplies
Shanghai is a great city to get your creative juices flowing, so give your friend the gift of self-made art by giving them all the tools they'll need to get started. Paint brushes, canvases, pastels, paint… it's all at Shanghai Art Equipment Center. You may even be so inspired that you decide to pick up some things for yourself. Art is a great way to de-stress, so this gift would be ideal for your more creative and/or stressed out companions.

Shanghai Art Equipment CenterView In Map
Add: 402 Fuzhou Lu, near Zhejiang Zhong Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai
地址：上海市 黄浦区福州路402号, 近浙江中路
Tel: 139 1616 2277
Opening hours: daily, 9:00-19:00

10) Locally Designed Accessories
The pet project of one of Shanghai's most famous designers, Cairn Wu Reppun, William the Beekeeper, sells a loveably eclectic mix of accessories, clothing, books, furniture, and yes, even organic honey (flown in from Hawaii, in case you were curious). While Reppun's brand Kaileeni features heavily in the store, there's also plenty from other independent designers around the city. This is the place to go if you're looking for a truly unique piece of jewellery.

William the BeekeeperView In Map
Add: 84 Fenyang Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai
地址：上海市徐汇区汾阳路84号, 近复兴中路
Tel: 138 1809 3796
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30-20:00; Monday by appointment only 

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