Dec. 5 & 6
Holiday Art Sale @ College of Visual Arts
Opening reception: 12/5, 5–8 p.m.
344 Summit Ave., St. Paul
651.224.3416
cva.edu
The MCAD sale gets most of the buzz, but the Twin Cities’ other art college’s sale features the same quality, student-made art and the same low prices, without the impermeable crowd. As with any student art sale, you’ll have to dig for the gems, but trust us: They’re in there.

Dec. 5 & 6
No Coast Craft-o-Rama @ Midtown
Global Market
Lake St. and Chicago Ave., Minneapolis
nocoastcraft.com
No Coast gets bigger every year, and this shopping season is no exception. Nearly 100 vendors will pack the MGM, hawking everything from screen-printed posters to Mexican wrestling sock monkeys. It’s the perfect stop for the creative types on your list. New this year: an “upcycling” challenge, wherein teams of crafters compete to breathe new life into old household throwaway items.

Dec. 5–Jan. 5
Prints on Ice @ Highpoint Center for
Printmaking
Opening reception, 12/5, 6:30–9 p.m.
2638 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
612.871.1326
highpointprintmaking.org
Since its 2001 inception, Highpoint has been an ink-stained mecca for local printmakers looking for studio space and a venue in which to show their work. Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into this unique local co-op at Highpoint’s holiday sale, during which you can purchase original lithographs, screenprints, etchings, woodcuts and monoprints.

Dec. 6
Grand Meander @ Grand Ave. in St. Paul
651.699.0029
grandave.com
8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Grand Avenue in St. Paul positively bursts with Christmas cheer every year, and it all gets underway during the Grand Meander. Ring in the shopping season by strolling by store windows, checking off the names on your list and warming your and your family’s hearts with trolley rides, visits from Santa and the ever-present sounds of carolers roaming the street. Cap off the day with a visit to the Grand Hand Gallery at Grand and Dale, a neighborhood shop with a star-studded roster of nationally recognized artists working in ceramics, textiles, jewelry and more.

Dec. 12–14
Holiday Sale @ Midway Pottery
Opening reception: 12/12, 3–8 p.m.
1708 W. University Ave., St. Paul
651.917.2155
Featuring some of the Twin Cities best potters—Gary Crawford, Mike Norman, Coleen Riley and Donovan Palmquist—this studio sale is a must for any ceramics lover. Rounding out the sale is Jan Davies, who will sell her paintings and handmade jewelry, and weaver Julie Arthur.

Dec. 12–23
Holiday Show @ Frank Stone Gallery
Opening reception: 12/3, 5–9 p.m.
1224 Second St. N.E., Minneapolis
612.617.9965
frankstonegallery.com
Frank Stone Gallery keeps Nordeast crafty at its annual holiday show, featuring pottery, jewelry and blown glass from local artists. Paintings and sculpture will also be on hand, but the gallery’s craft selection tends to be more interesting. +