Dan's Papers - December 7, 2007 - When In Manhattan... By Amanda Kludt

Even before the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Manhattan gets decked out for the holidays. Weeks ago the avenues were strewn with garlands and all the major department stores installed lavish window displays. The tree went up last week in Rockefeller Center, and it's officially time for holiday shopping.

One of the easiest ways to get all your shopping done in the city in one afternoon is at some of the pop-up holiday markets. Columbus Circle, Grand Central, Union Square and Bryant Park turn into major holiday bazaars with hundreds of booths from the end of November until Christmas. And if you need something a little more specialized, the city has a number of year-round marketplaces perfect for gift shopping. Here's a list covering the whole gamut so you can find something for everyone.

The heavy hitting holiday fairs take place at Union Square, Bryant Park, Grand Central and Columbus Circle every year, and while they all feature different vendors and artists, they offer similar experiences. Bryant Park has a one-up on the other markets due to its giant ice skating rink in addition to its 100 booths of arts, crafts, specialty foods and an assortment of artisan products. The market will stick around until the end of the month and stays open until 8 p.m. every night.

The same company, Urban Space Management, runs the holiday markets at Union Square and Columbus Circle, notable for their candy cane striped tents. Both markets feature over one hundred booths of jewelry, clothing, food, handmade soaps, art and leather goods. These markets can seem overwhelming, but they've saved me almost every single Christmas. They're always good for picking up last minute jewelry for female relatives, old-fashioned toys for young nieces and nephews and bath salts and oils for friends.

If you commute in and out of the city through Grand Central or travel through the station when coming in for the weekend, the market here is a great easy stop for gifts. Every Christmas, Grand Central puts up a 12,000-square-foot mall filled with potential gifts and goodies.

Now, all of those markets are great for general shopping. They have hundreds of booths and you can get gifts for the whole family in one stop. But, if you need more specialized gifts check out the following niche markets. One of my favorite markets year round is The Market located within a giant gymnasium in Nolita. All of the stands feature work by up and coming local designers, and you can find anything from nice shirts to antique jewelry to inexpensive dresses and coats.

If antiques are more what you are looking for there are countless indoor and outdoor markets in the city. One of the best, PS 231 Antique Flea Market, is actually located in Park Slope. Its smaller size makes rummaging easier and the collections seem well edited less picked over than the fairs in Chelsea. If you want to stay in Manhattan, check out The Annex/Hell's Kitchen Flea Market. The giant space and overwhelming collection could take you the entire afternoon to wade through but your results will be worth it. In addition to great antique furniture, decorations and jewelry, you'll find art pieces and good frames.

Nowadays it seems every friend or family member is turning into a master chef or baker. For those types you'll want to head to a food-centric market, and my all-time favorite food shopping spot is the Essex Street Market. Here you'll find some excellent American cheese at Saxelby Cheesemongers, great cheese, meats and spreads at Essex Formaggio, and all kinds of fresh veggies and meats. However, if you don't want to get anything perishable, your better bet is at the large Chelsea Market. They also have all those delicious eat-them-now goods like seafood, cheese, and bread but you can also find excellent kitchen accessories and even great plants and vases.

No matter whom you are shopping for whether it's a tricky relative, a significant other, or even if you're buying yourself a pre-holiday treat, the above markets cater to all tastes and needs.