I could have spent more time in the hallway and the community room of the Seaside Library last week when I first spied the new exhibit, “Knock Your Socks Off” on display through Jan. 28.

The exhibit, featuring the knitting and crochet skills of local artisans including Cherry Harris, Kate Levine, Jane Schock, Lois Larsen, Mia Norlander, Luann Nowland, Susan Gilbert, Anne Thomson, Leena McLeod and others, is of handmade socks, one sock, actually, not a pair. The exhibit is timely for Christmas because who doesn’t love and admire a beautiful Christmas stocking?

The Christmas stocking is a tradition in my household lasting decades. Growing up, my family didn’t do stockings, probably because we had no mantel or fireplace. We did have a tradition of opening one gift each late on Christmas Eve, which was supposed to sustain and tide over the children so they wouldn’t wake the adults at 5 a.m.

Fat chance.

Wonderful stocking stuffers abound around town if you’re still looking for small gifts. By The Way in Gearhart has delightful and useful natural coconut fiber soap caddies to keep your soap dish fresh. A packet of chocolate caramels from Bruce’s Candy Kitchen are available in Gearhart at Sweet Shop. I really love the candles at Natural Nook in Gearhart. The natural beeswax pale blue tapers are especially nice. If you’re feeling a bit splurgy and want to impress, a gift certificate suitable for lunch or dinner at The Pacific Way Café is a really thoughtful gift.

Wonderful stockings stuffers are available in downtown Seaside. Even though I am as old as the hills, I still love the miniature plastic animals at Under The Big Top Toy Shop in the Carousel Mall. Last year Mr. Sax got me a tiny howling baby wolf. Voyages Toys has many wonderful toys for kids of all ages, some of them easily pressed into a stocking if it’s stockings you’re stuffing. Molly Morgan Jewelry has a mind boggling array of sterling charms and trinkets. I recently admired a skull ring with glowing red eyes, but they have loads of mesmerizing gifts for men and women. Fairweather House and Gallery has a plethora of small, beautiful things. Their chic, one of a kind finds are handmade by artists and craftsmen. For a few years now I’ve admired the handwrought leather key rings. There’s a lot to look at inside Fairweather, so take your time.

Gift certificates make excellent stocking stuffers. May I recommend a week of coffee from Pacific Pearl Coffee or Seaside Coffee, or for the reader in your life, a gift certificate from Beach Books?

Spa services or the gift of massage make a wonderful stocking stuffer. Seaside Massage and Spa has gift certificates for plenty of pampering packages, but they also do medical massage addressing backache and sciatica. Salon on Broadway offers gift certificates for hair care, nails, and rejuvenating facials.

A time honored stocking stuffer of course is booze. Those airline sized mini bottles of bespoke gin and vodka are just the right size. Check it all out at your favorite liquor store.

If you’re clever and quick with the knitting needles, there’s still time to run over to Seaside Yarn and Fiber to snatch up some great yarn. Make your own gorgeous Christmas stocking and fill it with gifts for yourself. For inspiration, don’t miss out on checking out the stocking exhibit in the library. It’s really great stuff.