The challenge was daunting.

Fulfilling an entire Christmas shopping list. In one day. Without leaving downtown Glen Ellyn.

In the age of Internet shopping, the art of thoughtful gift-giving has become lost for many during the hectic Christmas season. There are no telling how many conversations this weeks will begin with “I can’t believe it’s already Christmas.”

With that in mind Kay Kendall, executive director of Glen Ellyn’s Chamber of Commerce, organized a shopping trip — more of a shopping tour de force, really — this week to see if old-fashioned shopping was still possible when demands on time are high.

The list came from Stephen Cummins, director of performing arts at the College of DuPage’s McAninch Art Center and a friend of Kendall.

Along Main Street and its intersecting streets, Kendall would have to find gifts for the 10 people on Cummins’ list, which ranged from his 5-year-old daughter to his administrative assistant.

The two set out the morning of Dec. 17 with nothing more than vague ideas. At first, Cummins admitted his doubt that they could find sufficient gifts for a few on the list: his minimalist sister, for instance, or his father-in-law, a pastor living in Texas.

But what Cummins and Kendall lacked in specific gift ideas they made up for thanks to insight from store employees. Although Kendall had an idea of the best stores to start, Cummins was guided mostly by suggestions from store owners.

At M and Em’s, the children’s boutique at 490 N. Main St., Cummins only needed to say he was shopping for his 5-year-old daughter before employees responded with a bevy of ideas.

The first and most popular suggestion was a Pettiskirt, the fluffy ballerina skirt that has become trendy for young girls even when not dancing on stage.

For Cummin’s art-loving father, Michelle Beckerman, owner of Good Works Gallery at 485 N. Main St., suggested architecture art: a collage of pictures of architectural structures, each resembling a letter that together spell a word or phrase.

They even found gifts for the person on his list who literally did not want anything.
“I laugh about my sister who’s such a minimalist,” Cummins said. “Here’s someone who’s gotten rid of all her things.”

His sister recently moved to Hawaii, where food can be more expensive, Kendall noted. So they settled on a package of fair trade coffee from Ten Thousand Villages at 499 Pennsylvania Ave.

And for his father-in-law, the pastor, they found a book of illustrated Psalms by local calligraphy artist Tim Botts at The Bookstore at 475 N. Main St.

Store owners noted that Botts would be autographing copies there on Saturday, Dec. 22 — an added appeal Cummins said he would be sure to return for.

After about two hours, the list was more or less fulfilled — though with a few cut corners (for a business associate, Cummins knew beforehand exactly what he wanted from Cabernet & Co., for instance). But for the most part, they had succeeded.

“It can be done,” Kendall said.

“For a guy who usually waits till Christmas Eve,” Cummins added.

Indeed, the morning’s shopping spree proved that even an admitted procrastinator can do thoughtful Christmas shopping, especially in what Cummins called “the age of gift cards.”

Time seems to disappear quickly in December, he said, and it is sometimes easier to just buy a gift certificate and call it a day.

“Even if you don’t know the community that well you’ll find the personal attention you need,” she said.

Cummins drew the same conclusion, though he added with a laugh, “Maybe it also shows we need a personal shopper.”