1 AM
Apple Store
767 Fifth Ave., at 59th St.; 212-336-1440
Lego Mindstorms NXT, $259.95. Apple is open 24/7/365, which means you can play with the tiny new Shuffle, or see yet another variation on the iPod case, at any time.
HOURS ON 12/24: Open 24 hours.
SUBWAY: N to Fifth Ave.–59th St.
2 AM
Macy’s, Queens Center
90-01 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst; 718-271-7200
Cuisinart SmartStick hand blender, $49.99.
This store’s got everything Herald Square has—except the tourists. Open 24 hours during the holidays.
HOURS ON 12/24: Closes 6 p.m.
SUBWAY: G to Woodhaven Blvd.
3 AM
Florent
69 Gansevoort St., nr. Greenwich St. 212-989-5779
Florent T-shirt, $15.
These tees, created by M&Co., still hold their own in the world of cool. Have a cocktail to celebrate your purchases.
HOURS ON 12/24: Open 24 hours.
SUBWAY: L/A/E to 14th St.
4 AM
Homefront Hardware
202 E. 29th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-545-1447
Skil cordless drill, $74.99. In addition to the usual hardware, the second floor has housewares; the third floor has a new toy department.
HOURS ON 12/24: Open 24 hours.
SUBWAY: 6 to 28th St.
5 AM
Juvenex Spa
25 W. 32nd St., nr. Fifth Ave. 646-733-1330
Tea set, $38. After a steam or sauna, shop the tiny boutique for soaps, scrubs, and small ceramics.
HOURS ON 12/24: Open 24 hours.
SUBWAY: D/F/N/Q to 34th St.
6 AM
Dunkin’ Donuts
355 Third Ave., at 26th St. 212-686-1500
A dozen doughnuts, $8.99; a two-pound bag of coffee, $10.99. Dunkin’s bean blend is 100 percent Arabica; you can also get mugs with vintage logos.
HOURS ON 12/24: Open 24 hours.
SUBWAY: 6 to 23rd St.
7 AM
Best Buy
60 West 23rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-366-1373
Stiletto 100 Portable Sirius satellite radio, $349.99.Browse the Website to make choices ahead of time, and show up right as the doors open.
HOURS ON 12/24: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SUBWAY: F to 23rd St.
8 AM
Borders, the Shops at Columbus Circle
10 Columbus Circle 212-823-9775
The God Delusion, $27, and Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery, $29.95. Reinvigorate with a cup of coffee from the in-store Dean & DeLuca before browsing the stacks.
HOURS ON 12/24: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SUBWAY: A/C/D/1 to 59th St.–Columbus Circle
9 AM
Paragon Sports
867 Broadway, at 17th St. 212-255-8036
Bladerunner skates, $49.99, and hockey guards, $4.99. Arrive at 9 a.m., when it opens, start at the top, and work your way down to the sneakers in the basement level.
HOURS ON 12/24: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (call store to confirm hours).
SUBWAY: N/R/Q/4/5/6/L to Union Square
10 AM
Gracious Home
1992 Broadway, at 67th St. 212-231-7800
Lion Head door knocker, $48 to $88.This is the more easily navigated of the two stores. Get gifts wrapped and purchases delivered up to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
HOURS ON 12/24: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SUBWAY: 1 to 66th St.– Lincoln Center
11 AM
Canine Styles
1195 Lexington Ave., nr. 81st St.; 212-472-9440
George’s “Dog” catnip, $10.
Take care of the pet-related gifts: catnip toys, leashes, beds, carriers, and chew-toys shaped like reindeer.
HOURS ON 12/24: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SUBWAY: 6 to 77th St.
NOON
John Derian Company
6 E. 2nd St., nr. Broadway 212-677-3917
Rogues Gallery sailcloth tote, $365.You should be able to cross off a few names at this small, well-edited store full of charming treasures, or check Derian’s store nextdoor for beautiful bed and table linens.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 5 p.m.
SUBWAY: 6 to Bleecker St.
1 PM
Bond 07 by Selima
7 Bond St., nr. Lafayette St.; 212-677-7690
Antique sterling- silver salt-and-pepper sets by Cartier, $975. Known primarily as an eyeglass store, Bond 07 also stocks avant-garde women’s clothing, accessories, and a selection of antiques.
HOURS ON 12/24: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SUBWAY: 6 to Bleecker St.
2 PM
Helen Ficalora
21 Cleveland Pl., nr. Spring St.; 212-219-3700
Rose-gold-with-diamond snake ring, $1,500. Her gold charms stamped with initials have a cult following, but Ficalora’s trove also includes hoop earrings, stacking rings, and chains galore.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 5 p.m.
SUBWAY: 6 to Spring St. or N/R to Prince St.
3 PM
Catriona MacKechnie
400 W. 14th St., nr. Ninth Ave.; 212-242-3200
Fifi chiffonnette, $295, and matching brief, $115. If leopard is too wild, there are more-traditional bra-and-panty sets in cottons, laces, and silks, plus a selection of stylish and sexy loungewear.
HOURS ON 12/24: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SUBWAY: A/C/E/L to 14th St.
4 PM
Yoyamart
15 Gansevoort St., at Hudson St.; 212-242-5511
Animal puzzle by Naef, $145. In addition to the groovy toys, Yoyamart has kids’ clothing, sneakers, Japanese anime characters, DVDs of classic kid shows, and Dinh Van jewelry.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 5 p.m.
SUBWAY: A/C/E/L to 14th St.
5 PM
Atmos
203 W. 125th St., at Seventh Ave.; 212-666-2242
Fatima sneaker by UBIQ, $120. This renowned Japanese sneaker store stocks custom and hard-to-find New Balance, Nike, and Adidas, among others, plus jewelry by Hoon.
HOURS ON 12/24: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SUBWAY: 2/3/A/C/D to 125th St.
6 PM
Astor Wines & Spirits
399 Lafayette St., at 4th St.; 212-674-7500
Port Ellen 25-year blended Scotch whiskey, $219.99. At 11,000 square feet, it’s the biggest liquor store in the city; there are 150 types of sake and a walk-in cool room housing over 4,000 bottles of rare and fragile wines.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 7 p.m.
SUBWAY: 6 to Astor Pl. or N/R to 8th St.
7 PM
Golden Calf
86 N. 6th St., nr. Wythe Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-302-8800
Mini double gourd vase, $22.50, and mini vase, $18.50 each. While known as a vintage furniture store, Golden Calf also carries decorative pillows, lacquered boxes, knit toys from Kenya, and jewelry from local designers.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 8 p.m.
SUBWAY: L to Bedford Ave.
8 PM
The Future Perfect
115 N. 6th St., at Berry St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-599-6278
Acrylic bowl by Cindy-Lee Davies for Lightly, $110 to $150, depending on size. One-stop shopping for the design aficionado—from lamps by Jason Miller to bisque vases by Studio Job.
HOURS ON 12/24: Noon to 9 p.m.
SUBWAY: L to Bedford Ave.
9 PM
Urban Outfitters
999 Third Ave., at 59th St.; 212-308-1518
Woven cosmetic case, $18.
Head-to-toe wear for hip teens, but interesting basics (like lace camisoles) and trendy handbags also turn up here.
HOURS ON 12/24: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
SUBWAY: N/R/W/4/5/6 to 59th St.
10 PM
American Apparel
183 E. Houston St., at Orchard St.; 212-598-4600
Men’s California fleece track jacket, $50. A pile of the classic tees in different colors, or a couple of hoodies, are excellent inexpensive gifts. Note that the sizes run small.
HOURS ON 12/24: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
SUBWAY: F to Second Ave.
11 PM
Junior’s
386 Flatbush Ave. Ext., at DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn; 718-852-5257
Plain eight-inch cheesecake, $26.95. The lines can be long, so call in your order and double park (everyone does).
HOURS ON 12/24: 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
SUBWAY: 2/4 to Nevins St. or D to DeKalb
MIDNIGHT
Virgin Megastore
1540 Broadway, at 46th St.; 212-921-1020
In addition to the multitude of media, including books, there are T-shirts and bags. The downstairs registers are usually less crowded than the main-floor checkout. Games and DVDs are generally $19.99 to $69.99.
HOURS ON 12/24: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
SUBWAY: N/A/E/Q/1/2/3/7 to Times Square