Great Buys Beckon Those Shopping at Last Minute

Although it’s late for any major holiday shopping, it seems there’s always one more gift to buy. Here are three last-minute suggestions for good buys in or near the Valley:

LEC World Traders has thousands of toys for wholesale and below, and more than just toys. A roomy yet compact organizer complete with pen, calculator and pouch for your cell phone usually sells for $49, but it’s here $5.90, making it the buy of the day.

For those who can use another holiday decoration, an 18-foot-high Santa that dances and sings “Jingle Bells” is only $9.90 instead of $29.95 retail.

The toy inventory is a bit depleted, but there are still some excellent buys. We like the Ohio Art Twirl-A-Paint set for $9.90, rather than the original $25.

LEC World Traders, 249 N. 1st St., Burbank. Hours today: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (818) 295-3794.

Fragrances are a safe bet for just about anyone, and at Duty Free, there’s still time for some excellent deals. A big seller this season comes from Creed--its hot men’s fragrance, Green Irish Tweed, in a 4.2-ounce eau de parfum spray. It sells at a major specialty store for $160. Duty Free’s price is $95. The new Molyneux “I Love You” comes in a 3.4-oz. eau de parfum spray priced at $25, compared with $65 elsewhere.

Duty Free Cosmetics, 15053 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Hours today: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (818) 906-1234.

At the Irish Crystal Company, a crystal ring holder that sells for $49 is almost identical to the name brand, but the sticker here reads $37, and a charming posy vase is $44, compared with $56.

Irish Crystal Company, 1861 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Hours today: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (805) 494-1101.

Weekend Supersales: Just about every store in town is having an after-Christmas sale, and if you’re looking for top-quality leather, Caggiano Warehouse in Culver City is hard to beat. Fine Italian leather goods are reduced 75% off retail, whether it’s a calfskin wallet, an alligator handbag or an emu attache case. The sale runs through Dec. 31.

Caggiano Warehouse, 9014 Lindblade St., Culver City. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day. (310) 838-9429.