As arts organizations and museums nationwide continue to grapple with reduced support and declining revenues, Arts with Aloha, a hui of O'ahu arts and cultural institutions, urges shoppers to get creative with their gift-giving this holiday season.

The group has produced a list of ideas that not only can fill stockings and company gift lists, please party hostesses and nourish the cultural soul, but also benefit the local arts community.

Possibilities:

ARMY COMMUNITY THEATRE

• If you're a fan of musical theater, ACT is the place to be. Season tickets start at $60 general, $45 for children. This season you'll get a chance to go back to school in "High School Musical 2" (November and December), be a Broadway baby in "A Chorus Line" (February and March) and listen to "Mack the Knife" in "Three Penny Opera" (May). Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter; www.armytheatre.com, 438-4480, 438-5230.

THE ARTS AT MARKS GARAGE

• Hawaii Craftsmen's Handmade In Hawaii Holiday Sale takes place Nov. 24-Dec. 12. What's special: hundreds of hand-crafted items by local artists specializing in jewelry, wearables, ceramics, wood, glass and more.

• For humor-lovers: OTS (On The Spot), the first Saturday of each month, with original themed shows such as "The Unwritten Works of William Shakespeare." Tickets: $10-$14; www.brownpapertickets.com.

1159 Nu'uanu Ave.; www.artsatmarks.com.

BALLET HAWAII

• The annual "Nutcracker" at the Blaisdell Concert Hall is a holiday tradition. New York City Ballet's Megan Fairchild and Andrew Veyette return to Hawai'i as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier this year; Tony nominee John Selya makes a special appearance as Uncle Drosselmeier. Dec. 18-20, $35-$75; Blaisdell box office, 591-2211, or Ticketmaster, www.www.ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000. Opening night VIP package, $150, 521-8600.

BISHOP MUSEUM

• Shop Pacifica. What's special: feather lei and hatbands, Ni'ihau shell necklaces and earrings, and replicas of Hawaiian implements and weapons. Hundreds of titles are for sale from the Bishop Museum Press, Hawai'i's oldest book publisher and one of the first scholarly publishers in the Western Hemisphere.

1525 Bernice St.; www.bishopmuseum.org.

THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM

• Gift memberships start at $45/year; members can bring a guest and receive a 10 percent discount at The Contemporary Café and The Museum Shop. Through Dec. 24, $5 Contemporary Cash will be awarded with each gift membership purchase; membership@tcmhi.org; 237-5219. Also: gift certificates from the Contemporary Museum shop, with its unique selection of greeting cards, one-of-a-kind art works and jewelry; 523-3447.

2411 Makiki Heights Drive; www.tcmhi.org.

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE

• Holiday season production: Irving Berlin's musical "White Christmas," Dec. 4-20, $12-$42.

• Holiday subscription package: Tinsel N' Tickets, $115 for two tickets to any three of the remaining four shows from January-July 2010 ("The Joy Luck Club," "SHOUT! The Mod Musical," "Guys and Dolls" and "The Sound of Music"), on sale Nov. 28-Dec. 24.

520 Makapu'u Ave.; 733-0274, www.diamondheadtheatre.com.

HAWAI'I STATE ART MUSEUM

• Admission to the Hawai'i State Art Museum is free; add a gift certificate for lunch at the museum's cafe, Downtown @ the HiSAM: 536-5900.

250 S. Hotel St.; www.state.hi.us/sfca, 536-5900.

HAWAI'I THEATRE CENTER

• Holiday season productions: "A Merry Christmas with Friends & Nabors," starring Jim Nabors, Nov. 27-29, $25-$75; "A Cazimero Christmas," Dec. 11-13, $30-$75; "Stomp," Dec. 22-Jan. 3, $32-$52, opening-night special $15.25-$40. Also: Gift memberships start at $50; 791-1301.

1130 Bethel St.; 528-0506, www.hawaiitheatre.com.

HONOLULU ACADEMY OF ARTS

• The Academy Shop. What's special: One-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, art books, handblown glass and handturned koa bowls, fashion accessories, calendars, fabric, stationery, children's games and art supplies; gift certificates available: 532-8703.

• World Art Bazaar, Nov. 28-Dec. 13. The academy's annual event features antiques, crafts and art objects from around the world: 532-8704.

• Classes at Academy Art Center at Linekona, January to March, are offered in a variety of media for children and adults, $165 children, $165-$260 adults; 532-8741.

900 S. Beretania St.; www.honoluluacademy.org

HONOLULU THEATRE FOR YOUTH

• Holiday season production: Gian-Carlo Menotti's "Amahl & the Night Visitors," a co-production with Hawaii Opera Theatre (appropriate for ages 5 and up), Dec. 4-5, 12, 19, $8-$16.

Tenney Theatre, the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew; 839-9885, www.htyweb.org.

'IOLANI PALACE

• The Palace Shop (at the Barracks), 532-1050, and The Gallery Shop (inside the palace). What's special: books, DVDs, jewelry and gift specialties relating to 'Iolani Palace and the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaiian culture and history.

• This year's annual ornament depicts the 'io or Hawaiian hawk, a symbol of Hawaiian royalty.

364 S. King St.; 522-0822, www.iolanipalace.org

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE

• Special holiday package: three shows for $39. One ticket to the remaining shows in Kumu Kahua's season: "House Lights & Prolonged Sunlight," Jan. 14- Feb. 14; "Maui the Demi-god," March 18-April 18; "The Hilo Massacre," May 20-June 20.

46 Merchant St.; www.KumuKahua.org, 536-4441

MANOA VALLEY THEATRE

• Holiday production: Roger Bean's "Winter Wonderettes," Nov. 12-29, $20-$35.

• Holiday Six-Pak: $140. Six flex-pass tickets for any show or combination of shows remaining in the season, on sale through Dec. 31. Coming up: "Winter Wonderettes"; "The Dixie Swim Club," Jan. 14-31; "Hair," March 4-21; "Sleuth," May 20-June 6.

2833 East Manoa Road; www.manoavalleytheatre.com, 988-6131.

MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM

• Museum Store. What's special: work by local artists, including recycled jewelry by McKenna Hallett, crocheted leis and handbags by Baerbel Miller, hand- colored woodblock prints by Kim Chai and etched glass by Margie Yasui; quill and peacock feather pens, colored writing inks, sealing wax and stamps; 447-3923.

• Gift memberships to the museum start at $25 and $40; 447-3922.

553 S. King St.; 447-3910, www.missionhouses.org.

QUEEN EMMA SUMMER PALACE

• Queen Emma Summer Palace gift shop. What's special: handcrafted and local items, including hau-tree and double-sided mermaid ornaments, glass butterflies, 'ukulele pens and clocks, sturdy casserole totes, and cheese/cutting boards with island artwork; 590-2293.

• Gift memberships start at $40/year; dohmemb@hawaii.rr.com, 595-6291.

2913 Pali Highway; www.daughtersofhawaii.org.

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I ART GALLERY

• A selection of art catalogues is available as gifts, including popular titles "Writing with Thread: Traditional Textiles of Southwest Chinese Minorities" and "Excelling the Work of Heaven: Personal Adornment from China." Both feature scholarly essays and hundreds of full-color illustrations of rich costumes and jewelry. Huc Luquiens' "Hawai'i: Prints 1918–1950" captures scenes and activities of Hawai'i during the early 20th century. For more titles, visit www.hawaii.edu/artgallery/publications.html. Catalogues may be purchased at the UH Art Gallery through Dec. 11, while "Degrees of Distinction: Alumni Invitational Exhibition" is on view; gallery@hawaii.edu.

2535 McCarthy Mall; www.hawaii.edu/artgallery, 956-6888.