For last-minute shoppers, Christmas Eve can be a nerve-wracking experience.

They may wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to go on the hunt for that perfect last-minute gift, only to reach the point of panic after the hours go by that they still haven’t found what they need.

Trying to find the gift they need while avoiding the hustle and bustle of the big box stores, customers perused the shelves at two local shops Sunday, the Bowerbird in Old Lyme and Flavours of Life in New London.

“The reason I like this place and not a big box store is they’re kind of individual gifts,” said Kent Jarrell of St. Petersburg, Fla., as he explored the Bowerbird for gifts for his wife and children.

Jarrell said he usually leaves Christmas shopping to the last minute. He and his wife Trish usually make the trip up to Connecticut every year, and visit the shop during the holidays.

They said they appreciate the uniqueness and variety of items in the store, which they said they use to fill in final gaps in their gifts.

“They’re more eclectic. They’re more gift-like,” Kent said . “If it’s something practical, I’ll go to a big box store or I’ll order it on Amazon, but if I want something eclectic or individual, I’ll come to a store like this.

“Because it is Christmas, I want something as individual as possible,” Kent added, mentioning the store’s bracelets, colognes, intricately-carved canes, children’s toys and art from local artists.

Store owner Chris Kitchings said she often tells people: “if we don’t have it, you probably don’t need it, unless it’s something like a car oil filter or a belt for your lawnmower.”

“This is the last one we come to,” said Trish Jarrell. “We did some shopping yesterday at one of the outlet malls, but we knew we wanted to come here because suddenly we’ll see something special here. This is our top off place.”

Trish, who said she was shopping for her children and their significant others, toted a basket filled with Maine Red Pepper Jelly, a printed New England towel and some Lyme-made maple syrup.

Kirsten Fedors Cooksley, the chief operating officer of the Bowerbird, said the store provides customers with a number of services that will help them deal with the stress of last-minute shopping.

The store wraps customers’ presents for a small fee, half of which is donated to Raptor Rehab Facility for injured birds in Killingworth, Cooksley said. Store associates can also guide customers who are feeling lost.

“You tell us who you’re shopping for and we’re happy to make suggestions,” she said.

“Here you feel Christmas,” Kitchings said, smiling. “I mean, we’ve got our sweaters on, we’ve got the music going, we’re eating candy.”

Meanwhile, at Flavours of Life, a fair trade boutique at 86 Bank St., New London, locals searched for their own unique treasures as the it grew later into the afternoon.

Shopping for a gift for her mom, resident Melissa Root selected a soft alpaca-fur blanket from Ecuador and brought it to the counter.

“I knew I’d be able to find something (here),” Root said, adding that she had not known what she would buy when she entered the store, but had not been stressed.

“She always has something unique and well made and beautiful,” she said, referring to third-generation store owner LaKisha Lee.

Among a variety of unique items at Lee’s shop, customers could find Native American jewelry and accessories from artisans in New Mexico and skin care products from a Puerto Rican line called Sauca Botanicals, all of which Lee said is ethically sourced.

d.drainville@theday.com