11/21/2025
A gift idea for your homesick family member who’ll never give up their SD area code, or your friend with exorbitant neighborhood pride, or your Secret Santa recipient, or yourself: we found two local makers whose work celebrates San Diego’s iconic neighborhood signs.
First up: neighborhood sign ornaments by local designer . Mary laser-cuts all of these, and she’s recreated nearly every sign in San Diego. This year, she added dozens of new ones: Convoy, Linda Vista, Del Mar, National City, Old Town, Kearny Mesa, Lakeside, Leucadia, Cardiff… and next year, that list will grow even more, from Bay Ho to Bird Rock. If you don’t see a neighborhood sign pictured here, check her site—this is just a snippet of the full selection. Mary also makes earrings, accessories, plant stakes, and other translucent treasures. Check ‘em all out at wtfmary.com, at San Diego Made Markets next weekend, or at December Nights in Balboa Park nex month.
And for a more literal take: neighborhood signs by Category 6 LED. Category 6’s art pieces are mini replicas of San Diego’s iconic neon signs, except they’re LED, so they’re built to last. They’ve done a Carlsbad sign, an Oceanside, a Coronado, an Old Town… even a tiny version of the new Convoy sign. Category 6 also makes custom pieces and has recreated signs from outside SoCal (Vegas, Portland). Head to www.category6led.com to see the full lineup.
For more locally sourced ideas, stay tuned for our holiday gift guide, dropping very soon.
