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It's that time of year again, elves are elvin’, parents are scrambling, and Santa is preparing to shimmy down some chimneys. I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are only like 2 more days to finish your Christmas shopping, so you might want to get started… To help you out, I have some fun gift ideas from some of the awesome stores at the Caesars Palace Forum Shops! Read on to learn more…
HANDMADE WITH LOVE
When I think of handmade, I think of crocheted beanies or hand painted ornaments, but the first stop on our shopping journey boasts some of the most gorgeous HANDMADE jewelry around! If you’ve never shopped John Hardy, you’re missing out – all of their jewelry is HAND MADE! They are best known for their handwoven silver chain bracelets, which are painstakingly woven by hand by artisans in Bali. It takes 4 hours just to weave a single INCH!
TIP: The bracelets lend themselves well to bracelet stacks, since the clasps often have inset jewels, making each one gorgeous and unique!
Not into the chains? (you’re crazy, but ok!) There are tons of other options ranging from rings and necklaces to handwoven textile pieces. My personal favorite collection from John Hardy is the Legends Naga collection. The legend of the Naga is that it lives on a mountain near Bali, and each night it goes to seek its love, the pearl. When it rises from the ocean, the water cascades off its scales and waters the rice fields. The pieces in this collection are seriously so rad! I have had my eye on one of the Naga rings for a year or so now, but wasn’t able to find one small enough for my finger. *SAD MELISSA* They say that there are two ways to wear the Naga pieces; wear the piece with the dragon facing out, and it serves to protect you from the outside world. Wear it facing in toward you, and it’ll shower you with love, much like it watered the rice fields.
All of the John Hardy pieces are made in Bali, and help provide a living to the people living there. Women are able to work within their homes and help provide for their family, all while staying home with their children. They pick up their materials at the beginning of the week, and at the end of the week, they are compensated for the pieces they are able to complete, allowing them to work as much or as little as they are able to while still caring for their families, which is most important in their culture.
PSYCHO, BUT CUTE
Looking for something for then men in your life? Why not check out Psycho Bunny? With bright colors, daring patterns, and their unmistakeable Bunny and Crossbones logo, you’re sure to find a win here. Is your man classic, but with a twist? Grab him one of their many polos in all shades of the rainbow!
TIP: Graphic tees and baseball caps are a perfect choice for a laidback cutie in your life– you can find pop art inspired prints, embroidered hats, and varsity style sweatshirts here!
The Psycho Bunny man is definitely not shy with color, and their swim collection in bringing ALLLLL the neon and bright goodness to the season– he’ll be feeling cool, but looking HOT!
Tip #2: Be sure to snag a selfie in front of the neon logo– I mean, who can resist?!
AN ALTAR’D STATE OF BEING
Looking for the perfect gift for pretty much anyone? Definitely check here, because they will almost definitely have you covered! This store doesn’t stop at apparel, they also have tons of small gift items for all ages! Sloth lover? They have you TOTALLY covered. SO many ridiculously adorable sloth items, I’m not sure how you could ever resist! I seriously kept finding something I wanted everywhere I looked, they had cozy blankets, darling felted ornaments, jewelry, even nail polish! I snagged 6 shades to try out - the colors are beautiful together and I can’t wait to try out some nail art with them!
My willpower was taking a serious beating when I got to the dog section - with pillows informing the viewer to ‘MOVE OVER, THE DOG SITS HERE’ and dishtowels proclaiming that their owner just wants to be a Stay-at-Home Dog Mom (sometimes I can relate - even though I love my job :)), how was I supposed to withstand that level of cuteness?!
TIP: This store is the perfect place for a memorable Secret Santa or White Elephant gift– there are affordable options that are super cute like sloth planters, candles, and fuzzy ornaments!
One of the best parts of this store isn’t what it sells, its what it gives away– every Monday, a portion of the proceeds go to fun the Las Vegas Homeless shelter! I love supporting businesses that give back– it’s perfectly fitting for the season!
BRING ME MY HORSE AND CARRIAGE!
We all know Coach– I mean, we grew up with it…it’s ICONIC. Coach is know for its classic style, quality construction, and timeless appeal. The past few seasons have definitely brought about a whole new Coach though - updated and modern, yet still staying true to its classic design.
For this season, Coach has dived into their archives and brought back their signature saddle bag and modernized it for today’s woman (or man!), There are some seriously stunning leathers, and you’re definitely sure to find one you love. In addition to bringing back old favorites, Coach has added to your ability to personalize and really make your bag your own; you can now choose your C buckle on certain styles to really reflect your aesthetic. There are glitter buckles, tortoiseshell buckles, even crystal-encrusted buckles, simple–pretty much anything you could want!
TIP: Coach offers free monogramming and customization– make your gift extra special and and add on their initials or some fun icons like dinosaurs or lips!
I was particularly lusting over this mustard leather bomber that they have in their window display - it’s perfection, and I may have a mild obsession with that color this season. It’s pretty much the perfect yellow for a ginger like me! Can someone send it my way for Christmas? I promise I’ve been good…ish. Other favorites are the winter-themed Rexy and Skull pieces - so freaking cute!!
YOU CAN SHIP YOUR PANTS! (AND IT’S OK!!)
Is your credit card smoking? Arms ready to fall off? Been there. Luckily, a new service has popped up in Vegas—Dropit! Dropit allows you to drop off all your purchases at a designated spot, and they will deliver them to your home, hotel room, wherever, the same day!! (Perfect for when you want to check out my next recommendation after a day of shopping…)
Check out Tina, fabulous blogger from Tina in Real Life using the service to take care of her goodies from our shopping trip!
DON’T BE CRABBY - I’LL SHARE.
After a full day of Christmas shopping, it’ll be time to treat yourself to some tasty morsels, and might I suggest Joe’s Stone Crab? It’s definitely a good way to rest your feet and end your day on a good note. Now that you’ve dropped off all your bags with Dropit, you can fully relax with a glass of Sancerre, some oysters, and some seriously delicious stone crab claws.
This was my first time trying stone crab, and DANG!!! What first struck me was the thickness of the shells, they seriously feel like ceramic they’re so thick and hard. What’s inside those shells though, is what Joe’s in known for - DELICIOUSNESS! You can order crab claws in 4 different sizes to suit your tastes. I tried one of Tina’s (Tina in Real Life) – she was gracious enough to trade a crab claw for one of my crabmeat stuffed shrimp, which were also crazy good!
TIP: Definitely try out the tableside Dover sole preparation! They bring out the whole fish, and an expert speedily debones the entire fish in a matter of seconds. It’s insane! (And also very delicious, very light, tasty, and perfectly prepared!)
Other favorites that I’d recommend is the Ahi Tuna Tartare, as well as the stuffed mushrooms. Heaven! I opted to stray from my usual red wine and opted for a light Sancerre, which was a delicious pairing for everything I tried. I’m gonna have to wipe off my keyboard…I’m drooling!
THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
Ok, so I’ve made you a list, no need to check it twice, you don’t have time– THERE ARE ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT! Get on over to the Forum Shops, and stop by some of my favorite stores, which aren’t limited to the ones I’ve talked about in this post—find gifts for the beauty in your life at Sephora or Inglot, techie at Apple (fun fact: I used to work at this location, and it’s the best!!), or fashionista at literally ANY store here! :D Keep an eye out for the new Creed Fragrance store opening soon - they make amazing fragrances that are sure to become your new favorite! (I’m hooked)
Still stumped what to get that special someone? Let me be your elf! I LIVE for finding the perfect gift, so tell me in the comments who you’re shopping for, and I’ll take a stab at thinking up the perfect gift!
Disclosure: Events talked about in this post were hosted by the listed stores and parent location. My opinions are my own.
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