I will be the first to admit that I love the convenience of online shopping. It’s so nice to be able to order something from the comfort of your home and have it delivered right to your doorstep! However, there is nothing, and I repeat, nothing, like the mall at Christmastime.
Malls all over the country put up beautiful decorations, bring in their very own Jolly Ol St. Nick, and just transform into these fun and festive places. Growing up, the Danbury Fair Mall was my mall. I went there as a child, teen, and continue to shop there as an adult. While I average a visit about one per week, this time of year is hands down my favorite time to go! Even if I’m not shopping, it’s just a special place to be. I figured now would be the perfect time to feature it in a Catch it in Connecticut post! 🙂
I spent Black Friday at the DFM and while it was a little crazier than normal, it was actually a really fun way to kick off the holiday season. I wandered through the stores, scoped out some unique gift ideas for friends & family, scored a few goodies on sale, and naturally… hit up a couple of my favorite restaurants. 😉
I snapped a million pictures because I wanted to recap my day here on the blog and share a few gift ideas from some of my favorite stores at DFM! If you follow me or the @danburyfairmall on Instagram, you already got a little a sneak peek during my IG takeover), but I’ve got quite a bit more to share…
Francesca’s is one of my favorite places to find small gifts! I pop in here year round to grab cute things for my girlfriends, but this time of year they are stocked with the best grab bag & hostess gifts! A few of my favorites…
Sweet Vanilla Candle // Winter Drinks Book // Cozy Chenille Ruana // Cozy Fur Blanket
My mom & her best friend took me and my best friend to a Vera Bradley trunk show in LBI when we were younger and I immediately fell in love. I have a ton of VB pieces, but use their luggage the most! I love shopping for gifts here because of the variety, quality, and price points! Plus the staff at VB in the mall is SO AWESOME! A few great gift ideas…
2019 Planner // CUTEST Bubble Umbrella // Cosmetic Bag // Travel Duffle
If you didn’t know, I have a bit of a Chick-fil-a obsession. They finally brought a few restaurants to CT and the closest one to me is at the mall…how convenient! 😉 The line is always pretty long, but it moves crazy fast (the staff is on it)! It’s the perfect place to stop and grab a quick bite between all of your shopping. My go-to order is an 8pc crispy chicken nugget meal with a sweet tea and ALL THE SAUCES! I like to have dipping options lol. What do you guys get?
If you want to shop anything beauty related, Sephora is the spot! They have the best gift sets, the latest and greatest in palettes/products, beautiful brush sets, and if all else fails…gift cards! 😉 I’m linking a few of my favorite gift ideas below; most are samplers/sets so the recipient can try a bunch of different things. 🙂
Fragrance Samplers // GlamGLOW Gift Sets // Hair Styling Faves // Sephora LASH Faves
If you don’t get a Starbucks red cup while holiday shopping are you really even holiday shopping?! There are always so many people in line, my TIP….shoot your mobile order over via the Starbucks app for an easy, wait-free pick up! I love the Peppermint Mocha – what’s you SBUX holiday order?
I like popping into Coach because it’s usually pretty quiet & such a pleasant store to browse around! They have come a long way since their “C” pattern days and have some really adorable and affordable gifts for both men and women…
Knit Hat // Cosmetic Case // Nolita Wristlet // Mens Travel Case
Abercrombie has stepped up their game since our middle school days and I found myself shopping there a ton in 2018! I did an IG try-on session on Black Friday and ended up bringing home some of the cutest pieces! Here are a few you must get your hands on…
Off The Shoulder Sweater // Slim Fit Henley // Velvet Jumpsuit // Metallic Mini
Brighton is another really great place to find unique gifts! It’s the place to go when shopping for any of the older women in your life, especially those who love to accessorize! I was in love with that bangle, and these “mystery boxes” which are filled with all kinds of surprise goodies! Here are a few more gifts…
Toledo Picture Frame // Hello Sweets Notepad // Meridian Petite Bracelet // Drop Earrings
Lululemon had some amazing Black Friday deals (did you catch the adorable little girls sharing their finds on my IG stories!?) Gifting a pair of their iconic leggings or super comfy workout apparel is a sure fire way to make the male or female athlete in your life very happy this holiday season! A few of the pieces I’m loving lately…
Free to Be Bra // Crop Leggings // Runderful Long Sleeve // City Adventurer Backpack
Journeys & Journeys Kidz have all of the cutest shoes! Boots, booties, sneakers, heels, slides, slippers, sandals… I love that they have styles that you can’t really find in other stores. These are some of my faves…
Sperry Sherpa Boots // UGG Bella II Moccasins // Pink VANS // OTK Burgundy Boots
The Cheesecake Factory coming to the DFM was the best thing to happen in a long while!
They have something for everyone, the yummiest apps (buffalo blasts & avocado eggrolls are my favorites), that awesome Skinnylicious menu, and of course…the cheesecake. It was literally the perfect way to end my day!
I’ve been back to the mall twice since Black Friday and I can assure you there will be a few more trips before the year ends! Thank you to the Danbury Fair Mall for sponsoring this post & for inviting me to invite you guys to follow along on my Black Friday adventures last week!
Do you love shopping at the mall this time of year too!?
XOXO
