Shopping Local for the Holidays

d’annatta in

Find the Perfect Gift

Tis the season! With Hanukkah and Christmas just weeks away, it’s time to shop for those you love. Gift-giving is my love language, and I love supporting small and local businesses.

When looking for a gift, I seek unique, functional, and well-made pieces. This helps me avoid purchasing items that may end up in the donation pile. When possible, I aim for items that are tailored to everyone. For example, a handmade ceramic serving bowl, would be an excellent match for a friend who is always entertaining and loves to cook. I follow the same rules when buying a gift for a baby or child. Finding the perfect gift is challenging but incredibly fun. Now that the weather has cooled, I grab a sweater, jump in my car and head to some of my favorite spots.

LoveBug Baby & Kids, Las Vegas

LoveBug Baby & Kids

My first stop was LoveBug Baby & Kids. It is a small women-owned / mom-owned business located in Downtown Summerlin. They specialize in baby and kid goods size preemie to 8. Crystal Chase, founded LoveBug just over 16 years ago. She spends most of her time traveling to conventions worldwide seeking unique gifts, high-end merchandise, and essential accessories for babies and kids alike. She organized the store by category and color, which made finding gifts a breeze. I purchased a few space-themed puzzles, beautiful books about bugs, a SVOLTA scooter, and animals, pajamas, and new clothing for my two boys. It was such a great experience. Finding gifts that suit my children’s interests (space, puzzles, scooters and bugs), gave me confidence that these will be gifts they’ll be excited to open and play with.

📍Downtown Summerlin 1980 Festival Plaza Dr #150, Las Vegas, NV 89135

IG: @lovebugbabyandkids

d’annata, Las Vegas

d’annata

My second stop was to d’annata, an up-scale boutique owned and founded by Kristyn Cristalli. This female-owned business opened in March of 2014 and has been a local favorite for many shoppers. D’annata, which translates to “vintage”in Italian, is a warm, inviting space. Here, you can find anything from handmade ceramic wear, one-of-a-kind jewelry, beautifully crafted home wears, furniture, and more! This place is a dream; I could have spent hours there. I purchased a cookbook, a candle, and pajamas. My foodie best friend will love the book I picked out for her. And my candle-obsessed colleague, will love the friendship candle I chose. As for the pajamas, those are for me, and they’re my new fave.

📍Tivoli Village 400 S Rampart Blvd #160 Las Vegas 89135

IG: @dannataboutique 

Kappa Toys, Las Vegas

Kappa Toys

My next stop was Kappa Toys. Opening their first store in Vegas in 2014, husband and wife Lizzie Newsome and Trevor Yopp aimed to open an all-ages toy store. Kappa Toys has a wide variety of offerings, from childhood classics to

curated collectibles and everything in between. I came to Kappa Toys with my sisters-in-law in mind; they love everything kawaii. Not only did I find their favorite collectible dolls, I saw one of my favorite childhood books, assorted scratch-n-sniff stickers for my kids, and other small stocking stuffers. This place is packed with unique and memorable gifts. I am looking forward to watching my family open these presents and seeing

something they didn’t expect but are thrilled to receive. If you have a toy lover on your list, this is the place to go.

📍The Forum Shops at Caesars 3500 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89109 

IG: @kappatoys 

Miss Daisy Flowers, Las Vegas

Miss Daisy

My last and final stop was Miss Daisy, a floral design studio offering gift wrapping. This stunning floral shop was founded in 2014 by Jessica Marshall.

Although they specialize in floral arrangements for large-scale events, they recently began offering gift wrapping. This was the cherry on top of my very long

holiday shopping day. After choosing the style of wrapping paper I wanted, Jessica Zeller, Director of Operations, took my gifts back to be wrapped. I cannot wait to pick them up and see how they look. While there, I learned that they also specialize in curated gift baskets. Know someone who loves to cook? They have specialized olive oils that would make a great gift. Bath lovers? They have soaking salts and body scrubs. These items can be purchased individually as well. Before checking out, I had to peruse their greeting card section (I love to collect greeting cards). I bought fun, unique holiday cards that perfectly matched my beautifully wrapped gifts.

📍3710 W Desert Inn Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102

IG: @missdaisyfloral