Holiday Shopping Guide

I love shopping local, and here are some of my favorite places to do so!

Shopping local is one of my favorite hobbies. This is the time of the year where local businesses can truly shine. The perks of shopping local are endless. Here are a few reasons why I advocate shopping loca:

• When you shop local you are directly impacting families in our community.
• I admire individuals who start a business. They are following a dream and helping make the local community more unique.
• Local business owners do so much in our community. They give of their time and resources. Let’s support them back.
• Local businesses have amazing customer service. Most of the vendors I am recommending will gift wrap, walk the items out to your car, ship the items all across the country and personal shop for your hard-to-shop-for friends!

Many of these businesses have events and special promotions this holiday season. I have gathered details on all planned events for the below vendors. Make sure to share with me if you get any of these items for yourself or for loved ones this holiday season.

5 Places to Shop for Moms, Friends, Sisters-in-law, BFFs and Teachers:

*Elixir Skincare Studio is the most honest skincare place I have ever visited. The owner, Rica treats every client as an individual. She has researched and read about how to truly care for individuals. There is not one person I have recommended to Elixir that has not had a stellar experience. Book an appointment for yourself or consider this as an amazing gift for a special person in your life. This Saturday (Nov. 17), Elixir is having a Beauty + Jewelry Event on from 12-4 p.m. Stop by anytime from 12-4 to shop skincare, gifts, and jewelry. Wild Mint Jewelry will be selling her custom pieces.  There will be raffle giveaways!! elixirskincarestudio.com

Elixir and earrings that will be available at the Elixir pop-up event

*Adorn Designs: This new store will get you into the holiday spirit upon arrival and is the ultimate store to get you ready for every holiday. There is great selection of items for gifts, too. On  Black Friday, the following discounts will be offered: 10% off a purchase of $200, 15% off $300, 20% off $400, 25% off $500 and above, excluding Sweet Savannah, Bean Sprinkle, Twelfth Night Studio Santas, Mark Roberts, Jay Strongwater, and Moser Crystal. Stay tuned for a full blog post on this shop next week! www.adorndesignstulsa.com

*Sara Bost Fisher Art is addicting. Once you have one of her items, you may be caught daydreaming about the next one on your wishlist. She has items for every budget. This mixed-media master is my favorite. Her paintings of sweet treats can make anyone start craving a treat. Plus, her awesome trays are great for organizing in style.  Sarabostfisherart.com

*Neu Creations creates custom items for your wall, from holiday decor, birthday celebrations or custom frames to make your home unique. Their customer service is through the roof. And if you need help creating a custom piece, they will guide you. If you order from them on Black Friday, they are offering 10% off all orders over $100. www.facebook.com/pg/EmilyNeuCreations

*Beautycounter: So this business is huge but has a local rep, Meredith Nelson, who turned me on to my favorite cold-season beauty item. Each cold season, my daughter Blythe and I develop dry patches on our face and arms. One day I was talking to Meredith about this. She promised that she had the solution for us. Well, she was 100% right! Beautycounter has tons of awesome products. I’m a huge fan of the blush and lipstick. But now you will see me carrying around the Baby Daily Protective Balm. It cured my dry patches fast. And now I put on a little bit at night on those problem areas to make sure I am doing all I can to keep those spots from returning. www.beautycounter.com/meredithnelson

5 Places to Shop for kids:

*The Lolly Garden is hands down the girls favorite store to visit.  There are gifts that start at $10 and they have an endless supply of unique Christmas items. The girls are going to be jazzed to start their Advent calendars this year. The one we decided on is a bracelet: each day you get a charm for the bracelet. Another perk of this store is that they have clothing from newborns to tweens. I can shop for all my nieces and nephews in one location. Gift wrapping is free all year round. Starting the week of Thanksgiving, they are offering a discount of 20% all week. www.lollygarden.com

*That’s Dancing is a local dance company that offers dance classes for children. Besides taking classes, you can host birthday parties at the studio. A gift card would be an amazing gift to give a child on your Christmas list. If you want an item to accompany your gift card, the studio is offering 25% off all dancewear and dance shoes from now until Christmas Day. In December they also host a special Holiday Night called “Santa’s Last Chance.” This is a 4-hour event on Friday, Dec. 14th where kiddos can come dressed in their PJ’s and spend a fun evening  at the studio. They offer games, crafts, dancing, and have a “special” visitor from the North Pole! It’s 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14th; the cost is $40 for one child and a $20 sibling discount for any other children. thatsdance.com

*The Stemcell Science Shop is the coolest shop. The owners are experts and can tell you the story behind each item in their shop. They also just launched a new website. Someone special in our life is going to get a subscription this year to their monthly Matter Subscription Box. The girls have been wanting one of their astronaut suits for over a year. Perfect for the science lover in your life. stemcelltulsa.com

*Dust Bowl Lanes in Tulsa is a favorite fun spot for my family. In the cooler months in Tulsa, there are not tons of options of things to do indoors. The girls love to go bowling. It’s an added bonus that parents can also enjoy an adult beverage during bowling. www.dustbowllounge.com/locations/tulsa/

*Kiddlestix Toy Store is filled with your kids’ Christmas list dreams. The price points on the items they offer are awesome. Gift wrapping is free. The staff is knowledgeable and will help you find the perfect item. The learning toys they have in stock are my favorites. www.kiddlestixtoys.com

Five other places to Shop local for anyone on your list:

*The Tulsa Botanic Garden is one magical place. Getting a membership is a great way to save money. Also, there are events throughout the year that members get early access. This Christmas season they are also having their first light display. www.tulsabotanic.org

*Topeca keeps my java I.V. filled. Give the coffee lover in your life fresh coffee, a gift card or take them there on a date. This Friday, November 16, from 4 to 10 p.m. is their Philcade Location’s grand opening cocktail party. Now they have cocktails to enjoy. www.topecacoffee.com

*Oklahoma Aquarium is a favorite spot for our family all year round! We go there almost every week. The staff is always friendly and teaches the girls something new. It is also awesome to let them run around when it is freezing outside or during the warm months. The amount of money you can save with a membership is truly the way to go! www.okaquarium.org

*OkCookieMomster is a sweet stop of cookies made from real ingredients. Each year we purchase the cookie kits that allow you to make cookies at home. Also, if you have someone with a gluten-free diet on your list, they have the most delicious gluten-free cookies. Cookies can be shipped to anyone on your list all across the USA. A new addition for the cookie fans is to host a cookie party. This is a great idea for a girls night out! www.okcookiemomster.com

*I crave Glacier Confection nightly and am beyond proud to have this local establishment in Tulsa. Literally, I have not tasted a treat here that I did not love. These treats can be shipped all over the country. Forbes just named them one of the top 8 chocolatiers in the country. www.glacierconfection.com