Last year, I handled a ton of my shopping for everyone from a three-year-old to a 63-year-old there, and this year, I had the pleasure of shopping with my Dad and husband, on a snowy winter Saturday. With 125 boutique-like shops to choose from, don’t expect to find the run-of-the-mill New York City tourist items here, but instead, unique gifts and tasty eats by small businesses and shop owners in the NYC area.
Now through January 5th, 2014, you can hit up the quaint and festive holiday shops lining the ice skating rink at Bryant Park, known as The Bank of America Winter Village!
[The free gift wrapping station]
You’ll find everything from retro and current posters at Dekco, Peruvian sweaters at the White Llama, luscious hand soaps at Sabon, and knitted children’s hats at Animal Paradise, all the while satisfying our sweet tooth with a donut-croissant hybrid at Jolie’s Sweet Creations. We snacked on a delectable strudel-hot dog combination at Strudels & Pies by Hans, and took an “us-ie” (what my dad called a “selfie” of the three of us) photo under the massive holiday tree. Plus, Levi’s stores and the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park offer free gift wrapping with your purchase, located at one of the kiosks on the south side of the park. Could holiday shopping get any easier? Nope, probably not!
[Even getting pelted by snow can’t damper the fun at the holiday shops1]
Plan your visit this season to Bryant Park (42nd Street and Sixth Avenue) to check out the holiday shops and/or take a whirl around the ice skating rink (general admission to the rink is free) or Le Carrousel, and plan your visit in advance by checking out the map, found here, and click here for hours of the rink, holiday shops, and restaurants and bar.
Full Disclosure: Gift certificates were provided to Fashion Pulse Daily from the Holiday Shops.
