Barrington Shops with C | Holiday Gift Discoveries at The Arboretum of South Barrington

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4 mins read

Ho ho ho, it’s that time of year. The Christmas music is playing, festive lights and wreaths are hung all about, and holiday shopping is in full swing, yippee! My name is Courtney and I am a local Barrington resident and have been almost my entire life. I am the author of A Life From Scratch and the mom of two boys, Logan and Beckett. I am so excited to be partnering up with 365 Barrington to bring a brand new series to our lovely community, called #BarringtonShops with C. This series will focus on all the lovely shopping that can be found right here in our local area!

Yes, I know. It’s super tempting to get in sweat pants and sit on your laptop by the fire and order through Amazon. I feel you. And I don’t judge you.

BUT! There is something to be said to actually hitting up the stores. Seeing the decorations and holding the shopping bags and, not to mention, actually experiencing the merchandise in person. Call me old fashioned, but I’ve really been enjoying my local in person shopping experiences and it totally helps get in the Christmas spirit.

Here’s a look at our first video in the #BarringtonShops series, featuring an exciting day of holiday shopping at The Arboretum of South Barrington!

 

I was so excited to have my first Barrington Shops adventure at the beautiful Arboretum on Higgins Road in South Barrington. Now, I have to say, I’m a little biased to stay on the north side, (I’m a North Barrington gal to the core) but in preparing for this project and shopping around I was so impressed with what the Arboretum has to offer! Not to mention somehow I lucked out with a beautiful almost 40 degree sunny day. Score.

First up I visited LL Bean which is just a go to classic. This store offers wonderful ideas for the entire family. I saw flannels for the guys, snow boards for the kids, sweaters for your mom, and of course, perhaps the most perfect Christmas Eve dress EVER. I mean come on. It’s plaid. And it’s flannel. You just can’t do better. Oh and I can’t forget to mention. Do you know they do in store monogramming? You don’t have to ship your item out. Talk about a great personalized Christmas gift!

 

From there I walked around to a new store, Inspire Blue, which is a wellness center elevating mind, body and spirit through yoga, meditation and holistic Ayurveda therapies. Inspire Bleu carries the full line of Intelligent Nutrients beauty products that are certified organic and vegan! All the products are super organic, super natural, and super good for you. There was a roller, ‘destress express’ that would make a lovely gift for the girlfriend that just always seems to be overwhelmed. Also makes a great stocking stuffer, maybe for your mother in law or sister?

Popped into Bath and Body Works quick because hey, you always need another festive candle. One of our favorites is the Spiced Apple Toddy. Not too sweet and just enough cinnamon and spice.

Sur La Table had some wonderful gift ideas and I could have spent 1,287 hours browsing all the amazingness it had to offer. I LOVED the foodie ornaments, and purchased a darling red popcorn bowl for a family gift for my boys. Totally one of those gifts they might be like ‘eh’ Christmas morning but I know I’m going to hear ‘mom can you make popcorn in the RED POPCORN BOWL’ countless times over the next year. So I consider it a future win.

 

I was seriously not going to enter the Evereve space simply because, well, it’s December and I really didn’t need to empty my bank account but I wanted to check out the giving keys they have been promoting. Such a fun gift idea for girlfriends! They come in larger versions but also smaller ones too for your dainty preferring friend. Bonus that they support jobs for people that are coming out of homelessness. Always feels good to shop a product like that. Price point for the small ones and the larger ones is around $55.00.

At this point I was starving (what else is new) so I grabbed a sweet treat at Anna Shea Chocolates Lounge. Totally what I needed to keep powering through on my shopping adventure. I also picked up the boys some mini snowmen and footballs. So darling. These make a really special gift for the hostess! Or yourself.

A little more browsing and walking around lead me to Arhaus furniture store which I wouldn’t really think to go in for holiday gifts per say, but, they offer some lovely home accessories. I loved their line of beautiful white vases and bowls. They also have some super unique and beautiful candles, along with the coziest throws I think I have ever felt. If you’re looking for a gift worthy enough for mom or your mother in law, check this spot out. Felt special and different.

And that’s a wrap for our first Barrington Shops with C post. I had so much fun putting this together for you, and I hope you were inspired for a gift idea or two for your own list, or, at least inspired to hit the shops. Keeping it local is not only convenient, but, it helps support our beautiful Barrington community!

Want more? You can experience my whole shopping trip in person on the 365 Instagram page. Just check out their ‘featured stories.’ And be sure you’re following along 365 Instagram for more holiday shopping to come!

A client of 365Barrington.com, The Arboretum of South Barrington is an upscale mix of more than seventy shops, restaurants and entertainment venues including iPic Theaters, L.L.Bean and HomeGoods. Additional retailers include Victoria’s Secret, White House | Black Market, francesca’s, DSW, Crazy 8 and more. Restaurants include Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria & Pub, Panera Bread and Noodles & Company. The open-air center is named for the lush treescapes and gardens of its landscape, and for the large tree farm that formerly stood on the site. For a listing of Arboretum shops, events and offers, visit ShopTheArb.com.

 

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