The Holiday Season is officially upon us! And many of you out there are pondering what to get your loved ones during this season of giving. Well, if the ones you love also love St. John, you’re in luck. Because there are plenty of ways to give the gift of Love City for the holidays.
Not everyone gets the opportunity to get to St. John every year, but you can bring the gift of Love City into the homes of the people you love in a multitude of ways! For those recipients of your gift giving who are lucky enough to get to Love City over the next few months, a gift card is a great idea (and doesn’t require shipping)! St. John merchandise is always a coveted gift at Secret Santa exchanges within the right circle of people. And, you can even give the gift of island flavors, apparel, images or iconic jewelry. All from the comfort of your home. So, shop on and put a little Love City love under the tree this year. And support a small business on St. John in the process!
I do want to mention briefly, as you probably already know, that shipping is a nationwide issue right now. And, we ARE on island time 🙂 So I might recommend paying attention to the virtual gifts mentioned below if you are bound and determined to have a stocking stuffed full of St. John goodness on Christmas morning.
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park
This one is a WIN WIN! Not only will the recipient of this gift be filled with glee, but your gift giving dollars will be put to good use. By clicking the link above, you can sign up a friend or family member to be a member of Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Or, adopt a turtle in their name. Either way, you will be supporting an essential organization on St. John AND making one of your loved ones over the moon happy!
Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse
Another way to give, and give back, is a Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse gift certificate. This is not a gift for your loved ones, but, instead, a gift for a St. John family in need. From now until December 21, the Steakhouse will be matching these specific gift card sales dollar for dollar for a “Share the Love Food Drive.” The restaurant will use the proceeds of these sales to buy fresh groceries for a local family in need so that they can have a beautiful holiday meal. When you click through on the link above, fill out the certificate form with the following instructions:
TO: food drive
So, contemplate, in this season of giving, participating virtually in a St. John holiday food drive. Groceries purchased will be distributed to St. John families on December 23 and the “FROM” portion of the gift tag will be from you!
Remember that great day that you spent at Maho? Well, commemorate it with some gear from Maho Crossroads! Great conversation pieces to remember your turtle experience or amazing beach day await you in the form of hats, shirts, jewelry and blankets at the Maho Crossroads online store. Gift certificates are also available, so you can buy your beach crew a round of Pink Tacos or Ripples on their next trip down to St. John.
From watersports equipment to unique St. John face masks to jewelry to apparel, VI Eco Tours offers a wide variety of St. John centric items on their website. If you think the special person in your life might enjoy a kayak or paddle board, why not get them one with a St. John stamp on it? They also have gift cards available for your adventurous loved ones to apply to a guided kayak or snorkel trip.
No…You can’t order their rum. Not quite yet anyway 🙂 But, if you are on island, a bottle is a great gift to take home with you for the pirate in your life! They do, however, have a selection of shirts on their website which would be a great gift for the lover of rum in your life. Digital gift cards are also available online for as a great last minute option for your peeps who are St. John bound this year.
Looking for a little island fancy? Caravan Gallery is one of my absolute favorite jewelry stores on St. John. It is locally owned and operated and features a ton of unique jewelry, much of which is made right here on island! Their prices are fair and they always deliver a beautifully unique product.
For the beer lover in your life, this is a one-stop shop. Apparel for men, women, children AND your furry friends, Hydroflasks, reusable cups and gift cards are all available for online ordering on the St. John Brewers website. Get this, you can also get some of that delicious STJ Brewers Ginger Beer or Root Beer delivered for your holiday festivities! Or, purchase a gift card for those of your friends and family who will be lucky enough to sample these brews in person soon.
Put the people you love most in the lap of luxury at Lovango Resort + Beach Club with a gift certificate for their beach club! The Beach Club gift cards can be applied to a cabana, chaise lounge or day bed rental or to a dining experience. Or, you can opt for a gift card good towards accommodations or shopping in the retail village on site.
There are two things I do for my family back home EVERY year. I hit up St. John Spice for a plethora of island flavors and relatively priced gifts (and a Simonsen Calendar…See below!). They have a ton of island hot sauces, spice blends, coffees, bush tea, cookbooks, coffee mugs and so much more. And their prices are always fair by St. John standards. It’s a great way to bring the tastes of St. John home for the holidays.
I’ll admit, Steve is a long time friend of mine and I’m a bit biased about this one…But my parents literally EXPECT the Simonsen calendar in their annual holiday care package 🙂 It’s a lovely (and useful!) way to give the gift of beautiful images of St. John every month of the year.
First stop, last stop, right? High Tide has an amazing selection of apparel, bar ware, décor and CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS! And, all of it will have your loved ones “Livin’ the Dream” all year long. Or, consider buying your friends a round of Painkillers for Christmas with a High Tide gift card, good for use at the store or the restaurant.
Oh, and what better way to say “I Love You” than a memorable day on the water? Many St. John based boat companies offer online gift cards of various denominations that can be used at anytime and can be applied to the overall cost of a boat day! As I mentioned, gift cards are fantastic last minute stocking stuffers because there is no shipping required…AKA less holiday stress! For any of the below listings, click on the link and go to “Book Now” to purchase a gift card.
Also, please consider a donation to a St. John non-profit organization during this holiday season. Supporting small businesses is ABSOLUTELY fantastic. But, if you visit regularly, please take a moment to engage in supporting the community here on island. Whether it be $5 or $500, every little bit helps! We understand that vacationing here is expensive and that a lot of you dedicate your entire savings each year just to be here with us for a month. And we are so incredibly grateful for all of you and your smiling faces on this little rock year after year!!!
But, there are many organizations on the ground here on St. John that keep things pretty, keep the community support going strong and are aimed at creating a better future for the environment, residents AND visitors here (that’s you!). So, if you have an extra few dollars after your holiday shopping, take a moment to pay it forward during this beautiful season of giving.
I wish the happiest of holidays to all of you beautiful people out there. Happy online shopping! And we hope to see you soon here in Love City 🙂
~Shop St. John Deals for holiday gift giving at a discounted rate~
This is a great article. After Thanksgiving I made purchase from High Tide and the Animal Care Center. My husband is getting a St. John themed present this year. Perhaps I need to spread a little more love around.
You forgot to mention your resident artist Elaine Estern and her Coconut Coast Studio with a wide selection of island inspired artwork and gifts, located in Frank Bay.
Perfect timing – I just needed one more thing.
Thank you for this post.
Happy Holidays to you and your family and the beautiful island of St.John and it’s people.