Good Morning! It’s that time of year again! Who is done with their holiday shopping? Yup, me neither. I’ve never understood people who had it ALL done a week out…Such planners 😉 If you are like me and are still on the hunt for some last-minute gifts for folks on your “nice” list who love St. John like we do, then you are in luck. These gift ideas can be enjoyed at home or on your next trip to Love City!
First, because they are a bit more time sensitive, let’s get into the list of things that you can order online to have a taste of St. John delivered to your home for the holidays! Yesterday we posted that Thursday is the last day that you can order St. Johnopoly in order to guarantee Christmas delivery.
It is the absolute best way to celebrate Love City for an evening with your loved ones with familiar favorite establishments lining the game board and island-centric icons as your game pieces. Select a donkey, palm tree or jeep as your game token and head on over to Beach Bar or High Tide from the comfort of your own living room! Order your Fourth Edition copy of St. Johnopoly by Thursday to have it ready to go under the tree next Sunday.
Another absolutely great gift that keeps on giving the whole year long is a St. John calendar. I get one of these for my parents every Christmas so that they can enjoy scenes from their favorite island on the wall year-round. In addition to being beautiful and/or St. John-centric, these are super useful as well and you’re supporting an artist on the ground here in Love City! What’s that we said about planning? 😉
- Steve Simonsen
- Christian Wheatley
- The Mermen of St. John by Mermaid Swim VI (This one is a hoot!)
- Coconut Coast Studios by Elaine Estern (Don’t miss out on all of the other beautiful gifts on this site!)
Another super useful and fun gift idea is anything from VI Swag! This line of accessories lets you and your loved ones represent the Virgin Islands all year long with hats, fanny packs, face buffs and fun stuff for babies, toddlers and even your furry friends!
The fanny packs are perfect for hands free hiking, beaching or boating and the face buffs work great as a pseudo scarf during those cool winter months up north. Oh, and the owner donates 10% of every dog accessory purchase to the Humane Society of St. Thomas…Win, win!
These ones may be a bit less “useful,” but the gift of jewelry from St. John is bound to put a gigantic smile on your special someone’s face this holiday season!
- Caravan Gallery is my absolute favorite jewelry store on island. They have so much selection in every price range and feature a ton of local artists in their shop. And they are currently running a 12 Days of Christmas contest with three days left to play! For all purchases of $50 or more made for the next three days, shoppers will be entered into a raffle for a daily drawing. The winner will receive a bonus piece of beautiful jewelry, hand selected by the in-store specialists each day. Again…Win, win!
- Bamboo Studio is the home of most people’s first hook bracelet. Artists work diligently each day in the studio right in front of the store at Wharfside, creating beautiful gold and silver pieces that are remniscent of St. John.
- Silver petroglyphs, hook bracelets, sea life and mermaids and other eclectic, island centric pieces are what you will find at Freebird Creations. Visit their online store or shop right next to the dock when you are next visiting!
- Oh, and I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t mention the hub of larimar jewelry on island: Vibe St. John. Explore beautiful hand-crafted pieces inlaid with the light aqua gem of the sea online or in person at Mongoose Junction or Wharfside. (Disclaimer: Their website says that holiday shopping has to be done by tomorrow, 12/14, in order to guarantee delivery!)
If you are on the hunt for some stocking stuffers to round out your holiday shopping, absolutely head over to St. John Spice’s website. This place is a must stop for me just prior to shipping out my Christmas packages. The prices are fantastic (for St. John) and there is a ton of great stuff that you can only find here on St. John. Who doesn’t love island hot sauces, ornaments, spice blends, bush tea and coffee in their stocking on Christmas morning? Thanks Santa!
A few other stores to check out online with a really neat selection of St. John style gifts are Sugar Birds, Pink Papaya and Beach Bum St. John.
Alright, so these are all really great ideas for under the tree and enjoying at home. But, what about your loved ones who will be visiting St. John this year? I LOVE buying gift cards for my parents for Christmas that they can use on their annual February visit. It takes a bit of stress off the wallet knowing that a meal or two or a boat day is paid for. And allows the people we love to do more of what they should be doing while visiting: De-stressing and relaxing. Oh, and, for those of us who DO wait until the very last minute to wrap up our shopping…Gift certs are GREAT! Because you don’t need to plan ahead for shipping 😉
Check out the following businesses to purchase gift certificates to be used towards a day on the water:
- Voodoo VI
- On The Sea
- Flyaway Charters
- Sailing Asante
- Love City Excursions
- Dulce Vita Sails
- Sunshine Daydream
If you don’t see your favorite boat charter company on this list, just reach out to them directly! Many of the companies here will absolutely allow you to pre-purchase a portion of a friend or family member’s boat day in advance.
As mentioned above, dining certificates are one of my absolute favorite ways to give the gift of St. John. It’s neat being able to treat your people to a meal or to happy hour, even if you can’t be there with them! The following is a sample of restaurants that sell their gift cards online. But, if you don’t see your favorite here, give them a call to ask about treating your loved ones on their next visit.
- Lovango Resort + Beach Club
- Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse
- Maho Crossroads
- St. John Brewers, The Tap Room
- Lovango Rum Bar
- Beach Bar St. John
- High Tide
And I hope that you will take the time to peruse the merch on a lot of these boat and restaurant websites while you are there! There are some great sun shirts, hats, cups and other fun gifts in the online stores as well as gift certs!
Well, this list has me ready to wrap up my holiday shopping. So, I’m gonna go do that 😉 Happy hunting everyone! I’m wishing each and every one of you a splendid holiday season!
Great ideas! Where would I buy the onesie?
Thank you!