and Happy Holidays!

This year has flown by and I still can’t believe that my favorite holiday has already come & gone.

Yes. You read that right… my favorite holiday is Halloween and I didn’t dress up enough! But speaking of holidays… with my birthday always falling a day or so after Thanksgiving, my family is awesome and holds off on Christmas decor until after my day. I guess you can say I’m spoiled and they’re awesome for keeping ‘my day’ separate before the green, red, ornaments and tinsel commence.

However…I have actually been sneaking in things a little bit early. Since I used to work in the retail world, I understand the craziness of Black Friday shopping. It’s fun, but craaaaazy. Once Westfield reached out to me with their ahhhmazing idea of #EarlyShopping and sharing #HowDoYouHoliday — I couldn’t refuse! So here are a few of my tips and the awesomeness of what you can expect at your local Westfield mall.

thanks to my relationship with FKQ & Westfield, I was given the opportunity to do some early shopping, and share the gift of shopping with a winner in exchange for a blog post and social media love. all opinions are my own.

#HowDoYouHoliday: Westfield Shopping Centers are the place to be to get a head start on your holiday shopping. Whether your list is more naughty than nice — you’ll be able to find something for everyone on your list. They even have their own Gift Guide HERE for some extra ideas! You can even download their app to take advantage of shopping discounts and specials events at your local Westfield.

#EarlyShopping begins Saturday, November 20th. Westfield is bringing the fun with their Merry Makers — keep your eyes out for them! They are helping spread holiday cheer around all Westfield malls from November 20th to 27th.

Now onto the fun stuff. I *actually* have not created my list yet, but I did want to share a few tricks of mine for holiday shopping … and those times that you accidentally forgot someone on your list!

“Oops, I did it again!” Ever have that pop into your head when you forgot a gift for someone?! It has happened to the best of us… but here are a few of my suggestions on what to have on hand in case that tune arises!

your girlfriend(s). your mom. your babysitter. cousin. unexpected female houseguest(s). I know you didn’t forget a gift for you momma, but in case you need a little something more!

*Scarves, perfect for any lady in your life — and if you find lightweight ones, perfect for us in Florida!

*I always end up buying an extra pair or two of earrings for this exact reason. If you don’t give them away, keep them or save your receipt!

This is my oldest trick…but I’m not that old. Purchase the fragrance set – bust it open. Purchase the lipstick set – bust it open. Now…you have at least 5-8 smaller gifts to give, or add onto a gift! Personally I love Victoria’s Secret’s sets and the lip sets at Sephora.

Nail polish, on the cheaper side, and who doesn’t love a pretty red for the holidays?!

your boyfriend, your manfriend, your dad, your brother, your grandpa, your cousin, and again, unexpected houseguest(s). All the guys (less than 5, let’s be real here), have always said that girls are hard to shop for. Well then….have they ever tried shopping for themselves! If you ask me, guys are the hard ones to shop for! And they don’t have as many options… But without even looking, I found a couple options.

Socks. Every guy needs them and you can always find them! Buy a basic pair for dad or buy a quirky pair to match the personality of your brohter.

Wallets & money clips. I always love a new wallet — and some dudes like options! Dillards had a great assortment for a decent price. There is also a Fossil at Westfield Citrus Park with even more options.

last minute party, house guest, etc. Now THIS is where we need last minute gifts. We get that invite last minute to a holiday party, don’t have time to grab a bottle of wine.. you catch my drift.

the classic. the smell good candle. Easy to pop a bow on top and run out the door! I would suggest getting a mild-smelling one, just in case they have a sensitive nose.

the techies. your quirky friends. your friend’s mini me. or…I don’t know what to get them?? Yes, we have these too. You’re heading to a friend’s holiday party and wait, they have kids! I am often in this boat since I have no significant other, no close relatives and definitely no kids.

Anyone can use a fun battery pack for their phones. There are sleek & basic ones for the guys and fun colorful pineapples for the kids. I found the one above at Dillards.

POP! figures might be one of my favorite things. They come from Star Trek world, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel and more. Because of all the choices, this does make it a little harder to have one ‘on hand’ for a last minute gift, but some are generic enough; I found these at Hot Topic.

And the finale, the super duper fun part! You get to win!! Thanks to the awesomeness of Westfield, I get to hook up one of my lucky readers with a $100 gift card for any Westfield Mall! Good luck & Happy Holidays!

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Caitlyn

Hey, I’m glad you’re here! I’m Caitlyn, a Tampa native with a love for all things social media, travel & tattoos. It’s no secret that I have a passion for social media - I’ve been at it for 11+ years! When I am not too busy supporting local companies as an SMM, I love to share foodie spots in Tampa and tips for your next Disney trip.