Shoppers, take your mark
Area shopping centers are festooned to the rafters with decorations, they’ve piped in the holiday tunes, Santa’s in place, and are now they’re set to lure consumers with all kinds of promotions on Friday and Saturday. A sampling:
• FlatIron Crossing in Broomfield opens at 5 a.m. Friday and will serve breakfast to the first 300 people wearing pajamas. Entertainment by Dotsero and a free gift are in store for those attending the event on the lower level Macy’s court. At 11 a.m., the center presents a “Get Gifted” challenge to see who can unwrap the most packages in the least amount of time, and $500 in gift certificates will be at stake. And at 11:30 a.m., the first 200 shoppers in line at the Macy’s court will get $10 gift cards to the center’s coffee and tea shops.
• Park Meadows in Lone Tree opens at 7 a.m., but such stores as Macy’s and J.C. Penney are opening at 4 a.m. Friday. Members of the center’s holiday team will be handing out perks and prizes, including gift cards, and shoppers can redeem receipts of $100 or more for a $10 gift card (redemption zone in front of Macy’s on the lower level, from 7 a.m. to noon). Also a number of new stores have opened, including Michael Kors, Tommy Bahama, Bare Escentuals, Orvis, Flip Flop Shops, Lids, Little Bugs Boutique, The Make Up Store, Oshkosh B’Gosh and the first Crocs flagship.
Sparkling through the season
Two big benefits held at the same venue on consecutive nights will give trendsetters a chance to wear their hottest holiday outfits and raise money for local charities the first weekend in December.
• First up, Dec. 4, is the annual Volunteers of America Holiday Fashion Show. Styles from Garbarini, Lawrence Covell and Mariel will be shown at Exdo Event Center, 1399 35th St. The event kicks off with a VIP preparty at 6 p.m. and includes drinks from Three Olives and appetizers from Edge, Table 6 and Happy Cakes; doors open at 7 p.m., and the runway show is at 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40 and go up to $500 for a cabaret table for four, or a sponsor cabana for $2,500. For tickets, go to , and click on “events.”
• On Sunday, Dec. 5 Red Ball 2010: A Night of Frost & Fire will take over Exdo to raise awareness for World AIDS Day and money for the Colorado AIDS Project. A “fiery” cocktail party, “icy” runway show and after-party are planned. Fashions from nine Colorado designers will include works by Gabriel Conroy, Jose Duran, Rachel Marie Hurst, Elza Jensen, Lauren Jones, Mona Lucero, Sara Mesmer, Francis Roces and Kotomi Yoshida. An alternative hair show is also part of the entertainment, with 10 salons participating: Copperfalls, El Salon, Eminently Hair, Ergun Tercan, Matthew Morris, Rebelle, Scarlett, Serenity, Tribe and Twig. The VIP reception starts at 6 p.m., costs $75 and includes drinks, hors d’oeuvres, runway seating and the after-party; for general admission, doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets are $50 for the runway show and after party; tickets for those 30 and under are $30. Go to for purchase.
Shopper’s helper
Don’t let anyone try to convince you that shopping isn’t a workout. All that walking, lifting, toting hefty bags. Aveda’s Experience Centers are offering a breather from the mayhem at its stores in three area shopping centers Friday and Saturday. Visitors can opt for one of three “rituals” designed to ease tension on the scalp and shoulders, neck and shoulders, or hands; they’re also offering makeup and hairstyling touchups. And if you just need a cup of tea, the Aveda centers are pouring free herbal infusions of licorice root and peppermint Comforting Tea. Check in for services at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Park Meadows in Lone Tree and FlatIron Crossing in Broomfield. — Suzanne S. Brown
