My holiday wish list takes up very little shelf space, though it does require someone to get their hands on my face. There’s also pasta to make, dancing to attempt, and a game show where I’d like to test whether I’m as clever as I think. Gifting any one of these four experiences this holiday season will make you a very popular not-so-secret Santa.
Happy Face Massage
A massage is a particularly good gift for the tense times we live in. But have you ever had someone spend an entire appointment on your face? At Happy Face Massage, owner Kelly Thompson, a licensed massage therapist trained in facial gua sha and certified in Reiki, gives those often-overlooked muscles the attention they need.
Her team offers sculpting facial massage and buccal massage, which work inside and outside the mouth, alongside full-body massage, Environ facials, and red light therapy. The 90-minute Happy Face & Buccal Massage ($229) finishes with a sound bath.
- Insider Tip: Buy a gift card from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, for 15% off, which would bring that $229 treatment to $194.65. Purchase online, by phone at 702-595-8085, or at the studio’s open house at 501 S. Rancho Drive, Suite D24, where free chair massages and discounted spa gift baskets add incentive to stop by.
Balla Italian Soul
Eating dinner together is great, but making dinner together gives you something to bring home besides leftovers. At Balla Italian Soul inside Sahara, executive chef Michael Vargas leads pasta-making classes with demonstrations, hands-on instruction, freshly made pasta to eat, and dough to take home.
The Nov. 14 class features fettuccine and garganelli. Class starts at 3 p.m. and includes a welcome glass of wine, additional pours, and light bites. Nonalcoholic drinks are available, too.
- Insider Tip: Classes cost $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and accommodate just 20 participants, ages 21 and older. Choose your class here. Budget for two if this is a date-night gift; Sahara offers free self-parking and valet.
Dance With Me
For the person who watches “Dancing With the Stars” and starts offering technical critiques from the couch, a lesson could be a revealing gift. Dance With Me in Tivoli Village offers private instruction, group classes, and social dance parties, with no partner or previous experience required. Its $49 introductory special for new students includes a private lesson plus a group class or invitation to a social party.
- Insider Tip: Through Nov. 30, the introductory special covers up to two people, so the couch critic can bring a partner. Call or text 702-710-1100 to book.
Great Big Game Show
Every family has someone who insists they would dominate on a television game show. Now you can put them to the test on the Great Big Game Show — a live, host-led competition with 60-minute shows mixing trivia, strategy, speed, and luck. Choose between AREA15 and The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, or arrange a private booking for your crew. November and December birthday celebrations also get a spotlight moment and song during the show.
- Insider Tip: Tickets start at $43 per contestant. Gift cards never expire, are location-specific, and cover one contestant in one game.
