Bebe Rexha shares her favorite holiday memories, and gives the scoop on her upcoming performance for Bloomingdale’s event on Nov. 18.
It’sIt’s the holiday season and Bloomingdale’s is ready to “Give Happy.”
The department store is honoring its hometown of New York City on Thursday (Nov. 18) with a special performance from New Yorker Bebe Rexha. The festive bash will take place at Bloomingdale’s iconic 59th Street flagship in Manhattan, where Rexha will perform her hit songs “In the Name of Love”, and “Meant To Be,” along with the holiday classic, “The Christmas Song”.
The event is open to the public, who can attend by registering here.
“I was born and raised in New York so New York will forever have a special place in my heart and to be asked to perform at such a special event is so exciting,” Rexha tells Billboard of the event. “Not only because I get to perform my own songs in the city I grew up in, but also because I’ll get to see some family during this time. It’s an honor and it’s very exciting.”
As for her performance, Rexha shares that it’s going to be a “stripped down acoustic performance,” perfect for getting into the cozy holiday feels.
“Every year, we look forward to our holiday unveiling event as a gift to our customers and the city of New York. And, this year, we are even more excited to come back together and celebrate,” added Frank Berman, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Bloomingdale’s in a press statement. “And, with the launch of our many exciting experiences in store and online, there is so much for our customers to discover all season long.”
The “Give Happy” celebration will continue with additional festivities presented by Klarna, including the reveal of Bloomingdale’s famous holiday window displays, additional performances throughout the store from the Broadway Sinfonietta and Broadway Inspirational Voices Choir and the launch of holiday activations and experiences (see the full list of experiences below).
This year’s “Give Happy” windows embody the cheer and optimism of the holiday campaign, with an explosion of brilliant colors in six holiday scenes across the Lexington Avenue windows.
Shop Bloomingdale’s Holiday Gift Guide
As a New York native, Rexha has plenty of holiday memories in the magical city of NYC. “Honestly I have such a big family, I have over 30 cousins on one side of my family, on my mom’s side and I just love it any time both sides of the families get together and there’s just so many of us,” she says with a laugh. “We’re Albanian, so we’re super loud but we’re very loving and the energy of having all of the family at the house during the holidays. You can never match that energy. It’s so special. So my favorite holiday memories are of all of my relatives coming together and just having so much fun during the holiday season.”
This year, however, the Grammy nominated singer is “going to probably lay low in LA and spend it with my boyfriend and my dog Bear.”
Despite the chilled-out 2021 holiday, Rexha is thrilled to be “around the people that I love and that make me happy. That is all that I wish for.”
Shop Bloomingdale’s holiday selection here, and check out the full list of festive fun for this year’s “Give Happy” campaign below.
59th Street Flagship Holiday Experiences
DIFFA “Holiday By Design” Designer Holiday Table Auction (November 18 – December 9):
Per a press release: “Get inspiration for your holiday table and join Bloomingdale’s in giving back to the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA). The country’s best interior designers, along with Bloomingdale’s favorite home brands, have teamed up with DIFFA to create 12 extraordinarily over-the-top tablescapes to be auctioned to benefit DIFFA. Designers include Nate Berkus, David Rockwell, and Lizzie Tisch x LTD by Robert Verdi, with products from top brands like Baccarat, Bernadaud, Juliska, L’Objet, Royal Copenhagen, Waterford, and Wedgwood. DIFFA grants to organizations providing treatment, education, and assistance for people impacted by HIV/AIDS, homelessness, hunger, and mental health issues. Visit https://www.charitybuzz.com/bloomingdales starting November 18 to view the tables online, and place your bid to take home the ultimate entertaining tablescape for your holiday celebrations. The auction closes on December 9, and the tables will remain on display until December 12.”
Location: 4th Floor
Santaland, Presented by Klarna (Weekends November 18 – December 24):
Per a press release: “Snap a photo with Santa Claus in a private 20-minute meet and greet. Presented by Klarna, guests can select a traditional ‘North Pole’ setting or a special ‘South Pole’ setting for their holiday photo. All appointments will receive a complimentary digital and print photo, as well as a special holiday face mask and sweet treat. Visitors can also decorate the sweater of the collectible Bloomingdale’s Little Brown Bear, and enjoy a pet primp station on select weekends.”
RSVP: Available by appointment only, contact the Visitor’s Center to book your time.
Location: Holiday Trim Shop, 6th Floor .
“Give Happy” Lounge with Custom Gift Wrap Station, Presented by Klarna (November 18 – December 24):
Per a press release: “Receive a roll of custom wrapping paper printed with a favorite photo of yourself (or someone else!) with any purchase of $100 or more, or if you make a purchase at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street using the Klarna app. Through Klarna’s flexible, contactless payment solutions, customers can shop at Bloomingdale’s in store and online and pay in four interest-free installments. Relax in our Give Happy Klarna lounge, where you can write out a card for your gifts or enjoy a holiday treat while you wait for your paper to be printed.”
Location: 2nd Floor
The Carousel “Happy Together Again” Nespresso Pop-up (Weekends & select dates November 6 – December 23):
Per a press release: “The Carousel @ Bloomingdale’s “Happy Together Again” transports you to a quaint Italian café for the holidays with its Nespresso pop-up. This pop-up café will offer complimentary beverages to fuel holiday shopping on select days, and is an inviting space to enjoy a break. The Carousel @ Bloomingdale’s: Happy Together Again is the holiday edition of the rotating pop-up shop dedicated to the art of entertaining, curated by Italian chef, restauranteur, and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis.”
Location: Carousel, 1st Floor
Ralph Lauren Ski Chalet (November 18 – December 24):
Per a press release: “The Polo Shop at Bloomingdale’s transports you to Cortina, Italy, featuring a Polo ski-inspired collection, along with a special curation of men’s, women’s, kid’s and home products. The chalet features Ralph Lauren’s immersive RL Virtual Experience store, along with special experiences like a complimentary photo booth, gift wrap, hot cocoa, and more. And, join us live from the Chalet on December 8 via Bloomingdale’s On Screen for a styling event with two-time Olympic medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, along with Bloomingdale’s Men’s Fashion Director Justin Berkowitz.”
Location: Men’s Polo, Lower Level.
Coravin Wine & Bubbles Bar (Select dates November 4 – December 31):
Per a press release: “Join Coravin at its first retail pop-up wine bar in the U.S., where they will be showcasing their highly coveted wine and champagne preservation systems to pour a rotating selection of wine & bubbles flights with bites by Forty Carrots, Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. Discover the entire Coravin product line in action with wine by the glass systems that let you explore any bottle, any time, and preserve what’s left, so the last glass tastes just like the first.”
Location: 8th Floor
“Give Happy” Food Truck (November 18 and December 11, 4 – 8 p.m.):
Per a press release: “Visit the Give Happy food truck for a sweet treat with any Bloomingdale’s purchase.”
Location: Lexington Ave
