La Diff and Vive owners Sarah Paxton and Andy Thornton made a family trip out of their visit to the New York International Gift Fair; they have their 8-year-old daughter, Lucy, in tow. So along with visits to the showrooms, Javits Center and Pier 94 where the latest in tabletop, home décor and accessories are on display, they’ve visited the Intrepid, caught a glimpse of the Mad Men premiere in Times Square (complete with costume contest) and taken a water-taxi ride around Manhattan.

Paxton says this year the fair is considerably smaller, and she’s noticed a “huge attention to eco-friendly” products, especially new styles of reusable bags. Primarily shopping for small gift items for her stores, Paxton was looking for levity in the products she chose. “It definitely has to have a sense of purpose in their home; it also has to make them laugh or smile because we all for the last nine months have felt like we haven’t been able to spend money.”