We've once again hit the time of year when at least half of my blog reader is gift guide posts. I LOVE a gift guide post even though I don't often buy from them. I like seeing what other people like! And when I do buy from them it's usually for myself. Probably because we mostly shop from very specific gift lists for many of the people on our lists so I'm (usually) not looking for gift ideas for others. Just for myself. As if I don't have enough other things I'd like to spend my allowance on.
Here is a quick 10 item gift guide of things we've really liked or things our kids have really liked or things we are actually gifting to people or things that are on my own wish list. That's a pretty broad range of things. All of which could make good gifts! I am actually more on top of my shopping than any other year in recent memories. We are DONE shopping for the boys besides their stocking stuffers and have our godchildren maybe 75% of the way done. And our parents ~50% done! That's a great place to be more than a month before Christmas!
Of course, I have NOTHING for Matt besides a single stocking stuffer so I still have shopping to do! If you do too, here are some ideas:
Note: Affiliate links abound below, I make a small (very small) commission off items if you purchase through those links, at no extra cost to you. But these are also things I would tell you about if I didn't make pennies off your purchase. I appreciate your understanding and support! Of course I fully support utilize the library or shop used or from an independent bookstore!
BOOKS
I ALWAYS want a book for my birthday and Christmas (I 99% of the time pick these out for myself, I love my husband but I do not trust his book picking for me). We also always give the boys a book and I give many of our godchildren books as part of their gifts. A lot of book buying!
Don't Forget to Remember by Ellie Holcomb
Who: the preschool-ish age set, kids who love lemurs and like seeing them in books
This is one we are gifting to our two youngest godchildren because it's been a huge favorite around here since we picked it up in the summer. One: it features ring-tailed lemurs and red pandas quite often (as well as mine and Matt's official favorite animals: flamingos and turtles, respectively) AND even I appreciate the message of God not forgetting us, even in our worst days. Seriously, some days I pull this to read to the boys because *I* need to hear the message.
Any Greg Paprocki Alphabet Book
Who: kids who are learning letters, children of parents who like to change out many things for the seasons
Greg Paprocki is one of our favorite picture book illustrators and we've read SO MANY of his alphabet books (I've requested the library to buy a bunch of them too!). His pictures have a neat vintage quality to them and have so many great little details. I read this one to Sam daily in the early days of the pandemic and he had it memorized before too long. He has them for a whole bunch of holidays like Valentine's Day, Easter, we say this one is 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also have School and Camping and National Parks. We love them.
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
Who: anyone who wants/needs more joy in their lives, anyone interested in self-improvement or decorating
I read this book (and gave it it's own post) almost 3 years ago but it's been on my mind a lot lately, maybe because we're over 1½ years into a pandemic and sometimes life feels really hard? I'm SURE that has something to do with it but also, when I wrote that post a whole year before the pandemic...I was thinking then that my life could use more joy too. It's on my list to reread in the new year and then actually implement some of the ideas. Sometimes you just need to be on the lookout for it but, also, sometimes you can take active steps to find it. And this book helps with that.
Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton
Who: travelers, especially of America's National Parks
This is one I read this year and have thought about often since. The author was going through something personally or professionally (or both, I forget all the details) and decided to spend one calendar year visiting all the National Parks. He started with sunrise on January 1st in Acadia and finished with sunset on December 31st, somewhere on the West Coast where the sun set last. I learned a lot about different national parks and how some of them came to be and the significance of many. I don't think I'll ever make it to them all but I really enjoyed following along as he did.
The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel
Who: readers of historical fiction that also have a romance
This is another book I liked so much I gave it it's own post about a year ago but what brought it to my mind lately was my Mom mentioning to me that she read it and really liked it. I can't say I was quite expecting that but it did remind me how much I did like it. When I was looking for a fiction book that I could sort of broadly recommend, this is what I landed on. Yes, it's World War II, but there's also a romance and it's based on a true story, and the Catholics help out, and it's about how kind and wonderful people could be to each other during that horrible time. And my Mom and I both liked it so there is that!
Not-Books
Play Food Sets
Who: preschool-ish set, parents who like the idea of their kids having play food but don't have space for a full play kitchen
Luke was never really into the play food but Sam really is. And then Luke is always interested in what Sam is getting so he's minorly interested in these too. We don't really have the space for a full play kitchen but I like things like this that let them mirror the adults but not make the full mess of real food. My sister had recommended the smoothie set after she got it for her son so we bought it for Sam for his last birthday. We gave this mixer to one of our goddaughters for her first birthday last winter (with this book), and then Sam might be getting this taco set for Christmas (we saw it in a store and he was IMMEDIATELY enamored with it). They've provided a lot of fun for Sam.
Picasso Magnet Tiles
Who: Kids 2+, adults, anyone who likes to play
These are not an original idea but in case there are other parents out there, like me, who avoided them for years because "we have a lot of other toys"...these are as good as everyone says. We bought a set for our boys to share for their birthdays right at the beginning of COVID (literally, gave the tiles to them the day after Luke's last in-class day of 1st grade). Like all other toys, they come and go on how much they use them. Sometimes they are out every day for 2 weeks and then they might stay in the cupboard for 2 weeks. The boys are currently 8 and 3 and they can both play with them (although not always well together, always fights for the biggest pieces) and Matt & I will build with them too. Endless creative fun.
Elephant Pen/Phone Holder
Who: Someone who likes cute things and has a desk or counter
This isn't something I own but it IS something on my Christmas wish list. I don't even have a particular affinity for elephants. Or really even need a pen holder (although this could be a nice upgrade from the blue mason jar I currently use, especially because then I could use the mason jar for peach sorbet) but I stumbled on this on Amazon and just thought it was really cute. You might too.
Window Box Bird Feeder
Who: anyone with a window who isn't afraid of birds
This is an idea I got from Young House Love and since we haven't had a bird feeder since we took down the one the previous owners left hanging over the (very old) AC unit...this seemed like a fun things to share with the boys. Warning, mice (I'm assuming) WILL get into bags of bird seed left in the garage but other wise this has been a fun window addition!
Puzzles
Who: Anyone who likes a cozy winter activity, people who want something to do with their hands while watching tv/movies or listening to podcasts, and kids
We love a good puzzle around here and I am mainly talking about myself and Sam. I LOVE having a puzzle out most of the post-Christmas winter and will frequently work on them when catching up on podcasts or watching something on the tv or to avoid helping with 3rd grade math homework (that I have to google for help with too often even though I have a college degree and actually like math) or when I should be going to sleep but just want to find one more piece (it's so hard to walk away). Sam has also gotten into floor puzzles in the past year-ish and we're still working on him doing them completely on his own (which is fine! Longer until he outgrows them!) and it's a fun activity to do with him. I had my collection down to 5ish and then I expanded it greatly in the past year. Some recent additions: Snowy Bethesda Fountain, All Good Things are Wild and Free, Classic Literature Locations. Sam got this Space Floor Puzzle for his 3rd birthday and will be getting this Christmas Nativity Floor Puzzle for Christmas (please don't tell him). Puzzles are perfect for winter.
No comments:
Post a Comment