Christmas Shopping

Here I am in my bedroom with my laptop, a bag of (Way Better Sweet Potato) chips, and a (all-natural sparkling apple) soda, doing Black Friday shopping online.

I'm telling ya, halfway to hippie is almost normal...

But here's what I thought as I was browsing stores while baby girl naps and Daddy braves the shopping crowds to take the boys out to lunch....  people are always asking what we buy our kids.  When people find out that we don't eat candy, or sugar for that matter, they immediately wonder what's in our stockings at Christmas, what kind of cakes are at our birthday parties, and what on earth do you eat after Thanksgiving dinner?

Holidays are synonymous with eating, eating indulgently, and eating sweets.

Well, we're really no different.  We like to eat a lot, too.  But I'll share some holiday recipes later.

In the meantime, here are some items that are high on my list for filling stockings, and for putting under the tree this year.

Please note that there may be some affiliate links.  You will not get charged any extra for using these links, nor will any personal information be exchanged.  Rather, I will get a few pennies for anything purchased through a link, which will somehow justify this blog a little to my dear hubby... :)
 
Any kind of blocks!  Classic wood blacks are great, but I do worry about them inflicting a wound when they fall on a child's head.  I may be a bit paranoid.  They're a classic.  But, we also love Mega Bloks First Builders Deluxe Building Bag, bristle blocks  

any trio (this Trio Lights and Sounds Fire Station
 looks particularly cool!), and LEGO DUPLO Bricks & More Deluxe Brick Box 5507
...  just in case you're buying for a kiddo who hasn't reached the appropriate age for legos.  The nice thing about trio and duplo is that they sell generic sets great for open-ended play, but they also seel themed sets for superheroes, or Disney characters, which my kiddos think is extra special. 

Building Sets.  I love this building set at Lakeshore Learning.  And I know my kindergartener will, too.  He's also aching for an Erector Set.  I just don't know that I'm aching for all those little pieces in the house with baby girl running around.  That is the reason we haven't taken on legos yet, either



Imaginary Play.  Tea sets and dolls, kitchens and toy food, construction tools and hard hats... you name it, kids love it.  Pick up some clearance costumes and see what kind of fun they have.  The knight and soldier costumes are particularly well-worn in our home!  

Activity Mats.  These are great for all ages.  You're probably familiar with the ones designed for infants that have danglings goodies for reaching and kicking, but activity mats for preschoolers and early grades are awesome, too.  They have all sorts of scenes, but the roads and city mat (or rug) is probably the most familiar.  Thery do have prehistoric scenes for dinosaur lovers, for example.  We made our own activity mats.  I'll share that with you later, too. 

Tents.  There are easy-peasy pop-up tents of every shape and size for every child's taste.  Our tent stays indoors, and has served as a castle, restaurant, home, cave...

Art and Craft Supplies.  My kids can't get enough pipecleaners and construction paper.  I highly recommend a stocking filled with creative items like paint, or glitter-glue.  Depending on the child's age and interests, fill the stocking with stamps or markers.  Older kids may appreciate finer art supplies like nice brushes and acrylic paints, a set of chalk, watercolors, black pens, charcoal, or anything else that they have been eyeing.  Nice yarn, knitting needles, crocheting needles, sequins, beads, jewelry making supplies, and more will fit nicely into a stocking.  My kids love going to craft stores.  It's a bit dangerous.  

Toobs.  There are these nifty things called "Toobs."  They are a tube of clear plastic with about a dozen small molded plastic figures in a particular theme.  For example, the Safari Ltd. Wild Toob has all sorts of wild animals.  The Safari Ltd. Space Toob has everything outer space.  And, the Safari Ltd Knights and Dragon Toob has knights, horses, and a token dragon.  There are tons of options making them perfect for any child's interests (trains, cars, boats, dinosaurs, animals).  Their size and price makes them a perfect gift for a neighbor child, a great stocking stuffer, or an addition to an activity mat or building blocks.  We love them. 

   


Games and Puzzles.  This category if huge, and will depend on the child.  I never really cared for puzzles as a child, so that would have been a terrible gift idea.  Board games were not particularly fun either, as far as I was concerned.  BUT, logic puzzles, or one-person games were downright addicting.  I'm somewhat of a soduku fiend now, for example.  So my point is, regardless of the child, there is probably some sort of game or puzzle that they would enjoy.

Something to Read.  There are soooooooo sooooooo many good books out there!  If you're not sure what to get, search for the most popular on amazon, ask your local librarian, or sit with a cup of coffee in a bookstore one weekend.  While they may not be the highlight of Christmas morning, in my experience, books are often the gifts that will be treasured the longest.  Don't forget to sign the inside cover for your little ones - they love that!

Ok, now back to shopping!  Please, tell me, what are your brilliant gift ideas this year?  What is your favorite way to shop or get a deal?  Help a momma out...