 Money! |
| One last day and have nothing to give someone? Head to the ATM and put some money in a nice card for the holidays. Your credit card company may also offer cards that you can put money on to give as well. |
 Framed Photo |
| Have an old photo laying in a box that would be nice to have framed and put on a shelf? Take it to a store that has a photo kiosk (Walgreens, Wal-mart, Target, etc.) and get a print made of it. Buy a nice frame and wrap it up for a nice, thoughtful gift! |
We are leaving today for Kansas City and will be gone a week or so. We are busy packing up our gifts and getting out our warm coats, hats, and gloves (which we haven't needed in Texas yet) and looking forward to some time spent with family. I'll be posting pics throughout the week of our various activities.
 Alcohol |
| Wouldn't be Christmas without some alcohol being involved! Wine is always a good gift especially if it is coupled with a beautiful wine bag that makes it especially nice for giving. You could also splurge for some top shelf liquor for someone who wouldn't normally pay the extra cash. Maybe get a martini glass set, add the vodka and mixer and you have a complete gift that any martini lover would enjoy receiving. You may also consider buying someone a good wine opener or a nice set of bar tools. |
 DIY Gift Baskets |
| Consider putting together a gift basket for someone on your list and then wrap it all up with some of this awesome stuff. -Holiday themed basket. Pack a pretty ornament, a holiday CD and a poinsettia together for a nice Christmas presentation. -Recipe basket. Put together the ingredients for your favorite recipe and hand write the recipe on a nice card. -Fruit/plant basket. Find some interesting fruit and a small Christmasy plant to put together. -Sports themed basket. For the sports enthusiast, pack a basket with interesting sports memorabilia. -Any other interest you can think of, find items related to that topic and put them in a basket! :) |
 Event Tickets |
| I'm a big believer in giving things to create new experiences for people such as the hotel stays or classes that I previously mentioned. You might also choose to buy someone (or an entire family) tickets to an event they may not otherwise attend. Family with small children? Maybe tickets to a Disney on Ice event. Poor college student? Two tickets to see their favorite band. Somebody who loves comedians? Tickets to a comedy festival. Or if you don't know who they may want to see, gift cards are also an option. If you buy the tickets but the actual tickets aren't available yet to give for Christmas (because they are being mailed or whatever), you will need to have something to physically give them as their gift. In the past, I have created my own document that explains the event, the date, etc., and had it printed at a place like Kinko's or CopyMax on very heavy paper which makes it nicer for giving. Ticketmaster has a Holiday Guide that makes it easy to find events by demographic or location and also info on purchasing gift cards. http://www.ticketmaster.com/holiday2006?tm_link=tm_home_d2 |
 Class or Lesson |
| People often love the idea of learning something new and it would be a great gift to get them a class or lesson on a topic they've been wanting to know more about. I once gave my mom a session with a professional makeup artist (not that she needed it, just because it's fun) and gave Andy a flight lesson. Other ideas might include guitar lessons, yoga classes, cooking class, art class, beading class and anything else that might be of interest to someone. |
On Monday, I took Payton, Aubry (who stayed the night the night before) and Blake to see Charlotte's Web. I packed the tissues because I knew it would get me and it did. I've heard that it's best for ages 7 and up but Blake enjoyed it. I think kids that enjoy Babe would like this movie because it's similar CGI animation. I highly recommend this movie for kids. We have so many movies to see over the next couple of weeks - more on those as we see them. :)
Payton is now out of school for 2 1/2 weeks so let the fun begin! On Saturday, we went to Putt Putt and drove go carts, played mini golf and video games. I forgot my camera and used my camera phone but can't figure out how to get the pics off without paying a fortune to upgrade my account. We had so much fun and Blake's ability to do more means more fun for all of us.
Sunday was my birthday and we went to my favorite Japanese restaurant. It was extra yummy this time and the perfect birthday dinner.
Payton trying to hide from the camera (tiny hint of braces)...
Typical rock, paper, scissors game while we waited at least 45 minutes for our food.
The onion volcano that fascinates Blake every time...
Blake loved the food - he exclaimed "this is so yummy!" and the other people at the table got a kick out of that.
 Magazine Subscriptions |
| Kids love to get mail that's just for them so why not sign them up for a subscription to a magazine on a topic that they love? Many magazines will even let you subscribe online and provide a printable gift card that you can give for Christmas (preferably given with a current issue of the magazine if you can get one on newstands so that the kids can see what they can expect in the mail). Adults also love to get non-bills in the mail so subscriptions for us are also nice. Popular Science happens to be a favorite at our house but there are so many on every topic that it should be easy to find one to suit just about anyone's interests. Amazon has hundreds of magazines available with printable gift cards that you can purchase within minutes. |
 Fresh Flowers |
| Every year we send Andy's mom a big poinsettia like the one pictured above. Other fresh flowers that are great at Christmastime are fresh wreaths and fresh flower centerpieces for Christmas dinner. Many local florists will deliver the same day that you call to place an order so it's an especially good gift for some of the people you may not have gotten a gift for yet. |
"I'm 32 years old, that ain't the end. But it sure ain't where I began."
- from Jewel's song "Stephenville, Texas"
 Harry and David Gift Towers |
| Harry and David has yummy treats that make great gifts especially at Christmas. They are known for their juicy pears and have lots of other goodies in their gift towers including chocolate truffles, cherry chocolates, Moose Munch, mixed nuts and many other options. We like sending them to people who don't have a lot of room for storing new gifts (like my grandpa who lives in a small apartment) or people who seem to have everything. This tower is called Christmas Classic Tower of Treats and it costs $44.95 but there are many options available. http://www.harryanddavid.com |
I was tired of my long, heavy hair so I took in this pic of me when I was 21 as the style I wanted. At the time, I didn't own a curling iron or hair dryer or have any hair products and the style just kind of seemed to fall into place nicely.
This is how it looks after the cut.
I think my hair has gotten much wavier/curlier over the years but I like it.
 Gourmet Dog Treats |
| We can't forget our pets at Christmas! Many people get stockings for their pets and these gourmet treats are a special Christmas treat for pets to have. Most/Many cities have locally owned dog bakeries where you can pickup cookies and there are boutique pet stores at many malls now to get special gifts you wouldn't normally find at pet stores. You can also opt to make your own dog treats at home (Payton's done it a few times) by following special recipes with dog friendly ingredients. |
 Klutz Activity Books |
| If I was writing a book about how to prepare for a trip with kids, one of my top suggestions would be to get Klutz activity books ahead of time. They are my best friend when it comes to traveling with the kids. There are so many types available and one to suit pretty much any child's interests. Some aren't as suitable for traveling due to the small parts or assembly but those are still great for home. Book topics include: making paper airplanes, beads, knitting, telling time, drawing thumb animals, pipe cleaner projects, paper fashions and a whole lot more that can't possibly fit here. We've purchased nearly every book they sell over the years so I need to find another source for kid entertainment books but I can't recommend them highly enough. The whole selection can be found on www.klutz.com and they even offer gift wrapping. Various books can be found at book stores, Target, Toys R Us, museum shops, etc., as well as many websites. Books are typically priced between $10 and $20. |
We have all been having a lot of fun with these Christmas fun/game websites. Most of them are created by OfficeMax (they did the elfyourself.com one that I previously wrote about as well).
 iPods |
| This is kind of a "duh" suggestion since they seem to be everywhere and anybody who doesn't have one seems to want one. iPods are a hot product for people of all ages and backgrounds and with the prices continuing to drop, they are even more attractive now than ever. The 4 gb nanos are around $200 and come in a variety of colors and hold up to 1000 songs making them especially attractive for younger people. However, the video iPods are available for just $40 or $50 more and adults seem to be more prone to go for the video version given the small price difference and added capabilities. If you want to go really bananas, you can iPod your baby.  Available for $15.95 from http://ipopmybaby.com/. |
 Maryjane Baby Socks by Trumpette |
| Socks aren't normally too exciting but these socks are so cute for babies. They come in pastels as well as these bright colors and come beautifully packaged. Other patterns including stripes are also available. $24.50 for 6 pair. Trumpette.com |
 ABC (already been chewed) Cookie Cutters (and other silliness) |
| I love silly things and these cookie cutters and many other things on the Perpetual Kid website make great gifts for people who like offbeat items. Other products include a Remote Controlled Zamboni, Bacon Bandages, and Vinyl Cologne. Lots more at perpetualkid.com. |
 Croissants from Williams-Sonoma |
| Williams-Sonoma sells these flaky croissants that are prepared by a French pastry chef and then frozen and sent to you. You then thaw them out and cook them and could have them right out of the oven on Christmas morning. Yummmmm. Available in plain, mini and chocolate for $39.95 from Williams-Sonoma.com. |
 LeapFrog Word Whammer Fridge Phonics |
| LeapFrog is by far my favorite brand of toys. They are so fun and educational and always a hit. This new toy from LeapFrog takes their old Fridge Phonics to a new level for older children and lets them begin to spell words. The toy knows over 300 words and lets you play in 3 different ways (letter hunt, word builder, word hunt). Usually sells for between $20 and $25 from most discount and toy stores. |
I'm not sure how she's managed to do it but Payton has grown 5 inches in the past 18 months and seems to have also gotten 5 years older as well. Her recent addition of braces (no pics yet) seems to have added to looking older as well. We can now share shoes and t-shirts and before long, she'll be at least as tall as me. It's fun watching her become such a lovely young lady but at the same time can make my eyes water seeing my "baby girl" get so big.
 (RED) Products |
Why not help out while buying some Christmas gifts this year? Bono and Bobby Shriver worked with many corporations to get them to donate to The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa. The percentage of profits donated varies depending on the item but the campaign has gotten off to a very successful start and has already helped tens of thousands of African people to get better. Some of the products that are part of the campaign:
For more information on the campaign, please visit JoinRed.com. |
 Family Gifts |
We have a rule/policy/habit that once a family has 3 or more children, it is easiest for us to get something the whole family can enjoy together rather than individual gifts (unless the children are infants and unable to participate in the family gift). Here are some ideas for some family gifts.
|
 TiVo |
| TiVo is the best invention of the last decade. Sounds dramatic but it's very true. It changes the way you watch TV and gives you control of your TV watching. Don't miss any more shows, don't shush your kids because you're watching TV, and don't feel tied to the TV at a specific time. If you don't have a TiVo, you need to get one (or at least a TiFaux - DVR offered by your cable provider) and start experiencing what everybody else has been raving about. If we could, we'd buy one for everybody we know. TiVo is offering some boxes for free when you sign-up with a service plan. Service plans are around $19.95/month but can be even lower if you sign a longer contract. The price is more than worth it! |
 Gemini Specs | ||
| Gemini Specs are holographic glasses that allow you to see various things when looking at light. For instance, when you put on the snowflake glasses and look at the Christmas tree, each little light appears to be a snowflake. There are also many other shapes available such as stars, snowmen, hearts, alients, etc. I think they are especially fun to wear when driving around to look at Christmas lights. For example, here's what it looks like to look at our Christmas tree with the snowflake glasses.
The glasses sell for around $2 and can be found at various toy or gift shops everywhere or online at The Spoon Sisters. |
 Scooba |
| Scooba is the newest creation from iRobot with their most well-known being the Roomba which we have and love. Both machines are robots that vacuum your floors for you but the Scooba mops and vacuums. It's a ridiculously frivolous item to have but so much fun and useful as well. Available for $399.99 on their website at http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=128 or for even less on eBay and in some home furnishings stores. |
The Radio City Rockettes have a Christmas show that goes on for about a month in the DFW area. Last year, I really, really wanted to go but Andy and the kids weren't interested (much to my surprise - they are all usually into shows). This year, I went with Amanda and it was a great show. As Amanda put it, "I'm in cheesy heaven."
Some pics from the show...
The final scene wasn't a Rockettes scene but it was a really beautiful Nativity scene complete with live animals.
If you count the dog, I stuff a total of 6 stockings every year and it's my absolute favorite part of Christmas. Finding interesting little things to fit into a stocking has been the most fun I've had gift buying since I was a teenager. Every year, I stop by The Container Store to pickup some of their many stocking stuffers. They always have unique, interesting and handy items. In fact, they are so well known for their stocking stuffers that they put out a catalog every year with just stocking stuffers in it. Some of the ones they are offering this year...
 Luggage Tags and Passport Wallets |
| These whimsical travel items are fun but also useful because colorful luggage tags help you to spot your luggage more easily in the sea of black bags coming onto the carousel. $12.99 - 24.99 |
 iSlice Magnetic Cutting Tool |
| Product packaging can be very difficult to cut through but this tool safely cuts through all of that to make opening things easy. Also great for cutting out recipes, this is magnetic so you can stick it on your refrigerator to make it easy to find. $4.99 |
 Unforgettable Door Hanger |
| Help keep track of things you need to remember with this handy notepad that fits on the doorknob. $4.99 |
We always put up our Christmas tree and decorations the first weekend of December. Having an artificial tree that's prelit makes it much easier for the kids to jump right in and start hanging ornaments. Some pics....
We have a tradition of baking cookies when we're putting up decorations. This year, the kids decorated cookies that are in Christmas shapes.
Our version of an advent calendar is 25 little stockings, each containing candy that the kids have every evening.
