Last year I decided I wanted to make myself a gold ring wreath like I had admired in the minimalist Christmas searches in Pinterest. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find the right size sold just as one. Everything came as a large set. That’s when I decided, well if I could make one, why not a whole bunch. We gift to many family members at Christmas and sometimes it’s nice to have one gift that works for many people. With only a few supplies from the craft store, and mostly odds and ends I had around the house, I was able to create eight different wreaths that represented the style and personality of each person I was gifting to. It was such a fun process and also so very easy. I thought I might share the wreaths I created in case you have someone who might enjoy this gift. Crafting Christmas is not for everyone. But you need something to do with your hands while watching the overworked marketing associate return to her home town to save the old library threatened of tear down from the creepy realtor guy while simultaneously rekindling a romance with the nerd she ignored in high school.

Supplies (accessories linked are similar products found):

Gold Hoops / Greenery / Felt Balls / Faux Berries / Ribbon / Felt Roses / Dried Oranges / Glue Gun

The instructions are simple: Play around with the supplies on the hoop until you have it the way you like it. Go to town with your glue gun. The end.

Hope you have yourself a crafty little Christmas!

I’ve been moody lately. I don’t even feel like I need to explain it to you because I think you’re feeling it too. I’ve been hunting for “The Thing” that might pull me out of it. But I think you also already know “The Thing” doesn’t exist. It’s never one thing that helps. It’s a hundred tiny little things that work differently at different times. The more we experience this feeling, the more tools we have to help us. And yet this year requires an entirely new set of tools, which apparently, like toilet paper, is all sold out.

Some are turning to Christmas trees and twinkle lights for “The Thing.” I support this. I will get there. But it hasn’t felt like what I wanted quite yet. Really, I don’t know what I want. It certainly isn’t in a gift list. It never is in a gift list. And you know that, too (you are so smart.)

But it also isn’t NOT in a gift list. What I mean is, I remembered this week that I am no stranger to funky moods during Christmas. I’ve been first trimester pregnant, I’ve been third trimester pregnant. I’ve had new babies, I’ve been in new places. Now here we are in Pandemic Christmas, certainly new but still quite similar to these uncomfortable transitions. So I looked back at years past and tried to find one small thing that brought me joy when holiday depression settled.

Gift giving. 

Really, it’s not even in the gift giving but rather the gift curating I love so much. It’s a creative nudge that I can handle when my body just wants to be still. My favorite gift planning of all is in my Book and Toy Pairing Gift guides. As a form of resistance against the negative feelings, I set about creating this year’s list. The process involves books and creativity, all things I love. And when we go hunting for the things we love, we find joy. That’s not a small thing.

I hope you enjoy this year’s list. Feel free to visit these archives for year’s past.

And if you, too, are sitting in the middle of an unfortunate mood, I hope you can find something small that brings you joy soon. 

Sometimes it is the toys that drive me to find a book. This year it was the books. Many are favorites. Some are new and on our wish lists and library lists. All are sure to delight both you and the children in your lives. Because extending story to play is another small joy worth finding. 

P.S.When you make a purchase though my links, I make a small commission. That being said, these are my honest opinions and I was not paid to talk about any of the products mentioned. I just think they are pretty great!

Winter Books

I think one guy of the best ways to mark the changing of a season is in reading books that fit that season. Winter brings some of my favorite books. You’ll find many of them in this list. Here are some new ones we have enjoyed. 

The Wish Tree / Penguin Problems / Mice Skating / Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter / Lines

While sleds or winter gear might be an obvious pairing with winter books, I feel I need to give a plug to these indoor snowballs. Trust me, you will like these more than you think. I have taken great pleasure at pelting my children at the end of a long week, and their giggle fits tell me they like it too.

Notable People in History Books

I gather many of my books from the library, but these are some I don’t mind having in our own collection. Reading about heroes in history feels like one of the best ways I can teach my children how to be good humans.

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls / Little Dreamers / Dream Big Little One / Think Big Little One

One of the primary reasons we pair books with toys is so the story can continue long after the last page. Along with a diverse set of books, adding diversity to our children’s play things is just as important. These stickers would be fun for kids to put together different people. These little peg dolls are so simple and sweet. I’m also heart eyeing this collection of inspiring women. I love the idea of Frida Kahlo, RBG, and Rosa Parks all having tea together inside a little dollhouse. Or better yet, going on a road trip like Thelma and Louise! Step aside, Barbie. There are some new women in town!

How Things Work Books

We have the How Trains Work and How Airports Work and thoroughly enjoy this series. There is so much to find in each picture that I don’t think we will ever tire of it. I want to add the third book in this series How Cities Work. 

How Airports Work / How Trains Work / How Cities Work

The toy to pair with these books is pretty obvious and there is no shortage of cars and trains and plane options out there for you. But I especially love these rubber ones from Wonder Wheels for Battat. We have the airplane and I will be adding the garbage truck along with the How Cities Work book. They have a few moving pieces but also as sturdy as can be which is important.

Bike Books 

All of these books on bikes charmed me with their covers and I haven’t even read them yet. They would be the perfect gift to your wheel loving little one.

Go Bikes Go / Cycle City / Born to Ride / The Red Bicycle

This bike light with multiple sounds is sure to impress the neighborhood bike gang.

USA Travel Books

Very few of us are traveling these days. But the planning is half the fun anyway. There are some great index books on fun facts about the country. Or dive into the Larry Gets Lost series, always a fun way to introduce your kids to new places around our country. Get your kids in on dreaming up the next big adventure!

National Parks of the USA / 50 Adventures in the 50 States / National Geographic Ultimate US Road Trip Atlas / Larry Gets Lost in Chicago / Larry Loves Chicago

We love this puzzle to go along with a big road trip. Also you could consider any of these favorite road toys in this post. And these journals look like so much fun, especially if you are headed to any of these national parks. Also, I found this camper van when looking at the Wonder Wheels from above and I think this would be such a cute addition. Santa is adding this to his bag for our house this year.

Shape Books

The best books are those that tell such a great story you don’t even notice you are learning. These books are all fun ways of teaching about shapes.

Round is a Tortilla / Square / Circle / Triangle / Shape Shift

Bring the shapes out of the story and into your kids hands with creativity while also teaching geometry. These tangrams have been a big hit for our kids this fall. It is even satisfying for adults.

Cardboard Creation Books

It is true that you give a kid a present and all they really want to play with is the box. But there is no greater beginning point for imagination. These books capture the magic in a box.

A Fort on the Moon / Cardboard Kingdom / The Fort

And these cardboard creation tools continue it into play. Start saving your cardboard now!

It’s Monday morning, nine sleeps until Christmas, four sleeps until our family heads out for our two week trip around the Midwest, as we do. We are in that interesting confluence where Christmas-ing meets leaving out of town-ing. I am staring at a pile of unfinished Christmas crafting projects. I consolidated the multiple to-do lists 18 times. Dinner plans for the next week consist of whatever I can find shoved to the back of the freezer. Apparently you can’t make a lunch from a dried up baked potato and sweet and sour sauce packets so we had to make an emergency run to the grocery store before preschool drop off for lunchables (gasp!—Mom, YAY!—kids). And yes, the littlest is still wearing his pajamas because wrestling him into clothes sounds like too much work but they are elf jammies so we’re calling it festive!

So, in other words, we’re right on schedule.

Every year I say I’ll be more on top of things. And every year I end up right back here, in a humble, messy, joy-anticipating pile of Christmas. Oh, but isn’t it fun?

Planning ahead is for boring people.

In a bit, I am off to my mother land, Ye Olde Trader Joe’s, for some stocking stuffer searching. It’s my favorite place to stock up on something fun to bring delight to a sock. Every member of my family, on both sides, gets into the spirit of the stocking. Because big things are fun, but tiny joys are what we live for.

Today I thought I would share with you some of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas in four different categories: travel activities we use all the time that make great stocking stuffers for kids, Trader Joes items I love that your people might love too, a few things for Dad because he’s rad, and of course, my favorite category, the things I put in MY sock.

Most are available at a click of a button, just in case you are like me and need a little help finding the tiny joys to round out your Christmas.

Travel Toys That Stand The Test of Time

You know already we are big family travelers around here. One of the key ingredients to successful travel is entertainment. These are all well loved toys we always have on hand in the car or at a restaurant or other place little hands need to be kept busy. They easily fit into a small backpack or purse. And they provide for open ended fun, which is always my goal with toys.

There are toobs for any interest. Something about those tiny figures that sends my children into imagination world. This astronaut one caught my eye.

These plus plus blocks are so simple but perfect for building. I am always impressed with what they can create.

These magnetic wooden blocks are EXPENSIVE for the size. But they are a true example of stand the test of time. All ages love them. They are sturdy, come in a convenient travel bag, and really provide more fun than the small package shows.

We were at a pizza restaurant and instead of crayons, the waiter handed our kids these. I was hooked. Again, fun, open ended, creative, small. Noticing a trend?

I have yet to bring window markers into the car, but I’m going to try it. These would also be great on the plane. Wipe off easily with a baby wipe.

A Trader Joes Christmas

Every year I walk the aisles of Trader Joes (rough, I know) and look for some of my favorite products to fill up the stocks of my loved ones. There are plenty of new items this time of year which makes it fun. But I have also started to find that one product I REALLY love and use all the time. LIKE THIS!!! Then I include a list of my favorite ways to use that item. Another fun thing to do is pick a really great recipe I loved this year and grab one shelf stable ingredient from that recipe to gift. This year, some special people are getting a jar of turmeric and this fave recipe.

I snapped a picture last year of my Trader Joe’s stocking haul, and I believe all or most of these items are still available this year. Warning: those brandy chocolates are dangerously delicious.

A Few Things for your Rad Dad

Dad’s are rad, but they can also be tricky to shop for, at least the dads in my life. Here are a few winning ideas I have had for Mike over the years.

Magazine subscriptions are perfect to stuff into a stocking. Kindle books too.

This is specific to our area, but many cities have their own version of a pub pass so look around. Its been a fun thing to do, particularly to get to know a new city. Coupon books work well too.

I always stick a handful of GU energy packs into socks. You can can never have too many, particularly during ski season.

This year I am sticking a package of nuts into Mike’s sock for him to keep at his desk for the mid day hunger hit, along with a coupon for free refills for a year.

The Things I Put in my Sock

Do you fill up your own stocking? I think this might be my favorite tradition. I take such great delight in treating myself.

Usually I go for the things I have been eyeing in the beauty department but haven’t been able to pull the trigger. The target travel section is a perfect place for this. I have found some new fave products by testing them out in tiny version first.

These gold and snail hydrogel eye patches sound fancy because they are.

Also fake eye lashes aren’t just for the Kardashians. Get yourself some for your next date night!

This jade roller is a real treat. Get one for all your favorite ladies, and men for that matter.

Magazine subscriptions are great for me too. There are always deals this time of year.

Recently, as I noticed friends on the internet sharing ways to support their work through Patreon or some of the small printable resources they create, I decide this would be a great time to invest in something like that. It is a great way to support your friends doing creative work and also treating yourself to a small gift.

Well, get the to your nearest tiny shop emporium and fill those stockings with joy!