Holiday Teacher Gift Ideas

Thanksgiving is a couple of days a way and all I have been able to think about the past couple of weeks is preparing for Christmas. It seems to sneak up on me every year and each year I vow to be more prepared. I’d love to get to a point where I’m not scrambling at the last minute and can relax and enjoy the season a bit more but that’s just not me. While, I can’t take credit for having most things in order this year…for example, I haven’t even started on our holiday cards I can say that I’ve got teacher gifts all wrapped up!

For years I’ve have a tried and true teacher gift…which worked as long as we had a new teacher every year. So it worked fine for five years but now that my middle child is starting to have some of the same teachers as my oldest I’ve had to go back to the drawing board. I knew this was coming so I’ve been thinking about it for a while which is the ONLY reason I’ve got these gifts all set. My preference is to do the same for all the kids teachers as it makes my life so much easier! Read on for my TAKE on teacher gifts this year…variations for coaches, therapists, babysitters are included as well!

Teacher Gift
This year teachers in our lives are getting a little tiered gift (shown above) of goodies. The gift consists of personalized stationary, gift box with gift card (Starbucks, Target, Amazon etc…) plus a fun holiday themed soap. Aside from ordering the personalized stationary the gift doesn’t take a lot of lead time and the special packaging makes it look like you put a lot of thought into it. I’m a visual person so I feel this is the perfect gifting combo with some really festive packaging! I also stashed one of our family gift tags into one of the tiers but this could also be tied on top.

Products Linked Below:

Personalized Teacher Stationary/ Striped Gift Card Gift Box/ Holiday Gift Tag/ Holiday Gifting Bar Soap/ Green Velvet Ribbon/ Festive Bell

Gift Variation for Coaches/Therapists/Babysitter etc…

There are a lot of people in our children’s lives and we are grateful for the time and attention that they give them. So whether this is a speech therapist, dance instructor, baseball coach etc… we like to give them a little something special at the holidays too! This year I became inspired during a random trip to Trader Joe’s where I discovered these Hot Chocolate Stirring Spoons (Pictured Above). I’m sure I could figure out how to make them but I don’t have time for that this year so instead I’m removing two from their original packaging putting them into a cellophane bag and then sticking them into a monogram mug along with a Starbucks gift card and gift tag. It’s festive, personalized and the price tag can easily come in under $25.00!

Products Linked Below:

Tiled Monogram Mug/ Clear Cellophane Bag/ Crinkle Cut Paper

If you’re looking for another gifting idea…a favorite holiday tradition of ours is making batches and batches of Ina Garten’s Roasted Rosemary Cashews. We make loads, package them in cellophane bags, tie with a ribbon and gift tag and hand to much of the staff at school plus other friends and family. The house smells delicious when they’re roasting and they are always a holiday favorite!

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The Ultimate Makers Lab Gift

Have you ever had a gift idea that you’ve just been dying to gift? One that you plan to gift over and over because it’s so good? Guilty! I love this educational STEM themed Makers Lab gift idea so much and I’ve been patiently waiting for all the kiddos in our life to turn six so I can start gifting! I just sent off a Makers Lab gift package in the mail this morning so I wanted to share as this gift is so clever and a perfect gift for those summer birthdays in your life.

if I’m being honest, I didn’t come up with this idea on my own. I came across it a few years ago in the most embarrassing fashion…via Kim Kardashian’s Instagram stories. Bleh! See, I told you it was embarrassing! This Makers Lab idea was gifted to her oldest daughter and I made sure to file it in one of the endless tabs open in my brain. Since then, I’ve taken it and adapted it a bit. Read on for my TAKE on a gifted Makers Lab, perfect for the curious girls and boys in your life!

This gift is so simple to pull together and is sure to bring a smile to the recipient. I’ve broken it down into five easy steps below.

Step One

The basis of this gift is to create an at home Makers Lab for the gift recipient and it all centers around this book, Maker Lab, 28 Projects, which highlights 28 science related projects for kids to complete at home.

Step Two

Once I have the book, I review the projects and select 3-4 that I think the gift recipient would like and also base my decision on whether or not I will be shipping the gift. I then make a list of supplies needed for each project. (Items like plates, utensils etc.. I do not include)

Step Three

Then I take my supply list and shop for the remainder of the gift materials. In many cases I’ve also supplemented the supply list with items in my home especially when paper or balloons are required. If an item like a scissors is required in multiple projects, I only include one.

Step Four

Before I put the final package together I label cloth drawstring bags (11.5 x 13.5 is my preferred size) with the project name and page number. I do this with card stock, safety pins and an old school Brother P label maker.

Step Five

I then collect all my supplies, sort them by project and stuff them into individual bags. If, you’re feeling really extra you can also included a supply list within each bag. If sending, I typically stuff everything into a box with a note but if gifting in person it would be lovely to gift in a wire storage basket and a ribbon around the book.

Hope you find this gift idea as inspiring as I do. Happy gifting!

One In A Melon Gift Ideas

We're heading to a "One In A Melon" first birthday party this weekend and I couldn't be more excited to celebrate. I am in love with this watermelon birthday theme! Watermelon is hands down my favorite fruit (ok, so it's only competition is apples) but really there is nothing as delicious as a ripe watermelon in the summer. My own mother has long been a fan of watermelon everything so I've been dressing my daughters in watermelon apparel since they were babes. So while watermelon continues to be en vogue I thought I would share some of my current favorite watermelon products. I've broken the products down into categories to make it easier to peruse my TAKE on the Watermelon trend and maybe you'll discover the perfect gift for the watermelon lover in your life!

Children's Clothing

• Angel Dear Watermelon Cardigan

• Angel Dear Muslin Watermelon Sunsuit

• Angel Dear Muslin Watermelon Dress

• Florence Eiseman Watermelon Swimsuit

• Florence Eiseman Seersucker Dress + Bloomers with Watermelon Pockets

• Crewcuts Watermelon Rashguard Set

• Gymboree Watermelon Swim Cover Up

Children's Accessories

• Watermelon Felt Hair Clip

• Crewcuts Watermelon Stud Earrings

• Crewcuts Glitter Watermelon Bag

• Crewcuts Watermelon Flip Flops

• Angel Dear Watermelon Bamboo Swaddle Blanket

• Crate and Kids Watermelon Pillow

• Watermelon Amuseable Jellycat

Children's Books

• The Watermelon Seed

• Watermelon Madness

• Eating the Alphabet

• Mrs. Peanuckle's Fruit Alphabet

Miscellaneous

• Watermelon Paper Plates by Spritz @Target

• Watermelon Pool Float @ Target

• Sugarfina Watermelon Slices

• Women's Kayu Watermelon Clutch

• Kate Spade Set of 3 Watermelon Kitchen Accessories

• Watermelon Journal

• Paper Mache Watermelon Platter

First Birthday Gift Guide

I can't believe it's almost been a month since we celebrated Maggie's 1st birthday. It was such a fun day and was so fun to plan. Perhaps, we made a bigger deal of her birthday than we normally would but we will only get to celebrate her first birthday once! Maggie is our third child and as such she is often the benefactor of hand-me-down clothes and toys but for her birthday she received some generous new gifts. Which got me thinking about some of my favorite gifts for a baby's first birthday and my favorite picks for subsequent children's first birthdays. Is there a difference, you ask? I think there is. With your first child you're starting with nothing in the toy department and by your third child (as in my case) they literally only need diapers. Enjoy my TAKE on first birthday gift ideas!

My Fave First Birthday Gifts for your First Child

• Learning Activity Walker (Wood +/or Plastic)

• Activity Table

• Hopping Horse "Rody"

• Push Car

• Ride On Wheelie Bug

• Baby Doll +/or Baby Doll Stroller /Luggy Basket

• Tractor + Trailer

• Personalized Frame

• Personalized Chair

• Stacking Toy

• Walk-A-long Pull Toy

• First Pair of Walker Shoes

My Fave First Birthday Gifts for Subsequent Children

• Children's Museum or Zoo Membership (In Your Area)

• Personalized Plate + Bowl

• Personalized Beach Towel/Personalized Hooded Beach Towel

• Grimm's 12 Piece Nesting Rainbow Puzzle

• Teepee

• Floor Drum

• A New Outfit (Boy/Girl)

• A New Book (Boy/Girl)

• Personalized Photo Board Book

• Monthly Bow Subscription

• Munchkin Inflatable Swan (Fun for the tub or outside)

The gift ideas above truly work well for any child's first birthday but if it's your first child I would prioritize the gifts in the first grouping against those in the second. We try not to go overboard with birthday presents so we try to stick to giving our kids three gifts. Generally, we stick to the rule of thumb of: something to read, something they need and something for fun! This was pretty easy to do with Maggie as her older siblings have all of the classic first birthday gifts. For her birthday she received a set of Little Feminist Board Books, Grimm's 12 piece Nesting Rainbow Puzzle, a Personalized Plate and Bowl and a completely unnecessary but adorable new lovie. I hope these ideas have been helpful and enjoy celebrating!

Gift Ideas for Bebe

There is little in life that I love more than holding a newborn baby...it's pure heaven. Although for me, selecting baby gifts is a close second. I absolutely love to buy gifts but ESPECIALLY baby gifts. I truly love taking the time to collect gift items that are fun, practical, resonate with the recipient and are often personalized. I'm so excited to send this gift off to a family who has been waiting for their baby boy for a long time! 

One of my favorite part of gifting is the "vehicle" in which you put the gift. This particular gift idea is for a newborn baby and my latest obsession is using the kraft paper colored Spritz boxes from Target. However, if the gift is for a shower I often use different gifting vehicles such as an LL Bean tote, a toy or storage basket, a set of suitcases, a backpack or even a bathtub. The options are limitless and oh so much fun!

The majority of the time I try to personalize the gift in some way. For this gift, I got my my kids involved by having them hand paint the wooden letter "O" that will placed on top of top of the box. I will literally come up with any activity to keep my kids busy in the winter! When I can I try to incorporate a theme. For this animal loving family - you'll notice a handful of appropriately themed items.

Read on for my current TAKE on a baby gift. From Left to Right:

• Kraft Paper colored gift box by Spritz - only available for purchase in store at Target
• Wooden Letter "O" - by Handmade Modern at Target
• Dear Zoo - One of our favorite lift-the-flap books!
• Harold and the Purple Crayon - a classic!
• Elephant Rattle and Teether by Manhattan Toy - (linked similar product)
• Bandana Bibs from Aden + Anais - perfect for the drooling babe
• Small Elephant Jellycat - I'm obsessed and rarely give a baby gift without a Jellycat lovie!
• Striped Baby Gap Outfit - one can never go wrong with stripes!
• Animal themed Aden + Anais onesie - (linked similar product)

When possible I try to give something for the baby to wear now and later as evident with the smaller sized onesie and the Baby Gap outfit appropriate for the fall. I always try to include gift receipts as I never know if I'm sending a duplicate and that way it makes it easier on the parents to make a return or exchange. Dependent on how much you want to spend some of my other current favorites are: wooden rattles from Bannor Toys, wooden blocks from Uncle Goose, teethers and pacifier clips from Loulou LOLLIPOP, infant layette from Kissy Kissy and muslin swaddle blankets from Little Unicorn. 

Seriously, I love to buy gifts and hopefully my ideas will be helpful when shopping for someone in your life.

Holiday Gifting for Teachers

What do Ina Garten, Minted, Anthropologie, Paper Source and Starbucks all have in common? They're all a part of my TAKE on the perfect gift for the teachers, therapists, sitters and/or coaches in your lives! 

Truth be told, I've been using this idea for a while. I'm going to have to come up with a new idea next year when my oldest two are at the same school but for now this is still my favorite idea for teachers. It's the perfect combination of something personalized and homemade. Read on for the 5 components of this holiday gift idea!

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

This Ina Garten recipe is addictive, super simple and delicious. Not to mention, the aroma of the roasting cashews will set you straight into the holiday spirit. I stock up on the cashews at Trader Joe's around Thanksgiving and we make the cashews in batches throughout the season often doubling recipe.  

Ribbon

Once the cashews have dried I spoon them into cellophane bags and tie them with a festive grosgrain ribbon. Paper Source has my favorite selection!

Gift Tag

While in the process of tying the ribbon I always add a gift tag. I've been ordering variations of these gift tags from Minted for years. They come pre punched so it's super easy to loop them through the ribbon. I love to add a photo on the back and I swear they save me time when packaging all of our gifts. This year I ordered both a Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas version.

Personalized Mug

I like to use the monogram mug from Anthropologie for this gift as they are the perfect size to hold a decent amount of cashews. I typically opt for the first initial of the gift recipients name but you could also do the first letter of their last name. Target and Williams Sonoma also have a great selection of initial mugs and you can often find them on sale during this time of year.

Gift Card

I always nestle a gift card in between the packaged cashews and mug. This year I've opted for Starbucks gift cards as they tie in with the mug (and what teacher doesn't need caffeine) but you could easily opt for another store such as: Target, Amazon, Whole Foods, J Crew, Gap etc...