55 Unique Christmas gift ideas for kids and adults that they’ll love — and your wallet will, too!

Coming up with fun Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list can be a challenge. And coming up with the perfect gift for people in your life who have everything is even more challenging. 

But there are great gifts that are both fun and practical gifts for pretty much everyone on your list — and you don’t even have to break the bank.

And, even better, these are all on Amazon, so you can order them and have them show up at your house with the click of a button. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

For almost anyone

The whole world is obsessed with insulated tumblers with straws and a handle. And I’d guess at least one person on your Christmas gift list falls into this category.

The perfect present for these folks that’s also a lot of fun is straw toppers! Even my teenage daughter is in love with them.

One of the most fun and surprisingly inexpensive options at less than $5 is a set of four personalized straw toppers. Use your own photos and text to make this gift super fun and unique.

Some other fun options are this set of four emoji toppers and this set of six cowboy hat straw toppers.

Evidently this is called a pin art board. Who knew? 

No matter what you call it, they’re one of the best gifts for any age. They seriously work for your whole crew from the preschooler to the hard-to-shop-for old guy!

Pin art boards are great for a desk, bookshelf or wherever you want to have something to do with your hands while you’re thinking. (Or wherever you want to occasionally gently smush your face and look at your profile!)

Unless your friends and family live somewhere magical that it never rains, they could use an umbrella. These reverse inverted inside-out umbrellas are awesome! 

I’ve been using one for a few years and love how easy it is to put up and down as I’m getting in and out of my car. It’s one of the best products I’ve found for keeping dry.

These come in two sizes 31 different colors and patterns. 

Everybody has a slew of pencils and pens that need organized whether it’s at home or at work or both! You might as well organize them in something fun and clever. 

Even better, this top pick is an adorable elephant pen and pencil holder that can hold writing utensils and a phone! It’s a small gift with a sense of humor that’s also practical.

If you think just a device holder would be a better fun Christmas gift idea for your friend, I’ve got you covered for that. I use mine all the time. 

In fact, I use it so much that it resides on my kitchen table. It is ideal for a Kindle. I love being able to prop up my Kindle Paperwhite and read during my lunch breaks. There are all sorts of great options!

While you’re at it, you might as well add a fun charging cable to go with the phone stand. This 46-inch USB charging cable that lights up like Christmas lights is one of the best Christmas gifts this holiday season.

And then there is this 14-in-1 hammer tool. It looks cute because it looks like a little hammer, but it’s also incredibly functional and would be something pretty much any gift recipient could use in one of their kitchen drawers.

Fun gift ideas for the person who loves retro

It pains me a bit to say that cassette tapes are retro, because they were such a big part of my childhood, but the truth is, they are. My kids were recently confounded by cassette tapes, in fact. 

This tape dispenser and pencil holder looks like a cassette tape and would be a fun, useful addition to any desktop — at home or at work. It definitely earns a place among gift guides of fun Christmas gift ideas!

This fun gift is available in gray, blue and pink.

To go even more retro, check out these cute vinyl record drink coasters. I won’t even pretend that I also didn’t have a few records as a kid, because I certainly did. 

I’m a fan of fun coasters. If you’re going to use a coaster to be a responsible adult, you might as well have fun with it! The low price on this ideal gift also make it a great stocking stuffer!

This Hemingway typewriter pencil holder just makes my heart happy. I’m not really sure why because I was only on the very tail end of using typewriters way back in the day, and then they were electric.

But something about this just makes my old soul happy, and I’d bet you know someone who would agree!

If you’re Christmas shopping for a bookworm this year, one of these old-school library check-out card themed items may be just the right gift. 

First up is a pair of socks that looks like well-used library check-out cards which many of us remember from childhood. (And this could also be a perfect gift for a white elephant exchange!)

Next is a zipper pouch with the same theme. It could certainly be a fun conversation starter for your entire family at your holiday gathering since younger generations have probably never seen these cards!

This TV speaker phone holder is a great throwback option for your secret Santa or a gag gift for those who like old school things!

Fun Christmas gift ideas for home cooks

I love having fun stuff in my kitchen, and I assume everyone else does, too! I found some unique and fun Christmas gift ideas that would be great Christmas presents for any home cook.

Fun in the kitchen kicks off with making food. If you’ve got to measure out ingredients, you might as well have some fun measuring cups. 

These OXO Good Grips Measuring Beaker Sets are great for that. You get a set of seven. I love things that are useful AND fun!

Whether you’re buying a gift for a novice cook or someone who seldom cooks, everyone can use cooking utensils. They just seem to make any kitchen work a bit more fun and days brighter. 

This colorful set of human shaped kitchen gadgets is a great way to bring a smile to someone on your Christmas list who has kitchen duty. I have a soup ladle made like this, and my whole family gets a kick out of it every time I use it!

If wooden spatulas are more your preference, check out this adorable set of wooden face spatulas.

And if that doesn’t get you smiling while you cook, add on this smiley face turner, which is perfect for making pancakes on a weekend morning.

The best option for home cooks who also love cats is this cat turner spatula. It’s cute enough to function as home decor and practical enough to flip pancakes!

When it comes to unique and fun Christmas gift ideas, this clever Nessie Ladle that looks like the Lock Ness monster would bring some fun to soup night!

Staying with the theme of fun utensils, this dinosaur pasta server makes me smile. Anyone with kids would enjoy having this in their kitchen. Kids love pasta and dinos, so it’s a great combo.

My son would think this was fabulous if I used it to serve him dinner! As a bonus, it’s dishwasher, top-rack safe.

To keep the kitchen dino fun going, you have to know someone who would love this TriceraTaco Taco Holder. While it is adorable and cracks me up, it’s also helpful and useful. Hard taco eaters would love it.

There’s also a TacoSaurus Rex and a NachoSaurus snack and dip bowl set.

This funny kitchen towel is a great option to go with the dino taco or nacho holders! It’s available in white or gray.

An incredibly clever Christmas gift idea for any Star Wars fans on your list (and I’m sure there’s at least one if not more!) are these light saber chopsticks that actually light up.

You can get two sets in red and blue or opt for 8-different color options for two sets. The 8-different color light saber chopsticks can also be bought as a single set or a set of four.

With all that fun going on in the kitchen, it’s going to have to be cleaned. While cleaning a kitchen isn’t the most fun job in the world, this adorable sponge holder makes me smile every time I see it.

It’s a great gift for pretty much anyone on your list who has a kitchen — and that’s everyone!

Everyone can use a cutting board, and this pirate cutting board comes with a knife that looks like the pirate’s peg leg. If that’s not the best way to store a knife for this cutting board, then I don’t know what is!

Finally in kitchen, check out this Gracula garlic crusher. It’s functional in that it crushes garlic, but it’s funny and quirky in that it looks like a vampire.

Fun Christmas gifts for a family

Coming up with a gift to give to a family can be a challenge sometimes, so I’ve got some great ideas for family gifts all family members would love!

This indoor electric smores maker is one of my favorite things we have! I can make smores year-round. I don’t have to worry about an open flame. 

And it really does toast the marshmallows just like I want them. My kids get a kick out of it, too. It’s a great family gift! 

This smores maker is a fun Christmas gift idea that works well for families with small children, older children or no children. Who doesn’t love a smore?!

Another great option is family conversation starter cards. They’re perfect for chats at dinnertime or even long rides in the car.

Check out this set of 101 Conversation Starters for Families or 88 Conversation Starters for Husbands and Wives.

For the coffee or tea lover

I don’t drink coffee or tea, but I love a fun mug nonetheless. I mean, I do drink hot chocolate. And it tastes better when it’s something fun to drink it out of! 

Mugs make a great gift for nearly any adult — coffee lovers or not!. They even make good pencil holders! 

You can give mugs solo or pair them with a coffee shop gift card or fill them with candy. There are lots of good options. And there are even more fun options when it comes to finding the right mug.

(If you go with the fishing mug for the angler in your life, consider pairing it with this fishing memory picture frame for a fun — and meaningful — gift!)

For the kiddos

And, of course, we can’t forget fun Christmas gift ideas for kiddos. I purposefully trying to add small gifts for my kids they will actually play with or use versus just buying a bunch of cheap stuff that breaks quickly or is tossed aside. 

It was with that in mind that I looked for some interesting gifts kids would actually like.

The first one has to be this Little Live Pets Wraptile. I got this for my son for Christmas a couple of years ago. He absolutely loved it! 

One of his favorite features was he could talk into a microphone on it and it would repeat what he said (in its voice). He also liked that the eyes change color based on what mood the creature is in, which is pretty neat. 

For crafty children, a glow-in-the-dark rock painting set is a fun gift to add to your holiday shopping list. It takes crafts up a notch!

Another fun option for craft-loving children is the set of liquid pens. They’re part toy, part pen and all fun!

For kiddos as young as 24 months, this dog grooming and doctor kit actually straps on like a backpack. It comes with an adorable white plush dog and a variety of accessories that any kiddo would enjoy playing with.

When I was a kid, I had something very similar to this rainbow silk streamer and loved it! I made up so many routines and dances and flung that thing all over the place. It would be a hit with kids a wide array of ages.

Continuing the stroll down memory lane leads us to a Lite Brite. Remember those? It’s a great holiday gift idea for any kiddo.

​And I’d be remiss to have a gift guide of fun Christmas gift ideas without including some potty humor for children. First up is the bag of reindeer farts. 

Kiddos will get a kick out of eating reindeer farts, which is actually just yummy cotton candy!

For even more fart fun, this farting ink pen is another fun gift idea for children.

For the game-loving family

Games are also a great idea for Christmas gifts. If you’ve got little kiddos on your list, check out this list of five cheap games for small children the whole family will love. 

Beyond those games, though, there are some other fun game options families with love, including some updated classics.

First up is the classic hot potato game. Instead of someone having to play music and hit stop at random, the potato now plays music and stops on its own. How nice is that?!

Another update on a classic game is this Connect 4 Shots game. I got it for one of my nephews one year and my own kids the next. We have had fun with it. 

It has the same basic rules as the classic Connect 4 but with the twist of having to bounce balls into the holder instead of dropping in pieces. Our whole family enjoys it!

To get in the Christmas spirit, this set of 12 Games of Christmas is a perfect gift for game-loving families. It has 12 simple and easy-to-learn games the entire family will have fun playing.

Finally, Kids Versus Parents is a fun family game that will help families get to know one another even better and share laugh along the way.

Looking for more Christmas ideas? Check out these posts!

Christmas gift ideas for people who are hard to shop for

The best Christmas gift ideas for 14-year-old-girls

The best Christmas gift ideas for mom friends

Funny Christmas gift ideas for coworkers: 25 clean gag gifts

Christmas gifts for men under $35

30+ of the best white elephant gift ideas under $20

Christmas gift ideas under $20 for everyone on your list

Find a Christmas gift idea for most of your list!

Finding the perfect gift ideas for everyone on your list from family members to friends to teachers doesn’t have to break the bank. And when the holiday season hits, budgets are often stretched even thinner. So I’ve got the best Christmas gift ideas under $20 for nearly everyone on your list!

For me, the best gifts are ones that can be bought online (because the bustle of holiday shopping stresses me out!). And they’re affordable gifts that don’t seem like cheap gifts.

Coming up with Christmas gift ideas can be difficult. Finding the perfect present in a good price range can be even more difficult.

I decided of all the gift guides I could do, this one is important! I’m highlighting some of my favorite finds that make great gift ideas or stocking stuffers for less than $20 each (most are well under $20). 

You’ll find an ideal gift for pretty much everyone on your Christmas gift list from your mom to your kids’ teachers to your husband to your best friend. These are also great gifts for secret Santa gift exchanges! 

And if you want to snag a couple of these items for yourself, go for it! They are all priced well to be easy on the budget.

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

For your best friend or mom (or yourself!)

One of my favorite gifts for moms is a wallet purse. It’s a perfect addition to any woman’s bag collection. 

Often we just need something to hold our phone, debit card and keys. And it’s a thoughtful present because every mama needs something easy to grab and carry that won’t weigh down her shoulders or back. 

The nice thing about a wallet purse is that it’s the perfect size to fit down inside a larger purse or bag as well. So if you need something bigger, then you don’t have to go through the hassle of switching your cards and everything else from one bag to another.

I really love these purses for taking along on field trips with my children or longer walks. It’s one of the easiest ways to carry my phone a lot of times since most of my pants don’t have pockets.

For your kids’ teachers (or pretty much anyone!)

I love stainless steel tumblers. I’m not sure love is a strong enough word, actually. I use one every single day. 

I love it for ice cold water, because that’s what I drink most, but these cups work well for anything hot or cold. And they’re a great idea for a Christmas gift idea for pretty much anyone, including your kiddos’ teachers, babysitter, postal carrier, hairdresser, best friend, mom and on and on the list goes. 

Really, who couldn’t use a cup that keeps their beverage hot or cold all day long?! When these cups first came out, they were mostly plain stainless steel and few had handles, but now there are all sorts of fabulous options. 

The good news is we all have to stay hydrated, so this is a thoughtful gift that’s also practical and can be fun. Yes, there are name brand versions that are pricey, but you can find great tumbles at lower price points as well!

This 40-ounce tumbler comes with a handle and straw in a wide variety of colors. But, the very best part? It’s dishwasher safe!

For a slightly smaller option, this 30-ounce tumbler has a flip straw and handle for easy carrying. My daughter has a tumbler with this design that she loves for when she’s carrying lots of things with her.

Having a handle on top is a good idea to make the tumbler easier to carry, and the flip straw makes it less likely to spill.

For your baking friend

Honestly, I don’t buy many cookbooks any more because of the plethora of recipes online. I love Pinterest for organizing them! 

However, after reading so many of the Hannah Swensen cozy mystery books by Joanne Fluke (which I recommend if you are looking for easy, fun books with intrigue), I kept wanting to try the recipes included. 

The main character in the series owns a cookie shop and there are all sorts of yummy recipes as a result. As the series progresses, the recipes go beyond cookies to breads, cakes, pies and savory dishes as well. 

I decided I might as well just buy the Lake Eden Cookbook. I’m glad I did. 

I’ve used multiple recipes from it and even found my favorite ever chocolate cake recipe in its pages. It is one cake I gladly make from scratch because it’s easy and so scrumptious. You don’t have to be a reader of the book series to appreciate the recipes. 

The cookbook has some text written about the characters, but I’ve never read it! (And I enjoy the series.) I just really like the recipes most. 

The cookbook is basically compiled like it’s from a variety of small-town folks who appreciate good, filling dishes that don’t use a huge amount of ingredients or things that are hard to find. It’s practical and also has very detailed directions for each recipe.

The Lake Eden Cookbook is one of the more unique gifts on the list that most bakers would enjoy more than receiving kitchen gadgets that clutter their drawers!

And if you feel like going further with this Christmas gift idea, add some nonstick Rachael Ray bakeware like I told you about in the pumpkin bread recipe would go well with the cookbook. While an entire set of the bakeware is pricier, you can get a 9×13 rectangle pan or a cookie sheet for less. I love the Rachael Way cookware so much! 

For your fellow mom (or dad!) friend

Can we all just agree that kids are messy eaters? We are constantly battling crumbs at our house. 

Once my kids were old enough to get in on the action with sweeping the floor and wiping down the table as part of their chores, I realized they weren’t necessarily so great at managing crumbs. 

My husband ordered up a mini vacuum that made crumb clean-up easier. It sweeps up crumbs from the table and is perfect for little hands to use! 

It eliminates the struggle of trying to wipe crumbs from the table into your hands to carry to the trashcan. I have trouble with that myself sometimes; my kids struggle even more.

This little vacuum, however, works well. We use it on our kitchen table and chairs. We got a new table and chairs recently, but the bristles are soft enough that it doesn’t leave any scratches or marks on my table, which was important to me, too. 

Any parent  with kids would love this! And being able to use a gadget helps the kids get more excited about helping with clean-up.

For your geek or gamer friend (or husband)

As I shared in my list of gift nerdy gift ideas for him, my husband is a bona fide geek — in a cool way! So, I have to include a fun gift idea or two for others like him.

First up is this set of Paladone Nintendo NEW Cartridge Coasters. How cute are these?! They look like old school Nintendo cartridges that any kid from the 1980s would love. 

I just wonder if you have to blow into them sometimes to get them to work! (And if you understand why I’m saying that, this is totally something you should order!)

Another set of cool throwback coasters I found look like floppy disks. They are so cute! 

There are a few different option of these available, but I like this six pack of floppy disk coasters the most because they don’t have anything written on the label. 

You could totally use a Sharpie and customize the labels for yourself or just leave them blank. They come in more fun colors than I remember any of my floppy disks ever being!

For your husband, dad or brother

For a few years now, my husband has been carrying a multi-tool in his pocket. It comes in handy so much for things like opening packaging, cutting straws for our kids at restaurants and all sorts of other random tasks.

Right now, in fact, he has two because he misplaced one for so long that he ended up ordering another one. We’ve also gotten this pocket tool as a gift for my father-in-law who enjoys it just as much.

Men tend to like tools that have so many components and options and this one certainly does that. It’s a great Christmas gift idea for pretty much any guy on your list.

For your daughter or niece

When my daughter was almost 6, we got her ears pierced. Once she was able to start changing her earrings, we learned pretty quickly that anything not gold-plated made her ears break out in a rash. 

Both my mother-in-law and one of her sisters are the same way. They basically have an allergy to metals. We even tried the hypo-allergenic metals and silver-plated. All of them hurt her ears.

However, buying gold-plated jewelry for my then kindergarten-aged daughter to wear to school wasn’t something I had expected. I went in search of earrings she would like but also I wouldn’t have to stress about getting lost. 

Looking locally, I didn’t find a pair of gold-plated, girls’ earrings under $50, which seemed steep to me. I decided to check out Amazon and was so pleased to find a variety of gold-plated girls’ earrings for under $20. They make a nice gift for any age. 

These dangly, multi-colored flower earrings are one of my daughter’s favorite pairs that work well with different outfits. They are priced well for a stocking stuffer!

Small, colorful hoop earrings are also a special gift for the little (or not so little!) lady in your life. Available in single sets or three-packs, these hoops come in a variety of colors and are perfectly sized.

If you’re looking for slightly larger hoops, these pearl twist hoop earrings are a great choice. I gave them to my daughter for her 15th birthday, and she loves them!

And for those who don’t have pierced ears, go for a nice bracelet. This simple cross bracelet was also a gift to my daughter for her birthday, and she wears it daily.

For your son or nephew

I’m not sure boys ever stop loving dinosaurs and fierce animals. I mean, they really are cool. 

​Combine dinos with Legos, and it’s a match made in heaven! This Lego Creator dinosaur set is perfect because it builds three different dinosaurs in one set.

If vehicles are more his thing, then this Lego Creator transportation set is a great option.

For kiddos a bit older (4th grade and up), this magnetic pen makes an excellent gift. Last Christmas, in fact, I bought it for my three nephews and then ended up getting one for my son as well. You can make all sorts of creations with it!

Finally, if you’re buying for a child who has a good imagination or like fidgeting, then these transformable fidget spinners are perfect. This was a gift for my son last year as well.

He’s transformed them into a variety of different things with his imagination and really enjoyed them.

Looking for more Christmas ideas? Check out these posts!

Christmas gift ideas for people who are hard to shop for

The best Christmas gift ideas for 14-year-old-girls

The best Christmas gift ideas for mom friends

Funny Christmas gift ideas for coworkers: 25 clean gag gifts

Christmas gifts for men under $35

30+ of the best white elephant gift ideas under $20

Quirky, fun holiday gift ideas under $25 for everyone on your list

Father’s Day gifts from kids he will love!

Plus a free printable Father’s Day coloring card page!

Finding the right Father’s Day gift is often challenging for me. One of the things I’ve learned through the years is that personalized Father’s Day gifts are often the most memorable. My husband likes gifts that show we know him well and want to give him something related to his interests. On Father’s Day, that focuses on our kids!

So rather than try and come up with all sorts of generic Father’s Day gifts ideas this year, I’ve put together a list of last-minute personalized Father’s Day gifts that he’s sure to love. And I’m including a free printable Father’s Day coloring card page to get you underway as well. It works as a gift by itself or paired with another gift.

(Don’t miss these 5 ideas for a great Father’s Day celebration either!)

If you’re looking for a personalized Father’s Day gift that doesn’t have to be ordered in advance, doesn’t cost much and you can have immediately, then digital downloads (aka printables) are your best choice! Listen, I create printables that I both give away for free and sell on the Families with Grace Etsy store, so I am totally partial to them. But they make adorable gifts that you can easily personalize for the dad in your life. And they work incredibly well in a time crunch! I’ve pulled together a list of my best personalized Father’s Day gift printables that are inexpensive and memorable.

Father’s Day printable coupons

These Father’s Day printable coupons are adorable. Two pages come pre-filled with ideas, but they also come with a third page that is blank so you can write in whatever works best for the dad in your life! The prefilled coupons include things like: a quite morning to sleep in, a car wash, one day without chores, playing a game together and a made-to-order breakfast.

Father’s Day handprint art

Another great choice is handprint art. Not only is it adorable, but it’s fun for dads to hang on to and look back to how small their kiddos’ hands were. All you have to do is print them on cardstock, add your child’s handprint and give it to dad! You can put it in a frame for safe keeping.

Of course the handprints on this artwork is personalized, but you can also find Father’s Day handprint art that is personalized to your guy’s hobbies and interests. There’s handprint art pages for those who love baseball, fishing, gaming, superheroes, music and more.

Father’s Day coloring pages

Even better is to pair the handprint art with a matching coloring page to give dad two personalized Father’s Day gifts he’ll love without breaking the bank. You can give just the coloring page as a card as well — whatever works best for your family! Just like with the handprint art, you can also get a variety of hobbies to make the coloring page card even more personalized. There’s handprint art pages for those who love baseball, fishing, gaming, superheroes, music and more.

But if you’re not looking for a specific hobby, there are some more general coloring pages that work for many father figures and dads as well. They become a personalized Father’s Day gift when your kiddos color them!

And then there are also bundles of Father’s Day coloring pages that make great cards and can be a good activity for a Sunday School class or your own kiddos.

And the exciting part is you get a free printable Father’s Day coloring page card! With the image below, you can get the PDF to save or print. Easy peasy!

Father’s Day Printable Bookmarks

Another fun and easy printable that your kiddos can make a personalized Father’s Day gift is printable bookmarks they color in and make just right for dad.

25 Gift ideas for men that they’ll love

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

Of all the people on my list, men are the trickiest for me to find the perfect gift for. I’ve looked at various Christmas gifts for men lists and often they include gift ideas none of the guys in my life would really like. Not all men are sports fanatics, meat loving, beer drinkers. In fact, none of the guys in my life are into any of those things.

So, as I was coming up with gift ideas for men this year, I figured I’d put them together in a list. That way I can remember them in the future — and I’m pretty positive other people need this kind of list, too!

These are all great ideas individually, combined together or in addition to other gifts you’re purchasing. No matter what, I’m sure you’ll find at least one thing on this list your guy will absolutely love!

Food gift ideas

Edible gifts are always a great gift idea for both men and women. Check out these tasty treats that will tickle his tastebuds!

Quirky gift ideas

If you can find a Christmas gift for men that’s both quirky and useful, then you know it’s going to be a hit. Even if your guy has nearly everything, I’ll bet he doesn’t have these things!

Handy gift ideas

When it comes to gifts for men, you can’t overlook handy gifts. Check out these ideas that he’ll love even if he isn’t a big handyman!

Fun (and funny) gift ideas for him

If your guy likes a good chuckle (and who doesn’t?!), these gifts will tickle his funny bone!

Looking for more Christmas gifts for men or other people on your list? Don’t miss these posts!

5 Ways to make holiday gift giving easier!

Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

The Christmas season is both awesome and stressful. Figuring out how to pull off all the extras on top of your regular tasks isn’t always easy. And don’t even get me started on Christmas gift giving. I don’t think I’m the only one who has people on my list impossible to buy for, right?

So I did my best to come up with good ideas and tips to simplify Christmas gift giving. The Christmas season and gift giving should be more fun than stress. These ideas can help you have less stress this year!

Organize your Christmas gift ideas

I’m big on lists. I’m the kind of person who makes lists for everything — and you know that’s going to include Christmas gift ideas! Until this year I’ve made my Christmas gift list in a spreadsheet. It works, but it gets a bit unwieldy as I do my best to add in product links. And then when it’s time to send those gift ideas to others (like grandparents), it gets a bit wearisome.

So I was super excited to discover the Amazon Holiday Gift List. I have used Amazon lists before, but I hadn’t tried the Holiday Gift List. The difference is that you can have one main list with various tags. Basically you can organize links to all your gift ideas for various people in one place. I know! It’s my newest, most favorite organization tool for Christmas gifts this year!

You can set the list to be private (meaning only you can see it), shareable (meaning only people who you give the link to can see it) or public (everybody can see it). Right now, I have mine set to private, but I’m going to switch it to shareable and pass it along to my parents and in-laws.

Once you’ve created your Amazon Holiday Gift List, you add items to it by clicking on the “Add to registry” button instead of the “Add to list” button in order to find your list. You can tag items from there as to which person they go with. For example, I created a list called “Christmas 2021” and created tags for each member of my family.

I have a second list called “Other Christmas Gifts 2021” with tags for extended family members, teachers and anyone else we are going to buy gifts for. Then I can organize my gift ideas for those folks as well. Then I’m free to share my family list with my parents and in-laws while also keeping my gift ideas for them a secret from them.

I’m quite loving the Amazon Holiday Gift List this year. My kids even used it to add items for themselves. My 12-year-old helped my 8-year-old add his items. Nice!

Other nice features with the gift list is that it keeps track of who buys what to make it easy for sending thank you cards and it also has a variety of different gift ideas on the main page to help you out as you come up with ideas. You can even customize the photo at the top of your Amazon Holiday Gift List!

Have some general Christmas gift ideas in mind

One of the most difficult parts of Christmas gift giving is coming up with ideas for everyone on your list. Christmas gift lists abound, though, to help make life easier. Check out the following links to ideas!

Christmas gift ideas for people who are hard to shop for: If you’re buying for people who basically have everything, you need these 40 gifts under $30 that everyone will love!

15 Christmas gifts under $20 for almost everyone on your list: If you don’t have much time, start with this short list that’s packed full of great ideas for everyone from your mother-in-law to your kids’ teachers.

Gifts for everyone: If you need to just explore and find all sorts of ideas, Amazon has you covered with lots of categories from fashion to toys to stocking stuffers. You can also easily look for gifts in price ranges to fit your budget.

Quirky, fun holiday gift ideas under $25 for everyone on your list: For gifts that are a bit out-of-the-ordinary and fun, this list has you covered with more than 44 Christmas gift ideas

Handmade holiday gift guide: This gift guide from Amazon is packed with ideas of personalized and unique gifts from some of the small businesses who sell on Amazon.

30+ White elephant gift ideas under $20: Find more than 30 ideas under $20 for white elephant gifts that are fun and not embarrassing.

Find a couple of designated hiding spots for Christmas gifts

I don’t like waiting until the last minute to get or order Christmas gifts. So I have to come up with a solution for hiding the gifts once they start arriving. I try to keep them in one or two spots so I don’t forget anything, which has totally happened!

The best hiding spots are ones that your family members seldom access. Use a plastic tote in your garage, the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet nobody else uses, a box in the back of a closet. But keep in mind where you put things. With your Amazon Holiday Gift List, you’ll be able to keep track of what you’ve purchased and know what you should have. You just need to make sure you know where they are!

Wrap as you go

Another great strategy for simplifying Christmas gift buying this season is to wrap your gifts as you go. First, it will make hiding them easier. Even if prying eyes find them, they won’t know what’s under the wrapping paper! Second, it will save you from having a wrapping marathon session.

Honestly, I don’t wrap each individual gift as I go, since in the early days of shopping they trickle in slowly. Instead, once I have a few then I do a small wrapping session to help cut down on my stress just before Christmas.

Ship Christmas gifts directly to out-of-town friends and family

Figuring out how to get Christmas gifts to friends and family who live away from us is easier than ever. While postal rates have increased, many stores include gift wrapping options and will ship straight to your out-of-town recipient. I’ve utilized this feature from Amazon for my niece and nephews who live states away. It’s usually $5 or so for gift wrapping and looks nice.

Another option for shipping directly to your recipient is doing a subscription box. With a monthly box arriving to their doorstep for however long you choose, you don’t have to do anything more than pick the subscription and pay. Pretty easy peasy! Amazon has a wide variety of subscription boxes in various price ranges for both adults and kids.

Digital subscriptions are another easy option for gift giving. A few years ago, my husband gifted me with Kindle Unlimited. There are so many books available to read for free. I’ve maintained my subscription because I like it so very much and find it even easier than downloading books from my library. I highly recommend it for readers! And “A Family Christmas: 25 Days of 5-Minute Family Christmas Devotions” is included in Kindle Unlimited.

Finally, if all else fails, go with gift cards so they can purchase what they want. I’m a big fan of Amazon gift cards just because you really can get anything on Amazon. You can even send the gift cards digitally, which is great if it’s a last-minute situation!

Easter basket ideas your toddlers to tweens will love that aren’t full of sugar!

Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here. 

Hippity, hoppity, Easter’s on its way! And that means we need Easter basket ideas for our kiddos. Our Easter Bunny leaves some candy in our kids’ baskets and some small candy in the eggs he hides for them. But the Bunny also likes to fill their baskets with non-candy items they’ll love.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 200 non-candy Easter basket ideas for toddlers through tweens to help out the Easter Bunny who visits your house. I focused on things kids would like and actually use but that also wouldn’t break the bank.

I’ve organized them based on age, but peruse other age groups than what you’re looking for. Some ideas work for multiple ages!

Easter basket ideas for toddlers and preschoolers

Board books

Check out this list of more than 100 children’s books worth reading for more ideas!
“I Love You Through and Through”
“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”
“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”
“Hippos Go Berserk”
“Peek-A Who?”

Bubbles

Of course you can do a standard bottle of bubbles that has a wand, but there are some fun options as well!
Fubbles no-spill tumbler with bubble solution
Automatic bubble blower
T-rex bubble shooter (um, my 8-year-old would totally love this, too!)

Play-Doh

12 cans of Play-Doh (4 ounces each)
Play-Doh Kitchen rolled ice-cream set
Trolls World Tour Rainbow Hair Poppy Play-Doh set

Sidewalk chalk

Yoobi sidewalk chalk paint rollers (3-pack)
24-pack dustless colored chalk
10-piece chalk set with holder

Bath toys

4-piece mold free bath squirters
Wind-up swimming penguin (available in blue or pink)
Caterpillar stacking and straining cups
Basketball hoop with floating balls
Fishing pole with toys

Stuffed animals

Plush brown monkey
12-inch stuffed teddy bear
Unicorn (also comes in a dragon and pegasus)

Slap bracelets

4-pack “Frozen 2” slap bracelets featuring Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf
5-pack (or 8-pack) of superhero slap bracelets
Plush animal slap bracelets (a wide array of animals, including dinosaurs, are available)

Art supplies

Toddler scissors
Melissa & Doug jumbo triangular crayons (10-pack)
Alphabet coloring book
Melissa & Doug Felt Friends stickers
Paint with water coloring book of puppies
Melissa & Doug Make-a-Face sticker pad
Crayola Color Wonder coloring set (These are amazing because the markers really don’t show up anywhere except on the coloring pages!)

Balls

O-ball with circles for little fingers to easily grip

Knobby balls (pack of 12)

Expandable ball (set of 2)

Lego Duplos

Town pizza stand (ages 2 and up)
First fish (ages 18 months and up)
Construction bulldozer set (ages 2 and up)

Misc.

4-pack of dinosaur vehicles

Easter basket ideas for early elementary

Books

Check out this list of more than 100 children’s books worth reading for more ideas!
The boxed set of books 1-4 in the Junie B. Jones series
“Charlotte’s Web”
“The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids”
“Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”
“Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild” (or any book from this series)
“Minnie and Moo Go to Paris” (or any Minnie and Moo book)

Silly putty

Original Silly Putty (3-pack)
Heat sensitive lab putty
Glow in the Dark Silly Putty

Legos

Lego Friends Olivia’s flower garden
Lego Creator 3-in-1 propeller plane
Lego City monster truck
Lego Friends heart box

Pool toys

Fish dive sticks
Water guns (2-pack — no pool needed for these!)
Scoop-a-Diving pool toys

Hot Wheels

5-pack of Batman vehicles
5-pack
1:24 scale monster truck

Sunglasses

Classic 1980s-style sunglasses (available in 12 colors)
Polarized sunglasses with straps (available in 17 colors)
Rhinestone cat eye sunglasses (available in 20 colors)

Swim goggles

Anti-fog eye goggles with nose and ear plugs and a case (available in 3 colors)
Anti-fog eye mask with a snorkle (available in 4 colors)
2-pack anti-fog eye goggles with nose and ear plugs (available 9 color combinations)

Watch

Digital Anna and Elsa watch
Digital Spider-man watch
Silicone analog watches (available in dinosaur, firetrucks and butterflies, each in a variety of colors)
Analog watches with the hour and minute hands labeled (available in Batman, Minnie Mouse and Disney Princesses)
Analog sea turtle slap bracelet watch

Arts and crafts

A how to draw animals book
A draw-and-write gratitude journal
A dinosaur or unicorn activity book
WikkiStix (wax sticks for creating)
Melissa & Doug Color by Numbers
A set of crayons, markers and colored pencils

Stickers

8 sheets of cute animal stickers
160 cars and trucks stickers
Paint by sticker zoo animals
Make-a-Face stickers

Dover sticker activity books (At $1.50 to $1.99, these are the cheapest item on the list and super cool! You can find a little sticker book for just about anything your kiddos would like including making ice cream sundaes, Noah’s ark, decorating Easter eggs, baby animals, dinosaurs and so much more!)

Barbies

Dolls
Barbie rhythmic gymnast doll with two batons and a ribbon (also in brunette with darker skin)
Babysitters Inc. baby (with blanket and bottle)
Fashionista Ken
Swimsuit Barbie (The swimsuit is painted on, so it’s ideal for the bathtub, pool or anywhere your kiddo wants to play in water!)
Rockstar Chelsea with guitar, microphone, headphones, VIP tickets and star-shaped glasses

Accessories
Barbie kitten with accessories
Barbie day spa accessories
Barbie barbeque grill with food
Barbie gardening accessories with plants and more
Barbie house cleaning supplies
Barbie breakfast tray with food

Games

Charades
The card game War for kids
Minecraft UNO
Simon micro series

Balls

6-pack of puffer balls
4-pack mesh squishy stress balls
Nee Doh stress ball

Blind bags

Ooey Gooey pickin surprise (slime)
My Little Pony Magical Surprise
Disney Princess Secret Style Surprise princess
Power Rangers Micro Morphers
Dreamsworks’ Trolls World Tour Tiny Dancers (wearable figures)

Polly Pocket sets

Dolphin trainer set
Barbeque set
Playground set
Rock star set

Water snakes

5-inch long water snake with glitter
Long 9.5-inch long water snake
4.75-inch water snake with dolphins inside

Action figures

12-inch superheroes like Spider-man, Superman and Captain America
7-inch Imaginext DC characters like Black Bat & Ninja Batman, Flash & his cycle or Joker & Harley Quinn
Pokemon figures like Pikachu and Grookey
2-pack Fortnite Battle Royale action figures

Misc.

Mighty Beanz
4-pack Hatchimals collectibles with 4 accessories
Magic ring bracelet toy

U.S. map 60-piece puzzle
A metal or plastic neon slinky
Melissa & Doug DIY wooden race car
DIY Scratch art bookmark kit (makes 12 bookmarks)

Easter basket ideas for tweens

Books

Check out this list of more than 100 children’s books worth reading for more ideas!
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
“The Girl Who Drank the Moon”
“The Lion, the With and the Wardrobe”
“A Wrinkle in Time”
“The Lightning Thief”
“The Best Kind of Magic”

Arts and crafts

How to draw books like Pokemon, Harry Potter or Unicorns, Mermaids and More
A fashion design sketch portfolio
4,000-piece set of multi-colored Perler beads (separated by color)
Create your own stepping stone: turtle, ladybug, sun and 5 others
Perler bead with patterns: Harry Potter, Spider-man, Zelda, emojis or a dog

Lip balm or gloss

6-count Sweet Tarts lip gloss canister
8-count M&Ms Lip Smackers
8-count Starbrust Lip Smackers
8-count Coca-Cola Lip Smackers
5-count Lip Smacker liquid lip gloss
8-count Sour Patch Kids flavored lip balm
8-count Skittles Lip Smackers

Blind bags

Funko Mystery Minis: Marvel Venom
Lego Unikitty collectibles
Mandalorian foam 3D clips

Jewelry

Necklaces: A cross necklace or an initial necklace
Bracelets: An initial charm bracelet, a leather charm bracelet (available in 36 options) or 6 colorful beaded bracelets
Earrings: ladybug earrings, cross earrings or 9-count earrings in various design options

Games

Monopoly Deal card game
Clue: the card game
Uno: Emoji

Wet Brush

(My daughter and I LOVE this brush for her ultra-thick hair. It works on both wet and dry hair to detangle without pulling and hurting. We have one upstairs and one downstairs!)
Floral design Wet Brush
Disney character Wet Brush

Puzzles

100-piece animal selfies puzzle
100-piece sea turtle puzzle
300-piece Pokemon fan favorites puzzle
350-piece puppies in sneakers puzzle

Water bottle

50 Strong Kids sports squeeze 22-oz. water bottle (available in 14 patterns)
Contigo auto spout straw water bottle (available in 24- and 32-ounce; 24-ounce bottles are under $11)
DIY Color stainless steel water bottle

Legos

Lego Technic toy tractor
Lego Marvel Avengers Ironman mech
Lego Star Wars Millennium Microfighter

Mad Libs

(All under $5)
“Dog Ate My Mad Libs”
“Sleepover Party Mad Libs”
“Camp Daze Mad Libs”
“Goofy Mad Libs”
“Unicorns, Mermaids and Mad Libs”
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mad Libs”
“Star Wars” Mad Libs”
“Marvel’s Avengers Mad Libs”

Misc.

Hair chalk
Headphones (multiple colors)
Zoya nail polish (free of harsh chemicals, lasts so long and comes in tons of colors) Some fav pinks for spring: light pink, medium pink and bright pink
Flying disc (multiple colors)
OMG Little Live Pets dogs in ballerina and rainbow pop

Looking for more Easter ideas? Don’t miss these easy DIY Resurrection Eggs with a free printable!

Sweet Valentine’s gift ideas your guy will love

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

Valentine’s Day is coming. My husband and I have spent more than two decades celebrating Valentine’s Day together. Yet, I can still have trouble coming up with Valentine’s gift ideas for him.

I want a Valentine’s gift that’s sweet and not something generic or usually even something I’d get him for Christmas or his birthday. I’d much prefer to come up with Valentine’s gift ideas for him that have more meaning and less price tag.

With that in mind, I went in search of gift ideas that were a good amount of sweet as well as things guys would actually like and use.

Get cozy

Since Valentine’s Day comes during the winter (at least here in the U.S.), cozy blanket can be great Valentine’s gift ideas for him. And it’s even better since the two of you can snuggle beneath it to stay warm! But you don’t want to give him just any boring blanket. Consider a weighted blanket, which is super popular these days.

Or go for something fun and cozy like some of these unique throws.

If you’re married to a gamer who grew up in the 1980s like I am, these next two gaming throws would be a hit.

Game together

If you and your husband like playing games, couples-themed games are great Valentine’s gift ideas for him. It’s like two gifts in one. First you give the gift of the game and then you get the gift of time spent together playing it!

Picture this

Photo gifts are pretty fun, no matter how long you’ve been together. Find a photo (or a few) from a favorite memory, put it in a frame and you have a great Valentine’s gift!

Write it down

Take your Valentine’s card a step further by writing a book for your husband! With one of these fill-in-the-blank books, you can pretty easily write a sweet and sentimental book. And, unlike a card that’s easy to toss out, he can keep the book and go back to it time and again.

Laugh together

I have to be honest and tell you this final gift idea actually came from my husband. This is a book he got me for Christmas based on a series of comics that often remind him of us. Even better, he wrote on the inside cover a sweet note along with which comics reminded him most of us. It made me swoon!

Looking for more ideas on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your husband? Check out the easy Valentine’s tradition I do for my husband and kids to help them feel loved!

Moms don’t need an expensive gift to be happy!

I first put this list together back in 2013 when I had a newborn and a preschooler. Now my kids are 7 and 10, but the list STILL holds true. I’d love every single thing on this list for Mother’s Day any year.

This year as we are heading into Mother’s Day weekend either still in or maybe barely out of quarantine, we must remember moms don’t need expensive Mother’s Day gifts to feel loved and appreciated!

Mother’s Day is Sunday. I saw a cartoon recently where a woman was interviewing for a job as a mom. She said to the interviewer, “So, I only get one day off for Mother’s Day?” The interviewer responded, “Yes, and technically we still work then.” 

I laughed. It was funny in the way that something is when it has a nugget of truth in it. Motherhood has no days off.

Ideally, all moms would be able to relax on Mother’s Day and do what they want to do. But, that’s just not reality. However, moms don’t require much to be happy. If you know a mom (or a married to a mom!) who has young kids at home, I guarantee she’d like anything from this list and most of them don’t even need you to leave your house or spend a penny.

1. Give her the gift of a nap. 

Yep. This is my number one. I love naps. At any given moment, I would happily fall asleep if I could. This includes a nap sitting straight up in a chair (been there, done that). A nap where someone else is in charge of my youngsters for a couple of hours and I actually get to lie down in bed? Now THAT’S a wonderful gift!

2. Give her a compliment on her appearance. 

I’m constantly hunched over doing things like changing diapers, nursing, playing games, wiping faces, etc. Between my hunching, my post-babies’ body (which wasn’t a stellar one to begin with) and the fact that I’m beyond overdue for a hair cut, nothing about me feels attractive 99.9% of the time. 

Sometimes I literally look in the mirror and do a double-take when I find I don’t look nearly like the exhausted, hunchbacked zombie I feel like.  A sincere compliment from my husband might make me roll my eyes on the outside, but it also makes me feel good on the inside.

3. Give her some flowers. 

Listen, I have a fear of plants (I admit way too much in this blog) and even I love getting flowers. A vase of fresh flowers is cheerful and uplifting. They don’t have to be anything fancy. A bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store are just fine. 

The best kind of flowers to a gal like me are those I can enjoy in a vase for a week or two then throw out. Other moms might like the kind they can plant and maintain. My own mom and mother-in-law can plant anything outside and not only keep alive, but have it thrive. Go for what the mom in your life likes!

4. Give her a night off from cooking.

Even better, give her the whole day off! Whether we’re the kind of mom who cooks everything from scratch or relies on convenience food or somewhere in between the two, moms are constantly doing food prep of some sort. 

We probably don’t mind most of the time, but getting a break from making three square meals plus snacks for a day is nice. Even better is a homemade meal that we didn’t have to lift a finger for, but takeout works, too.

5. Give her the gift of laundry. 

I still keep my laundry schedule as best I can with a newborn and 3-year-old, but I also pretty much always have a load of laundry hanging over my head. (This is still true now even with my kids being a bit older now!) Right now, I do really, really well if I get two loads of laundry finished in one day. More typical is one load of laundry and even that may sit in the dryer for a few hours (or overnight…). Doing laundry for any mother is a blessing.

6. Give her the gift of a clean house. 

I’ve come across sayings about how cleaning your house when you have young children is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos or shoveling while it’s still snowing. Yep. Sounds about right! Any home in which young children reside could use some cleaning whether it’s putting away some toys, scrubbing toilets or vacuuming — or all of the above!

7. Give her the gift of uninterrupted, fun time with her children. 

What moms really want (after more sleep) is more good memories with their children. Most of us have realized that their childhoods go flying by. Sometimes doing the tasks and chores involved with taking care of our families and everything else keep from being able to just hang out with and enjoy our children. 

Moms need that. Children need that. Take mom out of the house with the kiddos and have a picnic. Or just let her sit for the day and play with the kiddos without having to worry about cooking or cleaning.

8. Give her gifts made with love. 

A craft created by little hands just for mom that mom didn’t have anything to do with is special. Yes, we are that easy. We also love a heartfelt note of appreciation. Being seen for all we do in motherhood is priceless.

9. Give her the gift of alone time. 

We definitely want more memories with our kids, but we also could use some alone time to sleep, read, sleep, shop, sleep, watch television, sleep or whatever we want to do. I’ve been almost finished with the same book for the last three months since the birth of my son. I seriously could have the book finished at least within an hour, but finding an hour to just sit and read on any given day is impossible. 

Maybe make mom’s alone time outside of home so she’s not tempted to clean or catch up on other chores. We’re kind of crazy like that.

10. Give her the gift of appreciation. 

Moms do what they do out of love. We get up every morning and wipe noses, make lunches, play pretend, do laundry, kiss boo-boos, hug through tears and even discipline because we love our children more than anything else. But, we still need to hear thank-you sometimes. 

We need to hear it from our spouses and from our children. My husband has been good at this so our daughter is learning to as well. Just the other night she thanked me for dinner while she was eating. 

Everyone likes to be appreciated. We moms need to know that all our hard work and sacrifices are being noticed. While we don’t do them for glory or for thanks, being appreciated makes us feel good and helps strengthen us to keep going.

Moms really are pretty easy to do things for. We appreciate small acts of kindness. Most of the time we’re so busy taking care of everyone else that we don’t do much for ourselves, so when someone else does something to take care of us, we appreciate it. We accept it as a gift. And we sincerely enjoy it.

Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow mamas! You are awesome, strong women who are doing the best for your children. May your day be filled with lots of love and laughter and — if you’re lucky — a nice, long nap!

Want more on Mother’s Day? Check out this post:

Ideas for how to love on a new mama in your life

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

The birth of a baby is so exciting, overwhelming and exhausting. Whether she’s welcoming her first baby or her fifth, a new mom needs love and support. Often folks think to bring a gift for the new baby or even a meal, but what about the mom? I can think of no other time in my life that I thought less about myself than when I had newborns. But likewise, I can also think of no other time in my life when I appreciated thoughtful gestures.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of gift ideas for new moms. Even better, they’re from Amazon so you can have them shipped straight to her if you want to give her space as she is getting acclimated to her new baby or if you live away from each other. Of course, you can also ship it to you and use it as an excuse to stop by for baby snuggles while mama rests!

Stainless steel tumbler
I LOVE these to the moon and back! I wish I had known about them when I had babies. But my son was a toddler before I discovered their joy. However, when a friend had a new baby shortly thereafter, I had to get her one. Keeping water (or even soda!) cold makes it easier to stay hydrated, which is incredibly important for new mamas, especially if they’re nursing.

I first got this Mossy Oak 30-ounce tumbler for my husband. We liked it so much that I later got one for myself as well. The lid has a swivel so that it closes, which is always a good plan. It’s not totally spill proof, but even with a straw in it, you can mostly close it which helps keep spills to a minimum. Plus it’s only $11!

If you want to spend a few dollars more, you can spring for this Pandaria stainless tumbler that comes in a variety of patterns and designs to brighten up the new mama’s day.

Another option is this Contigo Autoseal Travel Mug. Not only is it a double-insulated stainless steel tumbler that will keep beverages hot or cold, it is also spill and leak proof, which is a great idea for a mom who wants to toss it into her diaper bag or has a toddler prone to knocking over her cup. It comes in 16-, 20- and 24-ounce sizes.

Mom jewelry
I love jewelry and have since I was a toddler (according to my mom). I was incredibly excited to get jewelry celebrating becoming a mother. While you can certainly get expensive motherhood jewelry, there are some inexpensive options that I love and make for a great friend gift! I have this Mama Bear bar necklace that I got after my son was born and really love. It comes in silver or rose gold for only $11 or $12 depending on what you pick. For $14, you can opt for other mama bear jewelry. There is a round pendant as well as bracelets and bear cut-outs in the bar style.

For only $8, this mama bird necklace is another great option for mother jewelry. So cute!

If bracelets are more her style, these Infinity Collection motherhood bracelets have a charm that says “A Mother’s Love is Forever” and come in versions for both boys and girls.

Coffee mug
Whether or not your new mom friend drinks coffee, mom coffee mugs are always fun. I love them and I don’t drink coffee! They can work for coffee, tea, hot chocolate (my favorite!) or even just to hold pens or change. I love this simple coffee mug for first-time moms commemorating the year she was established as a mom.

If you’re friend isn’t a new mom, this adorable mama bear mug is a great option.

This #momlife mug is another cute mug that any mama would love.

Then, of course, what new mom couldn’t use a giggle? This mug makes an awesome and fun gift proclaiming: “I grew a tiny human and all I got was this lousy mug!”

And if you decide to gift a mug, you could pair it with your friend’s warm beverage of choice like specialty coffee, fun tea flavors or, my personal favorite, dark hot chocolate!

Photo frames
Moms adore their babies and having nice picture frames reminds them to actually print some of the thousands of photos they take with their phones and cameras. One of my favorite things I got for my children was matching baby frames. Another favorite gift I got for my baby shower was a multi-photo tabletop frame that I continue to use until this day!

This frame with a spot for each month of baby’s first year is a great option to help mom remember to actually keep track of photos each month. It’s so fun to look back and see how much your little one changes in that first year.

I also love this animal frame for only $16.99. Considering I did my daughter’s nursery in animals, I may have an affinity for animal-related baby decor!

Then there are frames with sentimental sayings that make excellent gifts. This wooden frame says “First we had each other. Then we had you. Now we have everything.” Um, that melts my heart — and my babies are 6 and 9!

I also love this leather picture frame for a boy or girl with a quote from Winnie the Pooh: “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

Easy-to-use hygiene products
New moms are short on time and energy, so sometimes just doing a basic self-care task can make you feel so much better. There’s not time or energy for a spa day, but just being able to shave your legs can perk you up. It was just after my first baby that I tried the Schick Intuition razor, and I still use it! It takes me maybe two minutes in the shower to shave and is so easy.

I also LOVE these make-up removing facial wipes from Target’s Up & Up brand. I know what you’re thinking: what new mom wears makeup? I’m a makeup lover all the time, but even I didn’t deal with makeup much (if at all) in those first couple of weeks. But, these wipes also just make cleaning your face easy. You don’t even have to be in the bathroom to swipe your face down and go. They’d make a nice addition to a gift bag of “take care of you” gifts for a new mom.

Gift cards
This one is probably kind of obvious, but gift cards work well for new moms. Think of things easy for them like a pizza place that delivers or an online photo service where they can print photos of their new little one.

Amazon gift cards are also a great idea, because the new mama can shop without leaving her house and have things she needs show up at her door. She can get anything from clothes for the baby (or herself) or even diapers and wipes. While you can send a gift card digitally, you can also send this cute card for a new baby with a gift card included.

And what mom wouldn’t love a Target gift card? I loved Target’s Up & Up brand diapers for my babies!

Comfy slippers
After my daughter was born, my feet were swollen for about two weeks. I remember squeezing into my husband’s Crocs to go to doctor’s appointments. Wearing socks wasn’t comfortable. Nothing worked well. When my son was born in January, I knew I needed a plan to keep my feet warm. I love comfy slippers because they can keep the new mama’s feet warm but she can also kick them off when she starts to get hot, because hormones do some crazy things to body temperature even after the baby has arrived!

As an added bonus over socks, slippers provide traction for walking on tile or vinyl flooring, which is important for mamas who are sleep deprived and carrying their precious little one.

These fun animal slippers from TeeHee come with a matching eye mask, which isn’t a bad idea for a mom who needs to sleep whenever she can — even if it’s the middle of the day!

These sparkly sequin-covered slippers from Alotta Knits are another fun option that come in five different colors.

If you want something a little more sedate, these Vifuur memory foam slippers come in eight different colors.

An easy and quick devotion book
New babies turn your schedule completely upside down, including a chance for quiet time with God. It’s hard to have time or energy to do anything more than just survive, so having a devotion book that you can pick up when you get a chance and read through in five minutes or less is ideal for a new mom.

One of my very favorite ones is Jen Hatmaker’s “Out of the Spin Cycle.” I used to take it along with me when I went to pick up my daughter from preschool while her baby brother was asleep in the backseat. I could easily read through the devotions. I read through this book twice, which isn’t something I often do. It just really spoke to and ministered to my exhausted mama heart.

Sarah Arthur’s “Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms” looks like another good option that draws on the author’s own experiences as a mom who has been there, done that.

The Hugs series of books are also always a good option. Just like with the other two devotion books, this “Hugs for New Moms” includes inspiration and stories from real moms and aren’t written for any particular day, so if days get missed in the busyness of life with a newborn, it won’t require playing catch-up.

For something a little more Scripture-driven, yet also concise for new mama’s who lack time and energy for concentrating, “Mom’s Daily Bread,” which releases April 16, 2019, offers an encouraging verse for each day of the year.

Quiet activities for big siblings
If this isn’t the first baby for your friend, consider also bring something along for the big sibling. Yes, this post is focusing on taking care of and supporting the mama, but helping keep her other kiddos quietly entertained while she is dealing with the new baby’s needs is supportive!

Kids love stickers. Even better, Melissa & Doug reuseable stickers can be played with over and over again and don’t require constant parental supervision of toddlers to make sure stickers don’t get stuck anywhere they shouldn’t be.

For preschoolers and early elementary siblings, this set of make-a-sticker sheets is awesome! They can create animal faces by choice and you get 60 sheets for only $11.99!

Along those same lines, these Magnetic Fun scenes would work well for big brothers or sisters who need quiet activities. They come in a nice tin, so they’d also be easy to toss in the diaper bag to have for waiting for doctor’s appointments or running errands.

One of my kids’ favorite things in the preschool days were the Melissa and Doug Water Wow sets. They’re nice because the kids are getting the experience of painting without the mess. And this pack includes not only ones to reveal color but also connect-the-dots. You can buy a pack of three or individually.

Lacing sets are another favorite of little ones. My 6-year-old really just got out one of our sets of lacing cards a few weeks ago, in fact! This Lauri Lacing & Tracing Noah’s Ark set is incredibly cute.