Families With Grace

Helping Christian moms create homes filled with grace, love & faith

Christmas gift ideas for mom

Mom gift ideas she’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.
Christmas gift ideas for mom Pinterest image

Coming up with Christmas gift ideas for mom can be challenging. Whether you’re buying for your own mom, your mother-in-law or even looking for gift ideas for yourself, figuring out what to ask for during the holiday season can be difficult.

I mean, my actual Christmas list would include things like: naptime, no laundry for a month, chocolate that doesn’t have sugar or calories, lazy days and food I didn’t plan, shop and make! I find it difficult to come up with gift ideas for myself many times, so I understand why my family can struggle.

Here’s the thing about Christmas and moms, though. We work really hard to make sure the holiday is festive and happy for everyone around us. Having thoughtful gifts under the tree for us is much appreciated. And these gift ideas do just that.

Mom apparel

Lots of mom apparel utilizes sarcastic humor. While that’s OK, I love more positive mom apparel. In fact, I created my own line of mom apparel on Zazzle filled with minimalist designs I love and a mix of sweet and humorous mom shirts. They come in a variety of colors and styles. Here are some of my favs:

Christmas gift ideas for mom: I run on chocolate, grace and Jesus shirt
Christmas gift ideas for mom: Mom with grace T-shirt
Christmas gift ideas for mom: World's Best Mom shirt
Christmas gift ideas for mom: Blessed beyond measure shirt
Christmas gift ideas for mom: Mom life is the best life shirt

And then there are these cute baseball style hats for moms that come in a variety of colors.

Purple denim mom hat that comes in a variety of colors
Mom life baseball style hat
Denim mama bear hat

And don’t forget to keep her tootsies warm with these adorable mama bear slippers that come in various patterns and colors.

Mom jewelry

I’ve loved jewelry since I was a toddler, so my mind also goes to jewelry as a great mom gift. Every day I wear a ring that has my children’s names on it along with their birthstones. I also have a necklace of a mama bird with eggs that match my children’s birthstones that I got a few years ago for less than $20 and wear it a few times each week. It doesn’t have to be expensive jewelry to be meaningful and make a great gift. None of these options cost more than $35!

Mother's heart necklace with simulated birthstones for 2 to 6 children
Options for 2 to 6 children
Mom bracelet
Mother and child birthstone necklace
Options for 1 to 5 children
Mother and daughter necklace that also comes in a bracelet
Mother and daughter jewelry
Mama bear necklace that is customizable
Up to 5 baby bears

Books for moms

Books are also great Christmas gift ideas for mom. You can find a wide variety of books for moms. These are some great choices that moms will love!

"Bible promise for moms" by Heidi St. John
Color with mom: A 2-person coloring book
Connecting with grace is a faith-based mother and daughter shared journal.
"Jesus Calling for Moms" by Sarah Young
"Midnight Mom Devotional" by Becky Thompson and Susan K. Pitts

Sentimental sign gifts for mom

We moms enjoy being appreciated and loved, so sometimes a sentimental sign gift can be perfect. Check out these ideas:

Wooden plaque: "To the world you are a mom. To our family you are the world."
Customized sign with wedding date and children's birth dates
Wooden photo frame with string art that says, "You are the mom everyone wishes they had"
Wooden photo holder that says, "Home is where the mom is"
Customizable artwork that says, "Mom you are the piece that holds us together"

Photo gifts for mom

Finally, I have to include the idea of photo gifts, because I love them and I think most moms do. A few great gift ideas for photo gifts would be a gift certificate for a family photo session or a gift card to a favorite photo printing site like Shutterfly, Vistaprint or Snapfish.

Think about ornaments, desktop plaques, photo books, blankets, pillows and whatever else you think would be a hit. I’ve found these gifts also work really well for grandmas!

Gag gift ideas that are clean and fun

25 gag gift ideas that are clean Pinterest image

25 White elephant gift ideas no one will be embarrassed by

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 holiday season is primetime for fun gift exchanges at school, work, church or with friends and family. But finding gag gift ideas that aren’t inappropriate or embarrassing can be difficult. So I’ve taken time to scour through Amazon and find some fun gag gift ideas that are clean, fun and appropriate for all ages.

Animal themed gifts

This snail soap dispenser makes me smile. It is a bit on the gross side to think of using snail snot as a soap dispenser, but it’s also humorous!

Gag gift ideas: snail soap dispenser

Animal lovers are sure to love this four-pack of animal socks to make your feet look like a dog’s, cat’s or tigers. How fun are these?!

Gag gift ideas: Animal feet socks

I’m pretty sure almost all of us have seen the screaming goat videos. Bring the screaming goat to a tabletop near you with this funny screaming goat figure. It comes with a small paperback book to give you ideas of when you just might need to hear the goat scream.

Gag gift ideas: Screaming goat figurine and book

This gift sounds gross, but it’s great for juvenile humor and tasty, too. This reindeer barf is actually colorful, chewy strings of licorice. I’d give it a try!

Gag gift ideas: Reindeer barf candy

Who couldn’t use a squirrel hand puppet in their life? This cute little fella is a nice price as well!

Gag gift ideas: Squirrel hand puppet

More for decoration than use, this hanging cat washcloth is certainly a memorable gag gift that someone out there would like! It comes in a variety of different cats.

Gag gift ideas: Hanging cat washcloth

These cat paw oven mitts are so adorable whoever you give them to will want to start baking right away!

Gag gift ideas: cat paw oven mitts

Food themed gifts

Even if your recipient doesn’t like pickles, they’re sure to love this fun yodeling pickle!

Gag gift ideas: Yodeling pickle

Everyone knows someone who loves pickles. But would they love pickle cotton candy? It’s worth a try!

Gag gift ideas: Pickle flavored cotton candy

I mean, bacon is delicious. Embrace your inner bacon lover self with this bacon flavored toothpaste.

Gag gift ideas: Bacon flavored toothpaste

If you love bacon, but toothpaste isn’t quite your thing, check out these bacon bandages!

Gag gift ideas: Bacon bandages

Who can resist cheesy jokes? I am a huge fan of cheesy, dad-type jokes. This stack of cheesy joke cards look like cheese slices and are sure to offer plenty of giggles.

Gag gift ideas: Cheesy joke cards

Of all the gag gift ideas I came across, this one intrigues me the most. I can’t help but to be curious how these Lester’s Fixins outrageous flavor sodas taste. They come in a pack of six bottles that include soda flavors like ranch dressing, pumpkin pie and bacon.

Gag gift ideas: Outrageous flavor sodas

I love chocolate. Of all the gag gift ideas on this list, I relate to these “If you can read this, bring me chocolate” socks so much!

Gag gift ideas: "If you can read this, bring me chocolate" socks

Toy and other novelty gifts

Gag gift ideas that are annoying and funny work well. And this voice changer fits into both categories.

Gag gift ideas: Multi voice changer

If you’re looking for a gag gift that might take a second before you get it (unless you are faster than I am), check out this can of dehydrated water. All you need to do to have water is add water!

Gag gift ideas: Dehydrated water

There’s not a more classic gag gift idea than the good ol’ snake in a can. What looks like a can of chips is ready a snake ready to spring out when you pop the top. Classics are classics for a reason!

Gag gift ideas: Snake in a can

This desktop boxing set, complete with a rule book, is ideal for an office party. Help your co-worker take out frustration at their desk!

Gag gift ideas: Desktop boxing set with a rule book

This talking Bob Ross bobblehead, which comes with a small book of some of his paintings, is a gag gift that gives back. Do you need a pep talk? Do you need a soothing voice to calm you down? Just press the button!

Gag gift ideas: talking Bob Ross bobblehead with book of paintings

I’m not sure what to say about these, except that as a child of the 1980s, these mullet socks crack me up!

Gag gift ideas: American mullet socks

I LOVE Mad Libs. And I actually have these very Mad Libs. You can’t go wrong combining The Golden Girls with Mad Libs!

Gag gift ideas: The Golden Girls Mad Libs

While these record coasters are effective and nostalgic, they’re also hilarious with song titles like “Don’t spill the tea,” “Protect the surface” and “Rest on me.”

Gag gift ideas: Record coasters

Who said that gag gift ideas can’t be educational? Check out “The Book of Unusual Knowledge.” It’s full of random, interesting facts that can make for great conversation starters!

Gag gift ideas: The Book of Unusual Knowledge

This Christmas hat will keep your head warm and light up. Talk about a festive headpiece!

Gag gift ideas: Light-up Christmas hat

Wrap it up

To wrap it all up, these funny gift bags are a perfect way to wrap your gag gift. They say funny things like, “Remember it’s the thought that counts,” “Just act like you love it” and “Definitely not regifted as far as you know.”

Gag gift ideas: Funny gift bags

Looking for more ideas? Don’t miss these lists full of gift ideas!

30 White Elephant Gifts Under $20

Quirky, fun and unique Christmas gift ideas under $25

15 Christmas gift ideas under $25 for everyone on your list

Christmas gifts for men under $35

Christmas gift ideas for people who are hard to shop for

Last-minute personalized Father’s Day gift ideas

Father’s Day gifts 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.

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!

Bookmark it

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.

Christmas gifts for men under $35

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!

How to simplify Christmas gift giving

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!

Tween girl gift ideas

25 gift ideas tween girls will love (by a tween girl!)

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.

Tween girls are the hardest humans to shop for. With changing mentalities and all that jazz, you may never know what to get them. Being the superhero I am, I have provided you with lots of tween girl gift ideas that are tween girl approved — by me!

Accessories & jewelry

You pretty much can’t go wrong with accessories and/or jewelry for a tween girl gift!

Lucky Fortune bundle

Jewelry, scrunchies, stickers and more! This is a fabulous set tween girls would love.

Projecting necklaces

These necklaces are so cool, because they have a tiny ball on them that when a flashlight shines through it onto a wall in a dark room, you can see an image. How neat!

Name necklace

How cute is this personalized necklace?! Love, love, love! You can pick the color, font and chain length also.

Charm jewelry set

Jewelry making is something many tween girls enjoy, and with this charm set, she’ll have plenty of options!

Message bracelet

These bracelets are super cute! I wear one that says “The love between a mother and daughter is forever” (Mom has one, too!), but I would totally get more!

Encouraging necklace

This necklace is both adorbs and encouraging. It’s a great tween girl gift to help her remember that she is brave, strong and smart, which is something we can all use!

Scrunchies

I don’t think it’s possible to have too many scrunchies. They’re always getting misplaced anyway. I love the softness of the velvet ones that work on even my extra thick hair. And if you’re getting her some scrunchies, add in an organizer for an awesome gift!

Cute makeup bag

Great for those who actually use makeup. This gift could kind of go for anyone, though, since it doubles as a fun snack pouch. She could even use it for pencils or most anything small!

Lotion set

I love lotions that smell good and make my skin soft. Ones that have a variety of fragrances and essential oils are some of my favs!

Paper products

Whether it’s stationery, books or writing utensils, there are some great options for the tween girl in your life!

Compliment pencil set

Listen, we probably won’t tell you this, but compliments make us feel much much better, and so will these pencils. (Even right before that important math test we forgot about!)

DIY journaling set

I received one of these as a gift a while back, and have loved it!

Harry Potter book set

This is one of my all-time favorite series. If she hasn’t read the Harry Potter books, they’d be a great gift!

Scratch paper art set

Ok seriously, how cool are these?! This could easily keep a tween girl (or just about anyone!) busy for hours and hours.

Notebook Doodles

Even for those girls who aren’t exactly great at art, this book can still be fun! Whilst I have only looked through the sample version myself, the book seems like a great way to doodle, reflect and learn.

Cool lap desk

This lap desk is just so cute! Also, it is collapsible. I would seriously love this, so I assume others would, too. It would make doing homework or crafts anywhere so much easier.

Room decor

Tweens tend to be ready for a room makeover. Well, at least I am. (Summer project!) So, some cool new decor can be a fun gift for a tween girl.

LED candle

I have always thought these candles were so cool! They’d make a great gift for any tween. (And they give you the feeling of candles without an open flame, which parents will like.)

Glow in the dark blanket

This is just a fun gift no matter how old you are, but it is definitely perfect for tweens!

Cinema lightbox

Besides looking cool, a cinema lightbox is also fun because you can put your own words on it! This one changes colors and comes with 100 letters and symbols.

Moon lamp

This moon lamp changes colors and just looks neat. It also works as a more grown-up nightlight.

Just for fun tween girl gifts

Tween girls like to have fun, and these gifts help us do just that!

Karaoke microphone

This is a 3-in-1 microphone for any music loving tween! The microphone not only actually works as a microphone, but also plays music.

Instax mini camera set

I have this one, and it’s quite fun. You can find the camera in multiple colors, and it takes fun pictures in a vintage style.

A fun keychain

Whether she uses it for a house key or puts it on her backpack, this keychain is sure to result in giggles!

DIY squishes

These are just fun, and a good general gift for most girls under 13. (They are also super cute and make for a fun afternoon)

Bubble pop fidget toy

First of all, these are super fun for any age. They pop a lot like bubble wrap. Second, if the tween girl you’re buying a gift for isn’t a fan of pink butterflies, have no fear! There are about 50 different options, so you should be good.

Girls with Grace, a tween blog written by a tween girl, has new posts on Tuesdays two to four times a month. Find out more about Girls with Grace:

200 Easter basket ideas that aren’t candy

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!

Valentine’s gift ideas for him

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.

This fun throw would certainly keep your guy toasty on cold days. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

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!

Christmas gift ideas for people who are hard to shop for

40+ Christmas gift ideas under $30 for those on your list who have everything

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.
40 Gift Ideas for people who have everything Pinterest image

The most challenging part of Christmas shopping can be coming up with good Christmas gift ideas for the person on your list who has everything. Coming up with Christmas gift ideas for someone you don’t know so well is also challenging.

While I can usually come up with ideas for kiddos I don’t know as well, I often struggle to come up with ideas for adults. After talking with a few friends, I quickly realized I am not the only one!

So I scoured the Internet for some ideas and spent time on Amazon tracking down 40 awesome Christmas gift ideas for the hard to shop for folks on your list. And I kept the budget at $30 or less to keep your wallet happy as well!

Savory food Christmas gift ideas

Even the people on your list who have everything still need to eat. Food gifts can be a great Christmas gift idea if you aren’t sure what to get for someone. While you can put together your own basket of items for someone, I am a big fan of gifts I can just order and they’ll take care of themselves. I’ve also found it’s usually cheaper to find a pre-made basket than to try and make one myself.

Popcorn is the perfect snack food in my opinion. I love this popcorn set from Urban Accents that includes three different kinds of popcorn and five premium seasonings. In a year that will have folks at home more than usual, this Christmas gift idea would come in handy for movie night at home for anyone!

Another popcorn option is this Popcornopolis 12 Cone Snack Pack. It includes zebra, cheddar cheese, caramel and kettle corn in adorable Christmas themed cones. You can get a 12 Cone Snack Pack that isn’t Christmas themed as well.

Because I’m a fan of puns, I can come up with some groan-worthy puns to go along with this nut platter from Jaybee’s. Your friends and family will go nutty for this tray of delicious cashews, smoked almonds, roasted salted mixed nuts, pistachios and toffee & honey roasted peanuts.

If you’d rather go for a mix with more than just nuts, this nut and dried fruit gift basket from Oh Nuts! might be the perfect Christmas gift idea. The vegan treat includes kiwi tidbits, papaya bites, royal dates, dried pears, raisins, plump apricots, dried summer plums and peaches, exotic pineapple, apple rings, heart-healthy pistachios and premium roasted almonds.

This set of organic infused and smoked maple syrup from Runamok Maple Sugermaker’s in Vermont comes in an assortment of flavors. Who wouldn’t want to cover their pancakes in vanilla cinnamon real maple syrup?!

This 5-pack of gourmet organic spices from FreshJax is a great gift for anyone, especially someone who loves to grill. There are a few different variety packs available. Each seasoning lists what food items it would be good for. For example, Grill Master works well for burgers, veggies and kabobs. Cheeks is tasty on ribs, pork, chicken and even popcorn.

FreshJax is a small, family-run company who donates a portion of their profits to feed children in need. So that makes buying from them feel even better!

My maternal grandpa loved good summer sausage. I remember snacking on it with him sometimes as a kid. It’s still a special treat to me, so I always think of Hickory Farms gift boxes as a great Christmas gift idea. This set includes two summer sausages, 4 ounces of sharp cheddar, sweet hot mustard, crackers and 8 strawberry candies.

Food gifts don’t have to be gourmet or fancy. Especially as families are home more throughout the holiday season, snacks are always appreciated. Pretty much anyone would like this holiday snack box variety pack.

Sweet food Christmas gift ideas

You can seldom go wrong with sweets. This Hazel & Creme Biscotti gift box looks as pretty as it does delicious!

Christmas gift ideas that include chocolate get me excited! And Godiva chocolate is some of the best there is. It’s so creamy and delicious. It is also pricey, but there are some great lower-priced options that you can get solo or combine into a larger gift.

Chocolate covered pretzels always seem like a treat and this large box of gourmet chocolate covered pretzels from Hazel and Creme would make a great Christmas gift for just about anyone.

Hazel and Creme also has this gift box of chocolate covered cookies that looks absolutely divine!

Around the home or office Christmas gift ideas

Decorative items for the home or office can make good gifts. I love the versatility of bowls. They can be used for their named purpose (like holding fruit) or for decoration or really whatever your gift recipient has in mind.

And if you think the bowl may need a filler, consider including some decorative rattan balls with it as well. These 2-inch balls are available in a wide variety of colors as a pack of 24.

Sometimes the person who has everything doesn’t have some unique kitchen gadgets. A couple of small appliances are great Christmas gift ideas for the person who has everything or is otherwise hard to buy for.

My family got this Nostalgia electric indoor s’mores maker a few years ago and we absolutely love it. You could easily pair it with s’mores ingredients to make a nice gift for someone.

I keep coming across this hot dog toaster and hearing incredibly good reviews of it from people I trust. It’s a bit quirky, but it would also make an excellent Christmas gift. (There is also a 4-slot hot dog toaster, but it costs $40.)

Another helpful kitchen item that just about anybody would like is a pizza cutter. My husband prefers the rocker pizza cutters. This one from Checkered Chef is stainless steel, dishwasher safe and comes in 14-inches or 16-inches.

And then I have to throw in this pizza wheel from Fred and Friends that looks like a saw. It’s a bit quirky and fun. If you are buying for someone who uses saws regularly this might really be a fun Christmas gift idea!

Candles are also a great gift idea for those who are challenging to buy for. You can go for a scented candle like this one from La Jolie Muse that comes in four different scents and burns for 50 hours.

Or you can go for a battery-powered, flameless candle like this set of three. With flickering LED lights, they look like burning candles without the risk of the flame. There are four color options and styles to pick from.

Along with decorative items, everyone can always use tools around home. And there are a couple of multi-tools that are ideal for a kitchen drawer for anyone.

Book Christmas gift ideas

While I’m an avid reader, I know that not everyone is. However, there are still books that work for just about anyone, even those who don’t enjoy reading as a hobby. Check out these books that just about anyone would like.

Pampering Christmas gift ideas

Who couldn’t use some pampering once the holidays are over? I love pampering products as a gift for anyone. Lotions and bath gels are almost always a hit with women, especially. Go for light, clean scents instead of stronger scents if you aren’t sure what she’ll like.

Bath bombs are another great pampering gift idea. From Life Around 2 Angels, these handcrafted bath bombs are made in California.

Quirky Christmas gift ideas

Sometimes you ned a Christmas gift idea that’s just a bit quirky for the person who has everything. (If you need more of these ideas, be sure to check out my post of quirky, fun gift ideas under $25 for everyone on your list.)

If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas for someone who has everything, consider this gift that they surely don’t have: a star. You can order this kit and complete paperwork to name a star after someone. You can do it for them or let them do it themselves. How fun is that!

While we are celestial, check out this really cool moon nightlight. It comes in three sizes and is USB chargeable. The light works by touch to adjust its brightness.

Another space-related gift idea is this 3-inch plasma ball. It’s sensitive to touch and sound as it safely conducts colorful electricity.

Coming back to earth, this mini zen garden with pattern stamps is a fun Christmas gift idea!

Another fun option is this set of 100 Scrabble magnets. You could practically write your grocery list in magnets on your fridge!

I’m not sure it gets much more quirky or fun than this tortilla blanket from mermaker. The double-sided blanket is 71 inches and comes in three different colors as well as in pizza or waffle.

And because it’s 2020, I just had to add in this final quirky gift for your friend who has everything, including a sense of humor! This 1,000-piece puzzle is covered in toilet paper rolls and should certainly keep your friend or family member busy putting it together during times of quarantine and self-isolation. (Funwares also makes a 1,000-piece puzzle covered with face masks!)

Looking for more ideas? Don’t miss these lists full of gift ideas!

30 White Elephant Gifts Under $20

Quirky, fun and unique Christmas gift ideas under $25

15 Christmas gift ideas under $25 for everyone on your list

Christmas gifts for men under $35

Gag gift ideas that are clean and fun

10 No and low-cost Mother’s Day gift ideas

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: