Other Gifts

Personalized Christmas Gifts

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I kicked off the holiday shopping season with the personalized rubber stamps for Miss Priss’ and Mr. Star Wars’ teachers. Personalized seems to be the theme for me this year. I usually keep a list going all year (yes, I am that OCD) and jot down ideas as people mention things. When holiday shopping season officially starts, I review the list and try to come up with ideas that might apply to several people, so I can order more than one of the same thing. I have a brother and two sisters who all have kids plus TheRoomDad’s family. We try to do a little something for each family group, so the list gets pretty long.

Here are some gift ideas on my “to buy” list this year, and most of them are personalized in some way. That usually means a longer ship time, so I better get on the stick!

Monogrammed Jewelry: I know my tween nieces would love necklaces like this because they keep pinning these types of things. I also think they are great gifts for my mom, sisters, and sisters-in law.

gold-small-discs-double-layer  moon_lola_script_monogram_in_orange_large   4-letter-necklace_20

Monogrammed Scarves: I love all of the color choices for these scarves. I would also do something like this with a pashmina. Find pashminas at a local store and take them to a monogrammer. FYI– This would make a great teacher gift. Classroom temperatures can be difficult to regulate!

monogram-scarf-scarves

Personalized Wrapping Paper: One thing I like about this gift is that it is consumable, so it does not have to be stored for very long.

wrapping paper initials wrapping paper recipe wrapping paper

Mini Photo Books: These books are set up like board books. I think they make great personalized gifts for little people and grandparents to share when visiting.

mini board bookspinhole-press-mini-book-names-faces-photo-baby-toddler

Custom Ornament: My parents have a collection of paintings of all of the houses where they have lived. We moved a lot, so the collection is large. These ornaments reminded me of the paintings. It would be fun to order ornaments with a different house every year.

custom ornament

Fort Kit: This one is not a personalized gift but a DIY gift. Fill a drawstring bag with supplies to build a fort like plain sheets and clothespins. I think this is so clever.

for kit

Anyone else have a successful shopping strategy or great ideas that will work for several people? You could also return to last year’s gift list for a little inspiration.

Teacher Gift or Hostess Gift– You Decide

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carrot pickles finished

When organizing a teacher gift, I try to follow a generic but personal policy. The carrot pickles with cilantro are a little bit of a risk and break this rule. I visited Sewing Sister last weekend, and she served some carrot pickles with grilled hamburgers for dinner. The pickles were surprisingly delicious, easy to make in large batches, and they looked really pretty in the jars. The risky part, however, is that it is a pretty specific food type– not very generic. I teach at the school my son attends and know my son’s teachers fairly well. I was pretty sure everyone would eat them (or at least try them).

If you don’t know your child’s teachers at all but want to send a small appreciation gift for the end of the year, I think the Insulated Drinking Cup with gift card or an Ice Cream Sundae Kit works better. If you know your teachers like trying new restaurants or enjoy good food, I would give this gift a try, especially if you need to make a large quantity. I needed about 15 teacher gifts.

I will also be bringing an extra jar to a friend’s house this weekend as a hostess gift.

carrot pickle jar samples

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb. carrots, trimmed and peeled
  • 8 oz. shallots, thinly sliced
  • 6 sprigs cilantro
  • 1 c. distilled white vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
  • 2 t. kosher salt
  • 1 t. sugar
  • 1/2 t. celery seeds
  • 2 t. whole black peppercorns

carrot pickles bias cut

Directions

  • Cut the carrots into sticks that match the height of the jars you are using or slice using a bias cut (this is the diagonal, oval shaped cut).
  • Combine the carrots, shallots, and dill in a glass container with a lid.
  • In saucepan, combine 1 c. water, 1 c. vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, celery seeds, and peppercorns. Heat until it simmers.
  • Pour the heated vinegar mixture over the veggies, cover loosely, and let cool to room temperature.
  • Tighten lid when cooled and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
  • Can be kept in the refrigerator ~2 weeks.

carrot pickles assembling

NOTES

  • I used a 5-lb bag of carrots, 5 shallots, and 2 bunches of cilantro to fill 17-20 jars. I used a mix of tall and wide mouth half pint jars. I needed 4 batches of the vinegar mixture. 
  • I tied a label to each jar with raffia ribbon explaining the contents and wishing the teachers a happy summer from our family. Click here for the Carrot Pickles with Cilantro Labels.
  • The recipe is fairly forgiving, so you can double, triple, etc. pretty easily.
  • The cilantro can be replaced with dill.
  • The original recipe came from Simple Fresh Southern by the Lee Brothers. They have a whole section of pickle recipes. Sewing Sister also recommends the radish pickles and the watermelon pickles.

carrot pickles with labelsWhat homemade recipes have you given as teacher or hostess gifts that work well? Do you think this gift is a hit or miss? I will admit that I am giving Miss Priss’ teachers (who I do not know as well) the insulated cup gift!

Board Books (an Addendum to The Best Baby Gifts)

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childrens board books

I am not sure what I was thinking when I did not include baby books as a suggestion for The Best Baby Gifts in my last post.

Board books are a great newborn baby and first birthday gift. The heavier page is sturdy and stands up to the wear and tear of a baby or toddler. They are specifically made to protect against drool damage. They are a good price point and wrap very well.

Many classic children’s picture books that were originally published in traditional hardback with paper pages are now available in a board book version too. Board books are typically not longer than 30 pages, so you may get an abridged version of the original book in the board book style. If you want to get your money’s worth, go for the board book version as a first book.

What books have you given as a baby or toddler gift?

  • Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
  • Baby Faces and others by DK Publishing
  • The Cheerios Play Book by Lee Wade
  • Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
  • Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
  • Jamberry by Bruce Deegan
  • Moo, Ba, La La La! and Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
  • My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk
  • The Napping House by Audrey Wood
  • 1 is One by Tasha Tudor
  • Open the Barn Door by Christopher Santoro
  • Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
  • Sheep in a Jeep and Sheep in a Shop by Nancy E. Shaw
  • Time for Bed by Mem Fox
  • Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and others by Eric Carle

1 is One page sample

The Best Baby Gifts

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As with most things in my life, I have rigid guidelines I follow faithfully for choosing baby gifts.

  1. I refuse to shop from a baby gift registry (but always shop from a wedding gift registry).
  2. I never buy baby gifts that contain brown, black, or orange.
  3. I do not like anything that an adult would wear but has been reduced to infant size. These clothes are easy to identify because they usually have pockets. The last time I checked, a baby is not carrying loose change or car keys.

A baby gift is an opportunity to buy something sweet that the mom would not buy herself. Hey, I know that new mom will get a carseat. She has to have that to leave the hospital. Why should I get the practical gift when there are so many cute and tiny things available? Before I had kids of my own, I had a variety of baby gifts I liked to give.

bunnykins bowl

  • Royal Doulton Bunnykins baby dishes (do a Google search for sources). I really like their bowl with the wide base to avoid tipping and the two handled toddler cup.

kissy kissy

  • The brand Kissy Kissy makes unbelievably soft footie outfits with tiny little motifs embroidered on them. I love the little embroidery because it is the right proportion for a baby. They have some brighter colors, but most of the clothes are in soft pale baby colors that are RoomMom approved.

auruluz daygown

  • Auraluz daygowns were another favorite. For those of you who do not know, a daygown is an A-lined “dress” that stays open at the bottom (no snaps or anything), so it is easy to get to the diaper. And as I told my husband many times, yes, boys can wear daygowns too.

baby booties

  • I even went through a brief phase where I knitted baby booties. I could knit pink or blue if I knew the sex of the baby ahead of time. If it was going to be a surprise, I would give white booties and include a set of pink and blue ribbons to be added at the birth.

hooded towel

Since having children, I have honed my baby gift giving skills, lowered my gift budget, and settled on a present that combines sweet and practical. I always give a large hooded baby towel that is accompanied by a gift certificate to have the towel monogrammed. Since I like kits so much, I also add Aquaphor ointment (diaper rash, dry skin, cuts, scrapes, chapped lips), Baby Magic lotion, and Baby Magic baby wash. Finally, the gift includes directions for achieving The Perfect Newborn Baby Smell.

I have a monogram store near my house that sells large white hooded towels for $20 (monogramming included). At the time of purchase, they write up a gift card for me, so the mom-to-be can return to the store and have the monogram added. If the baby has been born or the parents know the sex/baby name ahead of time, I have the towel finished before giving the gift. I found this website that seems to have a white hooded baby towel that is similar to the one I like.

Do you have any favorite baby gifts you like to give? Do you prefer practical or pretty?

Essence of Christmas

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essence of christmas

I used to throw an annual cookie exchange and would put together a little party favor for the guests. One year I gave each friend a bag containing the “Essence of Christmas”. This is something my mom always had simmering on the stovetop at our house during the holiday season; it makes your whole house smell like Christmas. It is easy to make in big batches, and if you are already in cocoa kit or rosemary nut production, you should have a large supply of clear bags and labels– perfect for packaging these goodies. Share with neighbors, teachers, co-workers, or bring as a hostess gift to parties.

essence of christmas close up

Ingredients

  • 1 t. cloves
  • 4-5 juniper berries (can be hard to find, Whole Foods usually has these with the bulk spices from Thanksgiving to Christmas)
  • 1 orange (navel oranges– cannot use clementines or tangerines)
  • 3-4 bay leaves
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks

Directions

  • Slice orange and add slices with spices to a pot with 4-5 cups of water. Simmer on the stove to emit a wonderful Christmas fragrance. Refill water as necessary.

The Label

  • Include the directions listed above along with a little holiday message.

essence of christmas label