Creative Frozen 2 Gift

We all know how easy it is to hop online, order a toy, wrap it up and give it away. While we all do that,I also like to put together some gifts for children that require some planning and encourage creativity. It really isn't that difficult, and I'm going to make it even easier for you by linking all the supplies for a fun  themed gift idea that centers around Disney Frozen 2 characters,but can really center around any of your children's favorite characters.
    I am currently putting together a fun gift for two young girls for Christmas. This is a wonderful idea for the kids who love to cook,bake or create things in the kitchen. My plan is to get a few different items so they can make chocolate lollipops, bake and decorate a cake and cupcakes ,then spend a little down time coloring .
    This mold is perfect for all the Elsa,Anna and Olaf loving kids . I will be putting a basket together that will include this, another mold as well as other necessary supplies like sticks and chocolate. With a little help from an adult, they can melt the chocolate in the microwave or using a double boiler,carefully pour into the molds,add a stick, and freeze for 3-5 minutes! Voila! Frozen lollipops. They make so many molds now with different themes, but these are perfect for this particular gift.

I then found  this and knew I had to add it. Another option is this one.Throw in some cupcake liners,your favorite cake mix,frosting, and you've got all the goodies to make cakes and cupcakes. Don't forget the most important part...the sprinkles!  Just when I thought I'd found everything I needed for this gift,I discovered this and these! Seriously, could they be any more perfect? They also make  Elsa and Anna aprons!

 Lastly,I picked up a few coloring books at Target. They usually have them in the dollar section. Add some crayons and perhaps a character themed book and your gift just needs to be wrapped and given! I even found this cookie kit if you prefer that rather than the cake mix idea.

  This gift can be modified to fit the interests of any child, ,but since Frozen 2 is this holiday season's big hit, it is bound to be a winning gift!

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Thanksgiving Pies & Desserts

Today I am sharing a few tried and true favorite dessert recipes for your Thanksgiving table so you can get a head start on both shopping and baking! Enjoy!

Nut Cups

Pie Dough

Coconut Custard Pie

Chocolate Chip Pie

Classic Apple Pie

Apple Crumb Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Cinnamon Mocha Tart

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Maple Pumpkin Custards

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cake

Cranberry Coconut Cookies

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Cranberry Coffee Cake

Chocolate Cream Pie

Pumpkin Squares

Fun Gift Idea for Kids

 

While it's true that the holidays are a time for toys, I have always been a believer in the gift of reading for children. As a lover of children's literature, I think it is so important to provide kids with plenty of reading material,whether it be books,magazines or even comic books. I was one of those crazy ladies who read to her children while carrying them, hoping the rhythm of the language in the stories would help to eventually foster a love of reading.I also realize how fun it is to receive mail all year long, so what better way to spark a love of reading than the gift of a book club? Yet, this isn't any old book club, one where you pay a fortune and receive books chosen for you each month. This is a do-it-yourself book club. You decide how many times a year you want to send books, you pick and purchase the books yourself based on the budget you see fit and you choose little items to go along with the books, such as  stickers ,coloring books,etc. Here is how to do it...

   1, Choose your packaging. This can be as simple as padded envelopes that you can order online, pick up
       at Target or from any office supply store. Just keep in mind that the postage will depend upon the
       packaging. Be sure to ask for the book rate at the post office, it is a few dollars cheaper.You can even 
       decorate them with stickers or drawings.

 

2. Decide how often you'd like to send them. I like to send books for holidays. You may want to send
    quarterly, only for special occasions or monthly..it's completely up to you.

  3. Decide how many you would like to send. Each gift can be different. Maybe you love two books for
      Christmas, but only one for Valentine's Day.That's fine..no strict rules here because you are in charge!

 4. Decide on your start date and pick out your books. Amazon, Barnes & Noble and many other sites
     have thousands of children's books for every age group. You can order a few you like and  have them
     sent to you.

5. Place your books in the envelope,along with a little treat and a note card for the recipient. Mail them
    and you are done!

Isn't this a fun gift idea? You can also send a card ahead to let the kids know they will be getting a
special surprise in the mail each month, or you can include the first book or set of books as part of their
Christmas gift this year. Wrap them along with a note explaining that they will receive more throughout the year. You don't even have to specify dates, it is completely up to you,use your discretion. This makes a
great gift idea for your own children ,grandchildren, nieces,nephews, you name it. It can also be a nice gift
for grandparents or elderly relatives who enjoy reading,simply adjust the reading material for the recipient.

  The most important thing to remember  is to send  reading material that interests them. Focus on their hobbies, favorite characters, favorite sports,etc. Children love to receive fun mail,and this is a gift that will not only show how much you've thought about them, it will also encourage reading throughout the year.

Here are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving books in case you'd like to start early..

Cranberry Thanksgiving

Clifford's Thanksgiving Visit

Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at The Tappletons

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

The Night Before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks

Turkey Trouble

Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey

Peanut Butter Pilgrims

Have a nice day.

**This post contains affiliate links.

Holiday Food Gifts

 

In an effort to help you tackle some holiday shopping early, today I am sharing some fun ideas for the food lovers in your life. These gifts are appropriate for everyone, some ready made while others are meant to be made by the recipient. I will be posting additional food gift ideas in another post because there are so many options out there and I'd like to cover as many as possible for you. I have no affiliation with any of these companies except for the fact that I love their products.Let's get started with some sweet options...

  King Arthur Flour is a great company that offers a variety of products for the kitchen. They also have these great baking boxes filled with all the ingredients needed to make a sweet treat. Each box runs about $25. They have a few different offerings like Boston Creme Cupcakes, S'mores Cupcakes and Cakepops, but for the holidays, I think this one is perfect. I've sent these as gifts before to my nieces who have had a blast making them and sharing with friends. It's a fun way for kids to learn how to follow a recipe and enjoy the fruits of their labor as well.

  King Arthur also offers several gift boxes and totes. The Cookie Gift Tote is super cute and comes with three mixes(sugar cookies,gingerbread and snowball) and decorative sugar all inside an adorable tote.A gluten free option is available as well. This retails for $36.95. Find it here.

I'm a big fan of Sugarfina candies. This year,their holiday line is just as beautiful as it is sweet. For Hanukkah, they are offering an 8 Nights of Lights collection. Behind each door is an assortment of 4 candies. This set retails for $20.

  Also available are these adorable Santa and His Helpers Cubes filled with candies. This set retails for $34. They make great stocking stuffers or favors.

They even have a special edition FAO Schwarz Nutcracker set,complete with a nutcracker ornament for $30. They offer free shipping with all orders over $75 and have such a wide variety of items to choose from. I personally love their chocolate covered cashews and their salted caramels. Yum!

Georgetown Cupcakes has something for everyone. They offer assortments for every occasion and ship nationwide. Prices vary depending on the amount of cupcakes being ordered, special packaging and destination. You can also create your own assortment if the ones they have aren't your preference.

The Big Little Fudge Company has a nice selection for your gift giving this year,ranging from cute little burlap bags filled with mini fudge bites, to tins with assorted flavors of fudge. I love that they are individually wrapped and stay fresh so you can save them for those moments when that sweet tooth takes over. I give these sets as gifts each year, and they have more gift options available on the QVC website if you are interested.

If you have chocolate lovers on your gift list, you can't go wrong with anything from Godiva. 
They offer stocking stuffers,favors,gift boxes,hot cocoa or baskets filled with chocolate goodness. Prices run from $9.95 to $$$$.

Williams Sonoma is my go to for so many things. It truly is one of my favorite stores,and if I am being honest,I'd move in there if they let me! For the holidays,they pull out all their goodies sure to tempt anyone.

I love macarons, so to me,these are a great gift. Adorable and delicious.A bit on the pricey side, but right now they are running a 20% off sale with the code FRIENDS.

Mrs. Prindables is a gift I love to give each year. Always fresh,delicious and festive. Right now, they are on sale at QVC and can even be broken up into 6 payments if you choose. This assortment is currently $37. 

Now, if you really are feeling festive and aren't short on cash ,this gift is the over the top,festive, gorgeous, gift that everyone in Hollywood goes nuts for.  Solvang Bakery  is a quaint,family run shop in California that creates spectacular structures out of gingerbread and ships nationwide. I'm not going to lie, they are expensive, starting at around $175 and going way up after that. It isn't a practical gift, and it may be a fantasy gift, but hey, it's the holidays,a girl can dream.I have one son who would go nuts for this...who knows, maybe someday. I just had to share because they really are beautiful works of edible art.

I'll be back with some savory food gift ideas later this week. Happy Veteran's Day!