Have you started your holiday shopping? This year is going to be different than others and that makes it the perfect year to think about what and where you are purchasing your gifts. So many of us support the big names that make ordering easy and somewhat quick. Although there are many shipping delays since so many of the products come from overseas. This pandemic has really affected everything. I wanted to gather a list of products and stores to shop that will appreciate the business and will put smiles on all the gift receivers! Also please remember many people out of work from their full time jobs so they are depending on their side gigs, so please consider ordering from one of the direct sales vendors you know.

Children

One of my favorite gifts for children is books and in particular personalized ones. Kids love seeing their names in the stories. We have reviewed many different ones but this year we discovered In the Book. They offer a variety of personalized books for different ages and interests from baby through adult. Check out our review here.

Other books:

Picture Books:

This Way, Charlie--a sweet story based on real life animals

Endangered Animals and How You Can Help--review coming soon!

Middle Grades:

History Smashers Series--I loved the two I reviewed!

Enchantment Lake Series--Mystery Trio

Cleo Porter and the Body Electric--perfect book for 2020

Young Adult:

This Is My America--Current events included on Black Lives Matter

What I Like About Me--Wonderful book about friends and family and every day teenage life

Crafts for Kids

Finger Knitting

Paint Pouring

Origami

I have fallen in love with Diane Tells His Name's No Face Dolls. Some are made for play and some are made for collecting. However the reason they have no face makes them perfect gifts for kids. Read about Diane and her dolls here.

Family & Friends

This year was my fiftieth birthday. My sisters gave me money to buy something special for me. (They couldn't decide on a necklace to purchase for me so they gave me money to buy my own.) I was excited because I have been eying for many years, Dune Jewelry, but I hadn't justified spending the money on myself. I got a necklace which I am in love with. The sand in it is from the creek of the marsh that my grandparents built their house on at Cape Cod and now is our family home there. I also bought a Christmas ornament for my parents' gift with the sand from the same place. My parents lived in this house until a few years ago when they needed to downsize and moved to a condo less than a mile away from it but away from the marsh. Now they will have a piece of the marsh with them at their condo. Needless to say their jewelry and other accessories make amazing gifts. You can even send sand in if they don't have the sand you want. Talk about a memory gift!

Thirty-One Gifts has a huge selection of gifts from purses and wallets to thermal bags and travel bags as well as home décor. This link is to my personal website. Any purchases from it will give me a percentage as I am an independent consultant.

Metal Art Print from Artsy Couture is the perfect way to decorate and keep a family memory. Or a canvas print from Photowall.

I also have been loving puzzles during this pandemic. I have shared some from Tuttle Publishing and Workman Publishing and have some beautiful ones to share from Princeton Architectural Press (keep an eye out for my reviews).

Crafts

Winnie's Picks Paint By Number is amazing gift. You can pick a premade one or have one customized to your photo.

Origami Papers for the person who loves origami or paper crafts.

Quilt Books for the quilter in your life along with a gift card to a fabric store or on-line fabric store!

Teacher Gift Ideas

Personalized Lunch Bag from Thirty-One (I will receive a percentage of purchase as an Independent Consultant.)

Classroom Organization from Thirty-One

So who is on your list that you need help with?

Holiday Shopping Recommendations!