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Unique Christmas Gift Ideas for Mom 2020

What to get Mom this year? Your mom always gives you the best.  She has sacrificed her time, energy, and even sleep makes sure that you get everything you need. Why not surprise her with something that truly says you care about her? Your mom thinks that you can’t possibly surprise her after all these years. Well, at this year’s Black Friday sales there are over 2020 options! How can you find the perfect creative gift for your mom? It’s overwhelming! 

Christmas gift diy for mom

Don’t stress it! We found the most awesome mom gift ideas this year.  Take the stress out of shopping.  Show your mom you love her with these heartwarming holiday gifts!

The Heart of the holidays she will always be

The scent of gingerbread in her hair

For Christmas bells shall always ring in

The joy of a Mother who cares

gifts

This year share beautiful memories with a high-end digital photo frame. These beautiful digital photo screens are ideal for grandmas, moms, and families. Set up high-resolution screens complete with motion sensors and Wi-Fi for a fantastic interactive experience. Many digital frames include a customizable MP3 player. Your mom can enjoy reliving fond memories while listening to her favourite tunes. 

What are this year’s top digital photo frame options?  These brands consistently have innovative features like Smart screens, voice assistant, Smart speakers, and so much more.

  • Aura Carver
  • Meural Canvas
  • Facebook Portal 
  • Google Nest Hub 
  • Nixplay Smart Photo Frame
  • Samsung the Frame
  • Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab

Customizable digital photo frames will be an excellent gift for your mom’s Christmas. She can spend hours reliving your favourite family moments.

The smell of cookies in the oven

Warm with a Mum’s tender love

Fill the soul with an embrace

Sweet as Christmas morn

cookies

Your Mum is more precious than all the gold in the universe! Imagine her surprise when she opens her gift and finds a gorgeous White Gold personalized diamond “Mom” heart necklace. The shimmering beauty of diamonds glistening with every beat of her kind heart. Show her how much you genuinely care with the gift diamonds.

If your mom is not the golden diamond kind, then opt instead for a simple silver charm bracelet or a personalized name bracelet from Jewlr. These adorable personalized bands can be customized to include the names of each child and grandchild. Embed each charm with birthstones or your mom’s favourite gem. Include hobby charms, too. For example, if your mom loves to bake, then include fun charms of miniature stirring spoons or a chef hat. She will love wearing this sweet reminder of your love.

The harsh frost of winter cannot end

The love of a Mother 

Her heart is home

Protecting her children 

From a world cold and stark

gift

Does your mother love to garden? Surprise her this year with a lovely birth month flower grow kit. This spring she will enjoy growing a delightful garden specially made for her. This symbolic Christmas gift grows and changes each day. Birth month flowers are a sentimental way to symbolize your love for your mom.

Find the perfect unique gift for your mother this year. Find the ideal way to demonstrate that you appreciate all that she has done for you. 




Trends In Winter Wear For Christmas Shopping

Trends By Region

Sometimes it’s easy to find the perfect present for your family members or loved ones; sometimes you need ideas to help get you started. One excellent suggestion is clothing. As a young one, you may not like to get clothes for Christmas. But as a person ages, good clothing becomes increasingly exciting—it’s a strange transition! Especially for your adult children, getting trendy winter apparel can be a great buy.

But it can be hard finding the right kind of clothing. Sometimes the better deals require a bit of travel. If you decide to go on a shopping trip that takes you out of your regular “stomping grounds”, you may want to make strategic travel plans. Here are some holiday travel tips to help you in your efforts.

What can be more convenient than browsing through online stores to find the best clothing options for your loved ones, friends, and family? You can get next day delivery in many cases, and you’ll have access to a greater quotient of available clothing options.

There are many different winter trends that come and go, and some clothing options which remain worthwhile. A good, sturdy, aesthetically-pleasing winter coat will remain stylish for decades. Consider a long soft overcoat that stretches down to a person’s calves. Such a coat is perpetually elegant.

Christmas clothing

Trending Clothing Options

Today, there is a trend leading more toward the kind of winter wear you’ll see at ski resorts. The coats, boots, gloves, snow pants, sunglasses, and hats of today are designed for the coldest regions and built with the finest materials. You can get jackets designed to retain heat almost anywhere.

Technology continues to advance, and this is a driving factor behind yearly trends. What makes the most sense is buying winter clothing items which have a non-rooted appearance. That is to say: by looking at the clothing you buy, you aren’t able to tell directly which era it comes from. These are items that tend to transcend style waves.

There’s a cyclical nature to trends. You’ll see what’s trendy swing between extremes of ostentation and conservatism over time. Don’t be afraid to buy the most stylish, bright, logoed option; precisely because it will be en vogue at some point. By the same token, less “loud” clothing is also appropriate. What have you seen your loved one buy lately?

For multiple clothing styles of varying diversity, WearSaga is an apparel organization which has committed itself publicly to the clientele they serve. Especially around the holidays, when many gifts are apt to face the prospect of return, it’s good to work with an organization who emphasizes customer service so directly.

music

It’s The Thought That Counts

Finally, one of the best things you can do to ensure the gifts you buy are effective and well-received is simply to know the style of those for whom you’re buying. If you’ve never seen your sister in a thick ski coat, it may not be because she doesn’t have one; it may be because she doesn’t prefer such winter wear.

That said, there are certain items which are just fun to give and receive. Have you ever seen those bunny-soft Russian-style hats that can clip under the chin, or above the head, depending on how cold it is and how stylish the wearer feels?

Even if the hat isn’t worn often, it becomes a fine piece of a person’s wardrobe. What’s most important when you buy is the thought you put behind what you purchase—so think about all the angles, and you’ll find gifts that everyone loves, and which will stand the test of time.




Personalized Presents With Pizazz – Christmas Is Nearly Here!

Photo source: Stocksnap.io

Personalized gifts are a great way to show your recipient that you care and are thoughtful. Bespoke gifts make a great emotional addition to your Christmas presents and can bring so much joy. They can tell stories of your life together and bring to life the personality of the receiver. They also create wonderful memories and have sentimental value that can be treasured forever. Personalized gifts show that you have gone out of your way to put care into your gift. But just remember that if your gift is personalized, you are going to want to get your order in early, in time for the holidays! Let’s take a look at three ways you can add a personalized touch to your presents this year.

Personalized Puzzles

Who doesn’t like a conundrum every so often? And a personalized puzzle is a great way to keep the kids quiet on Christmas day afternoon! There are companies that offer wooden puzzles that can be personalized with a family photo. All you have to do is send through a selection of photos that you want to be turned into a puzzle. Then the company’s graphic design team will see which ones fits the best. You can also add names and dates that can be blended into the puzzle too. This is a brilliant gift for kids as it will inspire them to finish off a project! Custom jigsaw puzzles can also be created with old theater tickets, maps and invitations too. It’s a brilliant keepsake gift that will mean something special to the recipient. If you have lots of children in your family, you can even make one for each member!

Personalized Bathrobes

It’s so nice to feel cozy over the holidays! So why not buy a set of monogrammed bathrobes for all the family. They will be a stylish and sleek addition to your ‘lazy day’ wardrobe, and they look super cute too. Companies such as monogrammedbathrobes.com provide soft, luxurious robes for women, men and children. And if you want to go one step further you could also add a set of personalized towels to your gift. Towel.com offer an array of towels in different colors that can be monogrammed. And then everyone will know who is guilty of leaving their towels hanging around on the bathroom floor!

Personalized Gifts For Mom And Dad

If you’re looking for a gift from the children to the grandparents, then personalization is a great way to go. Head to websites such as perosnalcreations.com for lots of unique ideas. Grandpa might love a set of initial coasters or perhaps a luxury personalized cheese board. And grandma might love a ceramic baking dish personalized with her name, or perhaps a galvanized planter tub which features her initials. On websites such as these, you can also order some great Christmas accessories that will truly personalize your Christmas. There is everything from stockings with the kid’s names on them to monogrammed baubles and personalized Santa sacks. So why not make Christmas bewitching this year with a gift that is unique to each person in your life!




Top 3 things to keep the family entertained this Christmas

There are plenty of reasons for families to all gather round the TV at Christmas, there are always classic Christmas favorites, plus the latest movies and of course the Queens speech. But there are other ways to keep the family entertained on Christmas day without becoming a bunch of zombies falling asleep in front of the TV, why not explore other traditional and not so traditional avenues for festive fun? After all, Christmas should be all about spending quality time with the family, not squabbling over which TV show to watch next! But with so many activities to choose from, how do you know which one will suit everyone?

The Monopoly City Board Game is a revamped version of the Monopoly family favourite, this modern version of the traditional board game is sure keep everyone entertained on Christmas day! This latest version allows you to build up your own city from the start, developing properties in 3D to grow your fortunes in the centre of the board building for maximum profit while competing against other family members to bring their fortunes down!

Alternatively, how about organising your very own American Idol or X factor night? Nominate two people as judges and the rest of the family can be contestants using one of the many great karaoke machines available. If you really want to embarrass yourselves, invite the neighbours around too for a bigger audience!

Another great Christmas day option, is the latest Kinect Sports game. This can turn your living room into a sports stadium, bowling alley or soccer pitch – with you as the star player and/or controller. Though you do need the Xbox 360 console to play soccer, table tennis, volleyball, bowling or even boxing. The family can play together without controllers for the ultimate fun experience!

Not sure where to find all these wonderful games? You can find all of these at online stores like Argos and Littlewoods. Check out Shop2day for a full list of home shopping catalogues where you can order almost everything you want from the comfort of your own home!




Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #handmadeholidays

Each Christmas season as we start to decorate I get all kinds of nostalgic. I look at the boxes of handmade ornaments from years past and I remember the time when they kids and I made them or when they brought them home from school. Making our own ornaments each year is not only a great way to bulk up your inventory over the years its the best way to create memories and add your own touch to the holidays. This handmade Christmas Tree Planting ornament reminds me of the days of chopping down our own tree in years past and kinda pushes me back to that desire. Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

When I was pregnant with Shaun we were about to venture out on our annual hayride to the Christmas tree farm when I knew I couldn’t do it. I was tired, plump, achy and grouchy. It was cold and I didn’t want to go. That year we spent a pretty penny and bought a gorgeous fake tree and have been using it each year since then. It’s still a great tree but we’re missing the memories of that family outing.

That decision hasn’t been made yet but making this adorable ornament is a great touch to any tree.

Supplies

  • Styrofoam ball
  • Burlap or Muslin
  • Craft glue
  • Evergreen clippings
  • Ribbon or twine for hanging
  • Twine, yarn  or embroidery floss for tying
  • Straight pin
  • Button, acorn or other embellishment
  • Ribbon or hanging 8″-10″

Directions

Wrap your Styrofoam ball with your burlap. Tuck in edges so the ball is completely covered using the craft glue for some support.
While holding your burlap in place start spearing the Styrofoam with your evergreen clippings. Use the glue again to provide some staying power. With a straight pin insert a loop of hanging ribbon into the Styrofoam along with the branch pieces.
With a length of yarn or embroidery floss tightly tie the burlap closed. Cut off long ends.
Adjust and fold down your burlap and add button with glue. Set aside to dry
Hang on your tree, hook on wall or use to decorate a wreath.

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament side
Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

This craft is part of a collaborative effort of 25 bloggers called 25 Days of Handmade Holidays. We each will showcase our crafty, artsy and creative abilities to celebrate the upcoming holidays by sharing our handmade ornaments, home decorations or DIY gifts.

Christmas Tree Planting Ornament Craft #HandmadeHolidays #BlogTour

25 Days of Handmade Holidays Blogger Collection




Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

With Christmas coming up in less than 3 weeks Shae’s on a mission to get her ornament making in full swing. Salt Dough is so simple and versatile it only makes sense to make ornaments from them making it a great addition for #kidsinthekitchen. The final product is sturdy enough to last years.
Salt Dough Ornaments #craft #kidsinthekitchen
One tip when making ornaments and decor from the kids, write the date in a hidden spot so you know how long it’s been hanging around.

Salt Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup fine salt
  • 1/2 cup slightly warm water
  • cookie cutters
  • rolling pin
  • Paint & brushes
  • ribbon or twine

Directions
Preheat oven to 250°.

In a large bowl mix flour, salt and water until combined. Turn out onto a smooth surface and knead till smooth. Dough should be soft but not sticky. Add flour or water by the spoonful if needed to achieve the right consistency.

Salt Dough Ornaments #craft Salt Dough Ornaments #craft #kidsinthekitchen

Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheets. Use a toothpick to add hole for hanging and to emphasize details like smiles or eyes.

Salt Dough Ornaments #craft

Salt Dough Ornaments #craft #kidsinthekitchen

Bake for 2 hours. Remove from oven and move to a cooling rack for 1 hour.

Salt Dough Ornaments #craft

Your shapes are ready to decorate however your child pleases. Thread with ribbon and hang. Don’t forget to add your child’s name and the current year.

Salt Dough Ornaments #craft #kidsinthekitchen

These can be made in advanced and painted whenever the chance comes up. We gave some to my nieces on Thanksgiving so they could paint on their own at home.

Aside from removing from the oven Shae did everything thing by herself. You realized this doesn’t have to be a kid only craft.

Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, each week linking up a post, new or old, that feature the theme Kids in the Kitchen. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you are doing it together, enjoying it and learning something along the way.

Linky Rules, #kidsinthekitchen

Find even more inspiration and ideas for your own home from our #kidsinthekitchen Pinterest Board.


Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

#KidsintheKitchen Weekly Linky




A Family of Christmas Stockings #PCHoliday

trackable pixelBlog Post Disclosure BannerWay back in the day when  we were just a family of 4 I spent a Christmas finding the “perfect” stockings and stocking hangers to display on our mantel.  I trudged out in the cold, snipped fresh holly branches and weave tiny twinkling lights through them and flaunted the beautiful design I had come up with.  Fast forward to the next 6 years and you’ll see only 3 stockings each Christmas attached to anything that had a flat surface. This year when the note came through that I could pick out new stockings for the whole family from Personal Creations I almost leapt out of my seat.  I knew we’d finally have what I’ve been wanting for a long time, these Ribbon Stockings personalized with our names.

Personalized Christmas Stockings

Personal Creations carries a HUGE selection for just about everyone.  The best part of their choices are most of them can be personalized to reflect a name, initial, special date or even more.  With hundreds of gifts to choose from for any occasion Personal Creations can be your shopping destination throughout the year.

I knew our stocking were on their way so I knew I had to come up with a new idea to hang all five of them. this house does not have the fireplace mantel that we used to have so I knew I had to get creative.  I scoured our makeshift workshop and found something that would work perfectly with some tweaking.

Christmas Stocking Holder DIY

Christmas Stocking Holder DIY

Using a simple unused wood shelf, existing paint & stain and some bought decorations and hardware I came up this Christmas Stocking Holder. The project was very easy. I painted and stained a plain wood shelf till I achieved a color I like and took an old wrench and a hammer to it to add some distressed details.  The words and stickers were less than $10 from the craft store and Rob found these antique brass bolts. I thought there were a unique and better alternative to plain hooks.

Christmas Stocking Holder DIY

The stockings look great hanging up.  Even without a mantel they stand out with this special new home. I’m not forgetting about our new ornament.  Each year I get new ornaments for the kids or family that mark a significant point in the year or commemorate another wonderful year together.  The Family in Bed ornament was adorable and I knew it was a good fit for our family.

Family Ornament

This ornament will stay on the family tree but individual ornaments that the kids received are put right on their own trees. When they are grown up and have families of their own they’ll have a great start for the holidays and great stories and memories to share.

Shop today for your own personalized ornaments and stockings to ensure availability and delivery in time for the holidays. Personal Creations is offering you 20% off all of your purchases through the end of December. Click here to start shopping and the 20% will be applied in your shopping cart.

Follow Personal Creations Blogger Board: Christmas Ideas on Pinterest




Christmas Ornament Show and Tell

Each weekend after Thanksgiving I sit on the floor and slowly and methodically unwrap each Christmas tree ornament. I had each one the kids so they can decorate but not before I inspect each ornament and often make a comment about where it came from or who gave it to us.

Many of our ornaments have a story, some stories aren’t that exciting they are our stories and memories. I’m sharing along with some other great bloggers my favorite ornaments. Check out the entire link up with Jo-Lynne, Musings of Housewife.

 

christmas ornament show and tell

 

In honor of my amazing Hot Air Balloon Ride earlier this year I picked up this beauty from Pottery Barn on Black Friday. It’s beautifully and rustically painted to resemble vintage mercury glass. It makes me smile.
hot air balloon ornament

This one is was a gift from my best friend many years ago. The scene of ice skaters isn’t necesarily important but the gift felt like a milestone. It was a moment in our lives that was grown up and family oriented. Gone were the days of frivolous clothing gifts or promises of nights out on the town.  This was an important step in sharing our adult lives.
skater ornament

While this one may look homemade, it isn’t. In fact this one that the kids picked out many many years ago at Linvilla Orchards right after the fire. These guys usually hang from a rotating plug at the bottom of the tree but we figured the dogs wouldn’t cooperate with such a tease.
gumdrop ornament
I didn’t share the kids ornaments because Sabreena and Shaun have their own trees decorated with their own ornaments.  Shae has another year before she can get a tree and she then takes all of her ornaments for her own room. When the kids are moved out and ready for them they will receive their ornaments to start their own grown up lives with a memory filled holiday.

Do you have a favorite ornament?

I Disclose




Russian Tea Cakes #Recipe #ChristmasCookies

Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, butterballs, snow cookies, jumbles and many other monikers, these little sugary buttery cookies are delicious no matter what you call them.

russian tea cakes, mexican wedding cookies, christmas cookies

I’ve seen many variations of this recipe and I love this one the best. These are Rob’s favorite cookies, one of the few good childhood memories he has. Last year he was given a tin of these and the moment I saw him eat them I knew I had to make them . I mentioned to his grandmother that I needed the recipe and she did one better, she gave me the cookbook that the recipe originally came from. She gave it to me so nonchalantly but I was touched. First I was amazed that she had kept this shredded, discolored cookbook for so long but I felt honored that it was now mine.
cookie cookbook, vintage cookbook

Now on to the recipe. I most recently doubled this recipe. Rob eats them very quickly because they are just bite size and it’s too easy not to simple pop them one after another. Secondly, the process of making them a bit tedious so I wanted to get some of the work over with so I doubled the batch. This is a single batch recipe.

Russian Tea Cakes

Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Melinda@LookWhatMomFound
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 dozen
just a handful of simple ingredients and you’ll have the tastiest little morsels ever.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup slightly softened butter
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or other nut
  • more confectioner’s sugar for coating, approx 1 cup
Instructions
  1. Blend softened butter, 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla till sugar disappears.
  2. Mix in flour and nuts till well blended and dough is sticking together.
  3. Form dough into a brick shape and chill for 1-2 hours to firm up butter.
  4. Once dough is chilled, use a knife or bench scraper cut dough into more manageable pieces and then cut into 1″ chunks.
  5. Roll each piece into a ball and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. These cookies DO NOT spread so feel free pack them onto your cookie sheet.
  7. Bake at 400 ® for 10 minutes till they should look slightly toasted and dry.
  8. Remove them from the cookie sheet right away; they will be a bit fragile.
  9. Let them cool for 15 minutes then toss in remaining powdered sugar.
  10. Then toss them again.
  11. EAT!

Russian Tea Cakes, recipe, christmas cookies

russian tea cakes

 

powered sugar, russian tea cakesTo double the amount of dough I doubled the amounts of  all of the ingredients except the flour.  Instead of 4 1/2 cups of flour I used 4 1/4. I figured I could add a little extra if needed but my dough didn’t need it.  It all depends on the humidity and temperature of your kitchen and of course the butter. Also keep in mind that simple variations can be done like adding anise or peppermint flavors or coating in chocolate or chopped nuts. Different shapes or using cookie cutters are also great ways to personalize for your family.




A Longwood Gardens Christmas

Except for the 3 years we lived in Maryland I’ve lived in the same 60 square mile radius all of my life. In all of those years I’ve never visited Longwood Gardens even when I was only 20 minutes away.

Longwood Gardens is a 1,077 acre estate in Kennett Square, PA that includes gardens, meadows, woodlands, fountains and a 4 – acre conservancy.

I was invited to participate on the Star Blogger Team for Longwood Gardens Christmas this past week. The introduction included a visit and tour of the property. While we didn’t get to view the entire estate we did see enough to be amazed and delighted at the twinkling lights and lush plants in the conservancy.
longwood gardens lights and snowflakes
It was already dark when we arrived to Longwood Gardens but were greeted with hanging lights and snowflakes and light covered trees to guide our way. I want to make sure our next visit has some daytime viewing so we can enjoy the other attractions such as The Garden Railway, the dancing fountains and magnificent decorated trees.
longwood gardens christmas tree
longwood gardens christmas tree music room
longwood gardens dinner table dupont
Longwood is going to become a tradition for our family for now on since I’ve been able to experience it first hand.
If you are local to the Philadelphia area I highly suggest taking the time to visit Longwood Gardens. I would highly suggest to visiting during the less busy hours during the weekdays. This will give you and your family more time to enjoy the scenery and foliage and flowers without the hustle and bustle of crowds.

Take my word for it, Longwood Gardens is worth the trip.