Today is Cyber Monday, a day when people who don't want to lose a limb in a stampede over a discounted microwave are now free to shop the sales from the comfort of their own home. Also, as a mother currently in DAY 9 of NEWBORN HIBERNATION MODE, this happily sounds like an activity in which I can participate!
Heightened emotions during an online shopping frenzy can often result in unfavorable purchases— like slankets and pajama jeans— so I thought I would help you all out with a holiday gift guide.
In the past, I have done gift guides such as "Last Minute Gifts for Horrible Parents" (outlining common household items you can repurpose as presents), but this year, I put together some serious recommendations and ideas.
The following gifts are mostly things Mazzy owns and loves, with a few things Mazzy really WANTS but probably won't receive, thrown in for good measure.
Chloe Instead – This book was recently given to Mazzy by my friends at Piccolini. It's about a girl named Molly learning to love her new little sister, even though she gets in her way and ruins her stuff. Mazzy has made me read this book about fifty times since we received it two days ago. Get 10% off your first purchase at Piccolini by using the code MOMMYSHORTS.
Hape Checkout Register
– A toy cash register is at the top of my Hanukah list this year, thanks to Mazzy's continued interest in retail. If you remember, she operates a store out of the bookshelf next to our couch. Best selling item? Poop in a box.
Crocodile Creek Princess Palace Puzzle
– Mazzy adores this gorgeous puzzle meant for kids 3 and up. The picture has a lot of different elements (a unicorn, a dragon, a princess, etc.) which make it easy for little kids to locate the pieces and put them together on their own. If your kid isn't into princesses, Crocodile Creek makes puzzles with jungle animals
and robots
LeapPad2 Explorer
– If you'd like to reclaim your iPad or better yet, if you never introduced your toddler to an iPad to begin with, the LeapPad 2 is an excellent investment. Yes, the games are way more expensive, but the fact that your kid can't easily navigate from an episode of Barney to a video of Bart Simpson gunning down Barney in cold blood, makes it well worth it.
Magna-Tiles
– These see-through colored magnatized tiles are hands down, Mazzy's favorite toy. I don't know why, but it's the only thing I can suggest that has the potential to shut down a "BUT I WANT TO WATCH TV!!!!" tantrum.
Cloud B Twilight Ladybug Night Light
– The ladybug's shell lights up to display the stars and moon on the ceiling in a variety of different colors. For a kid who hates bedtime or is afraid of the dark, it is pure genius. It comes in a turtle
too.
Educo All Season Dollhouse
– I am currently debating whether to get this for Mazzy's birthday. Since we have limited space, it might be the only dollhouse with a nice enough design to sit on display in our living room.
Early Rider Balance Bike
– Parents swear that balance bikes work better than training wheels to teach your kid how to ride a bike. I can't back this up definitively yet, but we're working on it. I can say— there is no cooler looking vehicle for the toddler set.
Playhouse Kids Rug
– This rug by Luca and Company comes in both a dollhouse and a traffic scene, adding a whole new dimension to your kid's playspace. Just make sure nobody walks around barefoot.
Gazillion Bubble Machine
– I'd get this for Mazzy, if I wasn't afraid her head would explode from extreme joy.
Pelican Kinder Sleigh
– Nothing better than an old school sled to teach your kid to appreciate the winter. Also, I might be Jewish, but I bet it looks pretty perfect with a big bow on it underneath a Christmas tree.
Circus Shadow Puppets & Theater – Land of Nod sells these awesome shadow puppets complete with a simple fabric theater you can hang in a doorway so your kids can put on a show. They might not even you notice you napping from the other side. Get 15% off all Land of Nod merchandise plus free shipping by using code: SAVE15.
So as not to forget the NEWBORN SET, here are a few items any baby would love…
Well, moms of babies. Newborns can't even see your hand in front of their face.
I PRETZEL NY onesie – Exclusively designed by Piccolini, these adorably hip onesies come in toddler-sized t-shirts as well. Piccolini sent the onesie as a gift for Harlow along with Rainbow Leg Warmers from BabyLegs
and hair bows. Get 10% off your first purchase at Piccolini by using the code MOMMYSHORTS.
Daisy Deer – This adorable little creature from Land of Nod would look perfect on a nursery bookshelf, especially during the holidays. Get 15% off all Land of Nod merchandise plus free shipping by using code: SAVE15.
Cheeky Handmades Bespoke Quilt – This is the quilt I had made for Mazzy so she could mark her side of the room before she was forced to share it with her sister. It would also make an amazing gift for a newborn.
Gosh and Golly Cloud Mobile – This handmade paper mobile might be the sweetest thing I've ever seen.
As for gifts to give the adults in your life, I have no clue. I don't even know what to get my own husband. I don't know what I want either.
But both of us love coffee, and for that I recommend a Mommy Shorts mug. Get 30% off all Mommy Shorts mugs on Zazzle by using the code: 60ZCYBERSALE.
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For Amazon's Cyber Monday Deals Week in Toys, click the ad below.
All super cute ideas! But one question… what are slankets?
I’m thinking pajama jeans sound pretty awesome.
Great ideas. We are doing the doll house thing for our girls this year. I can’t wait to play with it. 🙂
Um, this all looks well designed and amazing, but I have that stinking turtle nightlight and I HATE IT! you see, it has a timer. A TIMER. And three different color choices.
My boys fight for an hour over what color it should be if I forget who’s turn it is to chose the color and then 30 minutes later my 3 yr old is screaming, “THE TIMER WENT OFF! THE TIMER WENT OFF!” as loudly as he can. Then we do it all over again with the color thing. Finally they fall asleep and guess what? 2 a.m. rolls around and I hear a frantic, “THE TIMER WENT OFF!”
I let the batteries die and I haven’t replaced them. I feel like all parents should be warned.
Basically a snuggie with a different name. I think: http://shop.theslanket.com/the-slanket/ts-purple.html?gclid=CP2Gkbj07LMCFQ-e4Aod3G8Axw
Mazzy just got her ladybug and obviously doesn’t have to share it just yet. I thought the timer was a good thing so it hopefully goes off after she falls asleep.
A friend of mine who has the turtle, keeps it out of reach on top of the dresser and puts it on herself, as opposed to letting her son sleep with it.
Mazzy would have none of that and changed the colors while talking to it until she passed out.
Magna-tiles are by far the BEST thing a kid could own. I have had the large set for my 5 year old for a year now…. and my 8 and 9 year olds are begging for some this christmas too!!!!
My parents are getting Lil’ Bit a dollhouse for her birthday. We looked at the one you listed but ultimately went with the Chelsea by KidKraft. Both are really nice, though – and decently-priced, too.
On a related note, how much does it suck having to buy for Christmas and birthday all at the same time? The price we pay for having sex in March…
So funny— I was deciding between the Chelsea from KidKraft and the Educo house too. If the dollhouse was going in Mazzy’s room, the Chelsea made the most sense but since I think it will have to live in the living room, the Educo will look better.
When my daughter was 18-24 months, I made friends with several moms who also had 18-24 month olds. Unfortunately, I didn’t know they were “breeders” (aka women who chose to have more than one of these critters ON PURPOSE). So when the girls were about 3ish, every play date involved using the tube on the vacuum over every surface to ensure the crawlers wouldn’t pick up anything they would then shove in their mouths. So long as you are not one of those moms who worries constantly that your kid is going to choke to death, you are fine with the dollhouse idea, and the loose coins in the cash register idea, and the puppets on pointy sticks idea. Still, your new baby could be as genius as Mazzy and not stick anything in her mouth or up her nose. Good luck. (I’m off to find new friends).
I love the cash register and carpet/traffic scene. Great picks. Happy shopping!
I can’t get the code MOMMYSHORTS to work on the Piccolini website. It keeps telling me that the code has expired. 🙁
On the bubble machine… I haven’t heard good things about the Gazillion bubbles. I wanted to get a bubble machine for Caitlyn’s birthday party this past May, and I was told that pretty much all of the ones you can buy in Toys R Us (Target, Walmart) are shit. I ended up buying one from Party City, which works fantastic. The problem is that the bubble chamber is open, so I spent half her birthday party pulling her sticky fingers out of the bubble machine.
We saw the Magnatiles for the first time at a cool play place near us recently, I was excited to buy some for Kyle until I saw how expensive they are!
Balance bikes are amazing! We got our son a Strider Bike for Christmas when he was two. He was riding a pedal bike with no training wheels less than a year later. My only regret was not having the Strider Bike for our first son.
We got our Miss R an Early Rider (the big kid version) for her birthday this year and she LOVES it! The seat is comfortable and the bike is so well made. Worth every penny.