Category: Gifts

Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother, motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society; and this year here in Canada it is celebrated on Sunday May 8th. Every year I struggle to find something for my mom; my usual go-to is to send her an Edible Arrangement. I wanted to do something different this year and I started planning sooner!

1. Fancy Chocolates from Thomas Haas
   *The 2-Tier Gift Box contains 32 handmade chocolates!
   

2. Wi-Fi Digital Frame from Aeezo

3. Birthstone Necklace from Etsy
*Diamond, Emerald & Peridot

3. Azalea Bonsai

4. Quality Sheets from Silk & Snow

Today, I am sharing Easter Basket ideas for toddlers, tweens and teens.

Toddlers
–Canvas Easter Basket (floral bunny) from Indigo
–Jumping Jack Game
–Purdy’s Chocolate Bunny Lolly
–No Spill Bubble Tumbler
–It’s Not Easy Being A Bunny
–Crayola Egg & Chick Sidewalk Chalk
–Cute Chicken Stuffed Animal

Tweens
–Wicker Bunny Easter Basket from Indigo
–Nickelodeon Slime Giant Egg Surprise
–Jelly Belly Kid Mix
–Galaxy Bath Bomb
–Easter Extravaganza Mad Libs
–Scented Milk Carton Eraser
–Drumstick Pencils

Teens
–Rope Easter Basket (pastel) from Indigo
–Aloe There Natural Bar Soap
–Koala Gummy Mix Kone
–Pac Man Card Game
–I-Clips Magnetic Bookmarks
–Waffle Low Reading Socks
–Nalgene Bottle

Some may find Valentine’s Day corny; but personally in this fast paced world; in this isolating pandemic, I think it’s especially important to slow down and connect. Some will say, you don’t need a commercialized day to do this –but at its core it is a day to celebrate love; something we need a whole lot more of right now!

I put together a few gift guides –you can celebrate romantic love, platonic love or the love you have for yourself! 

For Him
Lounge Joggers
On The Rocks Glass Set
Kobo Lira 2

For Her
Tub Kit No. 2 Soaking Salts and Coconut Milk Bath Set
Stevie Slim Bracelet by Jenny Bird
Move Cordless Ultrasonic Diffuser

For Them
The Adventure Challenge Couples Edition
Monthly Wine Subscription from The Wine Collective
Romantic Weekend at a Fairmont Hotel

I know I said that my “Stocking Stuffers” series was finished…

BUT…

We all know that the definition of FAMILY is diverse. Families come in all shapes and sizes. The American Veterinary Medical Association released a stat in which, “85% of dog-owners and 76% of cat-owners think of their pets as family,” (Southern Methodist University, July 16 2021). That being said, our furry family members are deserving of a little treat and extra love at Christmas. 

Stocking Stuffers for Dogs

Kong SafeStix Toy
Rollover Meaty Femur Bone Treat
Pedigree Dentastix Adult Treat
Only Natural Pet Bristle Brush
Burt’s Bees Deodorizing Dog Shampoo
PetKit Eversweet Pet Travel Water Bottle
Who’s A Good Dog Photo Ornament

Stocking Stuffers for Cats

Crinkle Balls
Firefly Treat Stuffers
Greenies Feline SmartBites Hairball Control Treats
Catnip Seeds
Whisker City Slicker Brush
Nature’s Miracle Litter Box Wipes
I Ignore Because I Love Photo Ornament

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there….” (Dr. Suess)

To conclude my “Stocking Stuffers” series, I present to you some great options for the ladies in your life!

-Bath Salts
-Reed Diffuser
-Cuticle Oil
-Deborah Lippman Nail File
-Wine Stoppers
-Silicon Straw
-Flower Seeds
-Jam
-Gua Sha Stone

Check out the stocking stuffers I bought for the special guys in my life for Christmas this year…

-Jalapeno Jelly
-Gear Ties
-Beef Jerky
-Cooling Towel
-Tire Gauge
-Utility Key Tool
-Sneaker Deodorizer Balls
-Bottle Opener
-Beer Chilling Sticks

The last of my Stocking Stuffer posts will appear on Monday, December 6! Stay tuned!

My name is Lila Austen-Smith and I am 35 years old. I live in Canada. I have been very good this year (although to be honest it was a challenging year). I have been thinking of what I would like for Christmas. Here are my top THREE…

1. Paderno Non-Stick Hard-Anodized 12-PC Cookset

2. Nautilus R614 Recumbent Bike

3. Eberjey Gisele PJ Set and robe (in black)

However, if there is no room in your sleigh… just leave chocolate… lots and lots of chocolate!

Love,
Lila

P.S: I am very excited for your visit and I will leave out some snacks for you and your reindeer.

My eldest niece turned 16 this year; and it really hit me hard that the little girl I first met 10 years ago has blossomed into an incredibly smart and kind young woman. Words cannot express how proud she makes me and how lucky I am to be her aunt. Anyways… enough with the mushy stuff. Usually for her, I pick one of her favourite stores and fill her stocking with a variety of items from said store. Which were a HUGE hit with her!

Previous “Store-Themed Stockings” have included the following.

-Sephora
-Chapters
-Bath & Body Works
-Cabelas
-Ardene’s

However, this year will be an eclectic mix of items to match her changing interests and needs.

-Bluetooth Shower Speaker
-Fidget Toy Phone Case
-Journal/Notebook
-Crystals
-Funky Socks
-Candle
-Card Game
-Wildflower Seed Package
-Sample Scents

Stay tuned for two more stocking stuffer posts in early December; for adults!

As my nieces and nephews get older, I find it tougher and tougher to find good stocking stuffers; either the items I find are too ‘young’ or too ‘old’ for them. This year I spent a lot of time researching online and asking some of my students for some help.

-Fidget Toys
*In particular the Infinity Cube
-Card or dice game
*In particular WhatchamaDRAWit or Tenzi
-Funky Socks
-Stickers/decals for notebooks, binders & chromebooks
-Pez
-Scratch Art Notes
-Personalized/inspirational/themed Pencil Pack
-Hot chocolate mix
-Diffuser

This year my toddler aged nieces and nephews will be getting STEM toys as their main gifts for Christmas. For some great STEM toy ideas check out the list compiled by Good Housekeeping in September.

In terms of stocking stuffers I went to Mastermind Toys and ordered some really great items…

-Go Fish! Card Game
-Jumbo Magnifiers
-Great Pretenders Unicorn Necklace
-Mood Mudd
-Kinetic Sand Buried Treasure
-Toy Harmonic
-Crayola My First Washable Palm-Grasp Crayons
-Playdoh Mini Classics
-Sand Stuffies

The next installment of my Stocking Stuffer series will be November 22; for 12 year olds.