If you are the mom of a tween or teen, you know that the older they get the harder they are to shop for. Their interests get a little more specific and they have their own opinions. You have to be a little more deliberate with your gifts, and that's fine. Easter baskets are still something that I love to do for my tween (is 10 a tween, it still feels like a kid) and teen. Easter basket fillers for tweens and teens can still be fun and creative and aimed toward their likes and current trends. Our Easter Basket Filler guide for tweens and teens has some fun ideas that won't break the bank. I usually do two or three fun things, maybe a book, and of course candy! Dragon Eggs - These are fun fidget toys. The dragon egg shape is perfect for Easter. Gloss nail strips - These nail strips are cute and don't require an LED light. Story Cubes - These fun cubes are great for mixing and matching and creating fun stories together. Waterproof speaker - If your teen likes to jam out during long showers then a waterproof speaker will elevate their shower jam session! Tamagotchi - Bring back this retro trendy game with the classic Tamagotchi! As a millennial mom, this one brings back memories and is for sure going in our baskets this year! Jellybeans candy - A go-to Easter candy for sure! Cute packaging too! Origami kit - traditional Japanese patterns and over 300 papers to create with. Hydrating face mist - For the skin care goddess these hydrating facial mists come in pretty colors and smell so good! Bunny slippers - These bunny slippers are so cozy and cute! Crochet kit - This bunny and chick kits from Woobles are great for beginners who want to get into crochet. Pocket-Sized Game Controller - This mini controller works with Android, switch and Raspberry Pi! Zip string - this rope launcher fidget toy was featured on Shark Tank! Butterfly claw clips - These cute clips are very on-trend! Food Squishmallows - They may be teens and you think stuffed animals are a thing of the past but Squishmallows have a GRIP on all the tweens/teens I know! They are obsessed with these food-themed ones - takeout noodles , ice cream sandwich , avocado , or grilled cheese ! Peel-off lip stain - if your tween or teen is on social media they've probably seen these peel-off lip stains are trending. They look super fun to do. Flying orb ball - This ball is fun to fly around the house or backyard! Birth Flower Layered Necklace - Layered necklaces are so pretty and these birth flower one feels personalized and looks very pretty for tweens and teens. StikBot Stopmotion Animation Kit - This starter kit has 8 posable sticky bots and a tripod to allow you to create fun stop-motion videos!

When my youngest kiddo had a Harry Potter themed 11th birthday party, I knew I wanted to make mandrakes that really screamed when pulled out of their pots for Herbology Class. Our Harry Potter party was a journey to Hogwarts where the kids "attended classes" and did activities for each class. These DIY Screaming Mandrakes are moderately easy to make and yes, actually scream when removed from their pots. The shock on the kids' faces when they pulled the mandrakes up and they started screaming was hilarious! DIY Screaming Mandrake Supplies: air dry clay aluminum foil fake leaves twine craft paint - different shades of brown and green paint brushes light sensor recordable sound chip fake moss Hot glue gun and glue ceramic pots Mandrake labels Brown crinkle paper filler (as the soil) A "mandrake" sound - I used this free mandrake screaming sound Additional supplies - printer, scissors, Elmer's glue, computer to download onto sound chip Instructions: Using the aluminum foil, scrunch it up to make a body shape with a head, torso, arms and legs. When you're creating the arms and legs, you can add a few strands of the twine as "root hands/feet". Just scrunch it into the aluminum foil ends. These are just the base, they do not have to be perfect or even the same. I made mine slightly different as mandrakes would be slightly different. Next, roll out your air dry clay into sheets almost and start layering it on your aluminum form. This takes a little bit of finesse to get them to cover and smoosh together al over the body. Be sure to leave out the arms and legs. 3. When you get to the head, you can add in some leaves to the top of his head. My kiddo decided this baby mandrake needed a booty but it ends up getting covered up later but it did give some giggles during the creation process. 4. On the front of your mandrake you can create a face out of clay. Add some expression, different mouth shapes, furrowed brows. Just play around with it. We made three mandrakes, and each one was slightly different. They all had closed eyes though, because I imagined they were sleepy baby mandrakes and didn't want to bother trying to make eyes. Let your mandrakes dry fully. They you can go in with some craft paint to make them look more like a plant stump or whatever a mandrake is. We used different shades of brown and green to give it some dimension and color. Once the paint is dry, you're going to hook up your sound chip to your computer and download the screaming mandrake sound on it. The chip comes with instructions. If you don't want your mandrake to actually scream when removed from his pot, skip this step, he will still be a cute decoration or party activity. Using hot glue, carefully glue the sound chip to the back of your mandrake. You don't want to glue any of the sensitive parts down but do your best. I used the fake moss to cover the sound chip so that you couldn't see it, but the light sensor part (that triggers the screaming) and the switch to turn it on and off were still accessible. Below you can see the front and back of them at different stages. Print, size, cut out and glue the mandrake labels onto the front of your pots. I just used Elmer's school glue for this one. Activate your mandrake and put him in the pot. Fill in the areas with the crinkle filler paper as "dirt". We had other bigger pots to "move" the mandrake too with a burlap bag filled with extra "dirt" so that they could re-pot the mandrakes into bigger pots. Here's how it goes. The baby mandrakes are all cozy in their little pots. The kids pull them out, which triggers the light sensor and they start screaming, laughter ensues. The kids then have to rush to repot them into the bigger pots and fill the areas around them with the "dirt" to trigger the sensor to stop the mandrake crying sound. We had the kids work in pairs. It was so hilarious! If you wanted to go an extra step you could have fluffy ear muffs for the kids to put on during the herbology class like they do in the movie. Check back later for future links on how we created all our classes! Care of Magical Creatures Muggle Studies Potions Class Herbology History of Magic Ancient Runes For more Harry Potter fun, check out our Butterbeer Cookies, DIY wand holder, Butterbeer Milkshakes, and Madeye Moody Meatballs and Gillyweed Pasta posts!

The Summer can be soo hot here in Arizona. We like to spend the hottest part of the day indoors. One of our favorite ways to hide from the blazing sun, during the middle of the day, is with a stack of books from the library to read. Since we read a lot during our summer break, we made a DIY bookworm library bag to carry our books in and the kids love carrying their books in it! For this craft, we jazzed up a simple canvas bag with some pom pom “bookworms” for our little bookworm. Bookworm Library Bag Craft Supplies: canvas bag pom poms fabric paint (and foam brush) puffy paint googly eyes reusable letter stencil stickers glue (fabric or hot glue) Directions: This DIY Bookworm Library Bag is pretty easy to make but younger kids will need some help. 1. Use stencils and fabric paint to spell out their name, or spell out the word “bookworm” along the top of the bag like we did. 2. Draw a squiggly line of fabric glue and let the kids create a body for their bookworms. If you’re using hot glue, only add one dot of glue as you glue down each pom pom to prevent the glue from drying to fast. Add a larger pom-pom for the head of the bookworm. We found these cute rainbow-colored pom-poms, that were a fun addition to this craft! 3. Lastly, glue on some googly eyes and add puffy paint legs and then let it dry overnight. Take to the library and let your little bookworms fill their new DIY library bag with as many books as they can carry! Now head over to your local library and sign up for their summer reading program!

Do you get your kids gifts for Valentine's Day? If so, we're sharing some of our favorite Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Kids! Valentine's Day Gift Guide for Kids Lego Roses // Kisses Plush Toy // Valentine Joke Book // Valentine Cookie Set // Valentine Dragon Squishmallow // Heart Box Craft Kit // V is for Video Game Shirt // Strawberry Slime // Caramel Kisses Baking Set // Love you to the Moon Bracelet // Robot Toy // Valentine Mad Libs // Valentine Puzzle  // Initial Necklace // Wearable Blanket // Unicorn Purse Makeup Kit  // Hearts Card Gam e // Headphones  // Heart Pop It // Doodle Tiles Kit // Love Monster Squishmallow // Soft Arrow Bow Set // Valentine Eye Spy Book // Heart Prism Ligh t Craft Kit For more Valentine-inspired fun, check out Printable Valentine Cards for Kids Watercolor Cookies

Oregon has so much to offer - family fun, seafood, quirky towns, coastal gems, and so much more! It makes a great trip in the Fall. We are sharing our 4 full days in Oregon (plus travel days) including a day trip to the Oregon coast, as well an evening in St. Helens where you can celebrate the movie Halloweentown by taking pictures by the giant pumpkin and take part in the events. Here's how we planned our Oregon Trip with kids during Fall! Oregon Trip with Kids Highlights: White Stag Sign Oregon Trail Museum Aerial Tram Powell's Books Haystock Rock and Cannon Beach Fun at Seaside Lewis and Clark Multonmah Falls Japanese Gardens International Rose Garden OSMI Peculiarium Halloweentown Day 0 - Travel day, Portland Fly into Portland. Once you check into your hotel, head to Old Chinatown for dinner and then as the sun goes down you can take pictures with the white stag sign. Day 1 - Portland Head out early and drive to Oregon City to visit the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. This is an interactive museum; kids can even make old-fashioned dolls and candles while they learn about life on the Oregon Trail. After a bit, head back into Portland and take a ride up the Aerial Tram. You get cool views of the city as well as Mt Hood and Mt St Helen. The fares at the time of this post are $8.50 for a round-trip ticket. Stop for lunch at Growler Guys if you want some local beer and good burgers. Grab some Voodoo Donuts and take a selfie by the "Keep Portland Weird" sign which is literally right across the street. Head over to Powell's Books for the afternoon. Powell's Books is a bookstore is a whole city block and several stories high, so you could honestly spend days browsing. They even have a rare book room where you can get special passes and go check out their oldest and most coveted books for sale. Once you've stocked up your TBR pile, head over to Old Town Pizza and Brewing. This is a haunted pizzeria with spooky vibes. Maybe you'll see Nina, the resident ghost. Adults can tour the old tunnels underneath the restaurant (21+). Day 2 - Drive to Oregon Coast Drive out for a day at the Oregon Coast. We drove straight to Cannon Beach and enjoyed tidepooling around Haystack Rock looking for hermit crabs, sea stars, and anemones. When we were there it was so foggy and different than any beach I had ever been to. It was so ethereal! There is public parking at 163 Grower St. Head to Wayfarer for lunch for a selection that includes fried razor clams, oyster sandwiches, Dungeness crab sandwiches, and clam chowder. After lunch, go up the coast a little further and stop at Seaside. You can check out the Lewis and Clark Salt Cairn for some history and learning. The Seaside Aquarium is a small but fun stop for kids and you can even feed seals and stick your hands in touch pools! We stopped at Seaside Candyman for saltwater taffy. They have over 170 different flavors of saltwater taffy and some silly mirrors to get the kids giggling. We took our blanket down to the beach and walked in the edge of the water, read some books, and ate some salt water taffy. We marveled at the wide beach with low clouds. Be sure to take a picture by the statue of Lewis and Clark at the End of the Trail monument. Find a spot for dinner on Broadway Street and end the night with some games at Funland Arcade before you drive back to Portland. Day 3 - Portland Nature - Multnomah Falls, Japanese Gardens, Cathedral Park, and International Rose Garden. Start the day off by driving to Multnomah Falls. It's just outside Portland and not a very long drive but the view is amazing. You can do the short hike up to the bridge. There is no permit to visit the falls in the Fall. There is also a restaurant and shop there. If you didn't get food at the Falls, head back to Portland for a light bite to eat at Elephant Delicatessen at 115 NW 22nd Avenue, Portland, OR. They have a varity of salads, sandwhiches, soups, and deli side dishes. They also have fun gifts to browse. Head to the Japanese Gardens for some zen. The Koi fish pond was a favorite with our group and the volunteers are very knowledgeable. There are so many pretty spots to stop and admire. They also have Umami Cafe where you can get Japanese tea but you need to make reservations ahead of time as they fill up fast. Please note, the Gardens are closed on Tuesdays. Stop by Cathedral Park to take a stroll and admire St. John's Bridge. In my Opinion this is the prettiest bridge in Portland and this park is believed to be one of the landing spots of Lewis and Clark. Lastly, head to the International Rose Test Garden. It's free to visit and there are over 10,000 rose bushes planted there. It was created in the early 1900's as a safe haven for European roses during WWI to protect them from bombings. Portland has a lot of delicious choices for food. We went to Backwoods Brewing for dinner. Day 4 - Donuts, Museums, St. Helens and Halloweentown As soon as you wake up, head to Blue Star Donuts before they sell out! You can preorder for pickup. Once you're fueled for the day, head to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and explore and play for the morning. We grabbed a yummy lunch at Shalom Y'all which is a Meditterian spot with bright and fresh flavors. We had a quick stop at Freakybuttrue Pecularium (maybe 45 mins) where we posed with Krampus and Big Foot. For the evening, we drove to the quaint riverside town of St. Helen's where we saw the Twilight Swan House (this is an AirB&B but we did not stay here) and where some of Halloweentown is filmed. We got to pose by the courthouse and big pumpkin. Because Halloweentown was filmed here the town goes all out with The Spirit of Halloweentown activities and events. We only got a small taste of it because we were there on a weeknight. It's free to walk around the event and take pictures by the signs or pumpkin but if you want to meet/greet celebrities or do something like the haunted house, you need tickets. You can read more about our visit to Halloweentown here. We drove back to Portland that night and headed back home the next morning. What would you be most excited to check out in Oregon. For more Fall fun check out: Witchy Books for Fall Crockpot Chicken Chili DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts

Hygge, pronounced "hoo-ga" is a Scandinavian word meaning finding cozy contentment and well-being. It's all about enjoying life's simple pleasures. Winter is a great time to slow down and practice Hygge. Not only does it help ward off the winter blues, but it also helps us embrace and celebrate the gift that is the colder, darker months of the winter season. I live in Arizona, so my winter is definitely sunnier and warmer than most, but I still plan to Hygge these next few months. Today I'm sharing 10 ways to hygge this winter! 10 Ways to Hygge this Winter Cook something - Bake something new this Winter. Indulge in some comfort food. Personally, I love a big bowl of soup. Read a book - cozy up under a warm blanket and take some time to read something. Here are some cozy winter books for this year! Listen to music - we have a record player that we enjoy playing music on. One of my goals this year is to discover a new artist. Make breakfast - Breakfast is sometimes overlooked and rushed, take time to make a breakfast you wouldn't normally have time for. Try our breakfast casserole or egg nog cinnamon roll bake. Buy fresh flowers - While it may be dreary and cold outside, we can always bring some bright and colorful flowers into our space. The grocery store usually has a cheap bouquet you can treat yourself with. Or get a new house plant to add some greenery to your space. Add some lights - Light a candle or add twinkle lights somewhere in your house. Who says twinkle lights can only be used for Christmas?! I especially like to do this when I'm taking a bath or reading a book. Winter is a great time to host a candle painting party ! Craft something - Pinterest is full of fun crafty and DIY ideas! We love trying new crafts like our no-sew blanket , a perfect winter craft. Play a board game - Have some quality family or friend time and play a game together. We shared our favorite board games for families if you're looking for a new one to try out with the family. Go for a winter walk - bundle up and head out into the cold. It's very refreshing to breathe in the crisp cool air and move your body. Bonus points if you live somewhere snowy, it feels magical to walk in the snow. Get together with a friend - maybe cook a meal together, watch a classic film, or just lounge around in comfy clothes and catch up over a warm drink. So, embrace this little reminder that it's okay to slow down and do little things that bring you joy! If you like these hygge ideas, be sure to check out the 100 things to do this year . Learn a secret handshake? Make your own pasta? Was that on your new year bingo card ?

"Roaring 20's tossing pennies in the pool!" "There's glitter on the floor after the party!" These are the vibes I want to bring when ringing in the new year this year. "Meet me at Midnight' is such a mood for a New Year's Eve party and what better way to celebrate New Year's Eve than with a Taylor themed part y with champagne, stars, and confetti everywhere! Star and moon balloons // moon pinata  // Meet me at midnight banner  // moon and star garland //  champagne candy // disco ice bucket  // disco ball party lights // confetti poppers  // disco ball headband  // coupe glasses // cheers light up sign // star headband // sparklers // new year hats   // starry night plates   // cupcake new year toppers // confetti balloons Here are some other fun party ideas to celebrate the New Year! How to photograph and light paint with sparklers with your phone! Create a new year bingo with these free printables. You serve up some bubble drinks in your coupe glasses or make this Lavender Haze cocktail ! "I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day"

We aren't big on lofty New Year's resolutions. The truth is, we have made them in the past, things like "loose 30 pounds", and after a few weeks we stop going to the gym and lose all momentum. Two years ago, we decided to keep it light and fun and do 24 fun things in 2024. There is a science behind having small wins to celebrate as well. We decided to do it again this year! We created these free printable new year bingo cards ! We will fill it with random things like "try 5 new pasta shapes" and "create a secret handshake" and see if we can get BINGO by the end of the year. We made one that says "New Year bingo" for you to choose from. Just save the one you want below and print it on regular printer paper. I filled the page with mine so I had room to write in the boxes but you could print them smaller if you want and write tiny on them. Download New Year Bingo Card You can print it off on regular printer paper size and put it on your fridge or pin board. Color them in as you achieve each fun thing. To start you off, we are sharing 100 things to do in 2026. Hopefully, this will jump-start some fun ideas for you! Obviously, you can do a few serious ones, unique ones, and ones specific to you and your goals for the year! Just have fun with it! Here are 100 things to do in the new year! Learn a party trick - magic tricks are always fun Try new pasta shapes - we made homemade pasta last year Learn to play an instrument - ukulele sounds fun to me! Get a different hairstyle/haircut Try a new recipe Take a day trip - Go the next city over or see what's within 1-2 hours of you and make a day of it! Go to a live sporting event Read a new book - check out our Books and Bakes page for a new book/recipe every month or so. Visit a natural attraction - look up what is near you and start there! Plan a party - it can be a birthday, holiday, or just for fun like "paint and pasta" Listen to a new musical artist Try a new cocktail - lavender haze is a good place to start Complete a puzzle - we did a 3d puzzle last year! Go on a trip somewhere new - can't travel this year, then plan it for next year. I would love to go out of the country this year! Do a new activity - geocaching, bingo, axe throwing, crochet, so many choices! Explore your city - play tourist, try out the best yelp restaurant, and visit a fun local spot! Thrift a "new" outfit Try a new restaurant - branch out and try a new culture too if you're brave Volunteer your time - find something that inspires you Visit a forest and do some forest bathing Go to a museum - Check for free days or fun events before you go Go swimming - try a new pool, lake, or beach! Watch the sunrise Play/learn a new game - chess, board games , shuffleboard, tennis Treat somebody for no reason - it can be a stranger or someone you know Host a dinner Visit a National Park Take a tour - beer tour, ghost tour, segway tour, what sounds fun! Teach somebody something you know Take a class - cake decorating, pottery, glass blowing, whatever you like Watch the sunset Grow a new plant or plant a garden Go on a boat - paddle boat, ferry, dinner boat tour Have a picnic Do something physical - yoga and walking are great low-impact places to start Go camping - don't forget your camping gear Visit a botanical garden or start your own garden . Start a good habit - drink a glass of water every morning, floss daily, or leave work at 5 pm. Play something with a team - I think it would be fun to do a trivia night at a local restaurant Bake your own bread Write someone a letter/card Go to a live concert Stay overnight somewhere unique - a winery, treehouse, tiny house, ice hotel Painting trend - thrift a painting and add your own touches. I did this at Halloween and had so much fun! Visit a local market - craft, produce, etc Get a massage - it can be from a significant other or book a treatment Start a journal - this can be specific like a dream, book, or travel journal Make something crafty Take an online course Print your photos - turn one into a fun photo shadow box Declutter a room/space in your house Learn a new dance - tiktok dances are great for this Plan a movie/dinner themed nigh t. Redecorate a room in your house - paint it, rearrange the furniture, buy a new fun piece of furniture See a live show - comedy, musical, ballet, etc Go on a walk Listen to a podcast Go on a hike Ride a Ferris wheel Go to an art gallery Ditch one bad habit - just one thing you'd like to stop doing Learn to make fancy coffee at home Try a weekly food theme like Meatless Monday or Stir-Fridays! Watch a documentary Do some self-care - I plan to focus on skincare this year Compliment strangers - If you see something you like tell them Start a gratitude jar - as the year goes on write down things you are grateful for, pull out your jar at the end of the year, and reflect Start a recipe box or journal - collect those favorite family recipes too! Go to a poetry slam - or perform at one! Create a death binder - sounds morbid but it's nice to have all your important documents in one place in case of emergency Learn to make a balloon animal or origami frog! Visit a drive-in theater Make a fun food - zombie brain sushi and Cheshire cat tails are both fun! Have a star-gazing night or watch a space event Build a sandcastle or fairy house Complete a challenge - reading challenge, 365 photo challenge, running challenge Go fruit picking - berries, apples, peaches, find a local farm and plan a trip Make a vision board - this is good for those bigger goals Have a fondue night - cheese, chocolate, or gravy Sing karaoke Conquer a fear - did we mention singing karaoke? Eat at a food truck - tacos, ice cream, Japanese sandwiches, there are so many fun ones! Create a blind taste test - bottled water, salsa, whiskey, whatever you want! Create a gift for someone - Book bouquet or Boo Basket Visit a neighbor - I like to take ours cookies, older neighbors always have the best stories or if you have kids, see if any neighbors have kids your age and plan a playdate Host a trivia/ game night Start a book club (or join one) Go to a local festival - food, book, music, flower, craft, see what your city has! Be more present - put your phone down more, engage in conversations, find the glimmers Have breakfast in bed Plan one way you can budget weekly/monthly- limit movie outings, cancel one subscription service, limit lunch out - make it achievable and try to stick to it See how many dogs you can pet - keep track on your phone, always ask first Make a birdfeeder - I would love to befriend a crow! Take a sunset picture every time you see one - share your year in sunsets at the end of the year, the 1 second a day app would be fun for this Learn to solve a Rubix cube Discover a new author Forgive someone - this one could be hard but do it for yourself Open the window every morning - get some sunlight and fresh air to start your day off Curate a playlist - even better, share it with a friend think mixed tape vibes! Create a secret handshake!

Y'all it's almost Christmas! Time to wrap up our last minute shopping. The last thing I usually buy for is stocking stuffers. I love a good unique stocking stuffer. I like to challenge myself each year to get fun personal stocking gifts for my family and sometimes my friends. We are sharing stocking stuffers for everyone on your list! And for more Holiday shopping, check out our Holiday Shopping Guide page. Stocking Stuffers for Everyone : kids tweens/teens women men Skip ahead to what you want. Click on the link above to jump to the category you are shopping for!! Stocking Stuffers for Kids Sound Lollipop  - these sound lollipops might be the hottest trend thanks to tiktok this year. Using bone conduction you can hear a song while you enjoy a sucker! Pretty creative and yes we think kids and teens will enjoy these! Twistable crayons - these no peel crayons are less likely to break when coloring. The 50 count gives you a lot of colors for lots of creating! Warmies - a heatable stuffy for snuggling at night! Slightly weighted with a soft lavender scent to help promote regulation and calmness. Nee Doh - super squishy sensory cube that goes back to its original shape quickly and has a fun texture. Lego Mini Christmas Tree - we adore this mini lego tabletop tree for Christmas! Murdle puzzle book - humorous mini mystery puzzles that help you figure out who, what, when and why! Digital character watch - kids love watches and these have the cutest characters with easy to read digital windows. Pack of baseballs - sporty kids will enjoy getting a new pack of baseballs to hit in the park! Ms Rachel Herbie cuddle doll - we can't forget the littlest of kids. This soft and snuggly Ms Rachel Herbie monster makes the perfect stocking stuffer. Mini library of board books - encourage that love of reading early with their very own little board books mini library. 10 board books with watercolor pictures and everyday words to build their vocabulary. Card holders - it's hard to learn to hold playing cards for little hands. These card holders make it easy so they can start joining in the family game nights . Slingshot mini kites - let's play outdoors and have some fun flying these mini slingshot kites! Easy to launch with fun designs these kites come in a pack of 6 or 8. Road tape - for the kids that like cars these road tape can turn any floor or surface into a road for driving. 30 feet of no residue road to drive their little cars on. Wikki Stix - these mess free stix make the perfect no-screen activity for on the go. Parents can throw them in their bag for easy and creative play. Santa bubble wand - two of kids favorite things, Santa and bubbles. This bubble wand fills the air with bubbles and holiday music! Kidnoculars - this first binoculars are perfect to encourage those little scientist to explore the world around them. Extra large eye pieces and set focus. Pizza party game - roll the dice and complete a slice. A fun dice game for a two player game. Slinky - take it back to old school toys with this classic slinky. Kids will love learning to walk it down the stairs. Pop it fidget toy - fidget spinner with pop its for sensory fun. Comes in set of three different spinners. Glow stars - these cosmic stars will light up their room at night. With over 100 stars that are easy to stick on and glow at night! Stocking Stuffers for Tweens and Teens Rose Stanley straw covers  - these cute roses keep your drink from spilling and germs out. They fit most size Stanley cups. Photo string lights - add some ambiance to their room with these string lights that you can clip pictures too. Comes with 16 or 33 feet of lights. Lego flowers  - Lego for the tween or teen. These roses are a fun stocking stuffer. There are other flowers to choose from as well. The sunflower is also cute! Cloud heating pad  - this cuddly cloud makes a great heating pad gift for teens to relax at the end of the night. car air freshener  - these cute daisy flowers are a fun stocking stuffer for teens that are driving. Small Jellycat - a small Jellycat like this croissant make a cute stocking stuffer to cuddle and collect! Capybara iWatch Charging Dock  - how cute is this capybara watch charger. Compatible with most apple watches. Metallic Markers  - got a creative teen or tween, these metallic markers are great for a variety of surfaces. Sound Lollipop  - these sound lollipops might be the hottest trend thanks to tiktok this year. Using bone conduction you can hear a song while you enjoy a sucker! Pretty creative. Positive Potato  - these positive potatoes come with 60 inspirational or motivation quotes to help your tween/teen get through their day. Monopoly Deal Game  - a cute travel game that can be played in 15 minutes. Collect three property sets to win and do fun actions like "it's your birthday" to rent or steal properties from other players. Light up Chopsticks  - These light saber chopsticks would be a fun way to elevate those ramen meals! This pack comes with 2 pairs both red and blue. Memory Game  - this handheld electronic game will be a great brain teaser puzzle. Teens will have to track colors and patterns to move up levels. Sun art kit  - create different patterns and designs with this sun art kit. You can use it with an indoor light source as well. Light up Stanley handle  - this led light up handle can be customized to your color choice and even dances to beats of music. Six Seven book - little activity full of 6/7 puzzles, games, and brain-rot brilliance. Animal Face masks - This 6 pack of cute animal face masks can be separated to cover multiple kids or friends. Made with soft cotton and lavender and protein extract that soothe those teen/tween breakouts. Stranger Things Book  - Choose your own adventure in this Stranger Thing book with over 25 different endings for the beloved characters. Thumbs up phone stand  - these flexible thumbs can rotate 360 to hold your phone in vertical or horizonal positions. Boxing reflex ball  - This ball headband is great for gaining hand/eye coordination. You can even track your progress in the app! Stocking Stuffers for Him sneaker eraser  - Keep your kicks looking fresh with these little sneaker cleaner erasers. Just add water and keep those shoes looking top notch. Game  controller knobs  - upgrade his controller with these grippy knobs to increase accuracy and comfort while he games. Book  of unusual knowledge  - this book is quirky and fun for the guy who likes knowing random facts. Magical flame color packets   - These color packs make your fire pit magical with colors that burn for 1 hour. keyboard brush  - one side has a soft brush to keep dust and debris off your keyboard and the other has a microfiber pad to remove fingerprints and smudges from screens. mini wordle book  - remember when wordle was all the rage? You can bring that back with this 500 wordle puzzle book he can do anytime. multipurpose snowflake tool  - this 18 in 1 tool is perfect for his keys. Made of stainless steel and a large variety of different tools in a clever snowflake design. team license plate cover  - let him show of his favorite team with a custom team license plate cover. These fit perfectly in most stockings too! Foot massage roller  - help him ease those aching feet at the end of a long day with this foot massager roller. Visor holder for glasses  - this sunglasses clip will help keep his sunglasses where he always can find them. Whiskey stones  - keep his whiskey from being watered down with this whiskey stones that are a great addition to his bar. Multitool Pliers  - these pliers are a great tool for the guy who has everything. They make a great camping or backpacking item. Ultrathin wallet  - slim and modern, these wallets are the perfect size for pockets and stockings. Car  cleaning gel  - this gel gets in all the nitty gritty places that you can't get when you're cleaning your car. Toilet timer - functional or gag gift? This funny timer seen on Shark Tank gets the message across in 5 minutes. Touch screen gloves  - keep his hands warm when he's out and about, but the fingertips still allow for texting. Perfect for winter. Sauce holders  - these sauce holders will keep his sauce from spilling. Easy to clip into air vents for easy access while driving. Portable bluetooth speaker  - on the go, high quality audio for music lovers. With dynamic bass and a charge that lasts up to 30 hours. Shaving patch  - transparent and easy to use these stickers cover those pesky little nicks he gets from shaving. Mike's hot honey  - does he like a little spice in his food? Get this hot honey for your hot honey! Stocking Stuffers for Her silk pillowcase  - silk pillowcases reduce friction on hair and delicate face skin. Also helps keep your pillow cool. towel wristbands  - a pet peeve when washing your face is when the water runs down your arms. These towel wristbands are easy to use and keeps the water from going everywhere. Shower Steamers  - Add some extra relaxation to the shower experience by turning into a spa like break with these aromatic shower steamers. Portable Label Maker  - If she likes to stay organized you can't go wrong with this portable label maker. Hand Cream  - keep this little hand cream in your purse, on your desk, or by your bed for hydration any time you want. Ink Tracing Coloring Book  - a unique take on a coloring book. Tracing lines to create intricate ink pictures. Lymphatic Face Brush  - this soft brush is great for lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness, helps improve blood circulation and reduces double chins. Collagen face masks  - a deep mask with concentrated serums for pore minimization, plumping, and giving the user glowing and luminous skin. Plant support hooks  - help stabilize those drooping leaves or baby shoots with this cute little plant support hook gadget. Silver cleaner for jewelry  - help keep those silver pieces looking their best with this silver jewelry cleaner. Especially nice if you pair it with some silver jewelry under the tree! Pearl bow clip  - this cute dainty pearl clip will look great to pin her hair out of her face. Perfect for work or a date night out. Rechargeable hand warmers  - keep her hands warm with these rechargeable hand warmers. Slim but stylish with 14 hours of heating that provides all day warmth. Espresso martini instant cocktails  - cute little sachets for mocktails or cocktails in under 1 minute! Low calorie, low sugar, and women owned! Nail polish holder  - the perfect addition to her at home nail salon that keeps polish from tipping or spilling. Affirmations for a badass  - 100 daily motivation cards for women. With self care, inspirational, funny, or empowering words on them to uplift the badass who might need a reminder here or there. Glass mug with lid  - this pretty little glass mug with be great for her morning coffee or tea and comes with this adorable spoon too. Purse cleaning bal l  - This clever ball collects the crumbs and lint that collect in the bottom of your purse keeping it clean and tidy. Honey pot lip mask  - keep your lip moisturized and soft with this cute little honey pot of lip mask Pearl flower choker  - These dainty pearl flowers would make a pretty necklace to add to her collection. Foot massager  - Help mom get the knots out of those tired feet with this massager roller for heel pain and arch massage.

This is my go-to cookie recipe for making cut out sugar cookies. We make these cut out sugar cookies every year to decorate and set out for Santa. They keep their shape when you bake them and are just the right texture. I'm also sharing my icing recipe to make pretty frosting on top that hardens! Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe Makes about 12-18 cookies depending on size. Wet ingredients: 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract Dry ingredients: 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder pinch of salt Tools - Christmas cookie cutters , stand mixer Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 F Mix together the wet ingredients in a bowl with mixer or stand mixer (butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla). Mix until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder). Slowly add in your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients bowl, mixing while adding. You can place the dough in the fridge wrapped in saran wrap for about 30 minutes to help roll it out if needed but I often don't unless the kids are taking a while and need to make it firmer. Flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out your dough until about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Place on non stick pan as you cut them out. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browning around the edges. Let sit on pan for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, decorate as desired. Cookie Icing 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1 tablespoon milk vanilla if desired 1. In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, corn syrup, and milk. You can add a small splash of vanilla if you would like but it's not needed, it's a very sweet icing. 2. You can make two batches of this to frost these cookies. I make 1 batch like this and put in a plastic baggie and cut the tip off to outline the cookies. The second batch, I make a little bit thinner by adding a splash more milk. Once you outline your cookie you can "fill it in" with this second batch of frosting. ' This frosting is great for making a smooth hard icing for the cookies but you can still add sprinkles or other icing as desired as you are decorating. Check out what book I paired these cookies with in my December Books and Bakes post.

This idea came to me when I was looking for a last-minute white elephant gift for a coworker last year, fun cookbooks add some creativity to the kitchen! We love to get creative in the kitchen and a good cookbook can add some inspiration and fun to your cooking. Whether you are looking for a gift for a friend or coworker, we have rounded up a variety of fun themed cookbooks so there is something for everyone on your list. I'm trying to decide which one I want to bring to our office white elephant exchange. Throw in some themed tea towels or baking supplies like a whisk or cookie cutters and it makes a fun gift idea! Fun Themed Cookbooks Wednesday Cookbook - dark culinary delights from Nevermore Academy, pictures for every recipe! Vegetarian and Pescatarian options as well. Studio Ghibli Cookbook - Recipes from all the classics like Ponyo, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and more! Beginners and seasoned chefs alike enjoy this cookbook. Crook to Cook Snoop Dogg Cookbook - #1 NYT best seller with 50 recipes including soul food favorites. Disney Parks Cookbook - These 100 Disney recipes help you experience the magic of the parks in your kitchen. We have this one and shared the Cheshire Cat Tails recipe on the blog, check it out for a sneak peek at what the recipes are like. Friends Cookbook - From Rache's Trifle to Joey's milk you can chew, this recipe book contains over 100 recipes for Friends fans! Nightmare Before Christmas Baking Cookbook - Bake up some delicious treats inspired by Oogie Boogie, Sally and Jack Skellington with over 50 baking recipes to choose from. The Bob's Burger Burger Book - If you're a fan of the "burger of the day" from Bob's Burgers you'll love these real recipes for joke burgers. Gilmore Girls Cookbook - A variety of Gilmore inspired recipes that will make you feel like you are at the Dragonfly Inn from starters, cocktails, mains and desserts you'll find something fun to cook up! Serial Killer Cookbook - Love true crime? You'll die for these serial killer facts and last meal recipes of actual serial killers. Dungeon Meister Cookbook - Feed all the gamers at the table with these fun finger foods and easy to share plates with fun names like "healing words" and "dragon on a stick". Harry Potter Cookbook - Cook up a feast fit for Hogwarts with this cookbook. Looking for more Harry Potter Recipes - try our Butterbeer Milkshake or Butterbeer Cookies (not affiliated with the cookbook). Bluey and Bingo Fancy Restaurant Cookbook - This is a fun one for the kids who like Bluey and want to help in the kitchen. 13 recipes in a spiral bound lay flat book. Add some Bluey aprons and it's a great gift for a family! Five Nights at Freddy's Cookbook - These are some creepy good recipes that are inspired by the Five Nights at Freddy's game/movie. A good find for tweens and teens. Great British Bakeoff Favorite Flavors - If you're obsessed with the Great British Bake Off you'll be obsessed with this cookbook too. From the official chefs, lots of baking magic to create at home. Eat Like A Rockstar Cookbook -Over 100 recipes from legendary rockstars over a variety of genres. like pop, rock, and country, there is something for everyone. Perfect for the music lover in your life. Ninja Turtles Pizza Cookbook - Cowabunga! You can bring your favorite Ninja Turtle's pizza recipes to life. From old school classics to dessert pizzas, these recipes will make any turtle loving fan go crazy!

If you know me, you know I have quite a collection of Christmas mugs. I love displaying them, making the kids hot cocoa in them, and drinking my morning coffee in them. It's just something tangible and festive that I can use daily and enjoy during the Christmas season. I'm always on the lookout for new cute mugs to add to my collection. I've rounded up several Festive Christmas Mugs for the season. These also make great coworker, neighbor, and teacher gifts. Tuck inside some of your favorite hot cocoa, some candy, or something small like lip gloss or gift cards, and it makes a fun small gift to give away! Festive Christmas Mugs Santa Face Mugs Tree Mug Merry and Bright Mug Snoopy Mug Gingerbread Houses Mug Spode Christmas Tree  Mug Embossed Reindeer Mugs National Lampoon Mug Embossed Snow Mug Candy Cane Mug Nutcracker Ballet Mug Snowman Mug Plaid Mug Nativity Mug Gingerbread Mug Noel Mug Elf Mug Vintage Santa Face Mug Be a Griswold Mug Christmas Village Mug North Pole Hot Chocolate Which Christmas mug would be your favorite? I'm a sucker for the Santa face and creative-shaped ones, but I adore them all! Head over to our Christmas page to see all things Christmas related - recipes, crafts, gift guides, and more!