giving gifts

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An Assortment of Holiday Gift Ideas

Even though I am terrible at giving gifts (I tend to overthink and hem-and-haw until it’s too late to get the thing I planned, and then I panic buy something else), I do put a lot of thought into gift giving. I adore poring over gift guides and bookmarking things that might work for one of the people in my life. The ideas below are all things I have considered buying for people (or, ahem, for myself), but that doesn’t mean I have bought them. I hope you find something here that is exactly right for a gift recipient in your life (or, ahem, for you).

As always, if you are a person who expects to receive a gift from me this year, please read this at your own risk.

All images below from the accompanying sites linked to in the descriptions.
Some of the gift ideas below use affiliate links, which means I get a few cents if you click on a link and buy that product.

Moose Master Game: We are always on the lookout for new games to play as a family, and this one looks fun and chaotic.

Retro Arcade Runway Basketball: My daughter’s sports coach sent this suggestion and it looks like such a great way for kids to master hand-eye coordination or practice their shooting skills during those long, dark winter days inside.

Towels for the cabin: My brother and his wife have a little cabin they use as a getaway, and I think they would love these.

House pencil sketch: As a sentimental kind of gal, I love the idea of turning your home into art.

Watercolor pet portrait: Oh my goodness, or turning your beloved PET into art!

Song lyrics sweatshirt: My hair stylist told me she got a sweatshirt like this for her husband, with the lyrics to their wedding song. I love that idea. My husband might love it less, but maybe he’d enjoy getting the lyrics to one of the songs he’s composed on a shirt?

Smart pin map: This is another suggestion from my hair stylist, and I think it would be a great way for avid travelers to commemorate their trips around the world.

100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: This book sounds like such a bucket-list builder for a travel fanatic! Or, if you know a traveler who prefers to travel around the US, this book might be a big hit.

Mini karaoke machine: I’m pretty sure this little karaoke machine has made it onto a past gift guide, but we haven’t yet gotten it for Carla and I think she’d love it, and it feels like she’ll age out of it soon.

Smug Owls game: This game has won all sorts of awards, and sounds cute and creative.

Fins: My daughter has long since grown out of her flippers for the pool, and these look like a good replacement pair.

An Admirable Point: A Brief History of the Exclamation Mark! by Florence Hazrat: I feel like a very specific type of person would get a kick out of this book; I am this type of person and I have another of this type of person on my gift list, so maybe you know one as well?

Bubble tea kit: Boba continues to be all the rage among the tween set, and this would be a fun activity for a sleepover.

The Uzzle puzzle board game: This game kind of intimidates me, but I have seen it everywhere and I’m intrigued.

The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding a Civilization: This is kind of a niche book for my prepper friends, but I think it looks very cool.

Creature crash game: My daughter would LOVE this game (she’s a little obsessed with capybaras right now), even though it seems a little on the young side.

Dumbbell rack: This is something we already own, and I LOVE it; if I didn’t have one, I would want one very badly.

Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney: My daughter and I just finished listening to the first book in this series (The Face on the Milk Carton) and it was so good, we both wanted to read the second one immediately, but my library doesn’t have it!

Bad Best Friend by Rachel Vail: One of my daughter’s gift wishes this year was for “books about teens.” She read and loved Vail’s Well That Was Awkward, so I know she likes the author, and this one sounds perfect.

Princess matching game: My own little girl is much too old for this game, but I bought it recently for a friend’s four year old and it was a big hit.

Tea of the month club: Some of us love tea, and this subscription club would be delightful.

The Week Jr. subscription: Speaking of subscriptions, my daughter has been wanting this magazine for awhile now. I think I’ve persuaded her uncle to get it for her. (It didn’t require a lot of persuading; he asked for gift recommendations.)

Perfume discovery set for women: My husband has been really into perfume this year and subsequently he wants to get everyone perfume for the holidays. This discovery set comes from a very high-end fragrance company. This is the set we got for his mother.

Winter animals cards: I keep having this fantasy that I will turn into Engie and start sending people regular mail. In which case I would need some lovely notecards like these.

Hanukkah pack of big fat cookies: This company intrigues me – the name is irreverent, the cookies look kind of insane, and yet I kind of want to try the Hanukkah pack???

Car duster kit: Pretty sure this idea came from Elisabeth, and I’m pretty sure I need it more than my husband does… but he would use it more.

Book box: I love the idea of getting my kid a book that comes with all sorts of bookish goodies, and this one looks particularly fun.

Chocolate tempering machine: My father makes hand-dipped chocolates every year for Christmas, and this would be much nicer than his typical bowl-inside-bowl-with-heating-pad-in-between set-up.

Geller Cup Champion sweatshirt: My Friends-loving bestie would love this, I bet.

Flight Simulator for Playstation 5: My husband was a big fan of Flight Simulator back in the early aughts, and I think he would find this PS5 version super nostalgic and fun.

Book lover box: I find it amusing that this gift set of bookish swag doesn’t include a book at all, but it’s still delightful.

Book coasters: I am always on the lookout for cute coasters, and these have BOOK PUNS.

UV blocking sun hat: When Nicole mentioned this hat (or something similar), I bookmarked it right away for my mom.

Sun protective shrug: Nicole may have mentioned this as well, and it would be great for any number of people on my gift list.

Jellyfish bookends: I have become kind of fixated on bookends this year, and these are super weird and cool (and spendy).

William Morris patterned throw blanket: I adore William Morris wallpaper patterns, and I love that you can get them on a throw!

Volleyball training equipment: Perhaps my kid – or yours?? – would practice more if there were a way to keep the volleyball from rolling away down the driveway. (I do also worry a teeny bit about her hitting herself in the face with the ball, but that might be a Me Problem.)

Half zip cropped hoodie: My kid is all about cropped and oversized sweatshirts this year. The expression on the model’s face seems perfectly seventh-grade-ish.

Perfume discovery set for men: My husband requested a few perfume discovery kits for the holidays, and this one was on the list. So was this one. Such a great way to test out high-end fragrances without spending $$$ on a single bottle.

Reading pillow and lapdesk: I mentioned this on my list of bookish gift ideas, but I’m adding it here because we got it for Carla. She’s been doing her homework on the floor of the piano room, and I think this would be much more comfortable for her!

Loop ear plugs: My love for practical gifts is legendary (if only in my own mind), and I like the idea of these cool ear plugs to help my kid tune out all the chatter in study hall.

Spoon rest: Speaking of practical, I love this very simple, very useful spoon rest.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean: I can’t remember who recently read this one (Elisabeth? Birchie? Jenny?) but it reminded me that this book has been on my TBR for years.

Flip books kit: My kiddo is a creative at heart, and I think she would enjoy making little flip books.

Flashlight gloves: I feel like I have probably linked to these before, because they seem like they would be PERFECT for my dad, who likes to repair cars and help me with home improvement projects. The only thing that’s holding me back is a concern that they seem to be one-size-fits-all.

Mashed potatoes T-shirt: When Sarah said she was getting favorite food T-shirts for her whole family for Thanksgiving, I added this to my own wish list. Mashed potatoes forever.

Travel watercolor kit: My mother is a painter and I think she would find it helpful to have a travel set she can take with her to art class and/or on vacation.

Battery Daddy: My husband got one of these for himself a few years ago, and it’s extremely useful.

Miniature bakery set: Carla is a huge fan of miniatures, and I think she would be so charmed by this little bakery set.

Dinosaur pizza bites kit: WHERE WAS THIS WHEN MY KID WAS SMALL?

Bug a Salt: While I personally am pretty adamantly anti-gun – like, real firearms obviously, but also pretend ones – I have a person on my list who would LOVE this.

Axolotl squishies: Has the axolotl trend ended? If not, these squishies are adorable.

Frida Kahlo T-shirt: I love Frida Kahlo, and this is such a great quote.

Capybara light: I love these little lamps that look like adorable sleepy critters. My kid would shriek with glee if I got her this one.

Travel shoe bag: Every time I travel, I wrap my shoes in an old plastic Target bag so that they don’t touch anything in my suitcase. Wouldn’t it be nice to have real, zip-up bags dedicated to that purpose?

Milk steamer: In my ongoing quest to get my child to consume more protein and calcium, I have encouraged her to get milk steamers whenever we go out for coffee. But how nice would it be to be able to steam milk at home???

Torani flavored syrup: My daughter likes flavored steamers, and this brown sugar cinnamon flavor sounds yummy.

Foot spa for kids: One of the hard things about having a tween is that I still want to get her FUN things, in and among all the clothes and skincare. This foot spa looks FUN. It also looks a teeny bit young for her, so I’m still waffling.

Indoorsy sweatshirt: I need this sweatshirt.

Iconic women bookend: A bookend that doubles as art and triples as encouragement? Yes, please.

Owala water bottle: I feel like every year I am buying new water bottles. SOMEDAY it will end, right? Last year was the infamous Stanley. This year, it’s the much more leak proof Owala. The best thing I did with the Stanley was get it engraved with Carla’s name, though. There are so many water bottles and so many of them get left behind, it really helps to have it personalized. Well worth the extra $10.

The Magic Words by Joseph Fasano: I used to follow Fasano on Twitter and I loved the poems he would post, from people who’d used the prompts from his book. This year, I’m getting this for my niece, who is a writer and has developed an interest in poetry.

Poetry journal: And, of course, I am getting my niece a journal in which she can write all her poems. I like this journal because it comes with refillable loose leaf paper; perhaps that will prevent her from dealing with the pervasive fear I’ve always felt about committing words to paper.

Book handbag: This purse is SO CUTE.

Games for Nintendo Switch: Carla hasn’t played her Switch in ages, but she put a TON of Switch games on her wish list, including this or this or this or this or this or this. I have no idea how to choose among them, so I will defer that decision to my husband.

Resin jewelry making kit: Carla has dabbled in making resin… I hate the smell, but she really loves creating things.

Kangaroo pouch hoodie: I am pretty sure my brother needs this to lug around his cat. But it would work for any small creature. Probably not a human baby, though.

Wits and Wagers board game: My parents got this game a few years ago, and we’ve played it at Thanksgiving two years running. It’s fun and different and somehow my dad makes the best guesses EVERY time.

Butterfly kit: I’m pretty sure Carla got two separate butterfly kits over the years, and yet we never “grew” a single butterfly. Not sure why, because it would have been fun. And now we have a cat and I don’t think it would be a great plan to grow him his own snacks.

Bookstack note cards: I love these. That is all.

Sticker printer: I’ve seen these sticker printers on tons of gift lists, and I love that they are black and white so the recipient can color the stickers themselves.

Brush tip markers: These markers would be perfect for coloring in stickers.

Bookstore miniature kit: While I am not as into miniatures as my daughter is, this bookstore kit might make a convert out of me.

Cloud Nine hoodie with built-in stress ball: This was another much-requested gift from my daughter. It ships from Canada, so I’m not sure it would make it in time, but I know she would LOVE it.

Tiny baking kit: Wouldn’t it be fun to make teeny tiny baked goods?

Top with thumbholes: This is so pretty and I love that it covers the hands!

Paint your own photo: This is a fantastic way to personalize a craft for the person who loves painting!

Backyard bird journal: The older I get, the more I love birds, and I have several friends who are in the same bird-loving boat.

Adventure is out there T-Shirt: I already mentioned this shirt – and its hilarious brethren – but I keep thinking about this one.  (Just in case, here is a referral code for 20% off your order: LXZ-K7BIMBF)

Baked brie board: I ordered a charcuterie board for a long-distance gift recipient and then found myself drooling over this four-pack of baked bries.

YSL Libre eau de parfum: My sister-in-law is getting this for the holidays. In a delightful coincidence, she is as into perfumes as my husband is!

Holiday gift basket: There are always a couple of people on my list who completely stump me for ideas. Either I don’t know them that well, or they already have everything. This cozy gift basket would be such a nice gift in either case.

I have more gift ideas to share, and will do my best to share them while they can still arrive in time for Christmas!

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Gifts Galore: 2024 Contenders for All the People on My List

It feels panic-inducingly late to be Just Now Thinking of What to Buy People for Christmas, and yet that’s where I am. I have not yet received a single holiday card this year, so I’m kind of hopeful that everyone else is similarly… slow to get into the holiday swing of things. If you, like me, are still scrambling to buy gifts, I’ve made a list of some of the things I’ve been considering for the people on my list. (Here’s where, if you normally exchange gifts with me, I recommend you consider bailing out unless you want me to ruin any semblance of surprise.) This list is meandering and haphazard, but I hope you find something that appeals to you or one of the people you need gifts for.

Cute Earrings: Carla got her ears pierced this past summer and so I of course want to give her ALL the adorable earrings. She expressly asked for “seasonal” earrings, so perhaps something like this would work well. But I love super cute and unique earrings, so I am leaning toward something like this or this (she loves pickles and croissants).

Something French Adjacent: Carla is taking French in school and we plan to visit Paris sometime in 2025, so I’d like to get her something French-ish to wear. Perhaps something like this or this or this? 

A Sign for Carla’s Craft Room: I think she’d love something in neon but she might also appreciate this one.

Mason Jar Herb Kit: I cannot for the life of me grow herbs indoors, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I wonder if my green-thumb friend would like this?

Personalized Planter: This same friend has a gorgeous flower garden. I wonder if she would make use of a personalized planter?

Custom Garden Sign: Or I could do a personalized garden sign. She might really love that!

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: A BUNCH of people on my list usually get books from me/us. Although I’ve read more books this year than ever before, I can’t think of many that I’d consider gift-worthy: really compelling, good writing, long-ish, and ideally published in the current year. The one that stands out to me is Long Island Compromise, but it’s so raunchy that I don’t know if I could really give it to anyone? Maybe there’s one person who would appreciate it; the others might find it shocking and distasteful. (It IS shocking and distasteful; it is also hilarious and well written and profound in its way.) 

Burrito Blanket: This was kind of inexplicably on Carla’s wish list; she does not eat burritos.

Office Supplies: My sweet little big kid seems to have jumped right from All Toys All the Time into Office Supplies? I mean, I get it, who doesn’t love office supplies? But I’m not sure gel pens or even a pretty pink desk organizer will result in the exciting fun-filled Christmas of her imagination, you know?

Dog Lamp: Come on. This is adorable. Maybe it bridges the gap between “office supplies” and “toys”?

Sherpa Jacket: Another Carla wish list item. Maybe my niece needs one too?

Flannel Pajamas: Carla has a pair of jammies from Abercrombie kids and she LOVES them. She could definitely do with another pair.

Sweaters: Like the request for Office Supplies, I have a feeling that Carla’s enthusiastic list of clothing items – like this and this – may result in disappointment rather than elation. Although that dino sweater is pretty amazing.

Sweatshirt: Speaking of clothing, one of the only things my husband requested for Christmas is – wait for it – a sweatshirt. Since there were so few things he asked for, I kind of feel locked in to buying him one, so I have been googling “best men’s sweatshirt” trying to get a hot tip. Anyway, GQ rated this sweatshirt as its Best Overall Hoodie, and it’s a decent price, so: sold.

Bamboo Jogger Pant: The “googling it” option is how I landed on these jogger pants which I got him for his birthday and which he loves. They are SO soft. 

Fish Trivet: Has anyone in my life asked for a fish trivet? Does anyone need a fish trivet? Doesn’t matter; I want to buy (or own) this fish trivet. 

Stars Hollow Long-Sleeved Tee: One of my friends is a TV aficionado and I always peruse the merch from her faves to see if I can find anything she needs to have. She might need this.

Stars Hollow Pajama Pants: Or THESE. Who would object to another pair of comfy jammies?

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop: I did already get her this memoir by the inimitable Emily Gilmore, but maybe you or the GG fan in your life needs a copy?

Gilmore Girls Socks: Or how about these GG socks?

Arconia Mug: I am really leaning toward this Only Murders in the Building mug. Simple! Classic! Useful! And I like that you have to have watched the show to recognize what the Arconia is.

Tree Kit: How fun would it be to give (or receive) a tree?

Freezable Pint Glasses: My husband got me a set of these glasses last year for some holiday or other and I love them. They are perfect for summer nights. My brother needs these, I think.

Freezable Wine Glasses: I also have a set of these and love them as well. I have a friend who enjoys sitting outside on a summer night and she may find these under her tree.

LaNeige Icons: All the ladies on my list would love this. I would love it, myself.

Joke Writing Book: I think I have considered this for Carla before. I’m sure she would get a kick out of it.

Monster Mat: After many years, our original monster mat finally bit the dust, and we recently replaced it. How were we living without it?! This is THE BEST craft mat. 

Bean Bag Chair: Carla has one in her room and I keep promising (threatening?) to get her another one. I think my niece would love this too.

Low Light Duo: Houseplants are a perennial item on my wish list. Our house, however, has kind of a light problem. We get very little direct light. But this low-light duo would be perfect.

Bookends: My husband and I just got a new book shelf with open edges, so we are now on the hunt for great bookends. I want them to be minimalist and/or beautiful. These are good on the minimalist end of things.

Plant Stand: Most of my plants are just crowded together on the floor. They can barely see out the window! A plant stand would fix that problem.

Sous Vide: Jen raved about this sous vide a long, long time ago and I have had it in my Amazon cart ever since… and yet even on sale ($119 down from $199!), it feels like too extravagant a gift to buy for myself. But it would be a PERFECT gift for someone to buy for me.

Coffee Subscription: It’s been a long time since I’ve gifted my husband a coffee subscription and maybe it’s time to do it again.

Croissant Stuffie: Carla loves croissants, she loves stuffed animals; why not join these two loves into one adorable gift?

Croissant Stuffie with Moustache: Or what about a croissant stuffie that’s also demonstrably French? (His name is Monsieur Croissant, omg.)

Croissant Throw Pillow: This throw pillow is not quite as cute as the anthropomorphic stuffies, but it is a much better price range AND it’s enormous.

Fancy Teaspoons: For those of us experiencing Spoon Drift, perhaps these would be a wonderful addition to the cutlery drawer.

Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask: I see that I included this on last year’s list and didn’t get one. I still feel like I could use it. 

Kindle Remote Page Turner: This feels like kind of a silly/lazy thing to want, and yet I would LOVE it. I love my kindle, but I prefer to snuggle up with my hands under the covers and it’s a (teeny tiny) pain to uncover one hand to turn the page. 

Fancy Jams: My husband loves jam and he loves food gifts. Bonne Maman does a gift box of little jars which would be super fun. Oooh I like the different flavors in this one. Apricot with jalapeno! Persimmon! Olallieberry! I have never even heard of an olallieberry. (Ah. I see. It is a kind of blackberry.)

Hamster Warmies: Carla recently made herself a little pillow filled with rice that she microwaves and snuggles with. I bet she would love a stuffed animal that she can warm and snuggle. The only question is, which critter would she like best?! 

Fancy Chocolate: Sometimes, the best gift is edible and these truffles sound amazing. Hanukkah begins on Christmas evening, which means we’ll have one night of gift overlap. These menorah-printed chocolates would be so fun to give (or receive).

Chocolate Cake: I read rave reviews of Dandelion’s Tokyo gateau; this chocolate gateau Basque looks just as decadent. 

Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate: We got Carla the first Dogtown book last year, and she loved it. So I’m eager for her to read the next installment in the series.

Quiddler: We usually get my parents a new game, and – considering they are huge Scrabble fans – this one sounds RIGHT up their alley. (Thanks to Allison for describing and recommending it!)

Cloud Eau de Parfum: I am a little reluctant to spend $70 on a perfume that my kid may not like, or may love, in which case it will become our home’s signature scent for the foreseeable future. But I think she would love a perfume by Ariana Grande, and it’s a kind of fancy and mature gift for a kid who’s not really that into toys anymore…

Perfume Sampler: An alternative my husband and I discussed as an option for Carla is this perfume sampler, with a voucher to buy the one you like the most. We decided it could be very fun or very stinky. Maybe one of my sisters-in-law would like it instead?

Bread Bow: I am very intrigued by this knife.

Tomato Leaves Soap: Listen, in my opinion, this is a completely bonkers gift. It’s hand soap, for Pete’s sake, and it’s EIGHTY DOLLARS. I prefer my soaps on sale at Target, you know? And yet, ever since I read about this in one of the seven million gift guides I peruse this time of year, I cannot stop thinking about it. What if it is magical???

Wood Penguins: I am utterly enchanted by these penguins.

Avocado Vase: Carla asks me if we can try to grow an avocado every time one of us eats one. This pretty vase might inspire me to endure the rooting phase.

Book About Art: This book may be slightly on the young side for Carla, but it looks SO neat I might get it for her anyway. Maybe this How to Think and Draw Like an Artist Book would be more on Carla’s level? 

Book That Takes Place in France: I want to build some happy anticipation for Carla in advance of our upcoming trip to Paris, and maybe a fun novel that takes place in Paris (or the surrounding areas) would be perfect, like The Time Traveling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette by Bianca Turetsky? Or maybe The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson would be better? We read a fictional diary of Eleanor of Aquitaine last year that Carla really enjoyed.

Ugg Boots: Ah yes. Everything old is new again, and Carla has been begging for her own pair of Uggs. I am always hesitant about spending money on trendy things, especially when she is sure to grow out of them in a year… so this might remain a wish.

Hanes Comfywear: Who doesn’t need a set of super comfy loungewear?

Squishmallows Mystery Pack: I don’t think Squismallows have remotely lost their allure for my tween. Maybe this would be a good “toy” to include alongside the clothes and makeup and books and other tween gifts?

Temporary Tattoo Markers: Carla is always drawing on her arms. It kind of drives me nuts, to be honest, but it’s not a battle I’m willing to wage. Maybe I should lean into the (temporary) body art craze?

Golden Girls Coasters: One of my best friends and I do a bit wherein she’s Blanche and I’m Dorothy and I really want to get her these coasters.

Golden Girls Tea Towels: Or maybe these tea towels would be more useful.

Sleuth & Solve: Science: This book looks fun and educational.

Mini Karaoke Machine: I love that this karaoke machine has TWO microphones. Sounds like it will be a hit at sleepovers.

Dog Walking Bag: Carla is desperate to have gear for her dog walking business. (A couple of neighbors have hired her to walk their dogs over the past several months.) Not sure if she would get a ton of use out of it, but she would LOVE to own one.

Balloon Animal Kit: Not that Carla needs a second business on top of her first (which already conflicts with the things *I* want her to do, like homework and chores and instrument practice), but this is such a cute and fun idea. I could see her making balloon animals for the birthday parties of the little kids on our street.

Pottery Kit: Oh my goodness would Carla love this. I don’t know if her craft room would survive, though, but perhaps that’s exactly what a craft room is for.

Sherpa Lined Gripper Booties: One of my family members has very cold feet and these seem like the exact kind of thing she’d use all the time. 

Blanket / Throw: One of my gift recipients recently moved and I think this throw would go really well in the house. Or perhaps this plush blanket would work even better? It looks so soft! Oooooh… maybe I like this monogrammed throw best of all. If only this particular gift recipient were a Mariah Carey fan, because this blanket is fire.

Red String of Fate: Carla is considering this for some of her friends which I think is so sweet.

LaNeige Midnight Minis: I think this would be a great gift for Carla to get and divide up among her friends. 

Marine Layer Saturday Pants: Not quite sure where I read about these pants, but I am eyeing them for my husband.

Smoothie Cup: One of the only things I could come up with for my own wish list was a cup from which I can drink smoothies. I have very specific criteria though. Must not be plastic, (I hate drinking from plastic), must be dishwasher safe, must have a lid, must not have a straw. I like this one because it’s ceramic, but it’s a little utilitarian. I like the look of this Stanley Pint Glass a lot (and maybe I have a teeny bit of Stanley FOMO?), but there’s no lid and I really only need a smoothie cup when I’m driving somewhere and can’t drink it out of a regular glass. Now this Kate Spade Tumbler is more like it! Super cute color options, lid, insulation. Hmmm. It’s hand-wash only, though… but maybe I could deal with that since I probably won’t use it all that often.

Ember Smart Mug: Because we are apparently both lacking in drinkware, one of the only things my husband requested for Christmas was the larger size Ember smart mug. He already has the 10-ounce version, which has lasted for years… but he needs a bigger cup of coffee, people. Can you blame him?

Paris Hilton Mug Warmer: I really wish I had someone to give this to. Somehow I don’t think my husband would appreciate it, but I feel like SOMEONE will. 

Paris Hilton Pot Holders: THERE ARE ALSO POT HOLDERS.

Lay’s Ornament: Carla spotted this ornament in a store somewhere and fell in love with it; Lay’s are her favorite chips. Alas, I failed to buy it. But I can buy it for $28 on Etsy and I just may do so! 

Skincare Set: The Bubble brand is all the rage among the sixth grade set. I could totally see Carla liking this set. Or this trial set of “super cuties.”

That’s all I have for you this year, Internet! As usual, making this list was super fun and wasted a ton of time that I could have spent DECIDING rather than DITHERING. But if you are still in the dither boat with me, hopefully this gave you a thing or two to add to your own cart. 

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Gift Ideas for a Nearly Ten-Year-Old

Next to thinking about the cake, my favorite part of birthday prep is planning the presents. Carla had a few things she specifically requested, and there are a handful of things that I think would make for fun surprises. And even though she will not get ALL of the things below (she is spoiled, but not THAT spoiled), maybe they will spark ideas for the ten-year-old in your life?

Video Bird Feeder: I have seen a few of these pop up on Instagram in the past couple of months, but I didn’t seriously consider getting one for Carla until I read about it on Lindsay’s blog (and then on Suz’s blog). Carla would LOVE THIS. She adores birds, is constantly asking if she can have my phone so she can identify birdsong wherever we are, is often up past her bedtime trying to identify birds in our yard, and happily points out and names birds when we are on walks. The last time we went to the library, this was one of the books she checked out. The only disadvantage I can see to getting her a video bird feeder is that she might never do anything else but look at birds. The only other disadvantage is the price, but I’m betting this would pay for itself in hours of enjoyment. Definitely a strong contender. 

Barbie Dream Camper: Carla requested this camper specifically, and has in fact been asking for it for at least two years of birthdays and Christmasses… so she is finally getting it this year. What we do not need is another Barbie accessory with ten thousand tiny parts, but… well, I can remember the Barbie years of my youth, and how much I coveted everything Barbie. And the years of wanting toys are starting to feel extremely limited. So Barbie camper it is. 

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame: Carla picked up the first book in this series on a recent Costco trip and loved it. Getting her the next book was a no-brainer. Her aunt and uncle are getting her the third book.

Katie the Catsitter: Secrets and Sidekicks: Speaking of book series, Carla has also enjoyed the Katie the Catsitter books. We’re planning to get her the third in the series.  

Little Live Pets Pippy Pearl: Another toy on Carla’s list was this animatronic fish. She has an enduring fascination with robot animals, and has wanted this fish for years… well, we are finally making her fishy wishes come true. I expect her to remain interested in this thing for the five minutes it takes to release it into the water. 

Raptor Claws: Apparently one of Carla’s classmates has these raptor claws, and Carla wants them badly. She is still quite obsessed with dinosaurs. 

SmART: Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain: I read about this book on Instagram and I think Carla would really enjoy it.

Giggleway Robotic Kit: I don’t know how many robot kits my daughter needs, but she really likes putting them together. I got this kit for her cousin recently and Carla expressed significant envy, so perhaps she’ll get her own. 

Cowgirl Boots: Carla loves to wear boots, but we’ve had some bad luck with boots falling apart, zippers failing, detailing falling off. These boots have NONE of that nonsense, and I know she would wear them all the time. 

Pusheen Stuffie: I don’t know where she came up with this, but she has been asking for “a giant Pusheen.” I think by giant she means… Carla Sized. Well, this is much smaller than that, but it’s very cute. Her uncle called dibs on getting it for her, so I’m guessing it’s a sure thing. 

Whittling Kit: Carla has been… whittling. She is a child of many vast and varying interests. Might be nice to get her a kit (with knife resistant gloves, omg) rather than finding her whittling away with an exact-o knife. *Deep breaths.* One of her grandparents is bound to get this for her.

Sensory Swing: I am on the fence with this one (I have a deathly fear of hammocks, and this looks suspiciously close to a rebranded hammock), but it looks so cozy and I bet Carla would really enjoy it. If not a birthday gift, maybe something to consider for the new house.

ATM Piggy Bank: Carla has a terrible habit of stowing her allowance any old place – on the bookcase, in her desk, in a drawer – and I’m hoping the novelty of this piggy bank will cure her of that. 

Air Hogs Gravitator: This is sort of a drone, but not really. I think I would be much too annoyed by it, so I’m leaning away from getting it for her. But then again, Carla would really get a kick out of it. I imagine lots of ten-year-olds – especially those with much cooler moms than me – would love it.

Gridopolis: This 3-D game of strategy gets great reviews… and I always love a good family game. 

Sleuth & Solve Science Mysteries: This book is seemingly the perfect intersection of Carla’s love of science and her love of Encyclopedia Brown books.

Harry Potter Coding Kit: Carla has gotten a couple of coding kits in the past, and seems to really enjoy them… but then lose interest. But she did really well in her computational thinking class at school this year, and maybe this would reinforce that interest? Also, it has a wand!

Rainbow Throw Blanket: This blanket is so cute and I can already envision Carla wrapping around herself like a toga.

Wolf Fiction: Carla is currently fascinated with wolves, which has seeped over into her reading life. She adored A Wolf Called Wander, WolfWalkers, and the first two books of the Wolves of the Beyond books (we cannot find book three anywhere, including in our library system, and I cannot bring myself to skip it and get her book four, which may be ridiculous but there it is). But what next? Maybe The Wolf Wilder? Or A Wolf for a Spell?

Squishmallow Minis: When we were discussing the many, many iterations of her friend birthday, one of the potential party favors was going to be this set of mini squishmallow farm animals. While we moved on from farm animals (to succulents; we’re doing succulents), Carla was extremely SQUEEEEEE! about these little guys. I know she’d love to unwrap them and snuggle them and assign them ridiculous names and personalities. 

Reading Journal: While my husband is gently pushing back on my desire to get Carla a reading journal, I kind of think she would love it? She likes journals. She likes reading. She’s supposed to be doing lots of reading over the summer. This seems like it would be practical (you know I love a practical gift) AND fun. I mean, sure, fun for a very particular sort of ten-year-old. But they exist!

Joke Writing Book: Yes, I realize that this is kind of a book-heavy list. But books are the best gifts, I think we ALL agree. (Right?) Carla loves to tell a good joke, and she’s been experimenting with coming up with her own jokes a lot these past few months. I bet she’d love a book about how to craft really good jokes.

Create Your Own Secret Language: Carla and one of her school friends made up their own secret language this year. Would it sap all the fun out of it to give her a how-to manual? I could get a copy for her friend, too, whose birthday is also coming up… Hmmm…

Villainous Board Game: Carla loves a good villain, and this board game looks really fun. 

Jumpsuit: One of Carla’s FAVORITE outfits is a black jumpsuit. She wears it all the time, but it’s getting to be quite small. Plus, she’s moved on from All Black All the Time, and has informed me that her new favorite color is turquoise. The child model does not look enthused about this jumpsuit (I would not be enthused either; HOW DO YOU PEE), but I think Carla would be wildly enthused about it.

Finders Seekers Mystery Game: Carla and her father and I love playing solve-the-mystery games together. This one looks both fun and educational, and there’s potential for a monthly subscription if it’s a big hit.

If you have a ten-year-old in your life, what’s a toy/game/book they really love… or a gift you’ve given that’s been particularly well-received?