Looking for the perfect drink to try this holiday season? You will love this- the flavored vodkas by Van Gogh take it to a whole new level that your guests and you will love.
Reindeer Tracks
2 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate
1 oz. Hazelnut liqueur
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It’s about that time of year- you know. Shopping time. “The Holiday Season”. Time to make the lists, check it twice, and make sure you deliver your child’s wish list in time for the big day. One good place to check out is Burlington. While you might think it’s just the best place to go to for coats and jackets for the whole family, they actually offer a lot more.
Burlington offers style for everyone at up to 65% off department store prices every day. With three times as many gifts in store than in years past, there are plenty of great toys at the right price this holiday season for the children in your life, ranging from Frozen-themed toys to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures and more.
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It’s that time of year again. The holidays are quickly coming up on us, and that means preparing for Christmas. In our technological age, it’s easy to lose sight of Christmas traditions. This year, I’ve decided to focus on ways to incorporate technology with Christmas traditions. Here are a few simple tips on how you can, too:
Christmas Music
Nothing brings cheer to the house quite like Christmas music. Thanks to technology, we have access to more Christmas music than ever before. Tablets, computers, cell phones, and even smart TV’s now have the ability to stream music for hours. So it doesn’t matter if you are in the kitchen baking cookies, or in the living room wrapping gifts, the music goes where you go. Pandora has an app on smart TV’s that allow us to stream music for hours without end. Amazon Prime has free music streaming for select Christmas titles. Technology brings the tradition of Christmas music to us anywhere.
Christmas Cards
This tradition is still going strong, and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere in the foreseeable future. Some crafty people even make their own cards to send. For me, I intend to save time, money, and paper sending eCards. It’s easy to do. All you need are email addresses for friends and family and you can send Christmas eCards efficiently in minutes to anyone. No buying stamps. No going to the post office and waiting in line. Just import your address book, select a card, and send. Not only does it save trees, but the cards are received instantly, so if you are a procrastinator and realize on Christmas Eve that you forgot the cards, it’s not too late.
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It’s about that time of year, where we are all looking for the perfect gift. Some people are easier to shop for then others. Kids can be easy- or not so much. Tweens and teens can be harder to shop for as well. I recently discovered Rilakkuma, a Japanese brand that is now here in America as well. With so many cartoons and toys made popular in Japan that have become hits here in the USA, Rilakkuma caught my eye.
If your kids are into anime, all things Japanese, or simply cute plush toys, you will want to hear about Rilakkuma. Rilakkuma is very popular in Japan, and is now available in the USA as well. The story of Rilakkuma is pretty simple- three friends who live in Tokyo with a hard working woman named Kaoru. They go on adventures together, and make mischief while Kaoru is working. Known as a “mysterious brand”, although I’m not sure why, honestly, Rilakkuma and friends have been “a staple in the Japanese market” for more then ten years, according to David Ringer, CEO/President of AQI. Now that they are here in the USA, you can find out what they are all about with your kids- and honestly, tweens and teens should be interested in this as well, anime and Japanese crossovers are popular with many kids in that age group.
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Last weekend, we went to Philly to visit The Franklin Institute science museum, both for the fun Mom Mixer event as well as to check out the museum itself. We had a great time checking out some fun, new items (and getting some ideas for holiday shopping), sampling some snacks from CVS, and meeting Elmo (who doesn’t love a big, furry monster hug?)
Some of our favorites were from Hasbro- my son loved, loved the Grimlock and Optimus Prime toys- almost all of them transform, even the huge Grimlock (this is sure to be a hot toy this year). The Hasbro station was popular with kids of all ages, with the adorable Lets Imagine Elmo, new Play Doh fun, and more.
Epic Optimus Prime was one of my son’s favorites of the day, and it’s a huge toy. The figure stands 22 inches tall, and his chest opens to reveal a command center that fits mini-figures (sold separately) to further playtime. Grimlock, his other favorite toy, is just as cool- and really, if your kid is a fan, grab this toy now- it’s sure to sell out.
Transformers Age of Extinction Stomp and Chomp Grimlock Figure is another larger then usual toy, but it is also huge fun. Grimlock is a giant, 20-inch robot that offers a lot of movement and motion. In one step, he really transforms into a dinosaur that can stomp and chomp. His eyes also light up.
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Whether it’s a birthday present or a Christmas gift, a part of the fun in giving something to someone else is finding some pretty wrapping to put it in. And while you could go to the mall and pay a customer sales associate to wrap your present for you, why not take a more fun, creative and cheaper route and do it yourself? And while you’re at it, why not have your kids help you?
If that sounds like a good idea and you’d like some suggestions on some effective wrapping tips and techniques for kids, we have provided you with five of our favorite ones below:
Use gift bags. Definitely one of the easiest ways to wrap a present is to put them in a gift bag. You can find them at Wal-Mart or even your local Dollar Store for a really low price. Then all that you have to put inside of them is some tissue paper. If you take your children with you to pick out the bag and paper, it’s a quick way for them to wrap a gift while incurring very little mess in the process.
Put “it” in a recycled cloth bag. If you want to make the wrapping just as usually as the gift, consider putting it inside of a recycled cloth bag. That way, the person can use the bag to go grocery shopping or to carry their lunch in. And as far as your children’s contribution to the wrapping, if you purchase a white one, you can purchase some paint and have them either paint a picture on the bag or put their handprint on it.
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For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
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The holiday season is upon us. This year, be the “hostess with the mostest” with some perfect holiday drink recipes. Mix up some festive-favorites for both adults and children, like the Candy Cane-tini, Pomegranate Punch and Apple Cinnamon Sparkler.
The base for each of the beverages is a sparkling water that is calorie-free, sugar-free, sodium-free and gluten-free, making them a healthier alternative to traditional, high-calorie holiday drinks. Cascade Ice flavored sparkling waters are free of calories, sugar, sodium and gluten, making them a delicious and refreshing alternative to sugary juices and sodas.
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