Fun Stocking Filler Ideas for Kids

25/11/202016/01/2024 Lisa

Fun Stocking Filler Ideas for Kids

I’m not sure about your kids, but in our house the stockings are our favourite part of Christmas Day. We all pile onto our bed, and I usually nip downstairs to make tea and coffee in the hope that the coffee waft will wake Chris up enough at whatever insane hour they (I) wake up.

We try and make them a bit fun and silly as a nice way to start the day. Now that our eldest is an adult, the kids know that Father Christmas no longer fills his stocking, and that it’s us that fill it full of funny bits and bobs.

Here are some great finds that will put a smile on your kids faces, big and small.

Squishy Dinosaur toy from Hyde and Seek

A Squish-a-saurus from Hyde and Seek. My kids love a squishy toy so these would be a very welcome addition to their stockings – £4.95

Mini Xmas Tree Lights Playdough Kit from Child Led Play – £6.50
This would be a lovely calming activity for your little one to do to wind down from all the Christmas Festivities.

A Colourful Creations Mini Paint Set from Rascals Toy Shop – £2.95

A Christmas Chocolate Bar from Stamford Heavenly Chocolates – £3.50
You have to have chocolate and sweets in a Christmas Stocking and this has both!

Unique Gifts to Buy for Her this Christmas

24/11/202022/01/2024 Lisa

Unique Gifts to Buy for Her this Christmas

This year has been pretty awful for many of us in many ways, so Christmas is the perfect time to show the women in your life how much you care by buying the perfect gift. I’ve been scouring local, independent and small businesses from around the UK and have found some absolute gems for all the women in your lives.

Pivot – handcrafted jewellery like these Eclipse Earrings made from Brass can be bought from Pivot, a social enterprise that empowers people experiencing homelessness to pivot their lives by designing, making and selling jewellery.

Washable Make-up Remover Pads from Cecily Jacks – £10.00
Even small steps towards a more sustainable life is a good step. Washable pads are also much nicer to use than cotton wool pads.

A Black Tribal Tassel Basket from Hyde and Seek – £24.95
I’ve seen these quite a lot across instagram and look gorgeous for storing blankets or my preferred choice of a lovely potted plant.

An Essential Oil Infused Eye Mask from Bags of Lavender – £10.50
Practice a little bit of self-care or take 5 minutes away from the hustle and bustle.

Blooming Marvellous Mega Melt from the Happy Soak – £4.50
Grab a good book, a glass of wine and drift off to a tropical paradise via your bath tub.

A Silver Personalised Bangle from the Jewellery Makers – £160.00
Have your bracelet engraved with words of your choosing.

A Flower Subscription Service from Pop-up Blooms
It’s always nice to receive flowers and may-be you’d like to have a go at a bit of flower arranging with their handy hints and tips.

A Dog Lover’s Notebook from In Your Dog House Gifts – £12.00
I love my doggy and I love stationery so this would be great for my endless to-do lists.

Happy Shopping x

Christmas Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

23/11/202013/01/2024 Lisa

Christmas Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

We’re not long out of the baby stage and into full on Toddler fun and tantrums. Two is my absolute favourite age as everything is new and amazing to them. It’s the perfect age to introduce role play toys and promote a bit of independent play.

Having looked through many businesses, I feel that we’re a bit spoilt for choice so here are a few of the vast gorgeous toys and gifts that I found.

Maileg Superhero Mouse – Little Wrens Nest. There’s a whole little family of these little mice to collect, and this one comes in his very own little carry case – £19.50.

Wooden Mountain Animal Stacking Set – Rose and Reign. Freddie is obsessed with stacking things from books to tins out of the cupboards so this would be a great challenge for him.

A Rainbow Star Rattle Teether from Once Upon a Future – £13.99
You can’t have too many teethers and this one caught my eye.

A Room on the Broom Storybox from Zaza’s Storybox – £25.00
This book is one of our absolute firm favourites. I think Freddie would absolutely love this set!

A Cooking Play Set from Weaving Hope – £50.00
This beautiful set is made from cotton woven on traditional wooden handlooms by women artisans in Sri Lanka.

Quirky Gifts to Buy for Him this Christmas

22/11/202016/01/2024 Lisa

Quirky Gifts to Buy for Him this Christmas

Men are so difficult to buy for! Each birthday and Christmas I find it really difficult to buy for Chris and like most men, he’s rubbish at giving away any suggestions. We seem to have developed our own little family thing of putting together a ‘Goody Bag’ of all of his favourite snacks, treats and drinks which is our own version of pants and socks.

Nobody wants to buy a present for the sake of buying, so here are some amazing ideas from businesses either local to us in Exeter or available to buy online.

Walnut Wooden Phone Case with Eco friendly Shell from Loam and Lore – £30.00 – This is completely compostable as well!

A Retro VHS Sleeve Notebook from Lionshed Designs – £8.00
I was only trying and failing to explain how we used to record stuff on TV when I was a kid to my daughter the other day. She asked if we were really poor!

Brussel Sprout Flavoured Gin from La Di Da Interiors – £12.50
What can I say, would you try this? I’m all for giving things a try once!

A Personalised Leather Tablet Bag from Casting Love – £75.00

Fantastic Non-Toy Christmas Gifts for Children

17/12/201704/11/2023 Lisa

Fantastic Non-Toy Christmas Gifts for Children

Fantastic Non-toy Christmas Gifts for Children. Hands up if after Christmas you could do with an extension just to fit in all the new Stuff that the kids get.

It’s lovely that friends and family natural want to buy something as a gift at Christmas time but does it always have to be a physical thing?

Here is a list of alternative Non-toy Gifts that you can buy or recommend for friends and family to buy for your little ones.

1. Cinema Gift Cards

These are ideal for older children and will give them something to look forward to do with their friends.

2. Classes

The possibilities are endless. This could be for swimming lessons, gymnastics, trampolining, ballet, football, cricket, badminton, tennis. I could go on…..

3. Concert or gig tickets

Surprise the teen with tickets to their favourite band.

4. Theme Park Tickets

These don’t have to just be for older children. These could be for the smalls for places like Peppa Pig World or Cbeebies Land and make a great family day out.

5. Sports Events Tickets

Do your children have a favourite football, rugby or cricket team. These are likely to go down a storm and could double us a joint father son present.

6. Books

You can never have too many books, especially for bedtime story reading. We love books and could probably open our own library, but we always welcome more.

7. Tickets for local activities

Petting zoos, Farms, Swimming, Indoor play areas, Crazy Golf and activity parks. Whatever activities your children are into these will be great when you don’t have any plans. Even better, you could buy an annual membership.

8. Clothes

Both of ours at 4 and 15 have an interest in clothes and are quite particular about what they wear. The 4 year old likes sparkles, pretties and skirts or dresses that are swishy and the 15 year old is particular about the brands that he wears. Makes an ideal gift for any age.

9. Paint your own Pottery

We have a lovely place near us where you can sign up for a class such as jewellery making, canvas painting or pottery painting. All the materials are included and you come away with your creation.

10. A Camera or Video Camera

All kids young and older would like this as a gift. My daughter has one which also has themes such as moustaches and big ears or backgrounds to the pictures taken. It’s fun to do as well.

11. Magazine subscriptions

This is an ideal present for everybody from pre-schoolers to your in-laws.

12. A watch

Help them to learn the time which is a useful and essential life skill as well as a great accessory.

13. A Journal or Diary

Not something that I’ve ever done, but I do have a bit of a thing for gorgeous notebooks.

14. Recipes and ingredients

Write or print out a recipe and put together the ingredients. You could even include some utensils or an apron.

15. Craft Supplies

The possibilities are endless with anything from chalk, paint, glitter, card, paper, coloured pipe cleaners. Collect loads of bits and bobs and put them together as a bit of a craft treasure trove. We have loads of Kids Craft Ideas which you could do together.

16. Musical instruments

Have the kids been begging to learn something. The cost of these dependent on the instrument can be pricey so would make an ideal gift.

17. itunes voucher

Are you forever paying for music or apps like us. A voucher of all amounts would be a great gift for a teenager.

18. Coupons

Put together your own little coupons with things written on them such as shopping trip, baking session, craft session for your little ones to cash in. Great for rainy days.

19. Movies

DVD’s are ideal for watching together. Wrap them with some cinema style snacks and snuggle down to watch together.

20. Money

Set up a bank account or give them the cash to do what they please with. Sometimes for older kids this could be to go towards something expensive such as the latest games console, phone or other bit of technology that takes their fancy.

If you have great non-toy Christmas gift ideas of your own, feel free to pop a comment.

Happy Shopping