Tag: best christmas gifts 2020

Cozy at Home · Gifts

24 Thoughtful and Useful Ideas For Pandemic Gift Giving

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Connecting with loved ones is the most important part of the holidays. Unfortunately, the global pandemic shows no signs of slowing before the Christmas season. The reality is setting in that many of us will not be spending the holidays with extended family. Certainly a lot of older relatives may be in situations where visitors may not be possible. And kids may very well be at home most of the time with a desperate need for meaningful, engaging activities.

I’m looking for ways to safely make the season special. Admittedly, it’s been rough. We won’t be getting together with extended family for Thanksgiving, although we are still seeing each other on the occasional warm day when we can get together outside. Like everyone else, we have also been connecting by video call.

This year, I’m also going to need to get creative with gift-giving. I plan to order a lot of my gifts on Amazon and have them delivered to loved ones I won’t be seeing. I’m also looking for gifts that will make the winter at home more comfortable.Some great ideas for pandemic gift giving are family games, activities, crafts, home entertainment, and special, personalized items.

Here are my top Amazon picks for pandemic gift-giving:

Family Games

Board games are a great way to spend time together as a family. Setting aside one evening a week as game night can help add structure and fun to time at home.

Trekking The National Parks: The Award-Winning Family Board Game


Latice Hawaii Strategy Board Game -Award-Winning Smart Family Game

Trekking The World: A Globetrotting Family Board Game

Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It Board Game

Home Comfort

For people on your list who have to spend more time inside the four walls of home, help them make their home a haven by giving gifts that promote health, relaxation, and stress-relief.

6-Piece Love You Miss You Message Throw Blanket and Heart Bracelet Combo Gift Pack 

Core Max Smart Abs and Total Body Workout Cardio Home Gym

Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Gift Set

Weighted bamboo blanket

Cooking At Home

Help loved ones increase convenience and variety in home cooking. Fewer trips to the coffee shop and deli mean more at-home options are appreciated.

Hamilton Beach Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker

Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Maker NOW ON BLACK FRIDAY DEAL


Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven 7 in 1 with Rotisserie

Betty Crocker Pizza Maker

Home Technology

Home technology and entertainment provide a welcome diversion during this challenging time as well as a way to connect with loved ones.

Facebook Portal – Smart Video Calling 10” Touch Screen Display with Alexa

Digital Picture Frame WiFi Music Player, Share Photos and Videos via APP, Cloud, Email

Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy‑Con


NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV 4K HDR Streaming Media Player; High Performance, Dolby Vision, Google Assistant Built-In, Works with Alexa

Home Activities

Learning something new or engaging in a creative project is a great idea in 2020. Here are some fun picks.


Premium Needle Felting Kit for Beginners, 20 Colors Wool, Pure Wool Felting Pad, 6 Needles Various Sizes, Leather Finger Guards, Storage Case

CubicFun 3D Puzzle for Adults LED Pirate Ship

Wood Carving Kit Comfort Bird DIY – Complete Starter Whittling Knife Kit for Beginners Adults and Teens

DIY Handbag Macrame Kit

Other Fun Gifts for People We Wish We Could See

For people on your list who you will not be able to see, remind them that you’re thinking about them over the Christmas season with thoughtful and creative gifts.


English Tea Shop 2020 Organic Tea Advent Calendar

Nativity Magnetic Advent Calendar with a Daily Family Activity Booklet

Stonewall Kitchen New England Breakfast Gift (6 Piece Gift Basket)

Personalized Printed Wood Family Name Sign With Rustic Pallet Monogram 15×18

https://bluewillowlane.com/2020/11/11/kids-gifts-that-build-creativity-and-thinking-skills/ Kids’ Gifts That Build Creativity and Thinking Skills
Gifts · Parenting

Kids’ Gifts That Build Creativity and Thinking Skills

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Shopping for kids is a huge part of the holiday season. Instead of going on a search for the latest toy fad of the year, consider giving some gifts that will encourage creativity and active learning in children. When I’m shopping for kids, I try to find gifts that will be engaging, appealing, and fun, but still help kids develop skills. My own children are well past the toys stage, but when they were younger, we got them each a couple of the traditional toy items, and the rest of their gifts leaned heavily toward activities, games, and items that would help them spend time productively. More than the toys, they appreciated the chance to try new things and feel a sense of accomplishment as well as spending time together as a family working on a project.

Time spent playing a board game, flying a kite, or learning a new art technique is valuable for children and provides a much-needed break from screen time.

Here are some of my top picks for fun and engaging toys available from Amazon. I am an Amazon affiliate. Please see about page for full information. Thanks so much for supporting my blog! 🙂

PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set 100pcs Magnet Building Tiles Clear Magnetic 3D Building Blocks

This beautiful magnetic building set offers hours of creative fun.

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Brain Game and STEM Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8 and Up – Toy of the Year Award Winner

Highly-rated game encourages spatial reasoning and logic skills.

126 Piece Deluxe Art Creativity Set with 2 Drawing Pad, Art Supplies in Portable Wooden Case- Crayons, Oil Pastels, Colored Pencils, Acrylic Paints, Watercolor Cakes, Brushes – Deluxe Art Set

Everything needed to explore new art techniques

5000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) National Geographic Kids) Hardcover

Encourage curiousity and wonder about the world around us with this great book

Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower – Active Outdoor Fun for Kids Ages 3 to 8 Years Old

Free time outdoors is so important. Here’s an easy solution to provide a play space in your yard.

My World Interactive Map – Educational Talking Toy for Kids of Ages 5 to 12 Years

Help kids discover world geography with this award-winning interactive map

2 Pack Kites – Large Rainbow Delta Kite and Red Octopus with Long Colorful Tail

Classic kites are always a fun gift

Exploring Nature Journal for Kids: Observe and Record the Outdoors 

encourage writing and observational skills with this journal

Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes Craft Kit

Paper and instructions for creating a variety of paper airplanes.

150 Piece Set Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set FAO SCHWARZ Toy Solid Pine Wood Block Playset Kit with Bridges and Arches

Classic building set encourages imagination

FAO Schwarz Kids 8-Piece Arts and Crafts Weaving Loom Set: Create Your Own Weaves and Fabric Projects with Colored String; Kit Includes Loom Frame, 4 Colored String Bundles, 3 Wooden Shuttles, Ages 4+

Weaving set for kids who love unique artistic projects

Quiksilver Mission Mittens Kids

Recycled Fabric: REPREVE traceable, recycled 4-way stretch polyester blend made from plastic bottles
Insulation: WarmFlight x3 technology for extra warm and breathable insulation for Winter outside play

Kids Dinosaur Knitted Hat

Kids look adorable in this warm hat that lends itself to pretend play

Clay Lab for Kids: 52 Projects to Make, Model, and Mold with Air-Dry, Polymer, and Homemade Clay

Fun and engaging clay projects

Thanks for reading my blog today. Enjoy the season shopping for all the kids in your life, and have a beautiful day! 🙂

https://bluewillowlane.com/2020/11/02/fabulous-gifts-for-the-all-the-guys-in-your-life-and-all-available-on-amazon/ Fabulous Gifts for the All the Guys In Your Life and All Available on Amazon
Gifts

Fabulous Gifts for the All the Guys In Your Life and All Available on Amazon

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Hi there! I hope you’re hanging in there as 2020 inches closer and closer to an end. One thing I can truly, honestly look forward to no matter what the circumstances are the year-end holiday celebrations. We have tons of traditions that go along with the Christmas season, and cooking and decorating also add to the joy of the season.

We don’t go overboard in our family with enormous gifts, but I do love finding something really unique and special for everyone on my list. I have come to rely more and more on Amazon for my shopping because we have a high risk family member so we avoid covid exposure if at all possible. Home shopping has really been a great service for our family.

I recently also became an Amazon affiliate and this post contains affiliate links, but I am absolutely a real customer too. I very much appreciate you supporting me and my blog. Thank you! 🙂

Now, on to the gift guide for guys. Guys can be really tricky to buy for, but I think I have found some really great items for you today. I like finding the more original items and also putting in a few established brands and old favorites. I hope these ideas help and inspire you as you start shopping for this year’s celebrations!

ENO Eagle’s Nest Outfitters Portable Hammock

This lightweight hammock is portable for all his great adventures! Accomodates 1-2 people. I love this bright tie dye, but the hammock is available in a multitude of color choices.

. Dan the Sausageman’s Sounder Gourmet Gift Box Featuring Smoked Summer Sausage and Wisconsin Cheeses

If you have someone on your list who appreciates food gifts, consider this great gift box. The company was selected as the 2018 U.S. Small Business of the Year for Washington State, this box is rated as “perfect” and “awesome” by Amazon reviewers.

. Personalized Super Mario Brothers leather handmade mens wallet

This wallet combines classy with fun nostalgia. It’s handmade and can also be personalized with a name or initials. What a cool gift!

. Humboldt Hands Original Woodsman Handmade Soap

Humboldt Hands is a luxury goat milk soap for working hands. The soap is made on the farm with fresh goats milk. It is tough on grease, grime, tree sap, barn muck and plant resins.

Tommy Bahama St. Kitts Eau De Cologne for Men

This breezy, classic scent features citrus, cedarwood, musk, and sea salt.

. Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Chronograph Stainless Steel Watch

Gorgeous stainless water resistant watch from Citizen. Round watch with blue sunray dial featuring three subdials, placed indices, baton hands, and date window at four o’clock.

. Happy Socks Classics Gift Box

These bright, beautiful socks are just so…well, happy! A great gift to put a smile on someone’s face.

. Woodstock Candy ~ 80s Retro Candy Gift Box 

Woodstock Candy has retro candy from any decade. Nostalgic and fun, these assortments make a great gift!

. Tommy HilfigerLightweight Puffer Vest

Classic but trendy, Tommy Hilfiger is the perfect choice for any guy on your list. This puffer vest is available is a multitude of colors.

. Complete Wet Shave Set from Mike the Mason

Mike the Mason Gift Set Includes: Hawk Safety Razor, Pure 100% Badger Hair Brush, Organic Honey Oatmeal Shave Bar, 5 Premium Mens Blades, and a Razor Stand

. Nineties Nostalgia Old School Gadgets T Shirt

This fun t shirt is available in several colors and is perfect for any nineties kid.

Oakley Holbrook Polarized Square Sunglasses

Quality sunglasses like a pair of sylish Oakleys make a great gift. Who wouldn’t love these classic shades?

Beard Comb

This engraved wooden beard comb is individually handmade in the Ukraine. The Comb also folds for storage and portability.

. Irish Patchwork Wool Cap

This Irish flat cap is made by one of Ireland’s oldest weavers in Co. Tipperary, using time-honored methods, passed down through generations at John Hanly & Co. The younger generation is making the newsboy cap trendy again, but a man of any age would love this classic.

. Sterling Silver Puzzle Ring

This striking silver ring is also an intricate puzzle, and the mystery of how to take it apart and put it back together has to be solved. How cool is that?

. Callahan’s Gourmet Hot Sauce Gift Set

Poblano, Habanero, & Black Pepper Chipotle. Great gift for the hot sauce lover in your life. Made weekly in small batches by Callahan himself in Seattle, WA.

. Personalized Docking Station, Charging Station, Phone Dock, Cell Phone Stand

This wood docking station can be personalized and is available in 8 wood finishes. The docking station is compatible with all cell phones including iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 plus, all kind of iPhones and all Android phones, and all kinds of tablets as well.

. SwissGear USB ScanSmart Laptop Backpack

A part of the iconic SWISSGEAR ScanSmart series, this pack entails a TSA-friendly, lay-flat tech compartment equipped with a padded 15” laptop sleeve and tablet pocket to scan your devices without taking them out of the pack. Durable zipper closure adds an extra barrier of security for devices and essentials throughout your trip.

An integrated USB port allows you to charge your smartphone, tablet, and laptop wherever you are. Perfect travel backpack for a guy on the go.

. Marmot Retro Snap Back Hat

This cool nostalgic hat is a great gift for the guy who appreciates staying on top of trends while still remaining understated.

. Custom Personalized Art Made From Real License Plates

All custom signs are made from real license plates and can be personalized with a name, team, birthday, anniversary, etc.

. Skullcandy Bluetooth Noise Isolation Wireless In-Ear Headphones With Mic and Volume Control

Most guys need a good set of headphones. These feature Bluetooth wireless technology, Rapid Charge: 10 Minutes = 3 Hours; 40 Hours of Total Battery Life, Adjustable Sensory Bass, and Noise Isolating Fit.

I hope this Amazon gift guide gives you a little inspiration to get started on your holiday gift shopping list!

Have a beautiful day, and happy shopping! 🙂