Tuesday, December 15, 2015

what do I buy them for Christmas? a list of ideas

I've been enjoying all the Christmas gift list ideas out there, so I decided to contribute one of my own!

But before I do, here's some other ones to take a look at:
-one from Alicia Brummeler, mostly books
-one full of "little kitchen luxuries"
-one from Liturgy of Life, full of fair-trade-friendly ideas
-one from Anne Kennedy, full of pretty things


Now here's mine - divided by subject. I hope it gives you some good ideas if you are -- as I am -- still finishing up (i.e., starting) your Christmas shopping!


Books for Kids:

-"There Is a Bird on Your Head!" - this one's perfectly lovely - but really, any Mo Willems will delight - especially any of the Elephant & Piggie books.
- Minecraft books: for the obsessed kid. ("The Quest for the Diamond Sword" was a big hit around here)
Zita the Spacegirl" - great little graphic novel. This one was enjoyed both by the readers and by the kids who still needed to be read to.
-"The Seven Silly Eaters" - I love reading this one aloud; the poetry is so good. And I love the pictures even more: the family pictured is so wonderful and believable.
- "The Rithmatist" - an exciting tale for the older reader.
- "Dauntless" - Christian YA. This one was a big hit with my eleven-year-old daughter this year.
- "365 Pies and Tarts" - putting this in with "books for children" because that same eleven-year-old will not let her copy out of her sight. If you've got a budding baker, she'll enjoy the challenging variety in a book like this.


Books for Grown-ups, Fiction:

- "Dear Mr. Knightley" - your basic, lovely, curl-up-and-get-lost-in-a-good-story book. For your mother? sister?
- "Landline" - an off-beat romance between (whodathunkit?) a husband and wife.
- "Sylvester" - a constant reread of mine. Amazing dialogue, settings, set-up - and oh! the characters! I just adore this book.
- "The Martian" - even people who don't like sci-fi liked this sci-fi. Fascinating survival tale.
- “The Thief" - YA, but so tricksy and twisty and satisfying it just isn't fair to leave it to the kids.
- "Beauty" - a classic fairy tale retelling that is also too-often relegated to the children-only section. 



Books for Grown-ups, Non-fiction:

- "Mudhouse Sabbath" - Jewish customs through a convert's eyes. An easy, enjoyable read, with some depth.
- "Universal Principles of Design" - for the loved one who is always building and making things 
- "Pocket Ref" - useful, cool, AND the perfect gift for that guy on your list who is just so hard to buy for.
- "Handyman-in-Your-Pocket" - Ditto.
- "The Forest for the Trees" - thoughtful and useful gift for the writer in your life.
- "Sibley Guide to Birds" - I'm sure you know which hobbyist on your list wants this, right?



Toys:

- Sculpey - I am a huge fan of buying art supplies for Christmas, and Sculpey is hours of fun.
- Playdough - and this is for the kids who aren't quite ready for Sculpey.
- Melissa and Doug coloring pad - we've gone through several of these - they're great!
- new markers! - ask any kid: your very own set of brand-new markers is always a treat.
- scratch art kit - another fun art idea
-LEGO - of course. What home is complete without it? And so many choices!
- Razor scooter - I love mine, the kids love theirs, our family can go out on adventures together riding them - great product. (Don't forget a helmet!)


Music:

- "Christmas Star: Carols for the Christmas Season"- John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers, beautiful music for the season.
- "A Year with Frog and Toad" - this is a musical based on the beloved books (I know!) - very fun, and made the kids laugh.
- "Slugs, Bugs, and Lullabies" - this is the secret weapon I regularly employ to get the kids in a good mood on the way to school in the morning. "Tractor, Tractor" makes 'em laugh every time (you've got to get halfway through the song to start hearing the joke).
-"A Slugs and Bugs Christmas" - and this one might be even better.


Games:

- King of Tokyo - great for playing with the kids (fun for adults, too) - good if you want a gift for an entire family.
- Flashpoint - also good for kids
- Love Letter - "really fun" says my eleven-year-old.
-Hanabi - for the grown-up gamer


Hope this all helps as you check off your list!

Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell


This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through these links, I'll receive a small percentage of the purchase price - for my own shopping! :) (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

2 comments:

jen said...

i heart lauren winner and "mudhouse sabbath".

Jessica Snell said...

Isn't it a great little book? I thoroughly enjoyed it, and used it for gifts this year. :)