Kid-Friendly Christmas Decorations

I have 3 small children in my house and I know that when I get my Christmas decorations out it is always a struggle to find where to put the breakable ones so I know they are safe from little hands.

Well, this past year I thought I would do something different and check out some kid-friendly Christmas decorations so that my kids can help decorate more and have their own decorations that they can play with.

Here are some of the more kid-friendly Christmas decorations I came across.

Fisher Price Little People Christmas Sets

My kids still play with their other Little People sets so I thought one of these would be perfect for Christmas. There is a Christmas village set as well as other play sets that you can set up such as Santa's workshop and Christmas on Main Street.

There is also a wonderful nativity scene that even lights up and plays the song "Away In A Manger." I love this set because it helps teach children what Christmas is actually about.

LEGO Christmas Village Set

If you have older children (older than around 4-5) then check out the LEGO Christmas village. This is a huge set that contains tons of different accessories so you can make your Christmas village look different every day.

Kids will love setting up the different scenes and places and having fun with the little details such as the snowballs, the gifts under the tree and other special touches. This really does make a nice Christmas decoration that even adults will love.

There are plenty of other kid-friendly Christmas decorations so you can take the stress out of your Christmas decorating this year.



Part of the LEGO Christmas Village Set

Buying a Tablet for Your Kid This Christmas

Tablets are huge once again this year and a lot of parents are going to be buying one for their kid this year.

If you are interested in buying a tablet for your child for Christmas this year, there are a few things you should know before you just splurge and buy one.

First of all most tablets are not cheap so you need to make sure you set a budget before you start shopping. The cheapest tablets will run you at least $75 and up with the nicer quality ones being over $200.

For younger kids under the age of 7 you may want to stick with the cheaper tablets like the LeapFrog LeapPad or the Inno Tab 2. These tablets are geared towards younger children and they don't have access to things like the Internet or basic Android apps. You can expect to pay less than $100 for one of these tablets.

For older children you may consider an Android tablet that is geared towards children such as the Tabeo Tablet for Kids. These tablets have more apps and access to the web but they come with parental controls that can help you monitor what your child can actually do on them.

If you don't mind spending some money on your child or if your children will be sharing the tablet you can consider buying them a Kindle Fire HD or an Apple iPad for Christmas. These will set you back at least $200 but they are a lot nicer quality than a cheaper tablet and there are really so many things a child can do on them.

For more information on buying a tablet for your kids for Christmas, check out this article, Best Tablet for Kids 2012.

Christmas Gift for My Husband

I can't forget my husband when it comes to Christmas. I have been already thinking long and hard as to what I want to buy him for Christmas. We are the type of people that don't really go all out for gifts for each other but for some reason I want this year to be different.

I have been looking at these luxury watches called tourbillon watches and know my husband would love one. The watch he used to have has been broke for some time (about 3 years) and he just hasn't ever gotten it fixed or bought a new one.

These watches are quite expensive but I did come across several cheaper options that are available as well. I can buy him a nice watch for under $300, which is an awesome price for a watch like that. I have seen some of these watches run over $10,000. Of course we don't have that kind of money to spend for Christmas gifts, but I think a nice watch for $200 or so would be pretty cool especially if it looks like a more expensive one that costs thousands of dollars.

I haven't told my husband yet what I am buying him and want it to be a surprise but thought I would share with other wives out there who may be stuck on what to buy their guy for Christmas this year.



Cool-Looking Tourbillon Watch

Christmas Gift Ideas for 4 Year Old Girl

My daughter will be 4 years old this Christmas and she has a ton of things she wants already (typical girl huh?)

I thought I would share with you some of the toys she has said she wants for Christmas this year to maybe help you shop for a 3-5 year old girl in your life.

The first thing she says she absolutely has to have is the new Tinker Bell movie. The movie called Secret of the Wings comes out on October 23 on DVD and is sure to be a hit with any Tinker Bell fan out there. It is a nice option for a cheaper Christmas gift under $20.

Another thing she saw a commercial for and has put on her wish list is the Gymnastics Dora Doll. This Dora doll performs a few different gymnastics routine with a simple push of a button. She also sings and has several phrases she says as well. Perfect for any Dora fan.

My daughter is just getting into the whole Barbie scene and noticed that Barbie has a new movie out. The Princess and the Popstar is Barbie's new movie about a princess and a popstar who change lives because they think the other person has it much better. There are also Barbie dolls and other play toys that go along with the movie.

If you are looking for a bigger item Christmas gift for your 4 year old girl, then check out this KidKraft Dollhouse Buying Guide. It has the most popular dollhouses and details about where you can buy them for a low price as well as what dollhouse may be best for your little girl. I know my daughter would love a huge dollhouse for Christmas this year.

There are also a few different dolls that my little girl is interested in as well. She watches the Winx Club on TV and there is a new line of these dolls called the Believix Dolls. They are fairy dolls that even have interchangeable wings. Another doll she has mentioned are the Cutie Pop Dolls. These dolls do have small parts so you may want to be careful with younger kids. They have interchangeable "pop" that you can use to decorate the dolls from their hair to their different outfits.

I'm sure as the weeks go on my daughter will be adding more toys and dolls to her Christmas wish list. One tip that I found really easy to keep track of what she wants is to make a wish list on my Amazon.com account. Even if I don't buy from Amazon I still have all the information and a price comparison in one place.



Gymnastics Dora Doll

Christmas Gift Ideas for 2 Year Olds

My son will almost be two years old once Christmas is here so I have been working on gathering a list of possible Christmas gift ideas for him.

These ideas come from the many commercials I have seen already as well as other articles and advertisements I have come across.

My son absolutely loves Mickey Mouse. In fact his favorite thing to sleep with is is plush Mickey Mouse. I recently saw a commercial advertising  Mickey's Farm Playset and knew this was a must for him this Christmas. It is a barn that looks like the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and it comes with different animals as well as Mickey and Minnie. It even has a spinning dance floor so Minnie and Mickey can have a hoedown.

Another toy I came across from a commercial on TV was the Bounce, Bounce Tigger toy. It actually looks pretty cool and the music is what hooked me. The theme song is actually a Tigger-like remake of an old hip hop song. "Tigger's gonna make you bounce, bounce." It's definitely going to be a hot toy this Christmas.

Although the Cruise and Groove Ballapalooza may look like it is for babies, I think a two year old would enjoy it as well. It comes with several different balls that you can place in all different slots so they roll down the ramps and through the holes. It has other toys that are connected to such as a stoplight gate and plays music. One thing to be aware of is that it measures pretty big so make sure you have room for it in your home.

I'm also predicting that the M3 or Master Moves Mickey is going to be selling like hotcakes this year as well. This is another interactive toy that has Mickey getting down to his songs. He performs several different hip hop dance moves and also sings and has several phrase he says as well. This toy would make a great gift for a 2 year old who enjoys Mickey like my son does.

Those are just some of the Christmas gift ideas I have come up for my 2 year old this year. I'm sure as we get closer to Christmas there will be more to add to the list.



Mickey Mouse Farm Playset

Less Than 3 Months Till Christmas!

Once again it is that time of year.

I have already started making my kid's wish lists for Christmas and saving it online so when it does come time to buy the gifts I know exactly what I am buying and how much I will be spending.

So far on list for my daughter are the Winx Club Believix Dolls.

My older son is really looking forward to the Switch & Go Dinos.

My youngest son would absolutely love the Fisher Price Cruise and Groove Ballapalooza.

These are just some of the gifts that are on the wish lists this year.

Within the next 2 or so months I'm sure I will be adding plenty more gift ideas for my kids.

I have been also working on gathering lists for people like my husband, parents, and other older family members. I plan on sharing these gift ideas with you soon and help you plan your Christmas shopping as well.