I wasn’t going to write a Christmas post this year because I wasn’t organised enough but then someone asked me about it and well, here I am! I pulled it together and now I’m feeling so organised! My Christmas shopping is done before December! Hooray! It feels so good.

Once again I ordered online and after venturing out to the shops today and discovering they were already ridiculously busy, I’m going to say that was a superb choice. I’m so glad I am free to enjoy the Christmas season without battling the crowds now. On the other hand, this is a long wait until I get to give them their gifts that I know they are going to LOVE. I’m so excited!

How are your Christmas plans coming along? If you need some help in that area, this post is for you! I hope you find something helpful here.

What’s under our tree this year…

You might have seen that Miss 9’s favourite animal is the Grey Wolf and that she recently did a project all about them. She LOVES them! She is going to be so happy when she opens this package of goodies we got from the Wolf Conservation Centre.  We even ‘adopted’ a wolf in her name! I cannot wait to see her face when she opens it.

Miss 7 is all about Harry Potter right now. This year she learned to read fluently by reading the first book! She’s got a robe and a Harry doll and she’s going to scream when she sees this Lego set! I’m so excited!

The little ones are going to LOVE these gorgeous hand-painted wings from Burnish and Bloom. Aren’t they just beautiful? I chose one ‘fire’ and one ‘ocean’ set for the girls but they also have lovely rainbow wings too! My 4 and 3 year old’s love dress-ups and imaginary play so I’m super excited to get them something quality, and more open-ended. I can see these being used for years. The sizing is generous too and they will last as they grow.

All of the girls are nature lovers around here so I picked up these beautiful things from Hello Luna! A botanical journal, a mini flower press, and some seeds. The botanical journal will be perfect for recording nature finds. It has space for drawings and pressed flowers, as well as prompts to record what you have collected. The mini flower press is the perfect match for the journal too, and I chose the wattle design. Miss 4 in particular loves pressing flowers and creating art from them! At the moment we have to pile half our books on top of them, ha! This will come in very handy and she will love that it is all hers. Some binoculars for birdwatching would go well with this too!

How inviting is this wooden elements puzzle from Love From the Wildwood? I think my little ones will really enjoy it. I love that it also doubles as 21 blocks for open-ended play, and that it represents the elements. Will be great not only as a puzzle but for small world and imaginary play. Handmade by a lovely husband and wife team, with love! I also love their set of wooden castle blocks!

This super cute set of 6 felt African Animals from Growing Kind is for Miss 3. She spends so long in her own little world with some of the figurines and little dolls we have so I know she is really going to enjoy these. There are six animals and they are the perfect size for little hands! Growing kind has some simply beautiful products, I could buy them all! You must check out their beautiful Gratitude print too!

I have been following Big Life Journal for a while and am so excited to be gifting it to my big girls (9 and 7 yrs) this year! I think it’s such an awesome idea. Big Life Journal is a year long journal for kids ages 7-10 that focuses on encouraging a growth mindset. This is so important for our children! Having a growth mindset (as opposed to a fixed mindset) means that you see setbacks as an opportunity to grow and know that you can learn anything if you put in the effort. This is what helps our children to be resilient and empowered!

“The moment that we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity” -Josh Waitzkin

I know the girls are going to find this journal fun and inspiring and I look forward to it becoming part of our weekly routine together next year! Some of the topics include: Make a Difference in the World, Dream Big, Follow Your Heart, You Are Not What You Have, Believe in Yourself, Be Mindful, Be Grateful, and Failure is Learning. I also love that throughout the journal they get to read stories of famous people who have overcome failure and followed their dreams. You can check our Big Life Journal HERE, they have a teen version as well! Make sure to also check out the really cool printables they have on offer! We’ll personally be using the Goal Setting Kit for next year too.

We recently went camping with friends and the girls (9 and 7) got to try a little bit of whittling which they ended up being really interested in, so I decided to get them a whittling knife! I went with this wooden whittling/carving knife from Dragonfly Toys particularly because it has a rounded end and a shorter blade, making it safer for use by children. It’s made with high quality stainless steel that is anti-corrosive and requires no special maintenance. It’s very sharp (making it safe and effective) so needs adult supervision. You can also get a sheath, a sharpening stone, and a book with ideas for crafts! I love getting my kids REAL tools. They want to do real things and are very capable when given the chance. I think they are going to LOVE this! Dragonfly Toys also has so many other truly beautiful gifts for kids. I’ve also got a circular weaving frame for Miss 5 which she will enjoy!

Books!

Books are ALWAYS on the Christmas list! Here’s what I’ve got for them this year. It’s a miracle I haven’t given them to them already. It’s so hard to wait!

For Miss 9

The Ways of The Wolf looks AMAZING and exactly what we need. Amazing illustrations and packed with lots of information. I cannot wait to give this to her! Book Depository | Amazon

Power to the Princess is a modern take on all those classic fairytales, celebrating girl power! All the stories have been reimagined for a new generation. They cover issues including self-image, confidence, LGBTQ, friendship, advocacy and disability. Sleeping Beauty is a sleep disorder specialist, Red Riding Hood is an environmentalist who cares for wolves! Book Depository | Amazon

For Miss 7

I think Miss 7 will find What a Wonderful Word very amusing! It is a collection of untranslatable words from all over the world. A celebration of language! Did you know there was a special word for the distance a reindeer can travel before needing the toilet? Ha! I love this one! Book Depository | Amazon

I’ve been meaning to get a Zoey and Sassafras book for a while and now that Miss 7 can read independently I think she will really enjoy discovering this herself. Book Depository | Amazon

For Miss (almost) 5

Two things she is interested in: the human body and the sea! Humanatomy looks so amazing. She is always asking us questions and this book has the answers. How does skin heal itself? What is blood made of? What happens to food when we eat it? How does memory work? It’s an interactive book with lots to look at and as she gets older more things to read too. This book will last many years. Book Depository | Amazon

Miss 5 is also interested in numbers right now and has been busy reading books to us by reading the page numbers on each page. Seagrass dreams combines counting with the sea but is so much more interesting than your average counting book. As well as numbers, the book introduces you to many creatures living in the seagrass and gives information about each animal’s common name, scientific name, natural habitat, and lots more! Book Depository | Amazon

For Miss 3

“We breathe deep and expand like the galaxy, We breathe out many thousands of stars, And if ever we start to feel panicky, This reminds us of just who we are.” Happy looks like such a soothing book. Encouraging children to practice mindfulness and explore their emotions. Book Depository | Amazon

All the Wild Wonders is a delightful book of poems about the earth for children that will be such a nice addition to our collection! Book Depository | Amazon

There are a few other bits and pieces, stocking stuffers and such, but that’s pretty much it! Need more ideas? Check out my 2017 and 2016 posts. Merry Christmas!!