Picture-perfect teacher gifts

I am convinced that some of the most amazing people in the world go into special education--as teachers, therapists and paraprofessionals. Each Christmas, I wish there was a way to truly express how grateful our family is for the magic they work in our lives every single day.

Sadly, I'm constrained by a budget--and the fact that this magic requires a heck of a lot of people.

We do write thank you notes--and I hope that the people who work with Xander know that I mean every word.

When it comes to gifts, it's hard to think of ideas that aren't tacky but won't eat up our entire holiday budget. This year, I was really excited to think of one--which I will share in detail later. I'm going to order poinsettias from the local activity center, which provides a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. It's where Xander will spend his days after he leaves school--and where many of his teacher's and paras' graduates wind up.

I can easily drop these off at Xander's school. But his after-school life skills program is pretty far from our house and I began to worry that with all of the hustle and bustle, I wouldn't have time to deliver the flowers. So I wanted an alternative, something that could fit in the backpack he brings to the day program.

These picture-frame ornaments from Michaels fit the bill perfectly. To make the gift extra special, I tucked each one into a red chevron-patterned paper bag and added a tag that I designed to match the gift. The best part--these tags can be used a lot this year, as I'm giving family photos to several people on my list. I'm putting them in larger frames, wrapping in tissue paper, then sticking the sticker on the tissue paper, putting the gift in a box and wrapping. So simple, but adds a layer of delight!

Want to print some tags out for your picture-perfect presents? Click here. If you have one handy, a 3-inch circle punch works great for cutting these out. If not, a pair of scissors works well too.

What are you giving your child's teachers this year?

Free printables to make DIY nutcracker kits for gift-giving

I have some young boys on my Christmas list--young boys I  see only during the holidays. So it's hard to know what to buy. I know their interests but not the things they already have.

We exchange gifts with these relatives a few days before Christmas. I remember well what those last days before the Big Day were like with young boys--school is out, anticipation is high and boredom is a given.

So I decided to give them a gift that would break that boredom: A paint-your-own nutcracker kit.

I bought a set of six unpainted nutcrackers at Hobby Lobby, then bought some empty tiny paint canisters in the art supply section.

I bought a set of brushes (I can't stand the super-cheap brushes that always come with kids' art kits). I also got some clear plastic containers from Pick Your Plum.  Then I designed some labels for the various parts of the kit.

The last and most frustrating part was finding a container that could fit the whole kit. I  could have avoided some of the pain by simply measuring everything and figuring it out. Instead, I kept ordering containers only to have them delivered and discover they wouldn't hold the kit. Then, I saw these cardboard suitcases in one of the Christmas sections of Target. They were perfect--and exactly the kind of thing a young boy would like to have to store treasures in long after the kit was used.

To make sure they could continue to use the suitcases, I affixed the outer label with temporary adhesive. I printed the other labels onto sticker paper, then cut them out and stuck them on the containers.

The containers include--a long, skinny one to keep the paints in and two short, square ones. One of those has two stocking stuffer toys (a small car and a Christmas kaleidoscope) and the other has Christmas gum drops (hence the "goody goody" label).

I can't wait to give these presents--although I kinda wish I'd made one for my own kids (and myself). They look like a lot of fun, and I bet they'd work well for boys and girls of many different ages. If you'd like to make a kit, you can download the labels here (one outer label and the "oh what fun!" and "goody goody" circles), here (just the outer label) and here (the labels for the paint containers, plus different circle labels).

What are some great ideas you have for the kids on your list?

You Rock: A simple touch for Thanksgiving cupcakes

Sometimes you have the best holiday intentions--like freshly baked desserts for Thanksgiving--and then your toddler gets the first cold of her life and needs extra special attention.

So you need something quick and easy. Like cupcakes from the bakery. To give them a homemade touch, add a cute topper. I love these little pilgrims. And they were perfect for my son's classroom Thanksgiving party. It turns out that you can only send in store-bought treats these days, anyway, so it all worked out.

And it also turns out that icing is great for making miserable toddlers feel better.

You can download the cupcake toppers here. Simply punch them out with a 2-inch circle punch, glue them to toothpicks (or, as I did, little wooden appetizer picks) and insert into cupcakes.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Teen Guys

Stockings have always been a big deal in my family. Often, they're even better than any of the big gifts. When I was a child, they were filled with cassette tapes (I still remember the year I got "Joshua Tree" by U2 in my stocking, best stocking stuffer ever), candy, small toys and a gift card. And when my guys were small, I loved shopping for their stockings. Now that they're teens, I find the stockings to be the most challenging part of the holidays. I rack my brain repeatedly.
Knowing how hard finding stocking stuffers for teen boys is, I'm sharing my list with you. And if you have any ideas, please share them with me. Together, we might just come up with the best stockings yet.
Some ideas: sunglasses, key chain, gloves, ear buds, cologne, a Magic 8 ball (I did this last year, and it was a hit. Also, the ball predicted the Redskins would have a mediocre season, which seems to be accurate), iTunes gift card, chapstick, candy, an atlas (my younger son loves maps, so he gets a new atlas each year), a book (my sons aren't big readers, but I picked up a copy of "Moneyball," which happens to be my younger son's favorite movie), socks.
My son also loves change--he likes to go to Coinstar once a month to turn his change into bills. So I made him this. Here is a downloadable bag topper file, so you can print one out and make your pocket change into a festive stocking stuffer.
Here are some ideas I found of stocking stuffers you can order online:
Pick Punch: At $25, this might be a bit pricey for a stocking stuffer, but its coolness factor could mean you can get away with fewer stuffers. This gadget is basically like a hole punch in the shape of a guitar pick, and the product description says it can cut picks out of thick materials like old credit cards or unused gym membership badges.

Nose Pencil Sharpener: Something that's functional and fun, if not a little bit gross. It costs $1.69 at Retroplanet.com. You can find a lot more gag-type stocking stuffers at the website
Drumstick pencils, $12, are pretty much what they sound like--pencils shaped like drumsticks, perfect for your favorite teen drummer.
Or how about a bacon wallet? My teenage sons could eat bacon 50 times a day, if I'd let them. So this could be perfect, for $12.
While we're on the bacon theme, there's also bacon frosting, $8. Which combines my younger son's two favorite foods.
Or Like and Dislike stamps for the Facebook fan in your life, $14.
Coal Soap: For the past few years, I've been tempted to pick up one of those bags of coal-shaped bubble gum the stores all sell at Christmas time. But for the fourth year in a row, my son is still wearing braces. This soap, at $12, is a good substitute.