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Archive for the ‘Ultimate Gifts’ category

UltimateMama knows how it is….on a Friday night after working a long week and taking care of the children you are faced with going with your child to a birthday party on Saturday afternoon without a gift for the birthday girl or boy!  The solution:  buy several of the same gender neutral items online in advance!  All you need to do is get a gift bag and some tissue paper and stick the gift inside with a little handmade note card!

UltimateMama loves The Company Store for its colorful towel sets, Lands End for its cute lunch bags and beach towels, and Pottery Barn Kids for its bath or beach cover-ups!  UltimateMama always has a supply of beach towels and lunch bags in colors such as red, green, or yellow in her closet ready to go for any birthday celebration.  And, with some advance planning you can even have the item personalized or monogrammed for a minimal price (Lands End usually charges $5 for example)!

Bottom-line:  STAY organized and BE prepared!  Your child will have the Ultimate Birthday Kids Gift!

UltimateMama has a few ideas for gifts your little ones can give daddy this Valentine’s Day — Monday, February 14th 2011!

– Socks (UltimateMama loves socks from Patagoina)

– Chocolate

– Ties

– Heart boxer shorts

– A homemade book from Scribble Press

– Custom photo gifts

– A handmade coupon book

UltimateMama has a great tip for all of you late to the game in the Father’s Day gift buying department – FRAME YOUR CHILD’s ARTWORK!  It is fun, easy, and inexpensive!  And, daddy will love it. 

To do:

1. Find your child’s best masterpiece – a family picture she drew with colored pencils, handprints from paint, a scenic landscape done with watercolors, a collage with recycled materials, etc.

2. Pick out a frame (you may have to trim your child’s artwork a bit).

3. Date the artwork on the back and put the name of the child (so he never forgets).

4.  Frame it!

UltimateMama knows it is not always easy to think of a fun, original gift for Father’s Day.  So, for Father’s Day 2010 please check out these ultimate Father’s Day gifts:

– have your child write an original poem or story about their father

– electronics

– tools or toolbox

– ties, socks, boxer shorts

– books

– watch

– framed picture of daddy with the kids

– engraved luggage tag

– slippers

– sandals

– pajamas

– cuff links

– golf tees, tennis balls, weights, swim goggles

– photo book from Shutterfly

– fishing gear

– Father’s Day breakfast made by the children (with mommy helping)

– tickets to a sporting event or a play

– magazine or newspaper subscription

– wallet

– pictures of the kids for his wallet

UltimateMama realizes this is a tough economy in 2010.  Should you skip Mother’s Day altogether?  Of course not!  You can show your mother (and your child’s mother) appreciation on a shoestring.

UltimateMama’s top budget Mother’s Day gifts are as follows:

– Send her an e-card

– Make her afternoon tea with biscuits or muffins

– Make her a photo collage or enlarge and frame your favorite photo

– Make her an early Christmas tree ornament

– Pick and arrange a bouquet of wild flowers

– Buy her a “used but in great condition” book

– Give her a gift bag of her favorite magazines (don’t forget to include the one UltimateMama writes for:  New York Family magazine

– Take her to your favorite park, beach, nature trail and go for a walk or bike ride

– Catch a matinee movie (cheaper prices)

– Buy her inexpensive gifts that are useful (socks are always nice)

– Get her a new keychain

– Pick out a nice candle or make one yourself

– Paint a piece of pottery for her (stores like Little Shop of Crafts are perfect for this as they have a wide range of price points)

– Make her placemats for dining

Your mommy brought you in to this world!  Show her some appreciation by making Mother’s Day 2010 extra special.

Have you thought about what you are getting your Mother on Sunday? UltimateMama wants to provide you with a list of the top Mother’s Day gifts for 2010 (in no particular order):

– flowers

– a meal out (breakfast, lunch or dinner)

– prepare mom a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner)

– perfume

– a spa certificate (manicure, pedicure, massage, etc)

– candles

– new purse or wallet

– new scarf

– jewelry

– engraved picture frame of the family:  Things Remembered offers nice silver plated frames starting around $25

Frame
– tickets to a musical, sporting event, movie

– stored value gift card to her favorite retailer or restaurant

– Chocolate or something sweet

– Handmade (by her children) card

– A poem or art project (by her children)

– Books

– Sporting goods (new tennis balls, golf balls, swimsuit)

– personalized gifts (towels, bath robes, jewelry boxes, charms, necklaces, keychains, etc.)

– photos (in books, albums, frames, or totes). Check out this super-cute photo collage tote for $49.95 from Red Envelope.

Tote

– Make her a gift basket of her favorite gourmet treats

UltimateMama realizes that holidays do not have to be all about candy!  Your child will be surprised when they wake up to see a nicely stuffed basket full of non-edible treats, trust your UltimateMama.

Here are a few suggestions from UltimateMama for alternative Easter basket items:

– Books

– Fun character toothbrushes

– Brightly colored socks or underwear

– Stickers

– Bookmarks

– Headbands for hair clips (bunnies, rabbits, chicks, etc.)

– Bubbles

– Sidewalk chalk

– Jump ropes

– Balls, baseball gloves

– Baseball hats

– Art supplies (crayons, markers, glitter pens, paint)

– Coloring books

– Journals

– Purses

– Chapstick or lip gloss

– T-shirts

– Flash cards

– Washcloths, towels, beach towels

– Fun toys, such as Mr. Potato Head

Head
– Games (Memory, Chutes and Ladders, Cranium Cariboo Island game)

Game

UltimateMama loves to help her kids give Valentine's Day gifts to their father that are thoughtful yet practical and not loaded with SUGAR.  

Here are a few of UltimateMama's favorite Valentine's Day gifts from kids to mommy or daddy:

– Homemade Valentine's Day card (using construction paper, markers or paint, stickers) — a lot less expensive than buying a card!

– Socks (not necessarily with hearts!)

– Underwear with hearts or other fun designs

– Red sweater (good for Valentine's Day and December holidays)

– Valentine's Day brunch with heart-shaped waffles or fruit

– Red scarves, ties, hats

– Tennis or golf balls (just to say "I love you"!)

UltimateMama loves to give Valentine's Day gifts to her children that are fun yet affordable.  One does not need to load their kids up on sweets to express unconditional love. 

Here are a few of UltimateMama's favorite Valentine's Day gifts for kids:

Elmo

– Heart stickers

– Valentine's Day books ("Elmo Loves You" board book,  There Is a Bird On Your Head! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems, "Corduroy's Valentine's Day" by Lisa McCue)

– Socks with hearts

– Underwear with hearts

– Pajamas with hearts

– Hair accessories with hearts (for girls)

– Art project revolving around Valentine's Day

– Valentine's Day brunch with heart-shaped waffles or fruit

UltimateMama wanted to give her daughters a huge, colorful, fabric wall map of either the United States or the World for the holidays.  She envisioned her children spending hours learning the locations of states, countries, cities of interest, and more.  However, FAO Schwarz sold out of them in the fall!  UltimateMama was slightly relieved because each wall map was well over $100 but she was a bit disappointed that she could not provide her children with such an important educational tool. 

An idea came to her!  UltimateMama decided to buy oversized colored paper maps of both the United States and the World and take them to Staples for lamination.  For under $20 per map, UltimateMama's kids will have hours of fun learning about different destinations!  

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