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Today my friends, my post is about feeding your brain! As part of the gift giving formula my mom talked about here, I am sharing with you some great books to give as gifts for the "Something to Read" category.
Getting your kids books is sooo important! The sooner you start reading to a child the better. It will impact their verbal skills and help ignite their imagination. If you help instill a love of reading in your child when they are young, then as they grow they can get lost in the world of a book and learn about new people and cultures. Books expand horizons! So, lets break these ideas down by age group! Something to Read: Ages 0-3 For newborns you can really read them anything, but once your kid becomes a little wiggle worm, board books are so great to save books from torn pages. It can't always be avoided however, because not all great books come in board book form. Just be aware and be careful of where those tiny hands flail! (Also, my daughter got a paper cut on her toe one time while we were reading, so watch out for those wiggly little toes as well! I never even thought it could be possible, but she slid her foot across the book at the perfect angle!)  
We have some Baby Einstein books in our house and our little girl loves them! They're so interactive and fun, and can grow with her as she gets older! Amazon has a whole page dedicated to this brand, so you can find all kinds of great board books for your little ones!
 
I have to give a shout out to this book because my daughter absolutely loves it! Lift the flap books are a big hit around our house because she can lift it herself. She looks forward to it on every page. Underneath each flap is a new farm animal and its a great way to teach her animals sounds associated with each animal! This book is how she learned how to say "dog" and "hello!"
 
This is another favorite with our little one. It is a great book that teaches that we all have different talents, and also, it's never okay to make fun of or judge someone. It's a fun read, and is in rhyme form, which is a great thing to learn at a young age!
Something to read: Ages 3-6 This is a fun age where kids really start getting interactive with their books and try to read them on their own!  
My daughter just got one of these e readers from my aunt as a Christmas gift. As a 1 year old she just likes to push the buttons and pretend the reader is a phone and I just read the books to her. It would be a fun gift for a slightly older child to have to learn to follow along as someone reads aloud!
 
I love the Little Critter books! I think the way they are written is so funny, they're enjoyable for parent and adult!
 
I have heard mixed reviews about the Pinkalicious television show. I love the books however! Emily has three of them and they are cute. Not only do they teach stories about being true to who you are, its a great way to learn your colors! I highly recommend the books! You can decide how you feel about the show.
 
I am also a huge fan of the Berenstain Bears books! I grew up with these books and love them. They teach great lessons. They're especially valuable for children with siblings!
 
Max's journey to where the Wild Things are obviously had to make an appearance for me! This is my absolute favorite children's book of all time! I love reading it to my daughter! Her nursery is Where the Wild Things Are themed. She has a little Max doll (complete with crown) and her newborn photos includes a Where the Wild Things Are theme!
Something to Read: Ages 6-12 I know this is a pretty large age range in terms of level of reading skill, but I wanted to give a broad range of options for you to consider when getting your children a book because maybe you feel like they could read something a bit more difficult but are unsure where to start.  
I first heard about Harry Potter in the 7th grade. Alicia had gotten the first two or three books through the scholastic book fair, she was in second grade. She read them and loved them at 7, and I read them and loved them at 13. Harry Potter is a book for all ages. The earlier ones especially are quick reads and a great start to chapter books.
 
Okay I love Junie B Jones. She is such a funny girl and the stories are always so fun! When I worked in a 4th grade class we went to see a play based on these stories and the kids absolutely loved it! So did I! I highly recommend these books!
 
When I turned 8 years old, I got a copy of Ramona Quimby Age 8 for my birthday. I loved it, and soon wanted to read all of the Ramona Quimby books! She is like the original Junie B Jones to me! I even made my mom check out some television episodes from the library for us to watch as kids. Everything that happens is from Ramona's perspective, and that is really the best thing about these books. Children can understand exactly how Ramona feels!
Something to read: Teens and Young Adult For the teens and young adults in your life there are so many wonderful books out there to get them into amazing stories! Harry Potter is still an excellent option at this age, as well as these ideas:  
The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I first read it in junior high and it is such a sweeping epic story that teaches so many valuable lessons about choosing good, being a loyal friend, and everyone can do hard things. But it isn't so basic. It is a deep read and a fascinating world! Someone people pass the Hobbit off as boring, but I really like the Hobbit, and if you read it first, it helps set the scene for the story to follow in the next three books. These books are classics and should definitely be read by everyone.
 
Full disclosure, I haven't read this book yet. My mom has though and told me it is so good! I intend to steal it and read it. You however, can buy it through this link and gift it to your teenage child! (Or yourself, I don't judge!)
 
Any book that focuses on a true story from the Holocaust is a must for me (Hello Diary of Anne Frank and The Hiding Place). This is a true story of a young girl named Dita Karus who was in charge of a set of books that some Jews snuck past the guards at Auschwitz. Be prepared to cry guys.
Well those are my something to read suggestions for you. I hope I've given you a good place to start. I'd say go buy a gift for the reader in your life, but maybe buy one to help someone become a reader as well! Also, don't forget, we've been talking about the#LightTheWorld campaign. Have you seen any of these giving machines near you? There is one here in Gilbert, Arizona, and little lady and I are going to go on Friday to see what we can give!
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When you have a large family, like we do, Christmas gift giving is a lot of fun, but it can also be costly and a lot of work! It is so easy to break the budget if you aren't careful. When my children were young, I definitely took advantage of Black Friday deals (which were much better back then I think) and tried to be a savvy shopper, getting them things that they needed and also wanted. If you have seen the movie, "A Christmas Story", you will remember the scene when the boys are opening their gifts and each open a package containing socks. They give each other a look, then throw the socks over their shoulders, ready to move on to a more exciting gift. Back when my kids were little, I feel like I waited to give even the most basic needs, like socks and underwear to wrap as gifts under the tree so that there would be a lot to open. But, of course there were the special items as well, like bikes, books and games. "Wait until Christmas" was a well used phrase.
Now that my kids are grown, I see smart parents thinking about not only budget, but not wanting to over-indulge kids with too many gifts, and not wanting to fill their house with a bunch of stuff that will quickly be tossed aside. I have heard a new adage used over the last few years for when it comes to Christmas gift buying for kids:
Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear and Something to read!
I can see the sense in that train of thought and with additional gifts that children receive from grandparents and often other extended family members, I think they would have a very nice Christmas without it being overdone. I would probably add a few little stocking stuffers to the mix and maybe one big special gift for the entire family, like a trampoline or a trip. Or, maybe one more special gift per child from Santa. IDK, it is all customizable to each family, but it is a good guideline.
So, with that saying in mind, the girls and I discussed what those categories could mean and how to give those things in a memorable way. The categories that generated the most discussion among us was the wants and needs categories! It is so interesting to realize that often those categories can overlap. People often want what they need and need what they want. So, for Friday Faves today I am going to give a list of needs and how to make them more exciting to receive. Next week I'll give you a heads up about what the popular wants are for 2018. Lindsey and Alicia are going to talk about Something to Read and Something to Wear. So, if you shopping isn't done or begun, we're here to help!
Needs:
Underwear! Lets get to that right away! I think that the keyword to giving underwear to girls is "pretty" and for boys it is "cool!" So here a are a few choices.
Socks! Kids always need socks! The washer eats them, kids lose them or they wear holes in them. If you are going to give them as gifts, first make sure you know the type your child prefers or they will never wear them! There are no show, ankle, crew, knee high...just find out!
How do you make sock giving interesting? Look at these ideas! 
Click here and go to Super Mommy to learn how to make Sock cupcakes!
Sorry, this wasn't linked to a website. I think that is nail polish as the red nose.
Pajamas! These can be as cozy as homemade pajama pants or a little fancier! I think this is one of those needs/wants type gifts.
Bedding! A nice and cozy bed is also a want as well as a need. Having nice bedding may also get your kids to make their beds for a day or so!
Other needs- A lot of the time by mid-school year kids need things such as...
 
Have you given something that was needed that may have seemed less than exciting but found a way to make it seem special? Drop us an idea in the comments!
Be sure to check out our past Christmas Help posts:
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN 2018 (So what if you start a little late)
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for your support.
I am giving you this brownie recipe by popular demand! I developed it out of necessity and it has become my go to recipe for brownies, which is amazing because I have a recipe that I have used for years that I thought was the best of all. Let me explain!
In my church, I lead the children up to age 11 years old in music. Each year we are responsible for a program that teaches about all of the things the children have learned in their Sunday classes throughout the year. Music is a large part of this program and we work on about 9 (or so) songs throughout the year until the fall program. In order to motivate my kids to sing their very best, I have used a "Brownie Points" system for a couple of years. As the children improve as they learn each song, I award them brownie points. Then, at the end of the program, when they have sung their very best, I bring them brownies. (They always sing their very best.) Here is a copy and paste printable of the brownie point stickers I have made to add interest to this process. I tell them in advance that we have a goal of 9 to 10 stickers per song in order to earn the brownies. I make a poster listing all of the songs and award stickers across as the year goes by. 
At the end of Primary, after the program, I hand out the brownies. There are a few children who need to eat gluten free, so the first year I did this, I made both regular and gluten free brownies. The gluten free brownies were so popular and delicious, I only made those this year.
We do a lot of mustache themed activities in our singing time. It is just a gimmick to add a little fun to singing time. So, this year I cut the brownies into mustaches with a cookie cutter. The kids loved them. My husband loved eating all of the scraps! 
Here is a tip, flip the brownies and peel off the foil before cutting them out. Then drizzle them with frosting. I learned this the hard way, peeling them off the foil individually can be difficult.
I recently took a batch of these over to some friends, who incidentally must eat gluten free, here is what they told me about these brownies:
See that awesome crackly top?
Double Chocolate Gluten Free Brownies This recipe adapted from runningwithspoons.com
Now, fast forward to Christmas Treat Plates! This are going to be a hit on those I believe!
Right out of the over!
Drizzled with chocolate frosting, white chocolate and sprinkled with sprinkles!
Voila! (These may or may not have been my breakfast.) Won't they look adorable on a Christmas Treat Plate? And Santa will love them!
So, the moral of the story is, don't let the words "gluten free" scare you! These are some of the best brownies you will ever eat!
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Author
Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to ten and counting! I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, and my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born. Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out! Read more about us here! 
Click this link and visit 3WinksDesignShop on Etsy. Find our Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea Book, our For the Love of PIe e-book and more of our creations!
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