Research shows that the happiest families are those who spend their money on experiences instead of on things. I totally get it. Looking back at my childhood, I can remember only a handful of toys my parents gave me over the years -- a S…
These memories brought to you on behalf of JCPenney We spend so much time around here thinking about the best gifts to give to those we love, that sometimes we forget about ourselves and our own gifts! (Is that a mom thing?) So we asked …
I tend to be a pragmatist when it comes to buying baby gear . I want great, smart products that won't break the bank , so you won't find me shopping for a diamond-encrusted baby rattle or a WiFi-enabled wipes warmer (is that even a thing…
This year, I'm sticking to a pretty strict budget with my own Christmas shopping, because we're heading to South Korea very soon to finalize our adoption. (Best Christmas gift ever!) (Eds: WE AGREE! ) And, as you can probably guess, flig…
I might be 39, but in many ways, 2016 was the year I became an actual adult. Both my father and grandmother died, my daughter got mean-girled, my son started his first real sport, I suffered some health setbacks , and I had to sell my be…
If you've got a stylish woman in your life, I've got some really fantastic ideas for you for beauty stocking stuffers. My checklist: They have to be practical, useful, affordable (well, relatively) and yet still totally fun to receive. M…
I'm not going to lie, this past year, and especially what's going on in this country right now has been really hard on me. Really hard, and really stressful. And while I'm the queen of self-care and would love any of the self-care gift i…
Whether you're finishing up your holiday shopping or just getting started (hey, no judgment here!) we always love finding cool gifts that are easy to get a hold of and won't break the budget . Even better when they're all at the same sho…
Put that boring pair of slippers back on the shelf. We've found the perfect gift for the grandparents who already have everything. It's cool, it's educational, and it involves spit and bragging rights. The Geno 2.0 DNA analysis kit from …
When it comes to holiday gifts for teachers, as a former teacher myself I know first-hand that there is no way to really thank the fantastic teachers of the world enough for all that they do. All day long. Every day. But there are still …
Gold coins are a must for Hanukkah, but you don't have to settle for the waxy ones at the store that make your teeth itch. Check out these six amazing kinds of gourmet gelt and revel in quality ingredients, fair trade cocoa , and posh pa…
Full disclosure: I was at Home Depot the day after Thanksgiving, picking out the perfect tree that I'll probably keep until it's brown and desiccated on Valentine's Day. I've got plenty of space for a gigantic Douglas fir, no family memb…
We're pulling out the Christmas decorations and dusting off the ornaments around here, and I'm realizing that one easy way to spruce up my holiday decor is with a fresh, new tree skirt. But have you ever searched for a modern Christmas t…
We've recently become Cheryl's Cookies converts around here, after having received a generous gift basket delivery of their buttercream cookies. (Now that's a friend.) And now...they're our newest sponsor! Which makes us very happy. If, …
Let's face it: Some nativity sets are just begging to be played with. Their tiny animal figurines and family of little dolls is simply irresistible to little hands. And as anyone who's ever tried to convince a preschooler that these are …
It's no secret that parents love finding tech gifts for kids that we can justify as being both fun and educational, but the true test isn't whether we think they're cool -- but rather, whether our own kids play with them. Over and over a…
You can only put so much candy coal into an adult's stocking, so here are 17 fabulous but irreverent stocking stuffers for adults who've been mostly nice...but a little naughty. Or for those who just need a good laugh this holiday season…
While I think using an heirloom Hanukkah menorah that has been passed down from previous generations is a lovely idea, it's also nice to have a menorah just for kids, to help get them as excited about lighting the candles as they are abo…
Houses up and down our street are starting to turn on their holiday lights, and it's beginning to look at lot like Christmas in our neighborhood. My craft-loving kids would like for us to DIY everything holiday around here -- cotton-ball…
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. We read that line in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year, but it can sometimes be difficult to drive home the mes…
If you’re looking for some of the best Cyber Monday shopping deals and discounts around the web today, we’ve we've put together only the biggest and best (sorry, get $1 off purchases of $100 -- no room for you here) all from our favorite…
We love supporting our favorite small businesses every day of course, but to encourage you to make the most of Small Business Saturday, so many of them have offered up the best shopping deals and discounts today. We’ve rounded up more th…
We are so, so excited to present our 2016 holiday gift guide , with over 350 gifts for everyone on your list. This is our eleventh annual gift guide (can you believe it?), and we're thrilled that along with the big shops we all love, we'…
If you’re looking for some of the best Black Friday shopping deals and discounts around the web, we’ve rounded them up for you right here, along with the best Black Friday tech deals over on Cool Mom Tech . We’ll continue to update the p…