The problem is, every year I think it’s too early to write holiday posts—and it IS too early, but I only write here once a week, so if I wait until after Thanksgiving it’s only four posts until Christmas, and one or two of those don’t allow enough time for shipping. Since this is a PRODUCTS AND GIFT IDEAS blog, that’s not going to work.

Plus, it’s more financially comfortable if I start buying things early and setting them aside. And the whole season is less frantic for me if I think about it early, even though I know for some people that makes it MORE frantic. So. I know it’s September, is what I’m saying. I know it hasn’t even been Halloween yet. I don’t want to PUSH you. There’s still A QUARTER OF A YEAR left. Plenty of time! You can just skip this post now, and come back to it in early December when you need it!

Would it feel better if we didn’t even mention The Holidays? I could just say this is a post of books my kids want, and incidentally I plan to acquire some of them for…a later event. Yes. That’s better. And happens to be true.

Mostly what we do when a kid mentions a book he or she is interested in is see if we can get it from the library. But right around the start of the school year, when book fairs get them thinking about books as something to beg for, I start putting the books they mention (or other books I find that seem like good candidates) in the saved-items area of my Amazon cart, because I like to put a book or two in each Christmas stocking. Our family has a kid celebration in the afternoon, and the grown-ups celebrate after kid bedtime—so it is very nice to tuck the children in with a new book to keep them busy and quiet until the sugar crash lets them sleep.

Here’s what I have in the cart so far:

Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World (photo from Amazon.com).
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This Saturday will be the first day of autumn. This puts me in the mood for hot drinks, and for down-filled blankets it’s still not cold enough to use, and for LEAF COLORS.

Le Creuset salt and pepper shakers in Flame (photo from Amazon.com).

Reversible Damask/Polkadot Lumbar Pillow (photo from Amazon.com). The price seems high for a single pillow, but it is a very pretty pillow.
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My nephew recently turned one, which is hard for me to believe but the evidence sits before me. Recently there were requests for gift ideas for a one-year-old, so I took notes at his birthday party.

Pewi YBike Walking Buddy and Riding Toy (photo from Amazon.com). This is a very stylish looking riding toy. And if the child stands facing it, it’s also a sturdy walker.

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My teenager was invited to a birthday party last week. This was new ground. It was the first party without a paper invitation, the first party where I’ve wondered if there would be chaperones and whether I might like to call the parents to see if our philosophies match on topics such as liquor and supervision.

The gift was its own problem. Littler kids like a lot of things, and there are a lot of other things they’d enjoy trying even if they didn’t end up liking them. If I’m in doubt, I feel like I can always fall back on a Melissa and Doug coloring/sticker bundle and fancy coloring implements.

The older kids at my house are definitely harder to buy for, and SOMEONE ELSE’S older kid seems almost impossible. And what if presents aren’t really COOL anymore, or the wrapping paper is stupid, or the gift is embarrassingly too young (”Here, sonny, I got you this jigsaw puzzle of puppies!”). *fret fret fret* But eventually I thought I would just try to do what I would do for my own 13-year-old and not worry too much about it—and if I made some sort of Grievous Error, Rob could just roll his eyes and say “MOTHERS!” and the other boys would make scoffy noises and say “I know, right?”

Prismacolor Manga Colored Pencil Set (photo from Amazon.com).
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