Some Recent Christmassy Things (At least, I call them Christmassy)

So ’tis nearly the season, and I try to look for interesting things online and in the few stores I’m able to frequent with little kids or a dog to entertain, because we have a child whose birthday is very close to Christmas. Other parents have used the phrase “poor thing” to describe this, because then the child only gets one celebration/ set of presents.

But wait, there’s more – I loathe event organizing or hosting parties (Death By RSVP List Management) and much prefer to do say, a good loot bag sourcing or little thoughtful inedible treats (also loathe baking because if it’s any good there’s never enough, and if it’s bad then WHO is going to eat it, and btw while we are not a sweets family this has taken an even more extreme turn – our helper has even eschewed “real” food after her friends taught her to imbibe Spirulina and protein shakes mixed with Evian before I convinced her it doesn’t have to be boutique mineral water – for weight loss.)

SO, 1) DIY Personalized Minecraft Bookmarks/ Gifttags:

Why? If you have a Minecraft-fan child, you’ll know that anything officially Mojang-licensed is really expensive (as in, not-Mojang for the same is going to be way cheaper – and yes there’s a marketing case study).

So, this is made from officially licensed wrapping paper. When I started looking for stuff  couple months back I couldn’t even find anyone shipping the paper to HK. Another mummy who bulk-ordered Minecraft dolls for her son’s birthday party (and that literally is the only plush toy Rockstar has ever liked) pointed me to another site and that’s where I found the wrapping paper, shipping to HK for free. Cutting up half the HKD 150 piece of paper already makes enough for 48 bookmarks. HKD 75 for 48 Minecraft diamond ore bookmarks.

Inspired by The Diamond Minecart, geddit? 😉

Then write your child’s friends’ names on the reverse, and……… I found a ma-and-pa shop for laminating the things with extra-large pieces of plastic… and a bulk discount. So, HKD 75/ 48 + HKD 3.60 lamination ~ HKD 5.20 per personalized Minecraft bookmark/ gift tag.

Much cheaper than the pretty gift tags or cards in the stores that say “Christmas” because you have to buy them during the season… Some elbow grease with the cutting and writing make it “Christmassy” for the effort – and it’s Minecraft-something!

(What? I said I don’t bake, right… My mum friends can swing some seriously intimidating baked goods, host parties, and special order from Korean grocers to pack school lunches, I can surely make bookmarks.)

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2) Next up…. Living Dead Gingerbread Men. Say what?

Yes, really. (And next to it, ugly sweater cookie kit).

No I didn’t buy them, but was thinking Wow They Killed Traditional Christmas Fast, With That One 😀

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3) The Ikea Christmas Tree Curtain

This is a PICTURE of a real Christmas Tree. Yes they attached REAL ornaments to the fabric.

Think of all the space you’ll save…! 😀

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4) The only kind of acceptable child labor… Now, I really, really love the smell of a real tree, but it’s not like you can decorate something in your garden in Hong Kong (for most people anyway :). I felt increasingly guilty about buying a chopped-down imported tree for the smells and so we usually get a wreath and then we’ve been using the same Christmas tree from Indigo for a few years.

Which would be this. Cameo by paper star from Ikea and crafty hanging done by the Rockstars which I just industrial-taped to the walls

(Oh, and I recommend getting the craft ornaments/ decorations from Bumps to Babes because (a) you keep the kids busy and (b) Christmas decorations. You guys know I have never been above child labor 😉

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5) And going one step further than tree chopping, how about buying recycled wood ornaments (or the recycled driftwood Christmas tree even) from Tree?

Twinkle twinkle little starfish

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And I get in trouble for not posting a pic of the kids so here goes:

Yo Ho Ho.

Ditto.