Are you as in shock as I am that Christmas is upon us?! It seems to come out of nowhere every year! Like, I know that it’s coming…especially once we hit October…but I am never totally prepared! Then, it’s here! And I am up to my eyeballs in Christmas wishlists, shopping lists and general to-do lists!
I love this time of year though. It is the perfect chance to slow down a bit, reflect on the past year and manifest what is to come! We always get lots of good family time too. We make lots of meals at home, play board games, and go to bed early! Basically my dream come true nowadays.
My favorite part is always the gift giving! You may not know this about me but I LOVE to give gifts! Nothing makes me happier than finding the perfect gift for someone…big or small! This year I knocked out the majority of my shopping at ALDI! They have these super exciting aisles that feature weekly specials and well, basically everything AWESOME! These are called ALDI Finds, and they are a selection of premium food and household products, available for a limited time! I suggest checking often…you never know what you will find!
I thought I would let you guys in on my holiday shopping list and share some fun ideas!
For Matty/ Dad:
I feel like Dads need good fresh basics every year! Y’know, the stuff they don’t buy themselves?
I love this Micro Plush Bathrobe and Visage Grooming Kit for Matty! And he is also getting a fresh pair of house memory foam slippers- with rubber bottoms! The Dads around our house (Matty, his Dad and my Dad) are always busy with “projects” or getting things done around the house- so a great pair of house shoes that can be worn outside too is always a win. Even better? I scored all the items for under 40$!
For Ryan and Lulu:
This is where we go nuts! ALDI has the most amazing selection of goodies for the kids! I found so many of the brands that Ryan loves…and all in one place! You don’t have to spend a fortune on children’s toys for the holiday– ALDI has the hottest gifts at the best prices– including name brand toys like Hatchimal Hatchibabies for under $45. It certainly makes life easy! Ryan is obsessed with Hatchimals so I made sure to grab one for her!
She also loves kitchen accessories- for her little kitchen in her playroom!
I found the most adorable wooden birthday cake and pizza kit that I know she will love…and the cutest wrapping paper from ALDI!
Our girls are also getting lots of LOL Dolls! In fact, I’m planning on filling Ryan’s stocking with them! She loves discovering all the tiny surprises and they keep her busy for hours! She loves collecting all the different dolls and then changing their tiny accessories.
Last but not least, this amazing “Santa Sack” that we will fill with fun things for them. It is beautiful holiday decor and Ryan is going to think it’s the coolest thing ever!
Family holiday activity:
On Christmas Eve we will have to get busy making these precious gingerbread man cookies to leave for Santa. My daughter loves to make cookies with her grandmothers…so maybe mama will get to kick her feet up for a bit while the grandmas take charge!
My Mama…the chef:
This woman is all about her kitchen! So I am stocking her up on tons of amazing new kitchen gear! The Crofton collection, exclusively available at ALDI, makes the most adorable mini cast iron cookware (under $5 each!), amazing cast iron griddles (only $14.99), so she is getting a couple of those! My mama also loves hosting parties, so some fresh cheese knives, stainless steel & copper utensils and this Gourmet Vinegar Gift Set is perfect for her too!
Neighbors:
Without a doubt, a neighbor or unexpected visitor stops by with a gift! My favorite way to be prepared for these moments is to have a small gift on standby. How adorable is this faux fur wine bag!
ALDI has a fabulous selection of award winning wines and many are under $10! I love strolling this aisle to pick out new and exciting choices!
Teacher gifts:
Now that Ryan is in school, I always bring something small for her teachers! Just as a thoughtful way to say thank you for being so wonderful to her all year long! I love this Welby Essential Oil Diffuser. It’s amazing that you can grab a combination of these gifts like the diffuser, soap & lotion gift set and the 7 piece hand cream gift set for multiple people on your list and not spend more than $30! Talk about helping them to relax after a long year! haha
A simple set of mini candles is always a nice idea too! Anything that says “take some time to yourself and relax” is probably a great route to take when planning teacher gifts!
Well, I’ll be busy wrapping all these great finds!
Check out ALDI for all sorts of great items this holiday season and happy holidays! All of my gift picks are available for a limited time over the next couple weeks, beginning Dec. 5!
