Giveaway & Christmas Gift Ideas - Books

I know people love a good giveaway and this week I'm giving away a copy of 50 Things To Make & Do, from Usborne Books (see below for details on how to enter). I am in love with almost every book in their catalog and have already ordered several of them as Christmas and birthday presents. I love them so much, I bought one with my own money to giveaway to one of you. You'll have to scroll down to the bottom of this post to find out how to enter.

Also, I've received several books to review over the past year and it occurred to me that many of them would make excellent Christmas gift ideas. Browse this list and let me know which ones you think might work for someone in your life?

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates: This is a sweet throwback book based on the original Flicka, Ricka, Dicka series from more than 30 years ago. The updated edition includes paper dolls so your children can recreate the story from memory. I think this would be a great gift for grandparents who might remember the original stories to share with their book loving grandkids.

Grandmother Remembers Holidays: As I've said before, I use this blog as a journal of our lives because I'm awful at scrapbooking or keeping an actual journal! However, not everyone in my life is as good at blogging as I am and an actual book for memory keeping is a much more suitable way for them to share their life with future generations. I've seen first hand how a relationship between a grandparent and grandchild is so wonderfully unique and unlike any other relationship either may ever experience. Plus, for $7 this is a real deal.

Dream Big Little Pig!: This is a celebrity book authored by Kristi Yamaguchi about a little pig who dared to follow her passion and live her dream. If you know a child who likes to dream big, then this will be a sweet story for them that encourages their passions. It might even encourage you to take a step you had been scared of!

Bloomin' Books: Charlotte and Mary really enjoy it when I take some motherly poetic license and rename the characters in their books after them or their friends. There are some books though, that doesn't need any re-writing to make them personal. They are found at Bloomin' Books, which takes book reading to a whole other level of personalization. For most of the books available here, the required information to make a book is child’s first and last names, hometown, 2 or 3 friends/siblings first names and a dedication, such as “A Special Gift from."

Imagine how special a child will feel when they can read all about them and their friends in a personal book. I think this might even mean more to an older child who reads themself. Because once Charlotte can do that, I won't be able to "trick" her anymore into believing a book is about her. Bloomin' Books also makes personalized New Baby books, books to celebrate trains and ballerinas, and other themes like the circus or tea parties. They also have special holiday themed books that can be personalized for families that celebrate Christmas, Kwanza, or Chanukah.

And if you want to enter to win 50 Things to Make and Do, follow this giveaway entry link and complete the form! I'll pick a winner by December 17th at midnight so there is time to receive the book by Christmas.

FTC Disclosure: I received a samples of some of the reviewed items to facilitate my reviews. The Usborne Book giveaway has not been sponsored by anyone and was paid for with my very own money.