Festive Finds for 2025

This always makes the list of Christmas recs and for good reason! Over the years, I’ve seen my kids incorporate their Figgy couch into more creative play than I could have possibly imagined when I bought it.

Here lately, during their self-guided free play, they’ve taken to building everything from Indiana Jones boulder runs to Survivor obstacle courses. Hearing them hum John Williams’s score or shout Jeff Probst’s “Survivor’s ready? Go!” makes it worth every penny I paid for it and more.

Check it out! You can read my review here, get some build ideas from this post, or buy your own using the link below! Use my code FRIGGINFIGGY15 for $15 off!

Built to grow with your child, Strider balance bikes eliminate the need for training wheels! With time and consistent practice, kids develop balance, coordination, and steering skills until they’re ready to upgrade!

It makes the process of bike riding feel more intuitive, building off of foundational skills they’ve already developed.

And if you opt for the Strider 14x, you’ll get to take advantage of the convertible option. Grab an easy-assembly pedal kit, and your kid will be off to the races!

Another classic Mamasaur recommendation. Ideally, snag this activity center when you’ve got an infant or cruiser for maximum value. We’ve had our 3-in-1 Skip Hop since Orson was 4 months old, and he and his sister still use it…

Every. Single. Day.

Find out why we all love our Skip Hop by reading my review. And use the link below to get yours!

Can Legos be a love language? Orson would give you an emphatic “YES!”

He is an absolute Lego fiend…

Nova, to her own right, also loves Legos. The same way in which she loves all tiny, collectible paraphernalia. She, at this stage, doesn’t have the same grasp of spatial awareness and ability to follow directions that Orson does, but both of my children will beam at the presentation of colorful, assorted, building blocks.

Orson is thrilled with most sets he’s seen: Star Wars, anything Disney, and superhero sets. All are his “favorites”.

Nova has been requesting Frozen Legos for her 4th birthday since the day she turned three. So Lego sets are def on the list of ideas for their Christmas gifts this year, along with a guaranteed, big creative box set for each of them under the tree.

Feet, beware!

Barbies are no doubt a hot commodity for our super Nova girl. She’s especially partial to Barbie sets that include cute, little critters, like this one. However, we both also really love the Disney ILY dolls!

Disney ILY dolls are character-inspired, articulated dolls, similar height to Barbies. Imagine a Frozen or Stitch fangirl donned all of her representative attire to Disney World… And then, she was turned into a doll. They. are. adorable! And I… I mean, Nova… wants them all.

She’s also expressed a desire for a “Daddy doll”. She has “Mommy dolls”, little Chelsea “Nova dolls”, and even a little boy Chelsea doll that looks exactly like Orson… But no Daddy doll yet. We’ve got some contenders. But most Kens look like Barbies anymore.

Possible Daddy doll #1? This Ryan Gosling Ken doll. He’s Kenough for me. She’s also, with no Harry Potter context yet, added a Sirius Black action figure to her list. We’ll see who wins!

This is the first year that Orson has really expressed interest in Hot Wheels. That’s not to say that he hasn’t always loved playing with my hand-me-down childhood collection of die-cast metal cars.

But this is the year that creator track sets have caught his eye and captured his imagination.

So, vroom-vroom…

Hot Wheels are a new hit and make a solid addition to this list of ideas for Christmas gifts.

My boy, Orson, be puzzlin’ everyday. Everything he loves, he asks for a puzzle version of it. Superman? He needs a Superman puzzle. Astrobot? He needs an Astrobot puzzle. Puzzles just speak to him and fill his little cup.

We’re definitely a Ravensburger family where jigsaws are concerned. I just really appreciate the consistent quality in those puzzles. And, as I said, we’ve gone through A LOT of puzzles.

Nova is beginning to enjoy jigsaw puzzles, too… Not just collecting and hoarding all the little pieces she can.

Challenging jigsaw puzzles and learning activities are always on the list of ideas for Christmas gifts. Learning Resources is a solid brand for fun, educational toys.

Both of my kids love dress-up time and pretend play! Darth Vader and Elsa and astronaut costumes, oh my!

All the accessories: lightsabers, magic wands, tutus, tiaras, and swords… Sometimes, all at once. Along with Mama’s funny dilophosaurus mask. They are unapologetically themselves.

Dress-up time in our house takes many forms. Yes, sometimes it involves costumes. Sometimes, the best of times, it involves mani/pedis, makeup, and jewelry…

Especially with Papa.

So, top recommendations here will be a bit of a mash up.

Piggy Paint is my #1 choice for Papa and kid-safe nail polish. Klee Naturals for non-toxic kids’ makeup. A pop bead jewelry kit like this! And Melissa & Doug boasts a decent line up of pretend-play costumes. Everything to make your child’s dress-up dreams come true!

Great for girls and guys alike for representing their fandom! Yes, I love the petite, more feminine, mini backpacks for which Loungefly is known. HOWEVER, Loungefly’s more gender-neutral Collectiv line is mature, subtle, functional, and attractive.

There are also accessories available like backpack organizers, wallets, keychains, clothing…

Awesome considerations for any teen or YA with any significant pop-culture obsession. (Says the 33-year-old woman who uses her Star Wars Loungefly backpacks as everyday purses).

Steam really covers all the bases if your kid is into games.

And this company is only getting better. The developers over at Steam recently made some tremendous announcements about new tech in the works… Counting down till the Steam Machine release in 2026!

Anyway…

If your teen or young adult loves gaming, a Steam gift card is an absolute win. Unless you wanna go big… Check out the Steam Deck. Powerful and portable, hand-held, PC gaming…

If you know his or her favorite treats, you can’t go wrong by loading up a teen’s stocking if he or she is still at home.

If your kids have flown the coop, however, you’ve got the snail mail option of sending a care package of goodies. Assuming they can’t make the trek back home for the holidays.

Better yet, opt for a Door Dash e-gift card! Your young adult will LOVE it, and you get to save all the shipping costs of mailing treats. Win-win!

Whoa-ho-ho! Big spender lookin’ to love on your kids in a big way this Christmas season?

Items for consideration:

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a solid family gift. ‘Cause let’s be honest… Even if you buy this under the guise of gifting it to your teen, the whole family will want to take turns with it. Check out our review here “Baby’s First Console” to find out why.

Or maybe your young adult is an biblio- or audiophile?

Whether they love the music, podcasts, or Audible adventures, SHOKZ Open Run Pro 2 Headphones make an unrivaled gift. These deliver clear, crisp sound through bone conduction. No having to worry about ear buds slipping out or getting lost.

Additional plus? While they deliver awesome sound, they don’t cancel the sound of Mom or Dad’s voice… You’re welcome.

I’ve always struggled getting a restful night’s sleep. I finally decided it was affecting my quality of daily life enough that it was a problem worth addressing with investment. So, what else could I do but treat myself?

OMG, the Zzzsss!

I grabbed a Silk Luxe Manta sleep mask and have never fallen asleep so fast or slept better. This is a PREMIUM of all the ideas for Christmas gifts on this list. These masks are washable, breathable, blackout, and have molded eye cups that eliminate any direct eye pressure.

Once this mask goes on, and these earplugs in to block out Nathan’s snoring and other ambient nighttime noise, I’m out like a light. Highly recommend!

I love a good, clean beauty product. Taking a few moments from time to time (as though I could keep a consistent regimen *sarcasm*) to moisturize my face with some of my favorite skin nectars is such a treat.

However, I want to make sure I’m using CLEAN products. Not harmful to my health when these products should help supplement my well-being. I make sure to vet skin-care and beauty products using EWG Skin Deep.

Ideally, what I put on my body will tout the EWG-verified seal of approval. However, I’m usually happy as long as it’s squarely in the green category. Sometimes, I’ll make allowance for Alastin products as well (they’re sooo good), even though they do have some minor flags.

Now, for ideas of Christmas gifts…

Farmacy Favorites

I love Farmacy products. The smell, the texture, the cleanliness of the beauty line. Farmacy offers some awesome bundles on Amazon perfect for gifting. I highly recommend really any of their honey glow-up products.

Herbivore Must-Haves

Like Farmacy, Herbivore has some stellar gift sets available. These products have definitely landed on my wish list this year. Especially with Herbivore having that coveted EWG stamp. These luxurious products are clean, plant-based, cruelty free…

Last of the ideas for beauty-related Christmas gifts…

As I mentioned, Alastin products are LEGIT. Enough so that I compromise a little on the EWG standard. Pricey, but their ultra-moisturizing face moisturizer glides on like effin’ BUTTER. It’s so lightweight and silky. A truly guilty pleasure… And a little goes a long, long way.

My absolute favorite kitchen workhorse, the appliance I go absolutely fangirl for, is the Breville 3-in-1 Blender.

This beast gets. it. done.

Immersion blender, food processor, hand mixer, all-in-one gadget. Like the Swiss Army knife of the kitchen. I seriously love it so much.

It makes the fluffiest whipped cream in hardly any time. It DRASTICALLY reduces veggie prep time for cooking, buying you back so many minutes… It’s like, internet recipes are way closer to the given time estimate if you use this thing. IYKYK.

I cannot praise it enough. Get one for yourself. Get one for your favorite person. Forget BFF Bracelets, ’cause BFF Breville blenders are it.

Never underestimate the value and joy that a more practical gift can bring. A few awesome recommendations that fall under this banner are as follows:

Peak Design Products

Seriously. We are obsessed with our 25L Peak Design backpacks, and fall in love with them over and over again every time we camp or travel. We even use our 45L backpack for neighborhood rucking because of how durable and rugged they are.

So, yeah, the Peak backpacks are legit, but pricey. There are still some suitable Peak Design options though that we cannot praise enough.

The packing cubes and other travel-related accoutrement all make fabulous gifts. I’d be stoked to get these as a gift, as would many other people we know. The ultra-light packing cubes, the compressible luggage cubes (LOVEEEE these), even the electronics organizer or shoe bags! These are all stellar ideas for Christmas gifts for the right person.

As are Stasher Bags.

You can use Stashers for ANYTHING. Organizing. Crafting. Baking. Packing. Traveling. Snacks. Leftovers. They are freezer-safe, dishwasher-safe, OVEN-safe (up to 425 F). We even use these for sous-vide meat prep.

These bags are the perfect, economical alternative to single-use plastics.

Think of it as a gift for a loved one… And the world.

Let me come to you as an AuDHD ambassador. If you need Christmas ideas for someone you love with neurodivergence and sensory processing issues, here are my current top picks for gifts.

ONO fidget tools were definitely my gateway into exploring accommodations for my sensory needs. I’ve had nothing but positive experiences since joining the ONO fam. Phenomenal customer service. The fidget tools are silent, subtle, satisfying…

You can read my ONO fidget tool review here. I will say that since writing that post, I snagged a titanium scroller and it is by far MY FAVORITE. If you buy from the ONO website, use my code ONOTHEMAMASAUR for 10% off!

Hear ye, hear ye!

Or, maybe you’d rather hear less. Auditory processing issues, struggles with misophonia, fight-or-flight response anytime your child shrieks with excitement? I’ve got a few options here:

Flare Calmer earplugs. I wear these everyday. From the moment I wake up to the moment my kids are settled in bed, these bad boys are in my ears. They’re comfortable and discreet, and oftentimes, I forget I’m even wearing them.

Unless you opt for the removable -10dB filters, they don’t so much turn down the volume as much as dampen harsh frequencies and balance sounds. It’s hard to explain, honestly. All I know is that these afford me more patience and lessen noise triggers. Worth it.

Loops are also a solid option that I can safely recommend. Since getting the Flares, however, I don’t reach for them as frequently. These are my go-to for movie theater dates when I’ve already had an overstimulating day.

And for my kids? Orson struggles more with noise than Nova, but they ALWAYS carry their Muted headphones with them in their backpacks and request them for thunderstorms and fireworks.

Important to know our limits, and with these hearing protection options, we have no fears about our ears.

I try not to go overboard on edible treats for family stockings. Emphasis on try, because I usually fail. That being said, I also try to keep the treats relatively clean, and I have a particular bent toward dye-free.

Some of my favorite dye-free brands for my kids’ stocking stuffers:

YumEarth and Black Forest. This time of year, you’re better off attempting to find the season-specific treats in store, as the one’s on Amazon usually have a mark up. That being said, they aren’t always that easy to find locally.

If you compromise and just grab a generic variety pack online, it can save you quite a bit. Even if it doesn’t have as much festive flair, these brands have ingredients you can feel better about.

If chocolate is more your speed, check out Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate offerings. We haven’t tried one yet that we haven’t thoroughly enjoyed, and it’s truly fair-trade, ethically-sourced chocolate. So, put that in your stockings, and eat it.

Like a Russian nesting doll, I enjoy stuffing some socks in Christmas stockings. There are no socks I love as much as Darn Tough socks, though. These socks are premium quality, made in the USA, and guaranteed for life.

Since they’re made primarily from merino wool, they are odor resistant, moisture wicking, thermo-regulating, and breathable. Not to mention, they have some really cute patterns available, too!

It’s fun to find perfect, little seasonal toys with which to stuff stockings. Couple favorites for your consideration:

Jolly Nerf Blasters!

Perfect size and thematically on point, these Jolly Dash Nerf Blasters are top on the list of ideas for little gifts in Christmas stockings.

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

Well, (even in Texas) now you can!

These are, more or less, a single-use craft, but my kids were gifted these one year, and they brought HOURS of enjoyment. These snowman-building kits are super inexpensive, fit perfectly in a stocking, and since it’s made with air-drying clay, they leave negligible mess behind.

Yuletide Water Wow!

Melissa & Doug’s reusable Water Wow books are always a hit. However, a competing brand, Scentco, has some Christmas-themed options featuring fun, festive scents. Perfect stocking stuffer for littles!

If you’ve got a little-princess diva in your house, give her some Christmas magic by stuffing her stocking with cute accessories! Princess hair bows, maybe some colorful butterfly clips, or glittery barrettes.

Luv Her has a great Amazon storefront for all the glam accessories for which a little girl could hope! Check it out!

Cards and board games! There are a million out there, but I’ve got a few favorite recommendations…

More conversation starters than a card game per se, Table Topics DIY Therapy strikes up some awesome dialogue. We’ve brought these out on more than one occasion with company and have even taken them up to Pennsylvania with us when visiting family.

Similar lines, but for families with younger kids, Best Self Co. offers a Little Talk conversation prompt deck for generating meaningful chats with your minis.

And if you wanna take it up a notch and teach some emotional intelligence during fun family time, check out the Feelings Island board game.

All great ideas for quality-time Christmas gifts.

A family membership to a local business makes an awesome present! We sign up for a few memberships annually, and they each pay for themselves so quickly.

Potential memberships to consider gifting? The zoo! A nearby children’s museum! Maybe even a botanical garden, if there’s one nearby.

But why stop there? There exists a plethora of memberships and subscription services online that would be easy gifting. Streaming services like Disney+ or Netflix. Gaming services like Game Pass for Xbox.

Think outside the box a little, get creative. Crafting memberships. Snack subscription crates like Universal Yums would be another good one. KiwiCo kids’ subscription for fun science kits. The list goes on…

I’m talking ideas of Christmas gifts for the oenophiles, libation connoisseurs, and coffee addicts on your list. Some people would much rather receive something special that they can consume rather than something that would take up space in their home.

I’m the people.

Instead of materialist stuff, a small-batch, single-malt Scotch or artisanal gin or a gorgeous red Bordeaux can easily be gifted.

Obviously, be considerate to those who struggle… But for a responsible, moderated consumer, gift away! You can even get him or her a Total Wine e-gift card!

Maybe coffee is the giftee’s love language.

Okay, for caffeine and decaf-lovers alike, Bones Coffee Co. is super giftable! I made a gift basket for my mother-in-law last year. She LOVES coffee, but she’s sensitive to caffeine. Bones has flavored decaf, whole bean or ground! And they offer a huge variety, including Christmas-themed coffees!

Always room for a shameless book plug, friends! Last of the ideas for Christmas gifts:

Between Nathan and myself, we’ve written three books! If you’ve got someone on your list (or you are this person) that’s suffering from parental burnout, grab and gift a copy of my book, Parenting Without Burnout!

If you’re worried about your child’s future in a world developing at lightspeed with AI, grab a copy of our guide, A Parent’s Guide to AI.

Lastly, if you or anyone you love is a sci-fi lover, grab a copy of Nathan’s debut novel, Sol’s Ladder, as a gift. It’s an awesome read, and the sequel is already in the works. I know, I’m biased, so don’t take my word for it. Buy Sol’s Ladder this holiday season!