Sure Santa knows what to get for all the good boys and girls, but a gift for Mrs. Claus will often leave him baffled. So we’re here to help with great gift ideas for all the Moms and Dads who made the Nice List this year.

for mom

	Diaper & Wipes Caddy by JJ Cole. Designed to corral the odds and ends of a diaper changing table, this convenient caddy is easy to move from room to room, and the chic styling means it won’t stick out in more sophisticated settings. Four colors available for $29 with free shipping at amazon.com.
	“Keep Calm and Carry On” Inspirational Book. Discovered on a poster created by the British Ministry of Information for British soldiers before World War II, the slogan still manages to strike a chord in our current difficult times. This gift-worthy book is packed full of motivational quotes, proverbs and mantras. $9 at amazon.com.
	Sweet Peppermint Shower Infusers. Heaven knows most moms can’t find time for a long, tranquil bath, but it takes no extra time to indulge with these essential-oil packed tablets. Simply wet one and place in the shower. Activated by water, the tablets release an intoxicating and invigorating aroma of pure Sweet Peppermint Essential Oil that will help you de-stress. $36 and use code “MommyTimes” for free shipping (exp 12/15/09) at bathbybettijo.com.
	Cake Society Satchel by Petunia Picklebottom . Featuring a fuzzy, vintage-style, cut-velvet fabric, we have never seen such an elegant diaper bag, but don’t let its luxe charm fool you. This bag is a picture of functionality with pockets galore and a plush, fold-out changing pad. Available in four colors for $325 at shop.petunia.com.

for dad

	Camo Marshmallow Blaster. Remember as a kid on Christmas morning, it was such a thrill to open gifts and play with all your new toys; much more fun than the boring stuff you get as a grown-up. Dad will feel like a kid again when he unwraps this marshmallow gun. Get at least two so your family can have an all-out marshmallow war on Christmas afternoon. (Don’t forget the marshmallows!) $28 at marshmallowville.com.
	Shoot-A-Loop Marble Game. Popular during the Depression, this traditional tin game involves shooting a marble around the loop to gain a high score. A game that the whole family will truly enjoy — despite Mom and Dad’s best efforts, our two year old usually wins! $20 at amazon.com.
	Lego Cuff Links. Help Dad liven things up at the office with these colorful cuff links that will remind him of his childhood obsession with this classic toy. $13 at etsy.com.
	Sanuk Donny Sidewalk Surfers. Comfy and light, these “not-a-shoes” offer the benefits of flip flops, with the security and protection of a shoe — just right for frostier weather. A bit skeptical at first, our Dad reviewer now wears them every day. Available in several colors and styles for $55 at sanuk.com.

There is certainly no shortage of toys, yet it can be so hard to find the kind of unique, fun toys that your little one will love and you won’t mind having around. We’ve got a dozen great gift ideas — a good mix of classic and modern options — sure to please all the little elves at your house.

for brother

	Solar System Ball. Why would you want to hold the world in your hands when you can hold the whole solar system? This cute and educational version of the classic, rubber playground ball is destined to be a favorite. $9 at oompa.com.
	Classic ABC Blocks. No toy box is complete without ABC blocks. We love this heirloom quality set made in Vermont from solid maple and printed with numbers, letters and pictures in non-toxic inks. $50 (and worth every penny) at nicoandzoe.com.
	Noah’s Ark from Tier Toys. Rain or shine, this Noah’s Ark is bound to captivate your little one’s imagination. Twelve stackable layers easily come apart revealing 22 pairs of animal figures. When the fun has sailed, everything fits back together for self-contained storage. $50 at amazon.com.
	Art Time Easel from Ecotots. This wooden easel is every bit as much a masterpiece as the creations it will soon hold. The real beauty — it’s constructed of just three pieces and assembles in minutes with no tools or hardware required. Available in four colors for $150 with free shipping at fawnandforest.com.

for sister

	Kaleidoscope Blocks from Haba. Wooden building blocks are much more fun with these colorful, sparkly accents. Your child will also be fascinated by the view of the world through these plastic prisms. $38 at amazon.com.
	Tea Set from Green Toys. Green tea anyone? It’s hard to believe this darling set is made from recycled milk jugs. Unbreakable, food safe and perfect for real or imaginary tea parties. $18 at amazon.com.
	70th Anniversary Madeline Doll. It’s hard to believe that Madeline is 70 years old — she certainly doesn’t look it. Despite the vast age difference, though, your little one is sure to love this adorable doll and the award-winning story that inspired her. $30 at kidspreferred.com.
	Belle Fairy Castle from Le Toy Van. If your little princess is anything like mine, than no ordinary doll house will do for her toys — they need a castle. This four-story palace looks like something straight out of a fairy tale and is exactly what every little girl dreams of. $165 at amazon.com.

for baby

	Hoots the Owl Zadyball. This adorable owl will squeak with delight when your little one gives him a hug. Dreamed up and sewn with love by a mom in Arizona, a Zadyball is the perfect first toy for baby. $20 at etsy.com.
	Eternal Layette from Tea. Inspired by the serenity of a sleeping newborn, the soft colors and simple designs are soothing and luxurious. Every exquisite piece in this collection is made from the finest pima cotton to be ultra soft on baby’s brand new skin. Sold separately and in gift sets from $20 at teacollection.com.
	Knitted Vegetable Rattles. This yummy set is hand knit for a soft, engaging texture. Your baby will be the first one on the block to love her veggies! $45 at oompa.com.
	Nubbi Fabric Ball from Haba. He may be a little too young for catch, but baby will still have a ball with this squishy toy featuring a rattle and rustling foil. $18 at amazon.com.

A pacifier keeper never looked so good! Binkies are known to stray so keep yours on a tight leash. Lots of cute and unique designs only $8 at cuckooboo.etsy.com

When I was just weeks away from giving birth to my first daughter, a close friend (who already had a child) asked me if I had a video camera. I didn’t, and I had never thought of it as the parenting necessity that it truly is.

Since then I have used several video cameras from the ancient camcorder dinosaur that used actual video tape and was way too complicated, to early digital contraptions with poor image quality and lighting. Then my first digital camera recorded video, only there was no sound — a major flaw when you are trying to capture those cute little coochie coos that your newborn is making.

Thankfully when I replaced my digital camera the newer models included sound with the video, and although I could only record a two-minute snippet, that seemed like more than enough. (I mean honestly, who wants to sit through hours of home videos anyway?)

I had finally reached my perfect home video place. Then I saw the Flip. This amazing hand-held video camera is the size of a two-year-outdated cell phone and can record up to 2 hours of video IN HIGH DEFINITION!

It is so easy to use that when my four year old was playing with it she accidentally turned it on and upon seeing the red “recording” light on the front thought something terrible was happening. She brought it over to me and tried to blame it on her sister. I believed her too, until I watched the very incriminating video she had unknowingly made, and so then we had a talk about lying.

But back to my point: the Flip recorder ($170 at Amazon.com) is so small and convenient that you can carry it in your purse to be quickly retrieved for capturing that first step, word, etc. It automatically adjusts for low light (I told you it was easy!), and the video quality is worthy of viewing on your big screen at home. Oh, and I recently discovered that it’s also a really great way to entertain kids on long road trips. Let them record and watch a video of themselves, then delete it later — that’s the beauty of digital.

Chalkboards aren’t just for the classroom. In fact, we have loved kid-friendly chalkboard wall paint for a while now. With kids heading back to school, we’re really digging these cool and clever home accessories decked out in blackboard perfection.

	Not ready to commit to painting your wall? These removable chalkboard wall decals will add a fun touch to your family room, kitchen or play room — even stick them on closet doors or the fridge. Available in animal shapes or circles and squares $29-36 at etsy.com.
	Adorable chalk tags that you can use (and re-use… that’s the beauty of chalkboards!) anywhere. $5 at etsy.com.
	They might be called blackboards, but they don’t have to be black! We think this lime green board would look cute on the front door for notes from missed visitors. $14 at etsy.com
	We all want one of these chalkboard candles, and wouldn’t it make a perfect gift for teacher? $26 at paper-source.com.
	Even chalk has been given a new spin with convenient chalk markers. $13 at paper-source.com.

Well, new to us anyway. I love our huge, old dining table, but sadly it is too big for the space in our new house, so we had to find another one. I searched Craigslist and found this beauty.

I love Craigslist — even though we had a very tight budget I was still able to track down something I liked. I searched for “round table” but in conjunction with terms like “retro,” “modern,” and “vintage” I was able to narrow the results to find just what I was looking for.

I wasn’t sure what to do for chairs, it originally had these big orange chairs that were super cool, but only fit four around the table and we really need to have six. I finally decided to pair it with six white Gilbert Chairs from Ikea. They are slim and the white brightens up the dark table.