Last Minute Gift Ideas | Hallmark Press Pause Panel

I'm starting to get excited, Christmas is only a few short sleeps away.  I can't wait to see the boys face when he sees the tree and the presents waiting for him.  I can't wait to see his delight at his new toys and watch as he enjoys them.  Of course its the baby's first Christmas so that's exciting too, though he won't really know what's going on, I'm positive I'll catch him eating paper.

All that being said, I have a lot of wrapping to do.  My shopping is pretty much complete and this year Hallmark helped me out in that department.  Check out some of the great stuff I received as a member of the Hallmark Press Pause Panel.

The Rockin' Talking Santa Hat is super fun, not only does it sing Santa Clause is Coming to Town it dances back and forth all on its own.    The hat has a full frame on the inside so its a little heavy and won't fit a toddlers head, though they might just dance along.

And where there's dancing, there's often singing and the Merry-okee microphone transforms you into an elf with the push of the button.  I love the elf voice, but neither the boy or the hubs seems to get quite as much joy from it as I do.  Merry-okee comes with six pre-recorded holiday songs to sing along with, including 'silly versions'.

This is our first year with a full-size tree, so we can finally really start amassing our own family collection of ornaments.  The Wayne Gretsky Ornament is perfect for Hockey Loving Canadian dads; the hubs is getting one this year.

Have an early reader in the house? Jingle the Husky Pup Interactive Storybook and Story Buddy are super fun, read your child the story and as you read along jingle will jump right in and bark, whimper and sing.  The best part?  I was at Wal-Mart yesterday and saw Jingle in store.

Hallmark has been helping us remember to 'Press Pause' because Life is a Special Occasion all year long, and now they want to help us celebrate Christmas.  What are you doing to 'Press Pause' this holiday season?

I received Hallmark product for the purposes of this post, however all opinions are my own.

Press Pause for Halloween

When I think about Halloween I instinctually think of costumes and candy; I used to wear costumes and get candy and now its more about the kids costumes and giving out candy. For some reason I never seem to think about Halloween at the next level, I never think of it as a special day full of tradition and worthy of effort, though it truly is.

Growing up I was the oldest of three; we always took pillowcases trick-or-treating, they were easy to carry and they could hold tons of candy.  My brother would always be ready to go home first, usually after only a couple blocks, satisfied that he had enough candy to keep him happy.  My little sister on the other hand could trick-or-treat forever, however she could also convince my Dad to carry her once she got tired, which always seemed unfair. When we arrived back home the three of us would sit on the floor in the rec room, dump out our bags and sort our loot, trying to trade away our least favourites to get the best possible candy stash.

And since I've become an adult, got married and had kids my Halloween traditions have, and continue to, evolve.

This realization came about after Hallmark sent me some product; I immediately started to imagine how we would use them. Instinctively I thought that my mom or mother-in-law would love the hokey pokey skeleton, but after watching the boy press the 'button' then 'shake his head' along with it, over and over, I knew that we would be keeping him at our house.

I was also super intrigued by the Hocus Pocus Treat Presenter, which can be used as part of a Halloween display or instead of a bowl to hold candy.  Either way, its an innovative and memorable product for Halloween, I think my mother-in-law is going to love it.

Hallmark also sent me some Halloween greeting cards, including some with removable buttons or bracelets; I'm going to send them to the kids in my family and friend circles.  I remember how exciting it was to get mail as a child and these cards are so fun, I can hardly wait to hear what they all think of them.

Somewhere along the line Halloween has become an important holiday to me, and I think that's exactly what Hallmark is trying to remind us of with their Press Pause panel and 'Life is a Special Occasion' campaign.  That any day, any moment, can be memorable and special if we simply take the time to stop and make it so.

I was provided with product by Hallmark as part of the Press Pause Panel for the purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.

Hallmark Press Pause Panel

I don't think it matters who you talk to, we all wish there was more time in the day; more time for friends, for family, for ourselves.  As a society we are so focused on meeting goals and moving forward that our lives sometimes seem to be slipping through our fingers like grains of sand.

Hallmark Canada has initiated the 'Press Pause Panel' to remind us all that 'Life is a Special Occasion' and sometimes we just need to pause all those other aspects of our to just enjoy the moment.

As a member of the Press Pause Panel I received a number of great items to try out in my home, all designed to help us savour the moment.  Here are a few of my favourites.

The Totally Ticklish Duck was a huge hit in our house; not only is he super cute and soft but after pushing the button on his foot, physically tickling the duck under his wings causes the duck to burst into adorable bouts of laughter.  Which of course resulted in toddler laughter in my house; is there any sound sweeter?

 

I must admit that I love books, so when I tested out Watson the Raccoon, I was more than a little bit enthused.  Once activated, Watson becomes an interactive part of storytime.  As you read the book, Watson responds to specific phrases in the story and blurts out fun statements that enhance the experience for your child.  I love that in addition to 'Watson and the case of the Sneaky Stealer' which comes free with the purchase of Watson, there are two more books that can be purchased to read with Watson and the boy.

Finally, although the boy is a bit young yet, I can't wait until he's ready to share in the Mom and Me Recordable Book; each page has an open ended question or two to facilitate discussion with your child, all of which can be recorded with the press of a button.  How amazing to record not only their favourite experiences, but also their voice, inflection and expressions all within a well constructed keepsake book.  With Mother's day just around the corner, this is a perfect gift to treasure for the long term.  In addition to Mom and Me books, there are also recordable books for grandparents and Dad's.

As a Hallmark Press Pause Panel member, products were recieved for the purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.