Mice in a Box Finger Puppet

I'm not one of those who is afraid of mice; in fact, if our house wasn't already overrun with cats, I'd consider mice and/or rats for pets. I admit I don't like to be startled by rodents where they shouldn't be (i.e. in my pantry!), but a domesticated rodent is absolutely fascinating to watch and interact with. They are bright and curious, and can be quite affectionate.

But if pet rodents just aren't for you, here's a friendly and adorable alternative: a puppet consisting of three mice in a little box. Once the lid comes off, the mice can be made to move via the finger openings in the bottom. This would be a fun toy for a child to take to show-and-tell, because then everyone gets to enjoy it. (The red color makes it a non-candy option for a little Valentine's surprise, too!)

What: Mice in a Box Finger Puppet
Where: Chinaberry website
How much (as of today's post): $12.95 (plus shipping)

Conversation Hearts Magnet

Here we are at the end of January, so that means Valentine's Day is not far away! I don't think of it as a big gift giving holiday, but my mom always got us a little candy and some small trinket. My favorite was always the conversation hearts. I always like non-chocolate candy the best anyway, and I loved reading each heart to see what it said.

Thankfully for my waistline, I've lost most of my sweet tooth as I've grown up, but I still like to get one small box of candy hearts. If I ever wanted to forgo those, here's a substitute that keeps the tradition without the sugar: a conversation hearts magnet. It's from Paper House Productions and measures 3.2" x 4.8". The size and the price are just right for a small Valentine's gift for a child or a friend.

What: Conversation Hearts Magnet
Where: FridgeDoor.com or store (Borders?) that carries Paper House Products
How much (as of today's post): $2.99 (plus shipping)

Road Mice Wired Mouse

It's another luxury Friday, and this one is for the guys! If your guy is into cars and uses a computer, surely he would like a computer mouse in the form of his favorite car. I counted 22 different models on the Road Mice website, including Mustangs, Dodge Chargers, Cameros, Corvettes, PT Cruisers, and Ford GTs, and Dodge Vipers. There are different color options, and you can even get the Camero or Dodge Charger is a police cruiser version.

I also like that these are wired mice instead of wireless. Wireless mice eat batteries and it just seems like a big waste to me. This way, the mouse is powered by its connection to the computer, and it even makes the headlights light up!

What: Road Mice Wired Mouse
Where: Road Mice website
How much (as of today's post): $34.95 to $39.95 (plus shipping)

Ouchies Make Your Own Bandages

I know I've posted about designer band-aids before, but how cute are these Ouchies make-your-own version? The tin box comes with 20 adhesive bandages in blue, pink, purple, green, and yellow, plus 3 markers (blue, red, and purple). Everything you need to encourage creativity at the same time you're taking your little one's mind off the boo-boo!

What: Ouchies Make Your Own Bandages
Where: Ouchies website or locate a store
How much (as of today's post): $5.00 (plus shipping)

Maple Syrup

When I was growing up in New Jersey, my parents took us on vacation to Vermont a few times, and one of the big treats there was the maple syrup (and maple sugar candy, of course!). A little bottle of maple syrup would make a lovely stocking stuffer or small gift -- in fact, when my husband travels to Japan on business, he always takes several little bottles with him to give as gifts to his work colleagues over there.

Looking online, I found a nice little source called Carmen Brook Maple and Dairy Farm. They offer several different grades of maple syrup in several different bottle shapes and sizes, including, of course, maple-leaf shaped bottles! They also have heart-shaped bottles -- I can picture that for a Valentine's Day breakfast in bed or brunch, especially since Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday this year. The prices range from $3.25 for a 1.7 oz maple leaf bottle to $4.90 for a 1.7 oz heart bottle and on up for larger bottles.

Now I'm hungry for pancakes....

What: Maple Syrup
Where: Carmen Brook Maple and Dairy Farm
How much (as of today's post): $3.25 and up (plus shipping)

Great Moments in Film Note Cards

I don't have a "for movie buffs" category, but if I did, these would definitely go in it: Great Moments in Film Note Cards, with stick figure drawings of unforgettable images from Jaws, Thelma and Louise, Singin' in the Rain, and North by Northwest. (I knew three of the four right off the bat, but I've never seen North by Northwest so I didn't recognize that one.)

In any case, I think these are adorable, and they go right along with one of my New Year's resolutions, which is to send people more notes and cards. Don't you miss being surprised by a nice note in your snail mail once in a while? I've done pretty well with my resolution so far: I've sent a thank you note for a dinner party, and one for the bird-watching boat tour I wrote about a few weeks ago. Both recipients thanked me for the notes, and I could tell they were pleasantly surprised to receive them.

I find that a great incentive to sending notes and cards is having some on hand that I really like. So you could get these (or other note cards, of course) for yourself, or try to increase the chances of getting real mail yourself once in a while by stuffing your loved ones' stockings with note cards that fit their interests and personality.

What: Great Moments in Film Note Cards
Where: Bas Bleu website
How much (as of today's post): $12.00 (plus shipping)

Gluguls

I'll be honest, I'm not 100% sure you can still get Gluguls, because I bought mine well over a year ago. I hadn't thought of it until last night when I needed a glue stick for a craft project and found it jumbled in with a bunch of my craft supplies. But then I thought, what a great stocking stuffer for kids! These Gluguls are glue sticks in character form, including Rocket Robbie, Power Paige, Metal Matt, Downtown Dylan, and Cowboy Cody (that's the one I have).

I do hope they're still available (the link below to Amazon shows the Gluguls as currently unavailable, alas). A search on Google does show that you can still get them at artsuppliesonline.com, and for only $1!

And if nothing else, these sure are a lot neater for kids to use for their art projects than actual bottles of glue!

What: Gluguls
Where: Amazon, craft stores, drugstores, etc.
How much (as of today's post): varies (under $5)

Space Age Crystal Growing Kit

In addition to being a bookworm, I was just nerdy enough as a kid to like little science kits, rock tumbling machines, and so on. I even found a small fossil of a shell in the field behind our house once, although sadly I have since lost it.

In any case, along the lines of the "science can be fun" concept, here is a stocking stuffer that kids will enjoy: "space age" crystal growing kits from Edmund Scientifics. There is a citrine kit and a rose quartz kit. For the citrine kit, you supply a plastic container, a flat rock, and the water, and the kit contains the instructions and the pre-mixed chemical solution that will result in the growing crystal. The kits are recommended for children aged 12 and up. At $4.95, it's an affordable and unusual stocking stuffer that is educational but still fun.

What: Space Age Crystal Growing Kit
Where: Edmund Scientifics website
How much (as of today's post): $4.95 (plus shipping)

Miniature Opera Guides (or anything that goes with event tickets)

I realize that opera is a very specific, acquired taste, but I also thought I wouldn't like opera, and I was wrong. For Christmas 2008, I put opera tickets in my husband's Christmas stocking because I knew he'd been wanting to go. (Unfortunately I also left the receipt lying around so the surprise was kind of ruined!) The tickets were for A Midsummer Night's Dream, because I wanted to start with something that was in English and that was a comedy. I really enjoyed it, so this year I bought a package deal for tickets to three of the Houston Grand Opera performances. No easy comedies this time: I got Tosca and Xerxes, both in Italian with English supertitles, and The Turn of the Screw, which is in English but is a creepy atmospheric ghost story based on the Henry James story.

So last night was my real test: was I going to like tragic opera sung in a language other than English? Yes! Although a tragedy, Tosca is also a beautiful love story and it even has a little humor in it.

In any case, though, one of the reasons I enjoyed the opera is that I did a little homework. A week beforehand, we went to a lecture on Tosca, learning a bit about the opera itself, the composer, and the context in which it was written. Opera is not like the movies -- you don't have to worry about spoilers because 1) the stories are generally well known to begin with, and 2) if it's a tragedy, which many of them are, you already know that most of the good guys are going to die. So generally, the more you know about the particular opera going in, the more you'll enjoy it. At the lecture we went to, we purchased a little booklet guide to Tosca -- sort of like a Cliff's Notes to the story. This guide was prepared by the lecturer who is local to Houston, although you can order the booklets by mail.

I also looked just now on Amazon and there are miniature guides to many operas there as well. Shown here is the La Traviata guide that is part of the "Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series". The booklet is 36 pages and measures 8.3 x 3.2 x 0.2 inches -- in other words, it's a tall and narrow little booklet that would fit into a wide-mouthed stocking.

Along with some tickets. ;-)

Since I know that opera will not be to many people's taste, and not everyone lives near an opera company anyway, I'll try and make this post a bit more general at the end by saying that tickets to anything the recipient will enjoy make terrific stocking stuffers: rock concerts, Sesame Street on Ice, you name it. And they're a great opportunity for paired gifts, because you can get a CD by the band whose concert the tickets are for, a Sesame Street toy or stuffed animal or book, etc. Tickets to a Broadway traveling show can be paired with a DVD of the movie if there is one, and so on. The possibilities with event tickets are endless.

What: Miniature Opera Guides (or anything that goes with event tickets)
Where: Amazon (for opera guides) or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): approximately $9.75 for opera guides

Magic Wand Programmable Remote Control

At $89.99, this is an UBER-luxury stocking stuffer, but it's too fun not to post about. Are you a Harry Potter fan? Then how cool would it be to use a magic wand in place of your remote controls? This little gizmo "learns" from your existing remotes so you can change channels and adjust volume with just by waving or twisting the wand. According to Think Geek, the wand has 13 "magical" functions and is compatible with most makes of televisions, DVRs, and other devices with remotes.

In reality, I think the learning curve is probably pretty high, in terms of getting just the right "swish and flick" to accomplish specific functions. Also, I'm sure there are functions it can't replace. For instance, I can search shows on my DVR remote by typing in the letters, the same as I would with texting on a cell phone (and I'm actually getting pretty quick at it). That wouldn't likely work with this wand, so it's not as though I could actually replace that remote. That, in addition to the price, means that this is one of those things that I wouldn't actually buy unless I won the lottery. But it's definitely on my "if money were no object, wouldn't this be cool?" list!

What: Magic Wand Programmable Remote Control
Where: Think Geek website
How much (as of today's post): $89.99 (plus shipping)

Pillbox Tins

Today's stocking stuffer is more a gift "wrapping" than a stuffer itself, but these little pillbox tins from the Nostalgic Candy website are cute enough that the recipient will want to keep them. They cost only $2.00 each, and there's a tin for just about everyone, including Betty Boop, the Cookie Monster, Horton (from Horton Hears a Who), Elvis, the Lone Ranger, Barbie, and Roy Rogers. In other words, that covers men, women, and kids!

So for a stocking, these tins could hold some individual candies, a folded $5 or $10 or $20 bill, or a do-it-yourself "gift certificate" for "one pair of jeans", "two movie tickets", or anything else you can think of. Especially when it comes to clothing, a little do-if-yourself gift certificate might make more sense than a plastic gift card that ties the person to buying from one store only.

I have to say that my favorite is Horton! Although Barbie is kind of funny with her "A Plastic Tan Never Fades" message. (Just to be clear, I'm not in favor of fake tanning. I think it's dangerous and unnecessary.) I could see giving the Roy Rogers or Lone Ranger pillbox to my dad or even my mom -- she has told me she remembers seeing the Lone Ranger at the movies.

What: Pillbox Tins
Where: Nostalgic Candy website
How much (as of today's post): $2.00 (plus shipping)

Merry Maraschino Cherries

Although the word "merry" implies Christmas, these Merry Maraschino Cherries aren't really seasonal -- I think they were just going for alliteration in the name! In any case, what draws me to these cherries as a stocking stuffer is that they do not have artificial colors, artificial flavors, sulfites, and preservatives. Honestly, I'm not sure I would recognize the taste as maraschino cherries, since I associate the kind you get at the grocery store with the most artificial taste in the world.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're red and have the word "merry"! They'd be wonderful for Christmas, but don't forget that another "red" holiday is coming up: Valentine's Day. These would be nice in a romantic little gift basket.

What: Merry Maraschino Cherries
Where: Tillen Farms website
How much (as of today's post): $6.99 (plus shipping)

Paper Paper Clips

It's back to work today, so I move from yesterday's kitchen stocking stuffer to today's office stocking stuffer: a bag of paper paper clips, or paper clips made out of paper. Well, they're 100% sustainable wood pulp, 100% recyclable, and they can be put safely through a paper shredder and recycled with the paper. The pack has 50 clips, and each clip is one inch long and will hold up to 20 sheets of paper. They're bright and colorful too, which is especially nice during the dreary days of winter (not that we have any here in Houston!).

What: Paper Paper Clips
Where: Spoon Sisters website
How much (as of today's post): $6.00 (plus shipping)

Outer Space Pancake Molds

Domestic again today.... I'm making black bean soup in the slow cooker and chicken soup (my husband's favorite) on the stove. So here's another kitchen stocking stuffer: outer space pancake molds from Williams Sonoma. They include a sun/star, a ringed planet, and a crescent moon. My husband is a big enough science nerd that I'm sure he would consider these pancakes much more romantic than heart-shaped ones!

What: Outer Space Pancake Molds
Where: Williams Sonoma
How much (as of today's post): $18.00 (plus shipping)

Batterfinger Spatula

I'm feeling domestic today... I have tomorrow off from work for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so I'm planning some slow cooker meals, tidying up, and moving some bookshelves.

So I thought I'd find a nice domestic little stocking stuffer for today, and this Batterfinger Spatula is kind of cute. The one domestic chore I'm really bad at happens to be baking, but that doesn't mean I don't like to try once in a while! I'm much better at cooking than baking, even though I'm no expert there either. But I do love looking at Bed Bath & Beyond and Williams Sonoma and other kitchen stores for all the neat gadgets I'm sure will make me a better cook and baker! In any case, if you need to fill a stocking for someone you know loves to bake, I think this would look adorable sticking out of the top of the stocking.

What: Batterfinger Spatula
Where: Amazon or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $8.00 (plus shipping)

Perpetual Kid Website Winter Clearance Sale

Not all after-holiday sales mean you have to go fight the crowds and stand in long lines. A lot of online retailers are trying to clear their warehouse shelves too, and cutting prices on a lot of merchandise. I happened to be looking at the Perpetual Kid website, and saw their winter clearance sale. In addition to slashed prices, they have coupon codes for 5% off orders over $35 or 10% orders over $100.

But it's actually the slashed prices I'm more interested in. Among the 113 items listed in this section, there are several that would make cute stocking stuffers next year, or small gifts throughout the year. I tend to stay away from any food items, even gum, because I don't want to give people gifts that have gone stale, but there are lots of other options, such as:

• Set of two "Bombs Away" shot glasses, where the cavity holding the drink is shaped like the tail of an old-fashioned wartime bomb
  
  
• Pickle Bandages or Crime Scene Bandages
  
  
• Christmas Bingo Cards
  
  
• Plant-sized "lawn" ornaments, including a lawn jockey holding a lantern, two different garden gnomes, and a fawn
  
  
• airplane and dinosaur toddler utensils

...and so on. Even if you're not up for buying this far ahead, it's fun looking at any rate!

Jigger Cube

At $20.95, this jigger cube from Wrapables just squeaks over that $20 limit I've arbitrarily imposed, which is why I'm posting it as a luxury Friday stocking stuffer. The cube features six different measuring "pours", one on each side, including: 0.50 oz, 0.75 oz, 1.00 oz, 1.50 oz, 2.00 oz, and 2.25 oz. It measures 3 inches on each side and weighs a pound (so you'd want to make sure the stocking is sturdy and securely hung!). It's made of aluminum, so it should pretty much last forever. The package includes 14 cocktail recipes to try. Personally, the strongest thing I drink is wine, so it's not something I would need, but it's great for anyone who likes mixed drinks.

What: Jigger Cube
Where: Wrapables.com
How much (as of today's post): $20.95 (plus shipping)

"Books to Check Out" Journal

Here's the perfect stocking stuffer for a book lover: the "Books to Check Out" journal from Chronicle Books. I first came across these a few years ago and gave some as gifts to my library co-workers, and they must be fairly popular because the publisher is still selling them directly from its website as well as on Amazon (and in other bookstores, I imagine). The actual list price is $10.95, but Amazon sells it for $9.31.

It's been a long time since the days of those little "due date" cards in the back of the library books, but this journal brings it all back to me! It's a blank book to take notes in bookstores or libraries for the books you want to buy or borrow, although of course you can use it for any kind of notes. It measures 6.7 x 4.7 inches. Isn't it cute?

What: "Books to Check Out" Journal
Where: Amazon or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $9.31 (plus shipping)

Emergency Chocolate Mini Bars

Along the same lines as their Marital Bliss chocolate bar, the Spoon Sisters website also offers this set of four emergency chocolate mini bars. Each bar is 1 ounce, and you can choose milk chocolate or dark chocolate. This would make a great stocking stuffer for a chocoholic, or a cute gag gift for your co-workers, especially if you work in a busy or stressful environment. At $6.95 for the set of four, that comes out to just under $1.75 apiece before shipping.

There is also a larger individual 3.5 ounce emergency bar available for $5.00.

What: Emergency Chocolate Mini Bars
Where: Spoon Sisters website
How much (as of today's post): $6.95 for 4 bars (plus shipping)

Sarcastic Ball

Yes! I have a feeling this is exactly what I need after the day I had at work yesterday. Endless meetings with a lot of people saying nothing. Rarely have I felt so frustrated.

So, perhaps this Sarcastic Ball would at least make me smile! Like a Magic 8 ball, this little gizmo gives answers to your questions, only sarcastically, with answers such as: Yeah, right; In Your Dreams; and Whatever. I wouldn't be surprised if there were an "As If!" in there too, since there are 20 different responses. This would make a cute little gag gift / stocking stuffer for the sarcastic person in your life, or for a work colleague with a sense of humor.

Here's hoping this isn't something you desperately need today. After all, it's Tuesday.... and Tuesdays are better than Mondays, right? (Lord, I hope so!)

What: Sarcastic Ball
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

Pirate Skull & Crossbones Pacifier

Here's a little something silly for a baby that would fit in a Christmas stocking: a pirate skull & crossbones pacifier. It seems like that "talk like a pirate day" comes around on the internet about three times a year, so you might as well start the little ones out early saying "Arrrrr!" Maybe it will be the baby's first word!

What: Pirate Skull & Crossbones Pacifier
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

L'il William Shakespeare

I'm feeling literary today... I just submitted two book reviews in the past few days (I review for a couple of places) and have one more to send later today. Then I'll be caught up for now!

In any case, I think this L'il William Shakespeare is funny, especially because he comes with "a collectible, twelve page, mini color comic book chronicling William's crazy adventures!" Hmm, what kind of crazy adventures did William have? The plastic figure itself is 2.75 inches tall and can be posed -- you know, so you can recreate those crazy adventures! Wouldn't he make a cute gift for a book lover or an English teacher? I admit that it took me until adulthood to appreciate Shakespeare, but now that I do, I think he's the man!

As a bonus, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles is a non-profit, so your purchase supports lots of book lovers, plus others who benefit from the community services that libraries provide.

What: L'il William Shakespeare
Where: Library Foundation of Los Angeles
How much (as of today's post): $3.50 (plus shipping)

Peppermint-Striped Christmas Kaleidoscope

I don't usually do too much after-holiday shopping these days, but I always like to stop in at Pier 1 Imports to see what they have on clearance. I really like wine glasses, so I'm always on the lookout for a nice inexpensive pair.

This trip, I didn't find a whole lot that I thought was a great bargain, but there was one stocking stuffer on clearance that I just have to mention: a peppermint striped kaleidoscope, originally $1.50 and now on sale for 28 cents! If you live near a Pier 1 store, it might be worth taking a look. But you would probably need to go soon, because while I was there, two women bought over twenty of these kaleidoscopes, mentioning that they plan to use them for party favors next Christmas.

What: Peppermint-Striped Christmas Kaleidoscope
Where: Pier 1 Import stores
How much (as of today's post): $0.28

Alice in Wonderland Clock

Today's "luxury Friday" stocking stuffer: an Alice in Wonderland clock featuring the classic John Tenniel illustration of Alice with the cards. I love the bright red color scheme, plus it would make a fun paired gift for a little girl if you also gave her the book or even the Disney DVD. The clock is 2.5 inches high, and 4 inches in diameter with a 2.25 inch diameter face. It requires one AA battery and comes with a one year warranty. I think it would be great for younger girls, or for older girls or women if you know they love Alice.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

What: Alice in Wonderland Clock
Where: The Afternoon website
How much (as of today's post): $29.95 (plus shipping)

Perfect Pair: Scented Pear Soap

I have pears on my mind lately for two reasons: the lovely hosts who had us over for Christmas dinner made an amazing salad with mouth-watering pears in it, and we then received a Harry and David gift basket with some pears in it. So this is as good a time as any to mention this stocking stuffer: pear-scented soap elegantly presented in a little box with a brown ribbon. The Spoon Sisters website bills it as a perfect wedding favor (I guess that's where the manufacturers are going with the "perfect pair" thing!), but I think it would work just as well as a stocking stuffer or in a spring gift basket, especially since it's only $3.95.

As always, I feel compelled to mention this caveat every time I post about a scented stocking stuffer -- don't put it next to chocolate, which can pick up the scent and taste of soap. I learned this the hard way. ;-)

What: Perfect Pair: Scented Pear Soap
Where: Spoon Sisters website
How much (as of today's post): $3.95 (plus shipping)

Ficoco (Fig and Cocoa Spread)

Look what I found at Whole Foods, and will be trying this weekend: Ficoco, which is a fig and cocoa spread. Doesn't that just sound yummy? The Ficoco website recommends trying Ficoco as a dessert topping, as a sweet sandwich spread, or in fondue. I've also seen articles here and there online suggesting pairing it with certain cheeses. The website even has a recipes section. And, perhaps most importantly, the jar is the perfect size for an unusual and not-too-expensive stocking stuffer! Whole Foods had it for $5.50 per jar.

It also doesn't hurt that Ficoco is fat free and all natural. Now then, what to try it on first.....?

What: Ficoco (Fig and Cocoa Spread)
Where: Whole Foods or other specialty food stores
How much (as of today's post): $5.50

Big Girls Don't Cry Bandages

Here's a cute stocking stuffer for the girl who's old enough to be over Winnie-the-Pooh but still young enough to like "cool" things like pink high tops. This set of 24 latex-free bandages of assorted sizes comes in a metal tin that measures 2 5/8 inches wide by 3 5/8 inches high. I know there were a few years in there (I'm thinking fifth to seventh grade) when I would have loved getting these in my Christmas stocking!

What: Big Girls Don't Cry Bandages
Where: Spoon Sisters website
How much (as of today's post): $5.95 (plus shipping)

Bird Guides of [xyz]

On January 2, my husband and I were treated to a "Breakfast on the Bayou" pontoon boat tour through a bayou here in southeast Texas. While it would have been a bit chilly by some folks' standards, my husband grew up in Manitoba, Canada, and I spent three years living in North Dakota, so believe me when I say that this was nothing, weather-wise! Besides, the cold air and the morning sun made the most unbelievable mist coming off the water.

The best part was that we got to see, up close and personal, many birds that seem exotic to me, having grown up on the East Coast. We saw Roseate Spoonbills, Egrets, Herons, two types of Vultures, Cormorants, and more.

Much later that day (after a nap of course!), we went to Barnes & Noble, and we got a tremendous kick out of consulting a miniature guide to Texas birds, looking up all the species we'd seen that morning. It occurred to me that field guides are likely available in any large bookstore for any part of the world, so look in the regional interest section the next time you're in a bookstore and see what you can find. It's fun to get to know the wildlife of your particular corner of the world, and birds truly are magnificent creatures. This guide to Texas birds shown above is 6 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches, making it the right size for a stocking stuffer, and I'm sure many of the field guides out there for other regions are stocking stuffer sized as well!

(And while I'm at it, I'm going to label this as an eco-friendly post, because the more people know about the creatures we share the world with, the more people are likely to try and take care of that world.)

What: Bird field guides
Where: Amazon or any bookstore
How much (as of today's post): varies (most under $15 or $20)

Animal Paper Clips for Kids

The start of a new year always gets me in an organizing mood. In preparation for our New Year's Eve party, we took 380 pounds of paper to the recycling center, and donated seven large boxes to Goodwill. But we still have a long way to go, and my office/computer room really needs some organizing.... That got me thinking of office supplies, which then led me to these cute animal paper clips for kids.

Sold in sets of six (one type in each set), these paper clips come in colorful ducks, frogs, or pigs. A set costs $2.95, and of course if you have more than one child these would work for, you could buy multiple sets and then mix and match in their stockings. These would be great for clipping together school papers and permission slips, or a child's artwork. I even have an adult friend who loves pigs that I think would enjoy these.

Are you getting organized this year? It's one of my many resolutions!

What: Animal Paper Clips for Kids
Where: Vat19 website
How much (as of today's post): $2.95 for pack of six (plus shipping)

Monty Python Fluxx Game

You may be familiar with the card game Fluxx, but have you ever seen this Monty Python version? I hadn't until I saw it today in Barnes & Noble (where I was shopping using the gift card I got in my stocking, hooray!). It's the perfect size for a stocking and strikes me as a good stocking stuffer for men, since I think they usually tend to be more into Monty Python than women do (at least that is the case with me and my husband).

The manufacturer description on Amazon says that this version of Fluxx is based loosely on concepts from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, with "guest appearances from King Arthur and all of his Knights, coconuts, a shrubbery, an unladen swallow, a trojan rabbit, a catapult, an airborne cow, the Holy Hand Grenade, and the Finger of God," and so on. Sounds like fun!

What: Monty Python Fluxx Game
Where: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
How much (as of today's post): $15.37 on Amazon (plus shipping)

The Great Resolution Exchange

If I may be excused for one more day on the stocking stuffers.... I thought instead I'd mention a little New Year's tradition we have at our annual New Year's parties. It's called the Great Resolution Exchange. Before midnight, we circulate little slips of paper and ask that people write down a resolution, whether silly or serious. They all go into a bowl, and at midnight we toast with champagne and sparkling juice, then each draw a resolution and read it aloud going around the group. Theoretically the one you draw and read is the one you're supposed to keep for yourself for the new year! Of course, I'm sure it doesn't always quite work out that way.....

This year it was a little more involved. The theme was the Evil League of Evil from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, so everyone was supposed to come as their evil alter-ego. Some folks wore elaborate costumes, and others didn't wear costumes but still invented a persona. We had Nurse Wretched, an adorable Dust Bunny who plotted to take over the world from underneath the bed, a subprime mortgage lender named Cha Ching, and so many more. So this year, when it came time to read resolutions, we had people introduce their alter-ego persona formally, then read the resolution, then read who the person writing that resolution had voted as Best Candidate for the Evil League of Evil. The winner was a fabulous Ming the Merciless.

We even have a resolution that has been recycled from year to year. A few years ago, an attendee took home the resolution he'd drawn and saved it all year, then brought it back the next year and added a note saying that the resolution was to be passed on from year to year. It's had three recipients so far, and back it will go on my bulletin board to save it for next year.

And now.... I am exhausted -- but happy! The last of our 67 (!) guests left at 4:30 a.m. (we had two out-of-town guests staying overnight who were already asleep.) We finished cleaning up the food at 6:30 a.m. One of our cats, who did not enjoy being sequestered all night, cried for an hour so I didn't get to sleep until 7:30 a.m. Then I got up at 10:00 a.m. so we could go out to breakfast with our house guests, and after that we got together and hung out with our other two out-of-town guests who had stayed in a nearby motel. They left at 4 p.m., and at 5 p.m. I went and took a four-hour nap. But I'm still not going to have any trouble sleeping tonight, I can tell you that!

I love New Year's -- it's my favorite holiday. Here is to a bright, happy, and healthy 2010 for everyone!