After what was the longest year ever, it was almost unbelievable how fast Christmas showed up all of a sudden. Maybe it was because everyone was ready to be in the holiday spirit much sooner all things considered and decorated earlier than other years. We still waited until after Thanksgiving but welcomed the extra joy with open arms.
Christmas 2020 was the first time both Laney and Morgan understood Santa. Laney was so excited she didn’t stop talking about his upcoming visit to our house. And I don’t think Laney quite got Santa at Morgan’s age, Morgan has been able to catch on through big sister. So needless to say, Christmas morning was extra special! Surprisingly, both girls slept in until 9:00am! Then we slowly opened presents rather than tearing into them like in years past and just enjoyed being together. My heart is still so full weeks later thinking about their joy.
We all received some really great gifts, so now in the new year with other upcoming holidays, birthdays and celebrations, I thought I would share our 10 favorites.
Top 10 Christmas Favorites
- Tripod
One of my goals this year is to really learn how to use my Canon camera. I also wanted one that was most sturdy and taller than my current table top tripod. This tripod extends to 67″, is lightweight, durable, has a bubble level, carrying case, quick release plates and a phone attachment accessory. It has been so easy to use and I have gotten a lot of use out of it already. I look forward to being able to take better and more (!!) family pictures this year, especially since schedules and toddlers don’t always go hand in hand with scheduling a session with an actual photographer. You feel me, moms? - Microphone
Laney can’t help herself, when the music starts she has to move. She loves to sing and dance so I knew this would be a great gift for her! Simply connect the microphone to your phone via Bluetooth and play whatever song you’d like. There is also a piece in the back that slides out to hold a phone to be able to have lyrics to follow along to. But since Laney can’t read, we don’t bother with the phone and just let her put on a show. It’s pretty amazing to see how many words to songs she actually knows! - Flamingo Charger
Santa knows my love for flamingos and put this cute charger in my stocking. When plugged in they light up and it’s definitely one of my favorites from Christmas. One end is a USB and the other fits an iPhone. Also available in stars and colored Christmas lights. - PopSockets Charger
It’s rare that Brad is able to surprise me with a gift but I had no idea about this one! We have tried several different types of wireless chargers, even the ones that say they work with pop sockets and none have worked. Until now! PopSockets actually came out with one that is designed to cradle your pop socket while charging your phone. I have mine in our kitchen and just lay it down to charge whenever I am doing dishes or fixing a meal. Comes in white, black and bloom. - Leopard Blanket
My mother-in-law has a similar blanket and it’s everyone’s favorite to snuggle into when we go to their house to visit. So this year, one of my top items on my Christmas list was this faux fur blanket, especially when I saw they now had it in a leopard option! It’s so soft and has the right amount of weight to it. If I’m not using it, I can usually find Laney or my yorkie with it. Love it — and it’s currently on clearance! - Massage Gun
Having used something similar at the Chiropractor, I thought this would be a great gift for Brad. And I was right! It’s been a big hit. So often he comes home with a tired or tight back so this has definitely helped in the short time he has used it. And if I’m being honest, I knew I would enjoy it too. It’s done wonders for a strained calf muscle I got during a recent workout. It’s also great for minimizing muscle soreness after a workout. It comes with a nice case, LED screen and six different massage heads. It has adjustable speeds, is easy to hold and super easy to use! - Lego Light Kit
Brad loves to put together large, intricate legos. Specifically the Technic line from which he has done a backhoe and a crane. So for Christmas we gave him an excavator and a First Responder vehicle since Brad used to volunteer with the fire department. During my lego shopping, I stumbled across a company who made light kits for a bunch of different legos. Since Brad has essentially done the same thing on his truck I knew he would get a kick out of this. And they are reasonably priced so win win! Having never seen these kits before he got a huge kick out of this gift! Definitely a fun gift for a lego lover to go with a new lego or one they have already completed! - VTech Write & Learn
Laney has been working really hard to learn her letters and how to spell her name. So this year, we wanted to be sure some of her gifts could also help facilitate this learning. Enter VTech’s Write & Learn. The magnetic doodle pad makes it fun but also easy to erase. It has a small screen to give kids a visual and talks to them to explain what they are supposed to be doing. Choose from a variety of options to learn including lines, shapes, 26 objects, numbers, letters, uppercase, lowercase and your child’s name. Laney loves it and is so proud of the progress she has made with writing her name! - Baby Shark Vacuum
Morgan’s love for Baby Shark runs deep. She also loves to “help” me vacuum so when I saw this, I knew it had to be on her Christmas list. It has real suction power, rechargeable batteries, an adjustable handle, a button to play the song and another button to turn on lights as well as spin around shark confetti. It has been a big hit! - Mickey Waffle Maker
First of all, Mickey shaped food just tastes better. Am I right?! My parents gave this to the girls as part of their gift but we are all loving this new addition to our kitchen! I’ve lost count how many times we have made Mickey waffles now. They look just like the waffles you can get at Disney parks! The settings make it super easy to use and the nonstick plates and very high quality. But the most impressive feature is that it makes 6 waffles at one time (3 on top and 3 on the bottom)!! No more eating in shifts — everyone can eat hot waffles together at the same time. 10/10 recommend!
The trainer of the recent program I finished frequently did a “bonus” exercise at the end of some of the workouts. So following suit, here’s one more thing that Laney and Morgan were given by my brother during our recent belated gift exchange.
Hot Wheels Sky Crash Tower
Obsessed. The one word to describe how much the girls play with this. They love playing with cars in general so I knew this would be a big hit. They love to see the cars get launched up the hill and I honestly don’t think they’ve ever played better together with one toy. Normally they fight over whatever the other is playing with but they play so well with this Hot Wheels track which comes in very handy when I’m trying to cook dinner. Highly recommend if you have a Hot Wheels lover!
What was a favorite gift you or someone in your family received this holiday season? Tell me in the comments!
Here’s what’s to come over the next week at Multiplying Michie:
- Best Books of 2020
- Target Finds Friday
- National Winnie the Pooh Day
- Meal Plan Monday
- National Popcorn Day
- Laney’s 4th Birthday!
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