This post is sponsored by Netflix, a service to which I have already been a subscriber.

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I need a movie to watch on Netflix
What to watch on Netflix tonight?
I need a movie to watch on Netflix.
What’s good to watch on Netflix?

Search “Netflix” on Twitter (The Google of Conversation™) on any given night and you’ll find that one out of 10 tweets (my non-scientific assessment) is basically a call for recommendations on Netflix.

However, over the past two weeks we’ve seen a new and separate common refrain on Twitter regarding Netflix:

Hey, @Netflix, where did Dora and Blue Clues go?
@Netflix why did you take SpongeBob away?
NETFLIX GOT RID OF YO GABBA GABBA. WHAT THE. WHY.

(Also, of course, everyone has been tweeting and writing about the return of Arrested Development, now original programming by and exclusively for Netflix. Despite tepid and mixed reviews, I will watch continue to watch AD.)

Let’s just say that Netflix has been trending big on Twitter for the past week and highly discussed on Facebook as well.

So, what happened to Dora, Blues Clues, Wonder Pets, et al shows on Netflix?

In short, these are all Nickelodeon programs, and thus owned by Viacom. And, Netflix and Viacom didn’t renew their licensing deal. I was at Netflix’s office last week with a team of other online parenting writers and met Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer. As a group, we pointedly asked him about the Nickelodeon shows and why they were coming down. He told us that as Netflix renews its deals it needs to make choices all the time. When looking at the Nickelodeon library, they were paying for the kitchen sink (my words) when in fact they only want specific shows, the ones that Netflix members are actually watching. My takeaway is that I wouldn’t be surprised if we see certain Nick shows back on Netflix eventually.

The good news is that with recently struck deals with Disney and Dreamworks, Netflix has added more kids programming to their library than has come down because of the Nickelodeon/Viacom deal expiring.

One of Ted Sarandos’ final remarks was that “keeping [Netflix] members happy is key.” So, that got me thinking about the kids shows and movies that YOU would like to see on Netflix (my own requests to Netflix are below). Please turn my comments section into your suggestion box.

But first, let’s look at what current programming (for kids and adults) I would recommend on Netflix. My son is ten going on 16, so cartoons don’t appeal to him anymore (except SpongeBob). But, below are my picks given what my son and I have enjoyed in the past and what I think looks fantastic.

Recommendations of Fun Kids TV selections on Netflix

Phineas and Ferb
Curious George
Super Why
Sesame Street
The Busy World of Richard Scarry
Bob the Builder (my son was obsessed as a toddler)
Doctor Who (for older kids)
Family Ties (for older kids)
My Little Pony (I have never watched, but Rebecca, who I trust, tells me it’s fantastic and she’s raising her own Brony).
Meerkat Manor
Kickin’ It (for older kids)
Cake Boss
MythBusters
How It’s Made (TV Series fact-based educational series demonstrates how all sorts of items are constructed)

Netflix Kids Movies I think are/look awesome

Hugo
ParaNorman
The Muppet Movie
The Bad News Bears
Daddy Day Care
Billy Elliot
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Red Balloon
First Position (documentary— not in kids section. For older kids)
Mad Hot Ballroom (documentary—not in kids section. For older kids)
Pressure Cooker (documentary—not in kids section. For older kids)
Bully (documentary—not in Kids section. For tweens.)
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (I hear this a compelling documentary for kids and adults alike)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (for tweens)

Suggestions for Additions to Netflix Kids Programming

Charlie & Lola (my son is too old, but I adored this British cartoon)
My So-Called Life
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Full House
Night at the Museum
SpongeBob
Fantasia
The Iron Giant
A Little Princess
The Dark Crystal
The Sandlot
Stand By Me
The Cosby Show

I think I understand why folks say that they “don’t know what to watch on Netflix.” Overwhelmed by choices?  Not only is my recommendation list of TV shows and movies on Netflix (below) super long, my Netflix queue (also below) is out of control. (all I want to do right now is watch “House of Cards“.) Anyway, for those grown-ups seeking recommendations for movies and TV shows on Netflix, hope these lists are helpful. Please to enjoy:

TV Shows & Movies on Netflix You Should See

House of Cards (Original programming by and exclusively for Netflix)
Arrested Development
Mad Men
The Walking Dead
Damages
Luther (F*** Yeah, Idris Elba)
Breaking Bad
American Horror Story (don’t watch alone. so scary. so great.)
Downton Abbey
Lost
24
Friday Night Lights
Exit Through the Gift Shop
The King’s Speech
The Hunger Games
Big Fish
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
In the Name of the Father
My Left Foot
Boyz N The Hood
Traffic
Far From Heaven
Witness
Pulp Fiction
Swimming Pool

TV Shows & Movies on Netflix that I’m Excited to Watch

Call The Midwife
Doctor Who
Parenthood
Sons of Anarchy
The West Wing
Firefly
Alias
Fringe
Battlestar Galactica
X-Files
Freaks and Geeks
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Tiny Furniture (by Lena Dunham)
The Artist
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Happy
Drive (yes, Ryan Gosling)
Blue Valentine (yes, Ryan Gosling again)
The Untouchables
Harmony (Yunjin Kim and I went to high school together—she’s a STAR in Korea)
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down!
Ordinary People
Friends with Kids
Farewell My Concubine

Yes, my recommendation lists skew more to TV programs than movies. Every night, my husband and I prefer to stay home in bed and binge-watch our latest TV show crush than the vast majority of movies in the theaters. It’s no secret that TV programming has been kicking movies’ butts for the past dozen years in terms of creativity and originality. Netflix’s programming library reflects that reality and for $8 per month (coupled with the fact that every internet-ready device in my home can stream Netflix) it’s a compelling service for us.

Now it’s time to tell me here what programming (particularly kids) that you think should be on Netflix.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg cancelled the NYC marathon and instead marathoners visited hard hit areas to help clean-up. Many New Yorkers and neighbors from NJ and Connecticut joined them in the weeks that followed.

Rockaway Beach after Hurricane Sandy

I wasn’t planning on running the NYC marathon, but have come to see the Hurricane Sandy rebuilding efforts as NYC’s real marathon this year. Along with friends I did as much as I could. I tried to help with cleanup in the Rockaways. With my sister, I delivered donations– that poured in from online friends from around the country– to relief centers in Staten Island. My friend Jessica Shyba and I also delivered donations to Staten Island and then finally Coney Island, where I had spent many summer days as a young girl growing up in Brooklyn.

I’ll always remember the sense of relief when I saw Coney Island’s boardwalk again that November afternoon. I was scared that it had washed away, like so much of the Rockaway Beach’s boardwalk. Yes, of course it could be rebuilt, but the Coney Island boardwalk had been such an early memory of my three-year old mind that its loss would hurt. I was so grateful it was still there.

Coney Island boardwalk after Hurricane Sandy

I didn’t write much about my visits to the hurricane-affected areas because my contributions were so small compared to what many others were doing. However, what I have since come to realize and learn is that if we all do a little, together we can move the needle and make what at least feels like a noticeable difference for the better amongst so much destruction.

So, I am eager to help Parents Magazine and its owner, The Meredith Corporation, rebuild some homes in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn. It’s a small seaside community where 75% of the homes were unexpectedly flooded during Hurricane Sandy (the area was originally Zone B and thus wasn’t evacuated). Gerritsen Beach can be described as a tight-knit multi-generational family community with some residents living there 50 or more years. Gerritsen Beach had never experienced flooding that reached as high as 6 feet in the basements or first floors of their homes and along with it destroying the most cherished belongings of its residents. I feel so fortunate that I can go back to my hometown of Brooklyn and do a little bit more to help.

with Sarah Bryden-Brown of GoMighty speaking to local Gerritsen Beach resident Jimmy

Along with my friend Sarah Bryden-Brown of GoMighty and the editors of Meredith’s magazines, we visited some of the homes and properties we will help to restore on June 6. Now, there’s going to be a whole team of helpers on June 6th.

One special area that I hope to help restore is Kiddie Beach. It’s a small beach area along the Plum Beach Channel that serves as a gathering area for the Gerritsen Beach community. It’s where Gerritsen neighbors– especially the kids and families– gather during summer nights and hang out. There’s a basketball court, a playground and a small stage where the kids put on their shows– all of which needs to be refurbished. Originally, the community wasn’t expecting Kiddie Beach to be open this summer season. Coney Island is my Kiddie Beach and I would love for it to be available and safe for the kids this summer.

Kiddie Beach before Hurricane Sandy

Kiddie Beach after Hurricane Sandy

Remember the theory I’ve embraced? If lots of us can do a little bit, we can move the needle. That’s the goal here. There will be hundreds of volunteers from Rebuilding Together and the Meredith Corporation. Together with the members of the Gerritsen Beach community we hope to help finish a process that first began with a tremendous clean-up effort back in early November.

I’ve never had any desire to lace up sneakers and run in a marathon, but if helping to rebuild is NYC’s marathon, then it’s one I’ll always sign up. I love this city so hard.

Photo credits: top photo by Adrian Kinloch and Kiddie Beach Before by GerritsenBeach.net

Teacher Appreciation Week is always the first full week of May and that’s approaching soon.

If you and your kids are thinking of a small gift to show your appreciation for all the hard work and care your teacher has done and shown your family this year, an iTunes gift card is a nice alternative to the popular Starbucks gift card and chocolate.

Here’s a printable Teacher Appreciation card that you can download, print and then your kids can personalize for their teachers.

We have two versions available: each with a boy and a girl on it. But the message is the same: “iThink you’re an awesome teacher.”

Click here to download the different cards: boy and girl. Two cards print out per sheet.

In fact, with the iTunes gift card, you and your children can even include a list of favorite tunes to recommend for the teacher to download.

Here are some of my favorites that have gotten some heavy rotation in my iTunes Library recently:

1. “Blood” by The Middle East
2. “Along the Way” by DeVotchKa
3. “At Home” by Crystal Fighters
4. “Einstein On the Beach, Knee Play 5″ by Philip Glass
5. “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars

But, I would love to hear your music recommendations as gifts for teachers.

It greatly saddens me that it was just four months ago that I wrote Thinking of Newtown. Here we are again mourning as a nation. Thinking about how to explain and talk about this tragedy with our children.

I am so sorry, Boston. My heart goes out to all of those hurt and affected by this tragedy.

When watching the television news coverage yesterday, I broke down when the the Boston Police Commissioner asked his citizens to stay home as the crime was still a developing one. I was taken back to 9/11, getting to my uptown home from my downtown Manhattan office. Learning that our city (and country) was still under siege. It was terrifying.

As my friend Marinka asked after Newtown…

Where are all the resources to help parents cope with these tragedies?

Stay safe and strong, parents. Stay safe and strong, Boston. Much love to you all.

Photo source: The Illuminator

This post is sponsored by Lookmatic where you can buy stunning eyewear online at amazing prices.

I started wearing glasses about 20 years ago during my senior year in college. Throughout the years many of my classes were often held in this same one very large auditorium with stadium seating. My first year, I sat in the back row. The following year I was wondering why the professors were now using the cheaper brand of chalk and I was having a harder time reading their writing. And, each year I would move down a dozen rows until I was basically in the front row during my senior year. By then I realized that it wasn’t the crappy chalk but my deteriorating eyesight. I was nearsighted.

Ever since, eyewear has been a part of of my daily life. I’ve never tried contact lenses and haven’t had a desire to, either.

This is what I have learned over the past 20 years:

Own Your Look
Look to the right hand of the screen. See the “author box?” My cartoon avatar is there. Without so much as a conversation with the artist, he illustrated me and made eyewear clearly part of my signature look. Over the years I have embraced it with gusto. In past years, I went with slimmer glasses. But, now I prefer eyewear that is bolder, with larger frames. I’ve never gotten more compliments.

Don’t Get Stuck in a Rut. Instead, Experiment.
I’ve only now started to get more specs into my eyewear rotation. I was lackadaisical about getting new glasses, only getting a new pair every 5 to 8 years. BORING. Also, until very recently, prescription eyewear was a very expensive purchase, with a pair of glasses costing at least several hundred dollars. For example, prescription glasses through our sponsor Lookmatic.com start at $95 per pair. And, all of them are uber-stylish. Plus, you don’t need to get your tushie to a retail store. You can try on eyewear virtually (and, share your picture with your friends on Facebook and have them help you choose, too) and then order and purchase online. At such a good price point, I can have a few pairs in rotation for the price of what one pair cost in the past.

Everyone needs to Get Their Eyes Checked at 40
Prior to getting my optical prescription updated for these new frames I’m wearing here, I had last visited the ophthalmologist two years ago. He surprised me by announcing that my prescription had stayed the same over the past 15 years. But since that conversation, I’ve turned 40. And virtually overnight, I found myself doing that tell-tale move where you adjust a newspaper or a book away from your eyes, to arm’s length, in order to focus them better.

I knew I needed to get my eyes rechecked and discovered that everyone, starting in their early-to-mid-40s, develops presbyopia which is the gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects. It’s just a natural part of aging and continues to worsen until you’re 65. It was explained to me that during your 20s and 30s your eyes change very little, and then when you hit 40, it’s a rapid decline.

Presbyopia is corrected with nonprescription reading glasses, prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. Since I already had a prescription for nearsightedness, I customized this pair of Ricky eyeglasses by Lookmatic with what’s called progressive lenses, which are basically bifocal lenses but without that line through the middle. The upper part of the lens is to help me see what’s in the distance and the lower part helps to correct for my naturally aging eyes.

The silver lining here? I’m totally giving myself permission to buy a pair of prescription sunglasses. I need it to soothe my aging ego and the optometrist told me I need to protect my eyes from sunlight. (If this is the most extravagant midlife crisis purchase I make, I think that’s pretty good.) Checkout the Marlowe sunglasses (with its fantastic price), as that’s the pair I’m coveting.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me, do you wear prescription glasses? If so, what have you learned? I’m a Want-To-Know-It-All.

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Thank you to our sponsor Lookmatic. Our sponsors help make this site possible.

Photos are by my talented friend Jessica Shyba of Momma’s Gone City. Thank you, wonderful lady.

Wanna be friends? Offer me some gummy bears. I’ve loved them forever.

So, of course, inspired by one of my most favorite candies, we created these candy treat bag toppers so kids can hand out personalized gummy bears valentines to friends and classmates.

Available are four different color variations of our gummy bear valentine: red, blue, yellow and green.

Just download and print the Valentine candy treat bag topper, cut and staple onto a small cellophane candy treat bag. Our candy treat bags are 4 inches wide, but we left a margin on the printable so that it can be trimmed and used with slightly less-wide bags. Our treat bags were also too long, so we trimmed the top to make them shorter in length.

On the back of the card, your kids can address it to the valentine and sign their names.

A variety bag of multicolored gummy bears are widely available through Haribo. But, you can also find single-colored gummy bears available in red cherry, blue raspberry, green apple and yellow mango in bulk size through Candy Warehouse.

My son and I will be going to nearby Dylan’s Candy Bar to load up on blue raspberry and green apple gummy bears. He’s almost ten and not a fan of handing out “red” valentines to girls and boys (ick! he thinks).

Printables for download:

Red Gummy Bear Valentine Treat Bag Topper
Yellow Gummy Bear Valentine Treat Bag Topper
Green Gummy Bear Valentine Treat Bag Topper
Blue Gummy Bear Valentine Treat Bag Topper
Black & White Gummy Bear Valentine Treat Bag Topper

Along with many others, I am trying to put one foot in front of the other as we mourn the innocent lives lost on Friday in the Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy. As President Obama said last night, when you become a parent, the children of the world become your children. And, as details unfold about the acts of heroism on Friday by teachers and we get to know the victims better, our hearts break some more.

Below is the video of President Obama’s speech at last night’s vigil. I think many parents, like me, weren’t able to watch it live as children were still awake and were were trying to shield them from the media’s ongoing news coverage of this tragedy. If you haven’t already, please watch it.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

President Obama ended with “… for those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory….”

Before, I go back to discussing that key thought by Obama, I would like to take a quick detour and share two resources by the Child Mind Institute, a internationally leading research and care center for children’s mental health. Child Mind is my go-to resource:

1) What parents can do to aid kids in processing grief and fear in a healthy way

2) Signs of Trauma in Children: What to watch for in the weeks and months after an upsetting event

I don’t know about you, but I feel so helpless in the aftermath of tragedies. What helps me a touch is staying consistent with my routine, but also trying to do something. To try to enact change. Or, as President Obama said, “…make our country worthy of their memory….” I will not forget that. It will continue to move me forward.

So far, this is what I have done and am sharing it here:

1) Sign your name to this White House petition in support of gun control reform, including measures to restrict access to semi-automatic weapons and to require background checks as part of the process of buying a gun. (via The Mission List) I am sure there are other petitions circulating as well and I will take a serious look at signing them all.  Email me, please with others.

2) Donate to honor Noah Pozner, one of the twenty children lost at Sandy Hook. Noah is the nephew of a dear friend of mine. Donations are made to an irrevocable trust specifically for Noah’s surviving siblings, two of whom were also in the school that day, in different classrooms. The funds received will be used to provide counseling services, education and basic needs for the children at this time of grief. Noah leaves behind his twin sister and three other siblings, and is the youngest victim in this horrible tragedy.

3) Donate to Newtown Parent Connection, which is a grassroots organization established by concerned parents and other informed citizens of Newtown, CT to address the problem of substance use and abuse among young people in our community. They are currently offering trauma support for the community. All donations made will be donated to those directly affected by the shooting. (via Mommy Poppins)

4) Join the One Million Child March on DC for Gun Control group on Facebook. It’s still an idea that’s in formation, but the plan is for one million kids (and their parents) to march on Washington to rally Congress for change in gun control.  (via Mom 101)

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I am closing comments on this post. If you would like to send me comments or additional resources (which I will gladly list) please send me an email. Thank you.

Goodbye, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Hello, Giving Tuesday! We’ve been so looking forward to you for the past couple of months.

#GivingTuesday is the day we start off the holiday season by celebrating giving – a day when families, charities, businesses, community centers, students, retailers and more can come together to encourage giving during the holiday season.

Research shows that 83 percent of Americans say they would prefer to receive a meaningful gift that would help someone else instead of a traditional gift like clothing or electronics. I love that. So, as you’re thinking about the giving season, please keep this in mind.

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As I mentioned, I am turning my attention to highlighting NY-based institutions. Last week, it was the New Victory Theater and today, it’s Dance Theatre of Harlem. Even though I never became a professional dancer, the free high-quality ballet education that I received as a child and teenager played a critical role in shaping my life. Today, I continue to dedicate my time and energy to ballet, specifically Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) as a member of its Board of Directors.

DTH was founded in 1969 in a garage by Arthur Mitchell, the first African-American principal dancer with New York City Ballet. Inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement, the mission of the DTH school was to give the children of Harlem the same opportunity that Mitchell had had as a teenager. The professional ballet company went on to become a leading and critically-acclaimed American ballet company.

Over the past 43 years, more than one million dancers, children and audience members have experienced Dance Theatre of Harlem programs across the US and the world. This is important because every day DTH demonstrates that dancers of color can not only perform ballet, but do so at the highest level.

Ballet is a very expensive education. They say it takes 10 years to train a dancer. When I was in school, I took three dance classes per day and two on the weekend, that’s 17 per week. Pointe shoes cost about $75 per pair. I was lucky if I could go a week without needing another pair. A pair usually lasts a professional ballerina one– maybe two –performances. In short, the cost of a ballet education alone is a huge barrier to entry, forget about access and time.

As you think about supporting the arts and arts education, please consider Dance Theatre of Harlem. There are many ways you can give and show support:

1) a tax-deductible contribution
2) buy a ticket as DTH tours the country
3) like DTH on Facebook

Learn more about DTH’s community outreach is a critical part of its mission:

The young girl at 3:07 slays me.

Photo credits: top (Judy Tyrus), second (Jack Vartoogian), third (Jeremy Harrous)

Gifts for Young Ones

1. Baby Literature Board Books (aka BabyLit). These are a great set to gift to any infant or toddler. They are fun and witty and the illustrations are fabulous. Since our initial review, they have added A Christmas Carol and Dracula to the BabyLit series.

2. Roll & Play Board Game: This “first board game” received an outstanding review from our Yay to the Nay contributor Ilana and readers as well. It’s perfect for toddlers and young preschoolers, aged 2+.

3. I Never Forget A Face Memory Game: This memory card game can be adapted to be played as a matching game with younger children. Ilana and her young daughter loved it, as did my son and I when he was younger.

4. The Picnic Game: Even though this game is recommended for children ages 5+, our contributor Ilana’s almost-three-year old loves it. My son was also younger than 5 when we enjoyed it regularly. It’s a great board game to play on the floor.

5. Feed The Kitty: My son and I loved this roll-the-dice game and we traveled with it often when he was younger (we would just take the dice and pieces with us in a ziploc). Ilana and her three-year-old didn’t seem to like it as much (that may be because of her younger age) but it eventually grew on them. I definitely would recommend it for the 4-5 year olds in your life. Read the full review here.

6. Beginner Floor Jigsaw Puzzles by Crocodile Creek: after testing out a few different ones, Ilana decided that her favorite maker of floor jigsaw puzzles for her young daughter is Crocodile Creek. They are more expensive than the others on the market, but she thinks it worth it. They have lots of designs from which to choose. Here’s the full review of beginner floor jigsaw puzzles.

7. Magna-Tiles: they are the piece de resistance. This is by far my favorite toy in the whole wide world and Ilana and her daughter agree about their awesomeness. Unfortunately, Magna-Tiles are pri-cey! Yeah, this is a big investment, but totally worth it in my opinion. This is a toy that if my 9 year old stumbles upon, will continue to play. So, I recommend starting to buy tiles when young and then add and add to the collection. So worth it. Also, a bit of trivia for you… last year, there was a total run on Magna-tiles (there was even an article about it in the Wall Street Journal). They are produced in one factory in Indonesia which had been flooded in our early autumn, thereby halting production for the holiday season. Boom, the only way you could find them was in the auction market on eBay. But, it looks like supply issue has been fixed. Those prices you’re seeing on Amazon? Yep, regular price. I know.

8. Legos: every one loves Legos. I agree Legos are awesome, even if they hurt like a mutha—- when you step on ‘em when barefoot. Because of the small pieces, regular Legos are not recommended for young ones. But, there’s a line called Duplo where the pieces are bigger and therefore safer. To read more about introducing Lego to your child, here’s some fun and useful advice from last week.

Gifts for School-Aged Kids

1. Board Games: our contributor, Wendi and her sons spent weeks playing a whole bunch of board games and then sharing their opinions. Their favorites: Blokus, Spot It, Qwirkle, and Apples to Apples Jr. Even though they had some difficulty figuring out how to play SET, it’s one of my favorite games and our readers’ too. So, I definitely recommend SET and it makes a perfect stocking stuffer, too.

2. Legos: yes, definitely Legos. Don’t know which set to buy? Our long-time contributor Amalah thinks that you should start with the Lego Creator or the Lego City sets before jumping into the branded/licensed set options which tend to be more expensive. If you are shopping for a Lego master, I think the holidays are a perfect time to gift the more difficult and expensive (but also more awesome) Lego Architecture sets. My son and I worked on Fallingwater a couple of years ago and he found it to be a refreshing challenge.

3. LeapPad2: I struggled whether or not to include the LeapPad2 on this list since Ilana’s review was not a “Yay.” Ilana admits herself that part of her family’s frustration with touchscreen learning tablets has been their daughter’s long-term use of the iPad. Nevertheless, Ilana concluded that she was going to continue to help her daughter transition to the LeapPad2. Here’s the full review of the LeapPad2 so you can decide for yourself.

Stocking Stuffers for Kids & Adults

1. Cool Typography Pencils: I’ve always loved monogrammed pencils. These take it to the next level with inside jokes (like classic rap verses and Twin Peaks memories) and inspirational, but witty sayings. One Up Designs seems to have the largest selection, but Patch NYC has less irreverent sets. (Last year I gave my son and husband pencils with the sayings of our Family Manifesto on them).

2. Breakdancing Plastic Figures: inspired by the classic green army men plastic toys, these breakdancing b-boy and b-girl plastic figures are my kind of toy. Don’t fight, dance. You can get a small set for $1.95 or invest in a 20-pack bag for $29.95.

3. Personalized Photo Notepads from Pinhole Press: every year, I make a bunch of photo notepads for the family. My husband’s is always a stocking stuffer and this year I’m making one for my son to. I loved stationery as a child and think it’s time that my 9 year old gets one, too. Here’s an explanation of how I designed the personalized photo notepads.

Instant Crowd Pleasers

1. DVD Box Sets: yes, my husband and I gift lots of box sets of DVDs to our adult family members during the holidays. We just love to share our favorite TV show picks. Here are some recent faves: Friday Night Lights (5 seasons): which ended its TV run last year may be my favorite show of all time. Game of Thrones: seasons 1 & 2 are on DVD, and season 3 will be on TV next year. This series is like Gladiator meets The Tudors. There’s lots of violence and it’s very risque– wow. Downton Abbey, like GoT is about to start its third season on television in the US, unless you want to go ahead and buy the UK version which is already available for sale. Downton Abbey is ultimately a soap opera but because it’s set in the UK during the first quarter of the 20th century and it co-stars Maggie Smith, you totally forget and forgive. Homeland is currently airing its second season and is a great gift for anyone who liked 24. There’s Luther which is another BBC import, starring one of the most Beautiful Men in the World, Idris Elba. If your giftee liked Law & Order, well Luther is 100 times grittier and just brilliant.

2. Books: are always a great gift. Here are some of my favorites from the past year or so that I recommend to adult giftees: Rules of Civility, Gone Girl (whatta page turner), Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Happier at Home, and Sh*tty Mom. For a cookbook choice I love Mark Bittman’s new How to Cook Everything: The Basics (with 1,000 Photos). It’s a fantastic reference guide and includes wonderful recipes.

3. Heirloom US State/Country Cutting Board: I have been coveting this for years, so that is why it is on the list. Isn’t it an interesting gift and conversation piece? There is a two-week lead time. The US State cutting boards have been around on gift guides for a while now. But now they make some international country versions, too!

4. Voz geometric wooden bangle: earlier this year I was gifted a Voz wooden bangle by the nice folks at Wantist. And, I fell in love. These wooden bracelets have a cool geometric design in a bright color and are a fantastic price. You can peruse the offerings or order a custom one for the same price. There’s a sale through November 27 and I plan on picking up some more for myself and to gift.

5. Lego Cufflinks: a couple of Father’s Days ago, I recommended custom made Lego cufflinks. They are constructed from Lego minifigures and they are so funny. They come in lots of different themes like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. It’s the perfect touch for any man-child or just a mature dad who wants to show some Lego solidarity with his kid.

Delish & They Ship

Here are some of my favorite sweet things. Luckily they are all available for shipping.

1. Lady M Mille Crepes Cake: this is my favorite cake in the whole world. This world-famous cake (it really is; Google it) features twenty paper-thin handmade crepes layered with fresh light pastry cream. It’s heavenly and is a total splurge. If you or your gift recipient live in the tri-state area, there are two Lady M outposts for you to visit or call. If not, there’s shipping available. This cake must stay and served chilled, so make sure your gift recipient is not off on a trip when the package is sent.

2. Baked By Melissa cupcakes are the size of a quarter and perfect to send as gifts or serve at a party, especially since the the bite-size means no cupcake wrapper of which to dispose. It’s the perfect gift to send to a family or an office.

3. Macarons by Dana’s Bakery: in the US it seems like 2012 was the year of the macaron. My fave is by Dana’s Bakery which adds surprise flavors (like Fruity Pebbles, Jelly Donut and Cookie Dough) to its artisanal macarons. With one taste, it’s clear that Dana’s Bakery takes its craft seriously. Fun!

4. Vosges chocolates: if your gift recipient loves chocolate, you will not disappoint with Vosges. There are lots of different chocolate gift packages to choose from, at varying price points. Me? I love the chocolate bars and the caramel marshmallows.

Okay, I’m going to have a slice of leftover Lady M Mille Crepe cake now (I ordered a big cake for Thanksgiving dinner).

Past gift guides for ideas: Kids (2011), more kids (2011), 2010, 2009, and 2008.

As you know I have been writing a #GivingTuesday series for a few weeks now. And, we’re getting close. This year — its first year– #GivingTuesday is on Tuesday, November 27. That makes it less than a week away.

Just to remind you, #GivingTuesday is a day to celebrate giving – a day when families, charities, businesses, community centers, students, retailers and more can come together to encourage giving during the holiday season. Appropriately, it’s also after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

I love how Mashable, one of #GivingTuesday’s founding partners put it, “The best part of this new day of giving? You can make it all your own. There’s no one company or one cause driving the campaign.”

I am honored to have been asked to participate in a short video series that #GivingTuesday prepared for the web to increase awareness of this new movement:

Immediately following Hurricane Sandy, I wrote about ways you can help in Sandy aid efforts. I would also like to highlight to other efforts that are dedicated to not only immediate relief aid, but also towards the long-term rebuilding that will be required in NYC:

1) The NYC Mayor’s Fund (if making a monetary donation, write in memo line of check: Hurricane Sandy Relief), and
2) OccupySandy which was originally started by the organizers of Occupy Wall Street and has since been incredible in their organization and on-the-ground-mobilization of volunteers and donations.

Help launch #GivingTuesday.