Might get into the holiday spirit
Might bust out the peppermint bark
Hello! Season’s greetings! I hope this installment of Weekend Mom Newsletter finds you well!
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I am currently navigating a holiday version of my normal weekend quandary: what to do with a tween? Only this time instead of trying to dream up activities to do with a tween I have been trying to come up with presents that aren’t the tech things (computer, phone) he really wants. Obviously, it’s a good problem to have.
I got as far as tennis balls with his name printed on them and then took a break. If you have any holiday gift ideas for tweens please let me know.
This weekend I’m looking forward to revisiting/listening to the Santaland Diaries, as well as finishing The Buccaneers, which I am really enjoying! It’s a re-imagining of an unfinished Edith Wharton novel, and, after reading so many historical romance novels in November, it’s really relaxing to watch a historical romance! Maybe I’ll get a holiday movie in next week.
Here’s an unfinished holiday comic I made last week:
(The show is ‘Home for Christmas’ on Netflix)
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Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this holiday mélange! It is still calendar season, so if you are so inclined, please grab a calendar and rate/review it! I really appreciate it!
Sending warm holiday wishes! Tell me what you are gifting the tween in your life, what you are watching and reading. I love a juicy rec. ❄️
Most of my gift ideas are book related bc that’s my job, BUT something that can check off the “what to do” and “what to gift” — something of his own for the kitchen. I legit just got rid of the panini press / waffle maker my godfather gave me for Christmas in 1999. (I was 11.)
If he likes Chinese food, Grace Lin’s CHINESE MENU is a fun, browsable book that you could get into with him to get interested in the stories behind popular Chinese menu dishes! (https://gracelin.com/chinese-menu/ — there are links to recipes for dishes in the book on that page) You could pair with chopsticks, a wok, a Chinese tea pot bc middle school boys can actually geek out on tea…
This is also reading related (to me) but doesn’t have to be — does he have a really good headlamp?! Best gift ever 😂
Tween gifting is so challenging! My tween's 10th birthday is also next week so it's a real double whammy. She is still into LEGO so that's one of the things she's getting. She is also getting a lot of drawing supplies (this is one of her favorite hobbies but other hobby supplies could be good too), new winter boots, and sheets/comforter/curtains because she recently moved into her own room.