a few of my favorite things...

My unofficial holiday gift guide is here, and yes, I might be humming the "Sound of Music" tune as I write this... 'cause I'm cool like that. I wish this could be a little more like the fabulous Ms. Winfrey's "Favorite Things," where I send freebies out to all who are reading (You get a car! You get a car!), but alas, the items  below are simply recommendations of lovely little things that I've flagged throughout the year on Pinterest, seen on Instagram or filed away in the ol' noggin. The spirit of giving is the most wonderful feeling, isn't it? With that said, I present to you the Baby Meets City Holiday Gift Guide, or in layman's terms...

                                     The Stuff I Like List (Mom & Kiddie edition):

FOR THE LITTLES

I found Sophie & Lili via Instagram and it didn't take me any time to become a fan of this boutique line of dolls. Designed by artist Jennifer Vallez, you can choose from their in stock line, designed for girls AND boys, or have a custom doll created to look like your little one in their favorite outfit. Her offerings don't stop there: DIY doll kits, beautiful illustrations, cards and hair accessories are also available. The line is affordable and everything is made in the USA. Love!

"Joy" - isn't she a cutie?

Looking for a bit of culture in your gifts? I love the concept behind Culture Baby, "a global children's boutique," which features beautiful, handmade children's goods from all over the globe. Founded by 2 friends and fellow moms, Natalia and Monica, the mission behind Culture Baby is to offer products which celebrate cultural heritage and a love of global diversity. No plastic here, people. And when you have a moment, check out Monica's design blog, Hoolaboola -- it's one of my favorites!


Silk dresses from India

Language learning baby blocks

Hair accessories. Oh, I love them. Crawlings, an NYC-based company, has an adorable line of hair clips and headbands for girls, not to mention knee pads for your crawling baby (which officially falls into the "Why didn't I think of that?" category).

A pair of nesting dolls - does it get cuter?



Protect those little knees!

FOR MAMA

NYC-based Bluum is a monthly subscription service for moms and babies (with a Toddler Box line launching in January!) -- each box contains 4-5 carefully curated full-sized beauty & wellness items for mom and must-haves for your baby. Sign up for month to month, a 3-month or annual membership and keep the fun delivered right to your door. Now, while there are a LOT of "monthly" plans out there, here's what sets Bluum apart -- you pick a few of the items yourself, with one or two surprises thrown in for good measure. Love that! Lastly, with not a lot of spare time on my hands, I like the fact that Bluum does the shopping for you. Plans start as low as $11/month (hello, affordability). Learn a bit more from Nicole Gonzalez, Director of Brand Development (and new mama herself!) in this message.

I'll be sharing more about Hidden Baby in the new year, but here's an early introduction: created by sisters (of course I love that!) and partners, Kelsey and Courtney, this stylish line of bags, scarves, bracelets and shoes is a brand with a mission. Each Hidden Baby product has a baby hidden within the design, which represents those tiny ones who are born into unfortunate circumstances and often under-represented. A portion of Hidden Baby profits goes to organizations like Baby's Space, a non-profit child development program in Minnesota.

I have a major problem with C. Wonder. I walk into the store AND WANT EVERYTHING. This affordable mecca of fun, trendy items from clothes to housewares just makes me happy. It's as simple as that. I've got my eye on this adorable sweater which features heart elbow patches (hint, hint, Husband).

Stay tuned for the Foodie edition coming soon!



Disclaimer: I attended a party for Bluum and was given a Bluum Toddler Box to review. All opinions expressed, as always, are my own.