What's Up Wednesdays: Happy Holiday Edition

To start this particularly festive edition of What’s Up Wendesdays, Simon Ragoonanan has compiled his list of non-girly gifts for girls. Contrary to what popular culture (and the toy stores, for that matter) might lead you to believe, not every girl on your Christmas shopping list is interested in dolls in pink dresses (though there’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting a doll in a pink dress either). Did you know there’s a whole Star Wars series by Little Golden Books?

Keeping up with the season of giving, Chris Read has his own take on the holiday gift guide for the kids on your “nice” list. LEGO is a timeless classic that continues to endure in our increasingly digital age, so you can’t really go wrong with picking up a “nice” set of bricks. And did you know that Playmobil has an NHL set too? It’s a simulated arena that promises hours of hockey-themed fun.

Shifting gears away from just buying stuff and toward making memories, Tara Jensen has compiled a number of different family friendly events in and around the Vancouver area to celebrate during the holiday season. Ride the Christmas train at Bear Creek Park in Surrey, surround yourself with the Bright Nights at Stanley Park, or take a step into the past with Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum.

When I was younger, my family didn’t really exchange too many Christmas cards, but I know a lot of families did and continue to send them to family and friends. Andrea Firmani wonders, though, whether paper Christmas cards have become a relic of the past. There’s still something special about a physical card with a handwritten note, even though we’re in an age of animated JibJab cards and Facebook greetings. Do you still send out personalized cards? We did last year.

Speaking of my childhood, I had always assumed that my parents had it completely together. Now that I’m a parent myself, my perspective is shifting. Indeed, Creed Anthony has learned that raising children is like driving in the fog. Even though your vision is clearly quite limited, you still put on this air of confidence with your kids so they think you know what you’re doing. There are days when you’d really rather not be behind the wheel either.

And in case you missed it, I posted my own list of gift ideas on a budget just yesterday. Whether you’ve got a coffee addict, a saucy cook, or an inquisitive kid, there’s something there for everyone.