sharing my special holiday finds

a small business gift guide for the little ones!

Hi there mom, aunts and design lovers!

I remember vividly the last Christmas I believed in Santa. I was 5 years old and had asked for my first bike, seeing that the older kids in the neighborhood were sweeping through the alley like a street gang in their 2-wheelers. I was too young to join the road brigade, yet I still wanted to belong with the fervent aspiration reserved for the youngest kid on the block. And so I set out to write Santa a letter about my wish for a cool bike, how much I wanted to ride it and could he get one for my brother too? My little brother always wanted to use my Christmas toys despite his own list, and bikes are hard to share, you know? Because we didn’t have a chimney, I figured Santa would use the front door to deliver gifts. He could fit a small bike through there—no doubt. The logistics checked out so I crossed my fingers and waited.

My parents were young when they had my brother and me, but we never lacked anything. They worked a lot, especially my dad. I vaguely remember my father being home back then. We never saw him before we went to bed and rarely on weekends. Surprisingly, that December in particular I got to see him for dinner a few more times than usual, and caught him hiding in the basement on Sundays. This atypical behavior peaked my curiosity and lured me to spy under the cold cellar stairs when our nanny was distracted with lunch one day. As I stealthily climbed down the steps to peer in the basement, I saw them: two shiny bicycles poorly hidden in a corner, still missing their training wheels. I convinced myself right then and there that those were not for us. Forcing a no, no, NO mantra every time my mind wandered back to my uncovering. But when Christmas Day rolled around and the exact same bikes were under the tree (along with the training wheels) I knew without a doubt that my dad was Mr. Claus.

I wish I could say that I found out in school about the myth behind Saint Nicholas, but it was the rarity of having my dad home more than usual that gave it away. I asked my mom that Christmas to explain away my discovery or give up the secret and she reluctantly spilled the beans. And so I figured that next year I would ask for something very small. Seeing that my dad had to pay for the gifts, perhaps he would be home more often if I didn’t ask for something as big as a bike. When next December came around, I convinced my little brother that we should ask for a shared gift instead of one each. We settled on a Super Nintendo! (the concept that small doesn’t mean cheaper had not sunk in yet). We got the console, but Dad wasn’t around very much that Christmas. This left me wondering what I did wrong for years to come. My parents divorced before my 7th birthday.

I carried this memory buried deep inside until last year, my first holiday season with my daughter. As she came along, childhood memories came flooding back as it often happens throughout the journey of parenthood. Since her arrival I have hoped to make the space underneath our Christmas tree magical each year, but above all to spend as much time as possible together. I know for a fact that’s what my girls will remember. Our memories are strongest when our emotions expand and I can’t think of a better gift for them (and for me) than time.

This season I wanted to leave you with this reflection on time. Spend it well, and although I can’t tell you how exactly, I can save you some precious hours by sharing some of my favorite finds in the gift department through this very special gift guide for little ones I curated.

1. Tea Set Mustard & Pink / 2. Handmade Wooden Ice Cream Bars / 3. Rattan Kids Ice-Cream Cart / 4. Cotton Kids' Aprons & Oven Mitts / 5. Shop Front Decals (for the rear of the IKEA DUKTIG play kitchen)

1. Emile The Octopus / 2. Balloon Pillow Old Green / 3. Rainbow Pillow Blue / 4. Mr Nigiri&Soi Toy / 5. Tweedy Bear Chestnut

1. Flower Bed / 2. Bamboo Nesting Hedgehog / 3. Handmade Pretend Gardening Tools / 4. Garden Quiet Book / 5. My Forest Floor

1. Beyond the Sea Bath Balm / 2. Wheat Straw Float Boat Set / 3. Color me: Who’s in the Ocean? / 4. Mylle Lines Pool / 5. Yellow Submarine Print - Ahoy!

1. Playpa Play’n Pack - Jungle / 2. Rocket Construction / 3. Campfire Patch / 4. Mini Chari Rattan Bag - Straw / 5. Smol Rainbow Gate

1. Armchair yellow/beige / 2. Waiting for the Biblioburro / 3. Floral Block Knit Throw / 4. Let Me Finish! Hardcover / 5. School Bag Berry swirl + Cherry red + Sunny blue

Do you need help picking something else? Christmas Elf at your service! Leave your questions below and I’ll help you find something great.