Stuck On You

Whoever said ‘it’s the journey not the destination’ had never been on a long flight with children. While sometimes it all goes very smoothly and you step off the plane feeling fabulous and looking like Posh Spice with a trail of kids behind you, other times you get vomited on 15 minutes into the journey.

This holidays me and my two children are embarking on a five hour flight followed the very next day by an 8 hour car journey. This is not the first time we have done this so I have picked up a few tips along the way that I thought I would share with all of the mums out there who may have a short or long trip on their horizon too.

For me the key is to pack things that will keep the kids amused and entertained (and quiet), especially on a flight where you are in such close proximity with other travellers.

Personalised Wheelie Bag of Goodies

While we may be blowing our own trumpet the Stuck on You wheelie bags are ideal for flights, bus or car trips. They are the perfect size for carry-on, can be packed with entertainment and kids as young as two can wheel them themselves. I have many a fond memory of my children proudly swanning through the airport with their wheelie bags in tow.

Fill with a sticker book, an activity book, a couple of picture books, stickers, a sketch book, pencils, crayons, an electronic game or ipod if they have one. Magnetic games are perfect for travel and there are some gorgeous ones around on the market or you can make your own with minimal fuss.

Top Tip – The Magnetic Fishing Game

This is a great distraction for younger kids from about 2-8. Tie or glue a magnet to a piece of string attached to a little wooden pole (chopstick or a bamboo skewer will do) and put it in a little box with a few metal pieces that stick and a few that don’t. Nuts, bolts, fridge magnets and paper clips will do. Or drag it out by getting your kids to draw their very own fish, cut-out and colour them in and stick a paperclip to them to catch while fishing.

Personalised Activity Books

It’s a good idea to put in a few items they haven’t seen before, that way the very act of rifling through their wheelie bag will keep them busy. May we recommend the Stuck on you personalised activity books? For kids aged 1 – 10 there are puzzles, pictures to colour in and activites to keep them busy for hours! Our Tools 4 School (pics below) and travel kits are pretty good for distractions too!

Top Tip – Wrap a few things like presents

This is most effective for kids aged 2-4 on a plane. Wrap about five things and your kids can slowly bring them out and open them one by one. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant – a packet of sultanas, the activity book or a small packet of pencils. Tell them they can open a new one every hour or just remind them about one anytime they get restless.

A Packed Lunchbox

Of course, we recommend the Stuck on You personalised lunchboxes packed with goodies. Your travelling companions and your sanity will thank you if you keep the snacks in your lunchbox low in sugar and stickyness. Some ideas – little packets of sultanas, packets of nuts and seeds (for older kiddies), banana chips, cheese, carrot and celery sticks, little tub of yoghurt, corn chips, fresh fruit, soy crisps, a savoury muffin…

Fresh water is a must too. Naturally, in their Stuck on You personalised drink bottle (pictured below). If you’re on a plane sending them off to refill it will buy you a few moments to yourself every now and then too.

Top Tip – Spotto with a Sketchbook
This game is ideal for long car trips. Take a plain sketchbook (hmmm…how about a Stuck on You personalised sketchbook?) and fill a page or two with things for your kids to spot on the journey. If they are older you can write a list if they are younger you can draw pictures – a bird, a tree, an aeroplane, a train, a bus, a bike and some harder ones like a dog with a hat to keep them keenly searching.You could fill another page with things they have to collect on the stops to make sure they stretch their legs – a stick, a rock, a feather, a leaf.

Those are my top tips for distracting kids on long journeys but we have more journeys ahead so I would love to hear all of yours too. Wherever you are going and however you get there, have a safe and pleasant holiday and do your best to enjoy the journey.

It takes me a little while to get into the Christmas spirit but once I’m there – I’m there! The tree is up, there’s a big red star on the door, I dug out the Christmas carol albums, I’ve done all my online Christmas shopping and am now bracing myself for the Christmas wrapping frenzy. It can be a crazy-hectic time (it certainly is here at Stuck on You) with a gazillion trips to the shops, furious list writing, preparation and planning.

A great way to unwind and gently ease into the Christmas spirit is to sit down with the kids each weekend leading up to the madness and watch a Christmas movie. Or, buy them a copy and pop it in their Christmas stocking!

Here’s a review of my all-time favourite top 3 Christmas movies for kids.

Miracle on 34th Street

Don’t let your kids’ initial disgust at the thought of watching a black and white movie discourage you – this movie is a must-see for Christmas. Sure, it’s a bit earnest and over the top  but it gets me all choked up and mushy inside every time. It stars a very young Natalie Wood, Maureen O’Hara and Edmund Gwenn who won an Oscar for his performance in this film. The story follows Kris Kringle (Gwenn)  and the cynicism and non-believers he encounters as he ventures outside of the North Pole. He goes about performing Christmas miracles and attempting to instill faith and Christmas spirit in those around him.

Central to the story we follow Kris Kringle as he tries to convince Susan (Wood) that there really is a Santa Claus. As I said, it can be a little heavy on the cheesiness but in my book it delivers everything you would want from a good, old-fashioned Christmas movie.

Home Alone

This is the ultimate family Christmas movie and as it’s a little dated a lot of parents forget all about it.

My son has the entire Home Alone collection (they go to 4 and get progressively worse) and he loves them! For those who don’t know, it’s all about Kevin (Macauley Culkin) who gets accidentally left behind in the chaos as his entire family go on an overseas trip. Left behind to fend for himself Kevin learns to face many fears including a scary neighbour and domestic chores!

The fun parts are when two bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) repeatedly attempt to break into the home. Kevin plants all sorts of ingenious booby traps leading to lots of slapstick and genuinely funny moments.

I often find bits of string tied to saucepan lids and door knobs after my son watches these movies as he tries to replicate the same traps on me!

A Christmas Story

I’ve saved the best ’til last – my absolute favourite Christmas movie is hands-down A Christmas Story. Released in the mid 80s it wasn’t a huge commercial success and many have missed it. Every now and then you will catch it on TV around Christmas time which is how I first stumbled upon it and it had my little brother and I in absolute stitches.

At the heart of the story is Ralphie Parker who desperately wants “an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time” for Christmas. It’s slightly left of centre but you’ll love the quirky ways of the endearing Parker family from Mrs Parker who stands in the way of Ralphie’s ultimate wish believing he’ll shoot his eye out and Mr Parker played brilliantly by Darren McGavin.

It’s a simple story about a simple family but is filled with plenty of warm and touching moments and plenty of laughs too. If you haven’t managed to catch this one I highly recommend it. A perfect present because it’s great to rewatch year after year.

At Stuck on You we’d love to know about your families’ all-time favourite Christmas movies. From the old to the new – what do you watch every year at your house?

For my son’s first Christmas I made him a bright red, faux fur Christmas stocking that measures a metre high. Of course, several years later his sister came along and she had to have one the same size. They absolutely love them and even though she’s now 8 and he’s now 12 they still hop in them every year and we take a photo before hanging them near the tree.

I love the challenge of coming up with creative ways to fill them every year. I usually start accumulating bits and pieces around October so it doesn’t get too pricey all at once. I thought I’d share a few ideas for those of you struggling to fill enormous Christmas stockings and Santa sacks this year.

A little flower pot and a packet or two of seeds

I’m all for the gifts that take up a bit of room and won’t end up broken or in the bin before the day’s out. Planting the seeds gives you a fun project to do together once all of the Christmas madness has died down.

Multi-packs of cereal

It may seem a dull but my kids have come to expect their little packets of cereal each year. There are six in a pack and it gives you a chance to let them enjoy the sweeter cereals you might not normally buy, they take up plenty of room and kids love lining them up and deciding what they will eat each morning.

Some practical stuff

Do they needs bathers? A new beach towel? Underwear? A new lunch box? Sandals? Slippers? A sun hat? Put them in the stocking too. (Isn’t it nice that Santa is on our side?)

Magic tricks and practical jokes

These are great fun as the kids slowly bring them out throughout the day. A fly in an ice block, a whoopee cushion or a fake severed thumb bring plenty of laughs to our Christmas lunch.

Something yummy

I like to pop a few yummy treats in there and pretend to be horrified that Santa would do such a thing. The lolly Christmas stockings have treats they can bring out each day after Christmas and, again, they take up room!

A book or two

I like to give them a few little Mr Men, Golden Books or Dr Seuss to add to their collection and a big picture book they can pour over once all of the excitement has died down. Any of the books by Graeme Base keep them quiet for hours – or minutes, at least!

Of course, there are plenty of stocking filler ideas from Stuck On You too…

What’s that? Your kids don’t have a Christmas stocking yet? Well, not only do we have plenty of things to go into your Christmas stocking, Stuck On You have bright, bold monogrammed and personalised Christmas stockings too!

Our Christmas elves are super busy working away in the Stuck On You workshop to get all of your personalised Christmas gifts out in time. We are decking the halls, putting tinsel, mistletoe (and a few Christmas wall stickers) on everything that doesn’t move. We are so excited about our Christmas range and have been getting such lovely feedback from our fabulous customers that we’ve decided to release our Top Ten Favourite Christmas Gifts Ideas to make it easier for you to choose gifts for your friends and family this year!

OK! It’s actually 11 Top Ten Christmas ideas but we just couldn’t narrow it down any further! We hope this makes your Christmas shopping decisions a little easier. Remember the sooner the better with your Christmas order!

Do you have some favourite family books that you bring out every Christmas? It can be such a hectic and crazy time, I find sitting down and reading Christmas books to my kids is a great way to build some gentle excitement before the madness begins.

Here’s the three favourite Christmas books at our house, each one reminding us of some of the wonderful things about Christmas to be treasured.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss

Before the movie there was the book. Written with typical and bouncy Dr Seuss rhyme and rhythm ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas‘ tells the story of a grumpy creature living in caves above Who-ville who hates Christmas. He goes from house to house and steals all the presents, trees, decorations and food believing that this will put an end to the Who-folks celebrations.

It contains the fabulous sentiment that perhaps Christmas isn’t just about all of the material things:

“‘Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
“Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”‘

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

One of the most famous Christmas stories is A Christmas Carol and while the complete Charles Dickens version might be a little hard for kids to follow there are plenty of adaptations for kids. Our copy at home is adapted by Victor Barnes and has gorgeous, colourful illustrations from the animated film of the same name.

For those not familiar with the classic tale it is about a man named Ebenezer Scrooge who is nasty and mean-spirited and, of course, hates Christmas. One night he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come  who show him what will become of him unless he changes his unkind ways.

Not unlike the Grinch, Scrooge realises that happiness comes to you when you have made someone else happy.

 The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore

Written back in 1823 this delightful poem starts with one of my favourite lines:

“‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…”

I love reading it to my children on Christmas Eve as it paints such a glorious picture of Santa Claus and his reindeer going from house to house delivering presents.

“He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.”

Watch your kids’ faces glow with excitement as they picture Santa (or St Nick in this poem) on his way to their house.

 
Do you have a favourite childhood Christmas story or two that you share with your kids at Christmas time?

At Stuck On You we are loving the Christmas in a Cup with their gorgeous colours and fabulously festive designs! Choose from 8 designs and write your child’s name to create your very own personalised Christmas in a Cup.

We’ve been tossing around some ways you could use them creatively…

Stocking Fillers

Nice and chunky, they take up plenty of room in a stocking. Kids will love having their very own cup for Christmas day (and beyond) – they come with a straight stripy straw and a curly straw too!

Table Place Cards

Having a few people over to your place for Christmas lunch? Order matching Christmas in a Cups for all of your guests and use them as place cards. The Christmas colours will look fantastic as part of your table decorations.

Bon Bons

Not only marking a spot for each guest at your table fill them to make perfectly personalised bon bons. For the kids fill with a balloon, a party popper, some lollies, a packet of seeds to plant in the garden and a few tricks from the joke shop – itching powder, whoopee cushions and fake spiders make lots of laughter around the Christmas table. For the grown-ups pop in a liqueur chocolate, a nail polish, a scratch lottery ticket, a book mark or a groovy kitchen gadget.

We’re delighted that our Christmas in a Cups are proving so popular. We’d love to hear about all of the creative ways you use them this Christmas.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Are you ready to start building some Christmans cheer at your house? We are so excited about our Personalised Letters from Santa products designed to deliver Christmas spirit to your kids. Have your kids been extra good this year? Tell them so in a personalised letter from Santa.

Order one of our personalised letter from Santa packs, each comes with a personalised letter – you can choose one from our template or create your very own completely customised Santa letter.

Take a look, choose the pack that best suits you, select from 8 gorgeous designs and then personalise it yourself.

Create your very own personalised letter from Santa. With 15 lines to play with you can create a completely personalised message for your child this Christmas. It comes with an envelope and address label too and is bound to convince those on the cusp of non-believing.

These are our Letter to Santa pouches. Order them in time for Christmas for your kids to write their letter and leave it out for Santa. They might even like to pop in a treat or two!

Our cheerful and chirpy letters from Santa will fill your child with festive fever! Add their name online.

Our Letter from Santa packs includes one of our jolly, joyful and personalised letters from Santa, a gorgeous Santa pouch and a ‘letter from Santa’ label.

Create a complete Christmas experience with the Create Your Own Letter from Santa Pouch. Write your own personalised message and it will come with a pouch and ‘Letter from Santa’ sticker.

Our Santa letter packs are available in Australia only at the moment – coming to other regions soon, stay tuned!

It seems that more and more Australians are looking to do their Christmas shopping online but for some it can be a little daunting. At Stuck On You we love online shopping and encourage our customers to get their orders in sooner rather than later to make sure everything arrives in plenty of time.

There are plenty of benefits to shopping online but it is always wise to be prepared a little earlier for Christmas. Mid Novemeber is the perfect time to consider getting started so we’ve trawled the internet for tips and advice and have put together a list of 10 things to consider to ensure safe and happy shopping online this Christmas.

Know your product

Read product information carefully to make sure that it is exactly what you are after – the make, model, size and whether it is legal and will work in Australia. Check that any warranties or guarantees offered are valid in Australia. If you are unsure of anything, contact the seller.

Know the company

Before you purchase carefully read the companies’ terms and conditions, return policy, delivery details, guaranties, warranties, refund policies or any costs associated with returns and repairs. While it’s not always the case it is generally better to go with larger, well-known companies.

Does the seller have SSL security?

A reliable seller should mention that they have SSL security, which can be verified by the padlock at the base of your browser page. SSL is Secure Sockets Layer and is the standard security technology for creating an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browser remain private and integral.

What is the sellers’ complaints procedure?

Check that the company or seller has a complaints procedure or method of resolving disputes if things go wrong.

Check the total cost before you pay

Be sure to check the total cost of your order and factor in currency conversions, insurance, delivery or postage and handling costs. Sometimes, with all of these things considered, it is cheaper to buy the product locally.

Protect your privacy

Only purchase from companies with suitable privacy policies and only give information that is required for the sale.

Confirm before you click

The shopping cart should allow you to confirm your order before paying. Take the time to go over your order to make sure it is completely correct (especially if ordering Stuck On You personalised Christmas products).

Keep a record of what you buy

Be sure to keep a record of your online purchases (reference numbers, forms, emails, documents or website addresses), these will be handy if something goes wrong. Check that you have been charged correctly on your credit card statement or merchant account (Paypal for example).

Resolve any problems quickly

If problems do occur, contact the business immediately to try and resolve them. Most reputable online retail companies want to give their customers a pleasant online shopping experience and will do their best to resolve any issues.

Buyer beware

Beware of scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Most things can be found online, so if you have your doubts about the security of a site, shop around for an alternative supplier.

Following these tips should help you to shop online with confidence this Christmas. You can start by taking a look at the Christmas range at Stuck On You. We’d love to hear how you get on. Do you do your Christmas shopping online? What are your top tips?

Ok, so you like what you see… Here are some handy links so that you don’t miss out on our latest offers.

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/stuckonyouofficial

Twitter – @StuckOnYouTweet

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