What you should buy your kids this Christmas!
My picture book gift guide and the curse of 'Elf on the Shelf'
Dearest Readers,
First of all I wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who wrote me after my last post. The love and support I’ve received is so enormous and I just wanted to reassure everyone that I am in a really great spot and it’s all onwards and upwards from here.
It’s giving Gwyneth Paltrow conscious uncoupling. I am Gwyneth, obviously.
Guys, it’s almost December!!!
Last year I bought the boys an ‘Elf on The Shelf’ although it must’ve been a cheap version because instead of the traditional red outfit OUR elf wears a black and grey one.
We love a good story, my eldest (Lennon) and I, so we decided to embrace the obvious truth: our Elf on the Shelf is evil. There, I said it. Evil. What kind of deranged Elf leaves the North Pole just to wreak havoc on the fragile peace of a family home? And who in their right mind invented a toy that requires parents to suddenly become set designers, orchestrating nightly Elf escapades every single December?
Look at this sassy creature. The hands, the leg positioning, the menacing grin.
I don’t care if you are a working parent or a stay at home parent … ain’t NOBODY got time to do nonsense like this.
A visual representation of ‘mental load’
So I made a decision last year that I needed to make a narrative that the Elf was cursed. He wasn’t like the other elf on the shelves. Noooooooooooo.
This one was dangerous. He would steal candy, tip flour onto the floor, he’d show up at the foot of the kids beds (I’m not proud of this one, real Paranormal Activity vibes).
It got to the point that Lennon made a decision on behalf of all of us Hiltons, to kick the evil elf to the curb - or more specifically our small front garden. And there he has stayed year round.
RIP Elfie
My kids and I are having so much fun at the moment. They are at the glorious age where they are excited about major holidays and I have downloaded the ‘Fake Santa Call’ app for peak parenting excellence. Every night before bed they yell out ‘HEY SIRI HOW MANY DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS’ and Siri doesn’t answer because she only listens to me - that’s the kind of power dynamic I need in this house.
Bedtime with two young boys is like going to battle. My kids insist on ‘wrestling’ before bath time, which involves me getting beaten up and almost always ends in one or both of them crying. And yet? They insist on doing it every night.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… books have this amazing way of opening up a door for kids to have conversations they might not otherwise have. With our transition this year into two homes I have been tactical about which books I have chosen to read to them. I want us to have the hard conversations but not ALL the time. We need some levity too.
With December just around the corner, I thought today’s post could serve as a guide to shopping for your kids’ Christmas books. This way, you can walk into the bookstore with confidence, knowing that the gifts and stocking stuffers you’re picking out have been tried and tested by my little monkeys—and enthusiastically approved by their book-obsessed mother (me!).
The first book is one I think is essential reading for any Australian kid.
Over or Under is the story of young Maisie, who is being taught by her father to swim in the ocean. Should she go over or under the wave? A dilemma we have all faced. But what will happen when she makes the wrong decision? I love this book because it really succinctly explains to young children how to swim in the ocean in a safe way.
The end pages are also a set of beach rules like swim between the flags etc which I think are all great things to note for young water babies.
Over Summer I’m sure alot of kids will be spending extended time with their grandparents and this book gives me all the warm and fuzzies. It reminds me of when I used to go through my grandmas drawers and empty rooms to find hidden treasures.
It’s about not knowing your grandparents had a life before you until you know and then finding a new layer of love for them. Makes me cry every time.
Another book about the magic of grandparents. This book is all about grandma’s famous cake recipe. Grandma is cooking with her granddaughter, a recipe that has been handed down by all the mothers in the family. At one point she falters and can’t quite remember one of the ingredients and is reminded by her granddaughter.
It is such a subtle and beautiful moment and brought up a wholeeee conversation with my kids about their own grandmother who is losing her memory. It was a really tender chat we had and that’s why I think this book is really special.
It’s so rare when you find a book that makes your heart sing in a way that classic books from your own childhood once did but this is one of those books. The words and illustrations are so cosy and heartwarming.
If you’ve got a new baby in your life and this is their first Christmas look no further than ‘Say Hello’. It is such a gorgeous board book that features different babies names and the things that they are doing. Even my 6 year old is obsessed with it because he loves the rhyme.
Are you guys familiar with ‘Where is the Green Sheep?’. Of course you are. You can probably recite every word. I know I can. Well, the duo is back again (Mem Fox & Judy Horacek) with Meerkat Mayhem and it is a funny addition to their slate of brilliant children’s books.
Don’t miss out on Jonty! This book is absolutely fantastic—imagine the charm of Elf, but with a penguin as the star. Jonty is irresistibly adorable, and the story is surprisingly gripping (for, you know, a kids’ book). We’ve stocked up with what feels like thousands (okay, hundreds) of copies because we have THAT MUCH FAITH in how much you’ll love it. Seriously, grab one for everyone on your list!
And if you need more recommendations please always feel free to message me on instagram to ask. I am, after all, an open book.
See you next week and as always…
Happy Reading !
Jessie
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