Celebrating the Holidays with Hallmark

  The Holiday Season is my favourite time of the year. It's the one time in the year that I get to spend with my family and friends that live out of town. It's always been such a special time to celebrate and share with loved ones. Now, with a child of my own, the Holidays have even greater importance to me. 


Knowing how busy and chaotic the Holidays can often be with preparations for big family dinners, decorating, and planning gatherings, Hallmark Canada wants to remind and encourage people to "Press Pause" and take some time to enjoy and appreciate all the special moments this year.

 

I'm excited to say that as a member of the Hallmark Canada #PressPausePanel, I was given the opportunity to share some exciting Holiday products with my readers!

 The Make-A-Wish Products 
The Make-A-Wish bear is Little One's favourite item. The bear is soft and cuddly, and you can record a special message for a special loved one. I sang a snippet of Robert Munsch's "Love You Forever" for Little One and recorded it. This way, if she ever misses me (if she's at her grandparents' house or if she's not with me), she can just press the button and hear my voice.

The best part about the Make-A-Wish products is that by giving them as gifts to friends and family, you give back and spread the joy.  By purchasing Make-A-Wish selected products, Hallmark will donate 25% of sales to help make children's wishes come true all year round.

Recordable Storybooks
A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my all time favourite stories. Each year at Christmas, I watch the cartoon. It's a Holiday ritual I have and hope to continue with my Little One. Now, I can start a new tradition by reading the book to her. The recordable storybook is fantastic for making memories last.

Titles include: Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and more! I am thinking of getting one for my parents to read and record for my nephew and twin nieces in Kingston. They live 10 hours from us, and we spend every other Christmas with them. Hearing Lola and Grampy's voices will help bridge the distance since we can't be together every year.

Christmas Ornaments
Hallmark has lots of great tree ornaments as well. I think Hubby will love this Wayne Gretzky ornament. He doesn't know yet, but this is going in his Christmas stocking!

 Rockin' Talkin' Santa or Elf Hats & the Merry-Okee Christmas Karaoke Microphone
Growing up, Christmas was a time of festivity in our family. Our aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, grandparents would get together and sing, laugh, eat, give, and be merry. Singing Christmas carols by the piano, partaking in some karaoke fun, and just being goofy has been a tradition in our family.

This is why the Hallmark Rockin' Santa hat and the Merry-Okee Christmas karaoke microphone are perfect for some festive fun! It changes your voice while you're singing. Haven't you always wanted to know what you'd sound like with an elf's voice?

Interactive Storybooks and Cuddle Buddies

Cuddle Buddies are also a cute gift for children. Jingle the Husky Pup barks, whimpers and sings when he hears the magic words read from the storybook that accompanies him. My three year old loves the interactive storybooks and Cuddle Buddies.

Of course, what are the Holidays without special greeting cards for your loved ones?

Hallmark has built its reputation on years of offering customers high quality products for all occasions. People seem to gravitate towards the Hallmark cards when they're at the store looking for the perfect card. Birthday, Easter, Graduation, Wedding, New Baby, Anniversary, Get Well, Sympathy, Christmas, Hanukkah, and every other occasion, Hallmark has you covered.

Take the time to "Press Pause" and enjoy some special time with your loved ones this Holiday season! Check out the Hallmark website here. Join in on the fun by checking them out on Facebook and Twitter too!

Disclosure - As a Hallmark Canada #PressPausePanel member, I received the above products to write about.

Thanksgiving with Hallmark

Thanksgiving is almost upon us. Can you believe Thanksgiving is this weekend!? It's time to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives.

I'm thankful for my family and friends, my happy and healthy toddler, my wonderful husband (whose birthday is this weekend!), my health, a roof over our heads, food on our table, jobs that put that roof over our heads and food on our table.

I'm not even ready for Thanksgiving weekend or for my husband's birthday! Usually, I'm on top of things, but I just got home from a conference in Toronto and family arrived the day after I got home. It's been busy!

Hallmark has fabulous items to help make your Thanksgiving special. How about decorating your table with some festive Fall pumpkins and leaves? They've got Thanksgiving themed plates, bottle stoppers, candles, candle  holders, cheese trays/knives, salt and pepper shakers, and so much more!

 Of course, Hallmark also has greeting cards! I don't send out cards to loved ones we spend Thanksgiving with, but for those far away who are unable to be with  us, I send a little note in a Hallmark card letting them know how thankful we are to have them in our lives. I really do think it is important to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives. We sometimes don't take time to remember and appreciate these things.

What are YOU thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Ghost and Ghouls Season with Hallmark

I don't know about you, but Fall is my favourite season. Sure, I love the days spent on the beach and the warm weather of Summer. I love the fresh smells of Spring. I even love the crisp air and white snow of Winter. This said, Fall is my favourite with all the leaves changing colours, it's not too hot or too cold out, and...

It's time for Halloween!!!

There's just something so exciting about Halloween! As part of the Hallmark Press Pause Panel, I get to tell you about some of the amazing products Hallmark has for your loved ones!

We all know that Hallmark is known for their greeting cards. Now, Hallmark is also known for their special gifts that help create memories for family, friends, and other loved ones. I know I head for Hallmark for Birthdays, Baby Showers, New Baby, Baptisms, Graduations, Weddings, Christmas, and yes, even Halloween!

Look what I received in the mail today! Just in time for Halloween!

Hokey Pokey Skeleton
This spooky (yet adorable!) little friend dances and sings to a parody of the "Hokey Pokey" song when you press the button on the pumpkin. I thought it was very cute and the perfect addition to any scary Halloween party!
Special: $14.95 with each purchase of 3 Hallmark cards. Regular Price: $29.95

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Book with Sound
 If you're a Charlie Brown and Peanuts fan, you'll love this book! Just like the TV classic that we've all grown to love and look forward to seeing every Halloween!
Special: $9.95 with any Hallmark purchase. Regular Price: $14.95

Hocus Pocus Treat Presenter
 I love this! This treat presenter looks like a big book of spells, and when you open it, you are greeted with eerie, cackling messages! I can't wait to see the reactions from our trick-or-treaters when they reach into the box to get their treats! Booooooooo! Too cool!
Special: $14.95 Regular Price: $19.95

Flickering Witch Candle
 This spooky flickering candle adds a little scary factor to your Halloween decor! The light flickers and it's oh so scary!
Regular Price: $19.95

Three Hallmark Halloween Greeting Cards
Of course, no Hallmark Press Pause post would be complete without greeting cards! Hallmark has a wide variety of fun, funny, and even spook-tacular cards for all the people you love!

I am beyond thrilled about all the great products I get to share with you today. I immediately thought of how these items would add to the "feel" of Halloween at our Halloween party. I thought of how Little One would enjoy them and be just as excited as I am about them!

Little One woke up from her nap and the first thing she saw was the Hokey Pokey Skeleton. To be honest, it scared the wits out of the poor thing! She demanded that I turn it off! Ah, well. Maybe she'll like it by Halloween time! It's guaranteed to be a hit at our next Halloween party!

Whether it's in the form of a funny (or spooky!) Halloween card, or a really cool and creepy treat presenter or dancing skeleton, Hallmark will surely make your loved ones smile.

Disclosure- As a member of the Hallmark Press Pause Panel, I was given the Hokey Pokey Skeleton, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Book with Sound, Hocus Pocus Treat Presenter, Flickering Witch Candle, and three Hallmark Halloween Greeting Cards. All the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest, original, and my own.

Press Pause for Family

This year has been my first year teaching ESL again since I gave birth to Little One. I can honestly say that being a mom, a farmer's wife, an ESL teacher (among many other things), I've noticed just how valuable time with family is. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done or to be everything to everyone. Little One craves my attention and I am reminded of the need to "Press Pause" and take time for family...even when you're exhausted from everything else.

Now that Summer is here, our weekends are filled with countless baby showers, birthday parties, weddings, and other special occasions. Every weekend of the Summer has been booked with one thing or another. Thanks to Hallmark, we've got all our bases covered!

As part of the Hallmark Press Pause Panel, I have the opportunity to sample and review some fabulous Hallmark products.  Hallmark has been a trusted brand in our family ever since I can remember. With thoughtful greeting cards for every occasion to keepsakes to pass down to family members (photo frames, albums, etc), they've got something special for every loved one on your list.

 

I was excited (and shocked) to receive this in the mail! It is now one of my absolute favourite items in our house.

 

I love my new family tree from Hallmark! The branches can hold little picture frames that hang from them. Photos of the special people in your life can be put in the frames and displayed on this gorgeous tree. It makes a great focal point/centre piece/conversation piece!

I would definitely get this family tree for any of my friends or even for my mom, aunts, or grandmother. Anyone who loves displaying photos of their family would love this beautiful family tree.

I have to admit that ever since I gave birth to Little One, I've been addicted to scrapbooking and memory keeping. Hallmark now has a variety of amazing Recordable Memory Albums. You can relive stories from behind favourite photos and preserve them in an album. How cool is that? Little One can replay stories that go with the photos of all of her favourite people (Ahem! Grampy and cousin Kenny!).

 

We received this adorable Kids Recordable Memory Album and a Disney Recordable Storybook with Sound. Little One immediately went for the What Makes a Princess? storybook! She loves the Disney princesses and she LOVES books! 

Little One and I read lots and lots of books together. I think we go through a dozen books each night. She'd have me read all of her books if I let her! The beauty of the recordable storybooks is that I can record my voice reading the book and if for some reason I'm not able to read to Little One at night, Daddy can either read the book to her or play my voice reading it!

 

I now have lots of great gift ideas for all occasions! I appreciate thoughtful gifts and what can be more special than helping preserve all those amazing memories with loved ones? I love the recordable storybooks for kids, scrapbooks, photo albums, picture frames, gifts for all occasions, and of course the greeting cards!

For more gift ideas, check out the Hallmark website.

 
Disclosure: I’m part of the Hallmark Press Pause Panel and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.