Bunchland

What we’re reading on the blogs today:

As always, BoingBoing has found us something we want: monster footprint snow shoes. Slow Mo Mama simply drew monster-y footprints on some study cardboard, cut them out and laced string through four holes in the footprint shape to tie it to a boot. Via BoingBoing.

Facebook friend Amanda tipped us off to this Salon essay titled, “Regrets of a stay-at-home-mom.” Borrowing from Jane Austen’s famous phrase, she writes, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman in possession of two teenagers must be in want of a steady paycheck and employer-sponsored health insurance.” Working moms, what do  you think?

Catherine Connors aka her bad mother has a lovely rebuttal to the whole Tiger mom = better mom debate. Her mother supported her love of ballet, despite the fact that Connors wasn’t exactly the most graceful of ballerinas, apparently. Catherine’s turned out pretty darn good we think.  Read more...

Your favourite Christmas gift memories

Previously, we got all of you Bunchlanders to reveal stories of gift fails: those horrible, awful, what-were-they-thinking presents you received as kids that were totally age-inappropriate, really boring or just plain weird. Tales of gigantic underpants, tampons and Don Ho records abounded.

In an effort to end the year on a more positive note, we recently shouted out on our Facebook and Twitter for your most treasured Christmas gift memories. As usual, you guys gave us a huge response. Here are the childhood Christmas gifts you remember the most.

“Theatre tickets from my grandma — it became a tradition. Also, when my nana bought matching pajamas for me and my Cabbage Patch doll. Amazing.” -Meghan, online editor

“Commodore 64.” -Natasha

“Probably a pair of Doc Marten boots. They were the super cool thing to have when I was about 15.” @JosiahsMommy123

Susana Molinolo shares tips on producing a bake sale that makes lots of dough for your favourite charity

1. Have a variety of products for sale. In order to give a bake sale zing, ensure that you will have, at minimum, baked goods donations from at least 30 bakers. Also, see if you can get donations from professional bake shops or private bakeries so that there are items people would be willing to pay any price for. Plus, offer a variety of beverages like juice boxes, hot chocolate, apple cider and lemonade.

Tip: If you plan ahead, many local coffee shops are able to donate beans or coffee urns and more to your event!

2. Varying price points are worth their weight in gold. You’ll get a variety of customers, and many of them will be kids, so you’ll want to offer items starting at 25 cents. At the other extreme, there are many big pocket/big heart generous souls who don’t balk at donating 10 or more dollars for a designer cupcake.  Read more...

Here’s what we’re reading today:

Want to give to the Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle but you had no cash on hand? There’s an app for that. Mashable, your source for all things social media, has rounded up five creative social good campaigns. The Choose Haiti bracelets look pretty neat.

The Hipster Mom feels the most at home in the action figure and model car department when she makes a trip to the Toys R Us. Yesterday she wrote about her first venture into the aisles of the baby dolls.

Jonathan Liu over at Geek Dad has shared some kid-friendly comics by artist James Kochalka. Kid-friendly or not, a comic wherein the artist’s cat stars as the hero Dragon Puncher and the artist himself the aforementioned dragon? Awesome.

Good bacteria: it’s not just for yogurt-lovers anymore. The CBC reports that probiotics may help with illnesses in children.  An otherwise healthy child with a viral infection could see the duration of his symptoms shorten.