10 Christmas Gift Ideas for young HOCKEY players (under $100)

As soon as the weather starts to cool, I start thinking about Christmas shopping, don't you? With that in mind, I thought that this year I would help out my readers by putting together a couple of gift guides. Today, I am sharing a list of fantastic gift ideas for young hockey players.

Note: I was NOT paid to include any items in this list. All 10 gift ideas are items that I thought were cute or that my boys have (and love). However, I have included a few affiliate links. If you decide to buy a product using one of my affiliate links, you won't pay extra, but I will receive a few cents. Thanks for helping support all the free content I provide via this blog.

1) Name Stickers - I love labels, and these jerseys are perfect for a hockey fan. What could be better than being organized, not losing things, and adding a cute name sticker to personal belongings?

You could also order a larger version for their room. Order a team jersey wall decal in their team colours here.

2) Personalized Pillow - I love this pillow that I found on Amazon. I don't have this one, but I know my boys would love it!

3) Hockey Books - Every child needs a book for Christmas, and one with a hockey theme is sure to inspire a young hockey fan to get reading. Some of my boys' favourites for younger kids are: Just One Goal by Robert Munsch, Hockey Night Tonight by Stompin Tom Connors, and The Magic Hockey Stick by Peter Maloney.

There are also great hockey books for older kids. This one is on my shopping list this year: Young Leafs:The Making of a New Hockey History by Gare Joyce.

4) NHL 18 - We still have a PS3, but my boys are dying to play NHL18. Maybe Santa will bring them a PS4. The graphics on these games make them super-fun to play!

5) Playmobil Arena - My eight year old got this a few years ago, and he still plays with it weekly. It's definitely worth adding it to your Christmas list!

6) Something Homemade - Not every great gift comes from a store. This inexpensive DIY costs very little, and is super-easy to make. Transform an old hockey stick into custom decor using the step-by-step guide here.

7) Gongshow Gear - My oldest son is obsessed with Gongshow hats. He recently used his own money to buy this one... and I'm sure a new style will make his Christmas list this year.

8) Sauce Kit - My oldest son asked for a "sauce kit" last year, and he has been using it frequently ever since. He even took it to the beach on our summer vacation.

9) HS Dryland Flooring Tiles - My boys have 9 of these tiles, and they use them all the time. They are great for practicing stick handling and shooting.

10) Summer Skates - These skates are super-cute, and really comfortable. My oldest son received a pair for his birthday, and they are really high quality... and perfect for wearing in hotel rooms on hockey trips.

Do you have a young hockey player on your list? Of course jerseys, tape, laces, skate guards, hockey bags, hockey dryers, sticks, etc... are always good choices too. What is your players "must have" list this hockey/Christmas season?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

How to Help Children Cope with the Death of a Loved One

Recently, I lost my 93 year old grandfather. I was with him during his final days, and it was a very emotional experience for me. My children were also very close to him, and they definitely grieved the loss with me. At the time, I was very unsure how much to expose my boys to. I learned a lot, and today I am sharing advice I received and things I learned about how to help children cope with the death of someone they loved.

1) Let the Kids Be Your Guide - You know your children best, so you are the best judge of what they can/ can't handle. Let them know that whatever they feel/ want to do is OK. Every person grieves differently, so children should be able to attend/not attend events if that is how they feel. Trust your mommy instincts!

2) Ask the Experts - Ask parents that have gone through it, read books, and consult child psychologists/experts. The more information you can collect, the better prepared you will be to meet the needs of your child.

3) Set the Stage - Tell children what they can expect to see/ hear during this difficult time. Fear of the unknown is big for kids. Also, warn them how sad everyone is going to be, and let them know it is OK. It can be scary for children to see their loved ones upset (especially if this is not their normal experience).

4) Focus on the Positive - Teach children that families and friends come together in times of sadness to support each other. This is a very comforting and reassuring lesson.

5) Involve Them - "Doing things" helps prevent children from feeling powerless. At my grandfather's funeral, my oldest son wrote (and read) a tribute to his great grandfather, and all my boys sang a hymn. Younger children can pass out programs, draw pictures, or make photo collages. Little things mean a lot to kids, and participating will allow them to feel like they are a part of the activities of remembrance. 

6) Watch Them Closely - Let children do/participate as they are comfortable, but watch them closely. If they appear to be afraid or overwhelmed, have someone ready to remove them from the situation. Be aware of the "tough moments" and adjust accordingly. Final goodbyes by those closest to the deceased, open caskets, and burials can be tough. It may make sense to shelter them from things that might be beyond their comfort level.

7) Keep Talking - Keep an open dialogue, and answer all your children's questions honestly. Sharing your faith and stories of remembrance is helpful and comforting too. Sometimes reading a book together can be a good way to open a dialogue. The Invisible String is a great book for younger childen. (Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase this book with this link, it won't cost you any more, but I will make a few sense from your purchase.)

Death is a sad (but natural) part of life, so allowing children to learn to grieve can be very helpful. Have you had to deal with the loss of a loved one? What did you find helpful? I'm not an expert (just a mom who has gone through it), so any advice you can share in the comment thread is appreciated.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Pumpkin Carving Ideas

Carving pumpkins is one of my favourite Halloween traditions. It's a wonderful way for a family to spend time together exploring their creativity. It's always fun to come up with new designs, and today, I'm sharing the pumpkins that my boys and I created this year.

Of course, my hockey loving boys wanted a hockey player pumpkin, so we painted this tribute to our favourite team. Go Leafs Go!

We also used a "scraping" technique to make a Maple Leaf pumpkin.

And, of course, we had to carve a traditional scary pumpkin face. Pretty fun, right?

I love how our pumpkins turned out this year. We used three different techniques, had lots of fun, and devoured a feast of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Did you carve pumpkins this year? What techniques and designs did you use? I'm already looking for inspiration for next year. Happy Halloween!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Halloween DIY... using dollar store push lights

A few years ago, I created a mummy door using white streams and eyes made from card stock. Since then, I've been recreating my festive Halloween door annually... but this year, I decided to "take it up a notch". This year, I used streams of cheese cloth and glowing eyes!

For the eyes, I used "push lights" that I got at the dollar store. They are inexpensive and battery operated.

Then, I used Sharpies to transform the "push lights" into eyeballs, and I attached strong magnets to the back with hot glue.

I used tape to attach strips of cheesecloth to my front door, and then I attached the eyes. (My door is metal, so they attach easily with the magnets. If your door isn't metal, I would suggest try Command strips.)

The eyes look adorable during the day, but are even more impressive at night!

This is a seriously simple Halloween DIY. It's a small project that has a big impact... and your children and guests will be frightfully impressed!

Happy Halloween!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - You can find more easy and inexpensive Halloween ideas here.

5 Minute Ghost Garland

Sometimes the simplest little crafts are the best, and the craft I am sharing today could not be easier... or more adorable! You are going to be amazed at how quickly you can make a super-cute ghost garland. It's the perfect Halloween craft, and it takes less than 5 minutes.

To make the 5 minute ghost garland, you'll need: yarn, googly eyes, hot glue, and a scrap of cardboard.

Then:

1) Cut a piece of cardboard about 6 inches wide.

2) Wrap the yarn around the box. I did mine about 40 times.... but it will depend on how thick your yarn is and how fluffy you want your ghosts.

3) Tie a piece of yarn around one end of the wrapped yarn.

4) Cut the other end with sharp scissors.

5) Fluff the yarn to make a ghost shape.

6) Use hot glue to attach googly eyes.

The ghosts can then be hung from a piece of yarn or twine. I just place them over the yarn, and they hung nicely.

Isn't this ghost garland a darling project for Halloween? It's a fun piece of Halloween decor, and anyone can make it! Minimal craftiness required. :-)

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - You can find some more easy and inexpensive Halloween ideas here.

EYEball Halloween Treats... with free printable tags

No child should feel left out during the holidays, so I think it is important to have allergy-friendly treat options available at Halloween. Each year, I strive to come up with unique, easy and inexpensive treats for my boys to share with thei classmates. This year, my 8 year old is bringing these adorable eyeball glasses with super-cute packaging.

I found "eyeball" bags to package the "eyeball" glasses, and I designed "EYE hope you have a FANGtastic Halloween!" tags. For my son, I used Picmonkey.com to transform his photo into a picture of a vampire, but I also designed some generic tags that you can download for free (below).

Here is what the treat looks like using the generic tags. Cute, right?

To download the tags I designed: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I love how cute these treats are, and it makes me happy that ALL the kids in the class will be able to enjoy them.

Will your little ones be sharing Halloween treats with their classmates this year? Will you have allergy-friendly treats ready to hand out to trick-or-treaters? I hope you enjoy the free printable tags I am sharing today. I really think they up the cuteness factor, don't you?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Halloween Class Treats: FANGS (with free printable tags)

My boys love taking Halloween treats to school, but nutrition and allergies are always concerns. So, each year I challenge myself to come up with a sugar-free and allergy-safe option that is easy, inexpensive and fun. This year, I found fang whistles at Walmart and I packaged them up with cute little tags. I'm sharing the details and a few "free" tag options below!

The first tags I designed using Picmonkey.com. (You can use any photo editing software, but I love Picmonkey because it's free and easy to use.) I turned my son's picture into a picture of a vampire, and I added a "Have a FANGtastic Halloween!" note. Cute, right?

I also created a generic tag that you can download for free.

To download and use the tag I designed (for free): right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I love the way these treats turned out, and the fact that they are allergy-friendly means that no one in the class will feel left out.

Are you planning to send Halloween treats to school this year? What are you planning to send? I have a bunch of different options on my blog, but this "FANG"tastic treat idea is one of my favourites!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)