eBay Holiday Gift Shop on Facebook [spon]

eBay created a fun Holiday Gift Shop app for Facebook this year.  You can create gift lists and kids' toy lists based on recommendations from eBay experts and, get this, each day a lucky winner will receive one of their gift list items (valued up to $200) PLUS a $100 eBay Gift Card.

How cool?!

The catch?

It ends today, November, 30, 2012.

My bad for not sharing sooner... ehem... my inbox has been a leettle out of control the last few weeks.

So, go on over and play around.  Right now.  No time to waste!

No one can see the lists you've created unless you share them.  It's quick and easy to do and is all connected to the eBay site and eBay mobile app, so if you see anything while you are on there that you must have, you can go ahead and purchase.  Convenient.

Who couldn't use a $100 eBay gift card headed into the holidays?

Disclaimer: I was hired by Splash Creative Media to write this post on behalf of eBay as part of my involvement with the eBay Parent Panel.  Thoughts and tardiness are clearly my own.

2010 Time to Play Holiday Showcase highlights "Must Have" toys

I recently attended the 3rd annual Time to Play Holiday Showcase in NYC.  You know, THE official list of holiday toys?  The one that outlines the "must have" toys of the year?  Yeah.  I was there for the press conference announcing those very toys.  As media.  So cool.

And I know, I know.  It's too soon to talk about holiday toys.  Right?  I mean, it's not even Halloween.

BUT...

Some of these toys are going to be impossible to find once the world figures out how cool they are.  Picture Tickle Me Elmo and Zhu Zhu Pets... at least one is sure to be the next big thing.  Consider this a public service announcement.  If you get on it now, you might be able to find these toys in stores before the mad holiday rush depletes inventories and people get all crazy.  If you have kids in your life, I guarantee you will be shopping for at least one toy on the list.

At the press conference, Time to Play Mag named 16 toys the must haves for this Holiday Season.  Here's the official list, in alphabetical order:

Air Hogs Moto Frenzy Stunt Bike  by Spin Master (ages 8+, $24.99)

Disney Princess & Me 18 inch Doll (ages 6+, $49.99+)

Hot Wheels R/C Stealth Rides Power Tread Vehicle (ages 6+, $24.99)

LeapFrog Leapster Explorer Learning Experience (ages 4+, $69.99)

LEGO Games Harry Potter Hogwarts (ages 7+, $29.99)

 

Loopz Game by Mattel (ages 7+, $29.99)

Monster High Dolls by Mattel (ages 6+, $16.99)

Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS by Hasbro (ages 8+, $49.99)

Wow Wee Paper Jamz (ages 5+, $24.99)

Real Construction JAAKS Pacific (ages 5+, $24.99)

Scrabble Flash by Hasbro (ages 8+, $29.99)

The Sing-A-Ma-Jigs s by Mattel (ages 3+, $12.99)

Squinkies Bubble Pack by blip toys (ages 4+, $6.99)

Tonka Chuck & Friends Chuck's Stunt Park Playset (ages 3+, $39.99)

V.Reader Animated E-Book System  (ages 3-7, $59.99)

Zoobles by Spin Master (ages 4+, $9.99)

I had fun traveling to NYC with The Coupon Goddess.  We got to play with toys all day.  I did take a few of my own pictures I will share in a later post.  I also brought home toys to give away here at Mommycosm in the near future.  Stay tuned.

Also, I'm wondering: Have you started thinking about Holiday shopping yet?  What toys are your kids asking for this year?

This is not a sponsored post.  I attended the event on my own dime.  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I will get a (small) commission if you click and buy.  The prices I listed are suggested retail.  Actual prices may vary.

Holiday card outtakes

I must admit, taking pictures of the kids was not as painful this year as in the past.  Don't hate me.  The lead up TO the taking of said picture was stressful.  The kids alternated between snotty noses over the last few weeks.  Then they needed haircuts.  Then Sarah licked her lips so much she got this gross chafed ring thing around her mouth.  I kept vowing to just get it over with - and kept putting it off.

Today was THE day.  I was dreading it, but was determined to get the money shot.  That stupid reindeer over there in my sidebar  -----------> is taunting me.  As of today, there's only 12 days until Christmas.  Yikes.

In all of an hour, the pictures were taken, imported and the cards were ordered.  The good news about procrastination?  The cards were 1/2 off and 3 day shipping was FREE.  (Leave me a comment if you want to know where I ordered them.)

Here are a two of the shots that didn't make the final card:

They are definitely keepers.  I can almost see a preview of 16 year old wise ass Max in the shot on the left...and Sarah will appreciate that the picture I did pick of her didn't show off the craziness with her teeth.  She is sporting that awkward mix of lost teeth, baby teeth and HUGE adult teeth.  Poor kid.  She's very self-conscious about it, too.

The outfits were from my dad, PaPa.  He sent them last year and they were a little too big.  They are PERFECT this year.  Sarah will be wearing her dress again for her 2 Christmas performances this week, complete with red patent leather shoes.  Let's hope that stuffy nose holds out, fingers crossed.  She has a solo on Thursday that she's been dying to sing.

Once the card is sent out to friends/family I promise I will share the money shots with you.

[Oh, and don't forget to enter to win great prized on my Holiday Hoopla!  There's a signed print, handmade necklace, candy, a cookbook and a camera.  Comments close tomorrow night - and a couple of prized don't have ANY comments yet.  Where are all my readers - shopping?!]