Last week, I got a chance to visit the set of the Steven and Chris show, as they've really ramped up the look for the holiday season. It was fun being in a studio talking about all the gorgeous decorations and helping me feel festive since we are in the middle of moving (next week, FINALLY) and I don't have a tree or an inch of decorations up! The set is a take on Santa's workshop and the guys were really excited to show all the gorgeous pieces to me.
That train WORKS! It can be driven around the set, and it is huge. One of my favourite parts of this side of the set are the trees you can see in the back there. They are so fluffy and nice but have me longing for my Christmas tree....which I really need to get.
The part of the set that Steven and Chris are most excited about is the "workshop."
Behind them, you can see boatloads of toys, which are all from Ikea. The thing that makes Steven really giddy about this corner is that Ikea Canada is working with UNICEF to donate $1 from every stuffed toy purchase to UNICEF to help fund educational programs around the world. All the toys on set were purchased by the show, so that's a lot of dollars donated to the charity.
I had no idea that Ikea did this before the visit, so when I was there yesterday picking up various things for the move, I grabbed Lauchie his one and only Christmas present: a giant stuffed dragon.
When the guys kicked off the set last week, they also had a pretty fantastic exclusive interview with Martha Stewart, which you can watch online now.
You can check out Steven and Chris' holiday set for the remainder of the week leading up to Christmas, and get out to Ikea if you can to help support UNICEF.
I recently decided to start some new traditions with the kids. I have decided that going to theatre over the holidays will be something we do as a family, but I also want to get them actively involved in creating gifts and sending cheer throughout the season, too.
I'm a big sucker for all the gorgeous cards we give and get—via old fashioned post—over the holidays, but I've gone from sending several hundred to sending only around 30, almost all of which come with their own photo of the kids sitting with Santa or in a Christmas-themed photo.
But, here's the thing. I have two children under three, I'm moving the week before Christmas, and can't afford to make 30 copies of this photo and mail them each out. So, I'm doing what any harried mom in my situation would do: improvise online with an awesome tool called PercyVites.
PercyVites are digital video greetings that you can create super easily by uploading any photos of your choice—via prompts on the site depending on what video you pick—and adding some text (and there's a super easy how-to online, also!). They then create a sweet little 15-30 second video with your photo combined with your kid's favourite characters. There's even a mobile site so you can put one of these amazing little things together with your smartphone! I'm a big fan of this great option because I can't always sit down in front of a computer AND most of the photos I have of the kids are on my phone.
PercyVites used to only do party invitations in the past, but they have branched out and added holiday e-greetings this year. You can send a general holiday e-greeting featuring your family and Caillou or Arthur, a Hanukkah e-greeting, a video photo album, or a thank-you video which is really cute because you can thank your family for a specific gift after taking a photo of your littles playing with it.
The system is easy enough to use that kids can even help create the videos. While I did all the major work, Henry "helped" me make this little vid:
Our family and friends are scattered all over the world right now, so I'm really excited to be able to send some PercyVites greetings to cousins, friends, and other family near and far. I may still send a few snail mail cards to the grandparents this year.
But everyone else?
Your card's in the e-mail.
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Percy3D.
www.percy3d.com/
I'm starting to really love video blogging, guys! This week, I talk a bit about Kirstie Alley's interview on Howard Stern and Nigella Lawson's stunning courtroom admission—a follow up to a post from last week.
As promised, you should really check out some of the shots of Kristie leaving Howard's studio this week. I hope I look that fab when I'm in my 60s!
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