With Christmas being 17 days away, we wanted to share some of our favorite last minute gift ideas, some recipes and a couple ideas for stuffing stockings with you all.

Gigi Susie

Every year as far back as I could remember, my mom would make this delectable fudge called Fantasy Fudge. It always came out perfect and everyone loved it. Since my mom is longer with us, last year I decided to google Fantasy Fudge and make it. It was an absolute hit once again with my family and I am thrilled to have found the recipe again. Super easy and super yummy to make. I will also be making Lala Malana’s sugar pecan recipe. Click on this link to find her recipe along with some other simple Christmas desserts to make with your grandchildren.

Fantasy FudgeIngredients

3 cups white sugar

¾ cup margarine

⅔ cup evaporated milk

1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips; stir until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. Stir in marshmallow cream until incorporated. Mix in walnuts and vanilla.

Transfer fudge to the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread out and flatten. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. You can put them into cute little mini muffin papers to add some extra cheer before serving.

For all the littles that can’t wait for Santa to come, why not try this super simple and fun Reindeer Food Recipe that they can sprinkle on your lawn on Christmas Eve. It’s a fun and easy Christmas activity to enjoy with the family and you can even pass it out as gifts!

Reindeer Food RecipeIngredients 

1/2 cup oats

2 Tbsp sprinkles

Optional – red, green or silver glitter

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir the oats and sprinkles together until combined.

Place in zip-top bags until Christmas Eve night. 

Add the poem and adhere to the zip top bag

You can explain that the reindeers love oats and it gives them an extra boost of energy they need on Christmas night. The sprinkles are so the reindeer can see it shimmering at night and the glitter? Well, who doesn’t love just a little extra sparkle? I know I do!

This is also something that can easily be mailed to your grandchildren that live far away as well to let them know you are thinking of them.

Mimi Jackie

Christmas is my favorite holiday and I love everything about it. The decorating, twinkly lights, baking cookies with my grandchildren, wrapping gifts for family and friends and a holiday party or two. However, one of my favorite traditions is our annual Christmas pajama party with the grandkids with a surprise visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. During the month of December, let’s focus on celebrating the moments that truly matter – those shared with loved ones, the laughter, the warm embraces, and the cherished memories we create together.  The joy in connecting with family and friends, spreading love, kindness and gratitude are all to be savored throughout the month because after all, it’s the experiences and memories we collect that enrich our lives.  May your Christmas be filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments that nourish your soul long after all the remnants of the season are packed away, until next year.

This year our oldest grandson will be celebrating his 9th Birthday just two weeks before Christmas and the number one toy he’s been asking for is a Hoverboard! After doing quite a bit of research we found this self-balancing hoverboard. The entry level design provides an easy to learn and safe experience so beginners can ride with confidence. You can purchase here at this Walmart link.

We were blessed with a new grandson in early November and we can’t get enough of our sweet Noah! I recently found the sweetest animated Flappy the Elephant by baby GUND, which is this adorable singing elephant with two different play modes that entertain your baby.  With the push of a button on the left foot, it engages him in an interactive game of peek-a-boo, or press his right foot to sing along to a playful new song while his ears flap. Flappy the Elephant is so soft and cuddly making it perfect for ages 0+ and can be purchased HERE on Amazon.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a couple good ideas for stocking stuffers, here are two that I’m currently loving:

Gold Bond Age Renew Neck & Chest Firming Cream. I especially like that this cream contains hyaluronic acid to help your skin retain moisture, is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and is fast-absorbing. I’ve been using this product for the last 3 months and have noticed a big difference in the tone and texture of my skin! I purchased mine at this Amazon link.

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Serum Drops – The serum drops instantly warms your skin with a radiant, bronzy glow which is great to use during the winter months for a sunny glow and is flattering for every complexion. I appreciate that it also reduces the appearance of any fine lines and wrinkles!  I simply mix a few drops with my daily moisturizer in the morning and I’m good to go. It’s like sunshine in a bottle!  You can purchase at this Amazon link.

If you’re in search of a fun yet simple and festive dessert that the grandkids will adore and that can be put together in no time, you may want to consider this festive No-Bake Reindeer Cheesecake. The grandkids will enjoy helping you in the kitchen with this one!

No-Bake Reindeer Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1  9-inch cheesecake from your local bakery

16 chocolate-covered pretzels

16 candy eyes

8 red candies

Directions:

Cut cheesecake into eight slices.

Arrange 2 pretzels on outside edge of each slice to look like antlers, then add a pair of candy eyes.

Finally, add 1 red candy to tip of each slice for a nose. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Lala MalanaCreate a beautiful, custom art print Mom or Grandma will cherish forever. Make a collection with all the siblings or spotlight her beloved fur baby—she’ll be touched no matter what. Seriously, what mom or Gigi would not love this as a gift! You can order this here through Minted. By the way, Minted is a woman owned business!

Nana Alison

Although I live in sunny Arizona, I found this cute light Therapy for those living in cold-weather climates. This cute little light can provide some much-needed vitamin D to boost energy and mood.

Intensive Sleep Care : Olly Night eliminates 480nm wavelength of light (as known as Bluelight), helping relax at night and activate melatonin, which makes it effective in having a good sleep.

You can order yours here on Amazon.

Wishing you a Christmas filled with the warmth of His love, the peace of His presence, and the blessings of His grace. May your holiday be a reflection of the greatest gift ever given to mankind and may you savor every moment with your loved one.

xo,

The Gigi Connection

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Gigi Connection Grandparenting

With decades of friendship between us, we aim to empower and encourage women of all ages as we share, from our hearts, topics relating to health, beauty, fashion, reading, cooking, faith in God, travel and the joys of aging gracefully as we live life with our friends, family and adoring grandchildren.

Our greatest hope is that with almost 200 collective years of marriage wisdom, 20 grandchildren between us (newborn-12 years of age) and friendships lasting since 1989, our blog encourages you in some way in your friendships, your relationships, your faith, your self and in this wonderful journey called grandparenting.