harry potter gift guide

Do you know someone who loves Harry Potter A LOT but seems to already have everything they could possibly want related to the series? Are they picky about gifts? Do they prefer tasteful/useful items? Are they me? (asking for a friend) But seriously, there are about ninety-billion (slight exaggeration) HP-branded items in the wild, and how will you pick the right one for your loved person this holiday season!? *tears out hair, with drama*

Here, have this holiday gift guide. It features new Harry Potter items that are Cecelia-approved (aka my mother would see them and not know to associate them immediately with HP)(my mother has never seen the books/watched the films, but that’s a story for another day). Okay one final aside, I can’t resist.

In retrospect, one of the funniest moments of the mother-daughter Scotland vacation we took in May/June this year (for my mom’s 70th birthday ostensibly, but I snuck plenty of Harry Potter landmarks in, like riding the Hogwarts Express and visiting Tom Riddle’s grave!) is that when we got to the café in Edinburgh where Rowling did most of her writing my mom looked around and said “I didn’t know Harry Potter was still a thing!” I almost melted into the sidewalk. “Yes, Mom, Harry Potter will always be a thing.” My mom: “Huh. [pause] Do you think they have hot chocolate?” (they do, but it’s terrible)

2018 Harry Potter Holiday Gift List (finally)

Morsmordre Crossbody Bag – This bag prompted me to put this gift guide together because it is SUBTLE and AWESOME and I can just imagine myself smiling smugly when my mom asks “is Morsmordre a designer brand?” As to why I would want it to begin with, let me put it this way: I read a lot of Drarry fanfic.

Amortentia Crossbody Bag – Okay but as soon as I was on the BoxLunch website I found that they have a whole range of cool HP-themed bags and this one is legit too perfect not to showcase. For your friend who is bubblegum on the outside and danger on the inside. Also if you liked these bags they have a Horcrux Collection. *eyes them all longingly*

Ron Weasley Yule Ball Ornament – Just looking at this makes me laugh, it’s so perfect. Your HP-loving friend’s tree needs this. I don’t make the rules!

Harry Wanted Poster Enamel Pin – You’ve noticed that enamel pins are having a moment (I assume). I argue that you must have this one for a complete and proper set of flair. 

Magic Photo and Video Printer – This is SO AWESOME and you’re going to look at the price tag and feel like you've been Kissed by a Dementor. BUT. It is amazing that we’ve made the moving pictures from Harry Potter a reality (with a little help from your iPhone/android). I have one and using this in your DIY photo booth is the perfect party activity!

Williams Sonoma collection of Harry Potter candies – I am weak for aesthetics, and I know you could probably rig up a version of this at home but I just want to believe I could line these jars of HP-inpsired candies up and transform my kitchen into Honeydukes, okay??

Quidditch carousel candle topper and Hogwarts candle pot – Oooooooo. This set will Lumos your wintry nights. It's beautiful, and stylish, and keepsake-quality. I think it speaks for itself.

Maurader’s Map towel set – I realize that these are backordered and so won’t arrive in time for Christmas, but aren’t they great?? Subtly says "I am up to no good." Cool. In my favorite neutral (gray). I wants it.

Dobby Christmas socks (quidditch-themed this year) – Snitches and brooms on contrasting color socks. What more could you want?? (can you tell I’m getting increasingly more excited/frantic as we go?)(I want it all!!!)

Ron Weasley sweater socks – Yo, just a hint of HP and the coziest looking socks ever. Your feet will thank you.

Azkaban prisoner sweater – I’m including this mostly because it made me laugh, and I would want it (I’m a little twisted). Easiest Halloween costume ever, plus a cozy sweater for wintertime when you’re bundled up on the couch in your Gryffindor throw blanket that you no doubt already own/have made. I may be projecting here.

Owl post earrings – Can you put a price on elegance, subtlety, and/or not having your ears turn green?? In review, I want these.

So there you go. Thanks for taking this ride with me. Further suggestions welcome in the comments!

Fine print: All images from retailer sites (directly linked in the post). I did not receive any compensation for this post and it's not sponsored.

the christmas eve tree

My mother and grandmother did their best to foster a love a reading in my siblings and me. That meant gifts of books at birthdays, Christmas, as rewards for good behavior or excellence, and sometimes “just because.” My birthday falls just after Christmas, so for much of my childhood those gift books were Christmas books (or if they weren’t explicitly holiday-themed they were winter-themed!).  To this day I have a soft spot for picture books that depict snowy landscapes, holiday cheer, and/or hibernating animals. I picked up a proof of The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy and illustrator Emily Sutton on a whim at Book Expo America, and it has already found a special place in my heart.  This picture book is sure to join other classics on the shelves of any family that celebrates Christmas.

In a deeply moving story with the hallmarks of a classic, a homeless boy’s rescue of a spindly Christmas tree sparks a glimmer of hope that has far-reaching effects.

It’s late on Christmas Eve, and the little fir tree is the only tree left in the shop. What a poor thing I am, it thinks. But then a young boy enters the store, drawn in from the damp by the warmth and lights and the wonderful smell of Christmas, and he doesn’t seem to mind that the scrawny tree isn’t tall and straight like the others… This magical story, beautifully illustrated by Emily Sutton, captures an unexpected and unforgettable moment of happiness that brings a whole city together.

Delia Huddy’s story of a misshapen Christmas tree that finds its way into the exact place it was meant to be is the sort of tender, heartwarming tale that could easily veer into maudlin territory.  Instead, the story strikes a balance with poignant, bittersweet moments juxtaposed with Christmas cheer and community spirit. 

Huddy includes themes of feeling unwanted and introduces homeless characters with care, highlighting both issues without downplaying their seriousness.  That said, there are a couple of convenient loose ends and a resulting happy finale. The result is warm, heartfelt, and sure to spark important family conversations (and possibly new traditions!).  This story might not be 100% perfect, but it is very good and it has the hallmarks of a classic.

It’s a little crazy that I’ve gotten this far into the review without talking about Emily Hutton’s fantastic illustrations.  They’re… everything.  The rows of Christmas goodies in the shops, the holiday lights in the night, the cityscapes – they’re fantastic.  I don’t know the last time I was this charmed by the complimentary combination of text and pictures.  Hutton’s art is vibrant, evokes a sort of every-city-at-Christmas feeling, and takes the titular crooked little tree through its life cycle.  Humans feature in the story but the tree is the understated star of each page (even if the reader must search for it in a different location on every spread), an artistic choice that elevates the pictures from sweet to layered and read-again worthy.

All told, The Christmas Eve Tree is a treasure. I’ll be gifting it to all of the children I know this upcoming holiday season.

Recommended for: anyone who celebrates Christmas and enjoys gorgeously-illustrated picture books.

The Christmas Eve Tree will be released by Candlewick on September 27, 2016.

THE CHRISTMAS EVE TREE. Text copyright © 2015 by Delia Huddy. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Emily Sutton. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, London.

Additional fine print: I picked up a copy of this title for review consideration at BEA.  I did not receive any compensation for this post.