Today while stuck in traffic, I noticed that the vehicle in front of me had a license plate that read “Elf” followed by a number.  I couldn’t help but chuckle.  Could this have been one of Santa’s elves, perhaps running errands on Santa’s behalf? 

I’ve been feeling a little Elf-ish lately, particularly as I put the finishing touches on my gift giving.  I’ve done so much wrapping lately that I just dread the idea of wrapping any more gifts.  At this point, should I have forgotten anyone on my list, e-gift cards are the only gifts I’m willing to give (and, it’s not too late to give them)!  Thankfully, though, my kids are old enough now to help out with gift wrapping–and boy, do they ever to want to help out!  Little fingers are great for holding pre-cut pieces of tape.  They also are great for holding ribbon before the final tie!  When they help me out, I really feel like we’re our own team of elves. Obviously, if I were to wrap gifts alone, I’d be much more efficient, but there’s no substitute for that elf-ish laughter and silliness.

Not all parents enjoy having their little ones around when they wrap gifts.  Do you mind wrapping presents with your little ones?

A few days ago, I posted about single parenting and the holidays.  As a beautiful complement to this topic, it’s definitely worth your time to read A Holiday Wish List for Single Moms, which appears at the Silicon Valley Moms Blog and is a feature link at Parent Hacks.

While I’m not a single mom, I know that children aren’t the only ones with wish lists this time of year–single parents have them, too.  If you have a single parent friend, this might just be the perfect time to let them know you’re thinking about them.  

Merck & Co. announced a recall yesterday of 1.2 million doses of the Hib vaccine.  The vaccine is used to protect against meningitis, pneumonia, and other infections.  This vaccine is routinely administered to children, beginning around two months of age.

For more information about the recall, and to better understand how the recall may affect your child, check out Merck’s recall notice.

Pressed for affordable gift ideas for that little one in your life?  Here are 5 great gifts for tots: 

1.  Pony or Unicorn Stick.  Sure, playing with the broom is fun, but not nearly as much fun as the real thing.

2.  Bubbles.  What kid doesn’t love bubbles and bubble accessories, like a gigantic wand or bubble mower?

3.  Planes, trains, and automobiles!  Most little guys and gals alike love playing with pint-sized toy vehicles.  Mom and dad (and grandma, too), will appreciate the entertainment value–just pack a couple of vehicles in a diaper bag and pull out when needed to keep the little one occupied!

4.  Shape Sorters.  A classic, must-have gift.  Melissa & Doug makes terrific sorting toys.  Chicco and Sassy also make educational and fun sorters.

5.  Puppets.  Kids love puppet play, especially when they get to watch a show by Mom or Dad.  Finger puppets are a sure crowd pleaser!  

Kids in tow, I decided to make a quick stop to pick up a gift card at a local shop for someone on my holiday list. 

Here’s how I envisioned the stop:  unload kids from minivan, zip into the store, ask for gift card, plunk down payment, zip out of store, buckle kids back into their car seats.  Oh, then, the best part:  the sigh of relief!  Shopping completed for another person on my list.

I didn’t plan for one thing.  I didn’t even anticipate it.  Bad customer service.  The clerk seemed completely annoyed that I wanted a gift card.  In fact, he came as close to saying it, without actually saying it.  It’s not like he was busy helping out other customers either.  He was just standing behind the register when I walked into the store.  And, it’s not like gift cards are an unusual request.  In fact, the counter featured a huge display of cards just waiting to be purchased.

Even though I wasn’t in the store for much longer than I had originally so brilliantly planned, I didn’t expect that I would spend much of the afternoon fuming about the experience.  I thought by the time I was back in the minivan the shopping experience would have been completed.

My solution:  I called the store and spoke with the manager.  The manager seemed truly appreciative that I took the time to call about my experience.  He apologized profusely.  He promised to attend to the problem promptly–I took that to mean talking with the employee.  He asked me to see him next time I come into the store.  He thanked me again for taking the time to call, and he thanked me for my patronage.

A happy ending to my shopping experience emerged.  A happier customer.  Shopping experience completed.

Do you have a tale of customer service survival this holiday season?  Do you have a strategy for dealing with poor customer service, especially when your kids are in tow?  If so, leave a comment and tell me all about it. 

It’s easy to forget that finding happiness during the holiday season isn’t equally easy for everyone.  There are lots of people who spend the holidays alone, or feeling lonely.  This includes many single parents–both those spending time with their children and those apart from their children during the holidays.  

If you’re a single parent, consider checking out Jennifer Wolf’s About.com site for Single Parents–of course, after you finish checking out all of the goodies here! 

You’re bound to pick up a few tips on coping with single parent holiday blues.  Here’s a spiced-up rehash of Woolf’s single parent holiday suggestions:

1.  Single parents should acknowledge their feelings of loneliness.  Societal expectations can be tough on single parents, especially when it comes to exhibiting holiday enthusiasm.

2.  Don’t forget about the holiday traditions that are important to you.  Tweak the traditions, if you must, but do what you love this holiday.

3. Be adventurous.  Try something new this holiday as a way of “validating your own identity.”  Hey, this might mean planning special holiday crafts or activities with the kids, like making holiday greeting cards to send to family and friends–all you need is paper and an assortment of art accessories, like markers and crayons (My all-in-one top pick: the Alex Art Studio).

4.  Give to others.  Giving to others, like volunteering during the holidays or donating food or toys to the needy, can help you see beyond your own situation.

5.  Remember you.  This might mean something as simple as getting more sleep during the holidays or coming up with ways to eliminate some of the holiday shopping madness, by completing your shopping online.

I think I made a huge mistake giving my toddler a chunk of brownie this afternoon before heading to the grocery store. Tsk, tsk!  The trip lasted about fifteen minutes.  I spent the entire time saying all the things a mom says (and all the things a Mom usually dreads saying), including “no” and “please, don’t touch” a zillion times.  And, yes, that included “no” to gum, candy, and those holiday trinkets in the checkout aisle (hey, Santa’s on his way with a bunch of beautiful, quality goodies!). 

Thankfully, Anita Renfroe’s Mom Overture is the perfect video clip to watch to remind me to find the humor in parenting.  If you haven’t checked it out, it’s sure to make you laugh, too–and then send you running to hug your little one. 

If you’re in search of safety-tested toys or simply curious whether an item you want to buy or have already purchased has been tested, check out HealthyToys.org. 

Several nonprofit environmental health groups, including Washington Toxics Coalition and the Center for Environmental Health, have come together to test toys.  The result is a searchable list of 1,200 tested toys.  You can search by toy name, brand or toy type.      

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) wants consumers to know the ABC’s of toy safety: “(A) awareness, and knowing the (B) benefits, for (C) consumers – (Awareness Benefits Consumers).”

CPSC urges consumers to stay informed about toy recalls.  One way consumers can keep aware of toy recalls is to sign up for CPSC’s e-mail notification of recalls.

Wondering how much having a child will cost?  Any way you cut it, the price tag is shocking and new parents need to plan ahead.  At least that’s the message of today’s Washington Post feature, Expecting the Expenses.  Apparently, thinking about the long-term cost of raising a baby isn’t always on the new or expecting parent brain.  But according to a financial planner cited by the Washington Post that’s hardly surprising given that, “Most people don’t plan their own wants and needs.”

There are a number of online calculators that can help you estimate how much money you will likely spend raising a child.  Spending a few minutes to think about financing your baby is a good thing to add to your pre-baby checklist.  Of course, if you already have a child, it’s not too late to come up with a financial game plan.