This is the second time that SpongeBob has made an appearance in our Gift Guide, and with good reason: SpongeBob has been a favorite with kids and adults alike ever since the show premiered in 1999. My love for SpongeBob is well-documented; and when I set up my tree tomorrow, I’ll be pulling out my festive Santa SpongeBob ornament to hang on it! So it stands to reason that I’d be an authority on gift ideas for the SpongeBob fan in your life!

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 7th Season is a four-disc set that contains all 50 episodes from season seven, as well as several animated shorts, for a run time of over nine hours! This is the first complete season set to be released since season three – the trend recently has been to release episodes in multiple volumes – so this is a real treat, since you get all of the episodes in one set. I received a promotional copy of this DVD set for review, and I realized how much of season seven I’ve already seen; yep, I’m a big fan, alright! And now I can catch up on any episodes that I missed – I haven’t had time to sit down and watch all 9 hours yet , but the nice thing about SpongeBob is that the episodes are the perfect length to pick up and watch anytime you have a few minutes free and need a good laugh. Some of my favorites from this season include “The Abrasive Side” (Poor SpongeBob has a hard time saying “No”, and I can relate!), “Earworm” (SpongeBob gets a song stuck in his head, and now it will be stuck in my head forever, too. Doot doo doo doot doo doo doo do doot doo…) and “Greasy Buffoons” (Mr. Krabs and Plankton compete to see who can make the greasiest food!). Here’s a complete listing of all the episodes contained in this set:

Disc 1:
Tentacle-vision
I Heart Dancing
Growth Spout
Stuck in the Wringer
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Sandy
The Inside Job
Greasy Buffoons
Model Sponge
Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful
A Pal for Gary
Yours, Mine and Mine
Kracked Krabs
The Curse of Bikini Bottom
Squidward in Clarinetland

Disc 2:
SpongeBob’s Last Stand
Back to the Past
The Bad Guy Club for Villains
A Day Without Tears
Summer Job
One Coarse Meal
Gary In Love
The Play’s The Thing
Rodeo Daze
Gramma’s Secret Recipe
The Cent of Money

Disc 3:
The Monster Who Came to Bikini Bottom
Welcome to the Bikini Bottom Triangle
The Curse of the Hex
The Main Drain
Trenchbillies
Sponge-Cano
The Great Patty Caper
That Sinking Feeling
Karate Star
Buried in Time
Enchanted Tiki Dreams
The Abrasive Side
Earworm

Disc 4:
Hide and Then What Happens?
Shellback Shenanigans
The Masterpiece
Whelk Attack
You Don’t Know Sponge
Tunnel of Glove
Krusty Dogs
The Wreck of the Mauna Loa
New Fish in Town
Love That Squid
Big Sister Sam
Perfect Chemistry

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 7th Season will be released on December 6th with a retail price of $26.99; click here to pre-order it on Amazon now.

Spin your FyrFlyz! If you watch as much Nickelodeon as I do, you’ve probably heard this jingle before. This unique twist on a yo-yo has been named one of America’s Most Wanted new toys for 2011 – so parents, listen up, because this review is for you!

FyrFlyz is a unique light-up toy that mixes the skill of a yo-yo with the fun of a glowstick. FyrFlyz is a simple device: It consists of two handles, a string, and a piece of plastic containing two LED lights. When you turn on the LED lights and stand in a dim room, you can begin twirling it to create fun patterns – click here for a simple demonstration of how to get started using FyrFlyz. Users can learn to do tricks and have fun creating an awesome lightshow in the palm of their hands!

I think FyrFlyz is a really neat idea, and I can think of several people on my list who would enjoy it. Because of its universal appeal, it makes a great gift for both kids and teens – and many adults will have fun with it, as well! FyrFlyz would be great for any nighttime activity: Camping, 4th of July, bonfires, parties, entertainment during power outages! Check out the video below to see this fun and versatile toy in action:

FyrFlyz retails for $8.99 and is suitable for ages 8 and up – click here to locate a retailer near you. I received a complimentary FyrFlyz for the purposes of this review.

If you’re a parent, it’s likely that one of the top categories on your shopping list this holiday season are stocking stuffer items. Stockings were a big deal in my house growing up, and I loved the excitement of finding fun little toys and trinkets in my sock on Christmas morning! If you want an adorable stocking stuffer that kids will enjoy year-round, then you will definitely want to check out PakNaks, a charming series of lovable decorations that children can stick on their backpacks, notebooks, and so much more. And THREE lucky Contest Corner readers will each win PakNaks, so read on!

So what, exactly, is a PakNak? These 3-D characters are made from a rubbery material and come with a Velcro patch that you can peel and stick onto any item you’d like to customize, from furniture to headbands to school supplies. I’ve been familiar with PakNaks for a few years now – I actually won a set of them in a giveaway in 2009, and they came in really handy for birthday and Christmas gifts; they are so cute and were a big hit with everyone I gave them to!

PakNaks sent me two more complimentary items this month so that I could check out their latest designs. Just in time for the holidays, PakNaks are offering Christmas-themed charms, including Snickerdoodle, an adorable reindeer. What could be better for a stocking stuffer than a festive PakNak? I also received Ralph, a cute puppy that would be perfect for any child that loves dogs. PakNak are adorable as ever, and I look forward to including these in my Christmas packages this year!

THREE lucky Contest Corner readers will each win 2 PakNaks in their choice of designs! Here’s how to enter:

1. For your first entry, click here to view the full line of PakNaks, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which one is your favorite! This step is required to qualify for the drawing.

Want extra entries? Do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each one:

2. Write a post on your blog linking to this giveaway and PakNak.com. Then come back here and leave me the link!
3. Write about this on Twitter, then come back and leave me the link to your tweet! One Twitter entry per person. You can use the button at the bottom of this post to tweet with one click!
4. Subscribe to my blog updates by clicking here. Then come back and leave me the email you subscribed with!
5. Become a follower of my blog by clicking the “Follow” button in my sidebar! Then come back here and let me know in a separate comment!
6. Post Contest Corner’s button on your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

7. Add the Holiday Gift Guide 2011 badge to your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

This Christmas, countless children will be writing their letters to Santa Claus, leaving out cookies, and eagerly awaiting the arrival of jolly old St. Nick on Christmas eve. Looking for a charming way to add a little magic to the season? One lucky Contest Corner reader will win a personalized letter from Santa to their child, so read on!

I remember one Christmas when I was very little, I got a letter from Santa (Which my parents had bought at a Christmas fair!). I’ll never forget how thrilled I was to get this letter – it was very magical! In fact, I still have that letter after all these years. That’s why I love that services like these still exist, so that parents of today can pass this excitement on to their own children!

Letters From… is a family-run business that offers personalized letters from Santa, Rudolph, and even Frosty the Snowman! I received a complimentary letter of my own from Santa, and it is very adorable. The envelope is bedecked with Santa illustrations and snowflakes, and came bearing a postmark from North Pole, Alaska. The letter itself is printed on charming Santa stationary and is customized with your child’s name and a variety of other personalizations of your choosing – you can mention a specific toy that they want for Christmas, or a chore you’d like to encourage them to do. I thought this letter was utterly charming and cute! Anyone who wants to spread some Christmas joy and magic this year will have fun checking out the options available at Letters From….

Letters From… offers customized letters from Santa, Frosty, and Rudolph for $6.99.

One lucky Contest Corner reader will win a letter of their choosing courtesy of Letters From…! Here’s how to enter:

1. For your first entry, click here to visit Letters From…, then come back here and leave a comment telling us which letter you might pick if you won! This step is required to qualify for the drawing.

Want extra entries? Do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each one:

2. Click here to “Like” Letters From… on Facebook, then come back here and leave a comment on this post with your Facebook username!
3. Click here to follow @lettersfrom on Twitter, then come back here and leave a comment on this post with your Twitter username!
4. Write a post on your blog linking to this giveaway and Letters From…. Then come back here and leave me the link!
5. Write about this on Twitter, then come back and leave me the link to your tweet! One Twitter entry per person. You can use the button at the bottom of this post to tweet with one click!
6. Subscribe to my blog updates by clicking here. Then come back and leave me the email you subscribed with!
7. Become a follower of my blog by clicking the “Follow” button in my sidebar! Then come back here and let me know in a separate comment!
8. Post Contest Corner’s button on your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

9. Add the Holiday Gift Guide 2011 badge to your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

If you’re looking for a cute stocking stuffer for the little girl on your list, then may I introduce you to Apparel Dynasty? This brand carries a plethora of super-sweet products, including their flagship line, Scented Shoelaces. And one lucky Contest Corner reader will win 4 packages of Scented Shoelaces by Apparel Dynasty, so read on!

Remember when we were kids, and scented stickers were all the rage? Well, the package I received from Scented Shoelaces sure brought back that nostalgia! They sent me a box full of complimentary goodies so that I could check out their line, and I knew it was going to be a fun package when I noticed the adorable ice cream sticker that they stuck next to my address! The parcel contained a variety of Scented Shoelaces, along with a pink tote bag and two packages of scented stickers. Each of their products bears incredibly cute designs, with darling anthropomorphic characters from ice cream cones to hot dogs. All of Scented Shoelaces’ products are guaranteed to elicit an “Awwwww”!

Although these shoelaces are aimed at kids, they will absolutely appeal to anyone with a sense of fun – I plan on divvying these goodies up amongst my friends, because I know they’ll flip for these! I had a hard time deciding which pair of shoelaces to keep for myself, but I settled on the Tropical Fruits design, since I love the smiling pineapples! I was eager to try these out – I have to wear orthopedic sneakers due to my knee injury, and being a fashionista, I really hate not being able to wear any of my cute shoes. This was a fun way to jazz up my look!

These shoelaces were a little shorter than the ones I had previously (Presumably because they’re made for children’s shoes!), but they still worked. They’re super cute – my blog doesn’t have smell-o-vision, so you can’t smell the fruity aroma, but these are indeed fruit scented! Whether you’re looking for a cute stocking stuffer for the young or the young-at-heart, I highly recommend Scented Shoelaces!

Scented Shoelaces retail for $5.00 each and are available on ScentedShoelaces.com.

One lucky Contest Corner reader will win 4 packages of Scented Shoelaces! Here’s how to enter:

1. For your first entry, click here to visit the Apparel Dynasty shop, then come back here and leave a comment mentioning a product that you like! This step is required to qualify for the drawing.

Want extra entries? Do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each one:

2. Write a post on your blog linking to this giveaway and Apparel Dynasty. Then come back here and leave me the link!
3. Write about this on Twitter, then come back and leave me the link to your tweet! One Twitter entry per person. You can use the button at the bottom of this post to tweet with one click!
4. Subscribe to my blog updates by clicking here. Then come back and leave me the email you subscribed with!
5. Become a follower of my blog by clicking the “Follow” button in my sidebar! Then come back here and let me know in a separate comment!
6. Post Contest Corner’s button on your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

7. Add the Holiday Gift Guide 2011 badge to your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

There’s nothing like festive holiday cartoons to get you into the seasonal spirit. Just in time for Christmas, Caillou’s Holiday Favorites has been released as a 3-DVD gift set. This adorable cartoon from PBS Kids follows the adventures of pre-schooler Caillou with a mix of animation and live action. This program is a big hit with families – over 5 million households tune in each month! – so you can bet that this gift set will be a coveted present for children this year. The three DVDS in this collection include holiday-themed episodes for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, along with many winter-themed episodes. These discs also include interactive games and coloring pages. I was unfamiliar with this program prior to receiving this complimentary DVD for review, and it’s a really cute little show. I’m a fan of the relaxing, educational programming on PBS, and I don’t think this collection will disappoint parents or children!

Here are some of the highlights of this collection:

Caillou’s World of Wonder – Join Caillou as he explores everyday life, where ordinary daily events spark his and your child’s imagination. Your child will be inspired by Caillou’s pretend play, and they will join in the role-playing fun.

Caillou’s Holidays – Caillou loves holidays, and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are his favorites! There’s so much to do, including picking out a pumpkin, making Thanksgiving dinner and decorating the Christmas tree.

Caillou’s Winter Wonders – In this compilation of 4 Caillou episodes, your child can enjoy Caillou the Snowman, Caillou’s Christmas, It’s Cold Outside, and Winter.

Caillou’s Holiday Favorites is available on Amazon for $12.99.

There’s no children’s gift quite as classic as a teddy bear. Stuffed animals are one of those timeless presents that kids from every generation will own and love. Would you like to give your child a teddy bear that encourages a positive message? Then you might like to meet Ugly Ted!

Ugly Ted is a very special stuffed animal that aims to spread a message of kindness and acceptance. Because poor Ted is “Ugly”, he’s not always treated very nicely by other teddies, and it makes him bear-y (Unintentional, yet fitting typo!) sad. Ugly Ted may not have conventional good looks, but he’s a sweetie pie and wants love like any other cuddly toy. “Ugly bears need love too, as they are not ugly inside,” says Ugly Ted. “No matter what someone looks like, or where they are from, always remember to treat others the way you would want to be treated”. By adopting an Ugly Ted doll and reading the free storybooks available on the website, children absorb a point that the creators hope will resonate with them and help to combat the sadness of real-life bullying. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from Ugly Ted sales are donated to charity.

I received a complimentary Ugly Ted doll so that I could adopt him and give him a happy home! I honestly don’t think Ted is “Ugly” at all – he’s a cute and quirky little bear, and I really think the story behind him is so sweet. It makes me so sad when I think about children (Or adults) being harassed or lonely, so anything that can help bring more compassion and thoughtfulness into the world is always a positive thing.

You can adopt an Ugly Ted bear of your own at UglyTed.com for $12.99. There is also a free ebook series, Adventures of Ugly Ted, which you can download by clicking here.

This year, many new parents will be celebrating their baby’s first Christmas. If you have a new family on your list this year, you may be wondering what you can give to parents of infants that will be useful and appreciated. Exederm specialize in hypoallergenic products designed for babies with eczema and other skin conditions, earning the “Seal of Acceptance” award from The National Eczema Association, making their products an excellent and practical stocking stuffer. And one lucky Contest Corner reader will win one Exederm baby product of their choice, so read on!

I used to suffer from eczema when I was little, and it’s no fun. Although I haven’t had problems with eczema for a long time, I still have sensitive skin and appreciate the need for products that have mild, non-irritating ingredients. We all know that babies have very sensitive skin, and doubly so if the infant suffers from eczema or a related condition. Exederm carries a range of products made for just such instances, with lotions, oils, shampoos, creams and cleansers formulated with mild ingredients, avoiding all of the following:

I received a complimentary bottle of Baby Eczema Lotion as well as a jar of Baby Eczema Cream to review, and I can tell that Exederm’s products have been specially formulated – both the lotion and the cream have a very thick texture which absorbs fast. I tried these products out on my own hands, and while I thankfully haven’t had eczema in a long time, I thought Exederm felt pretty good on my dry hands. I think these products would be ideal for parents of newborns, whether their child has skin issues or they just prefer to use mild products. I’m sure any parent would be very pleased to receive such a useful item for the holidays!

Exederm’s products range in price from $12.99 to $14.99, and are available to purchase on Exederm.com.

One lucky Contest Corner reader will win a product of their choice from the Exederm children’s line! Here’s how to enter:

1. For your first entry, click here to visit Exederm.com, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which Exederm children’s product you might choose if you win! This step is required to qualify for the drawing.

Want extra entries? Do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each one:

2. Write a post on your blog linking to this giveaway and Exederm.com. Then come back here and leave me the link!
3. Write about this on Twitter, then come back and leave me the link to your tweet! One Twitter entry per person. You can use the button at the bottom of this post to tweet with one click!
4. Subscribe to my blog updates by clicking here. Then come back and leave me the email you subscribed with!
5. Become a follower of my blog by clicking the “Follow” button in my sidebar! Then come back here and let me know in a separate comment!
6. Post Contest Corner’s button on your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

7. Add the Holiday Gift Guide 2011 badge to your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:

I’m a big SpongeBob Squarepants fan and I always enjoy watching the SpongeBob holiday specials; so I was happy to hear about the new SpongeBob SquarePants: Holidays With SpongeBob gift set! This 3-DVD collection compiles episodes themed for Halloween, Christmas, and more. The charming packaging includes a gift tag on the front of the box which you could use to write the recipient’s name on. Discs include “SpongeBob SquarePants: Christmas”, “SpongeBob SquarePants: Halloween”, and “SpongeBob SquarePants: To Love a Patty”. I really love watching festive programming as a way to get into the holiday spirit – I remember watching Christmas-themed cartoon specials every year as a child, so it brings back that nostalgic feeling to watch holiday episodes of my favorite shows. I’m also very excited to have the Halloween DVD; of course, I adore Halloween, and spook-tacular specials such as this make me feel happy. I can’t wait to play this at my Halloween party next year! The final disc, “To Love a Patty” contains a variety of cute episodes – suitable for Valentine’s Day, perhaps?

Whether you have a child who loves SpongeBob or know a grown-up who enjoys watching the adventures of the little yellow sponge, this charming and festive collection makes a perfect holiday gift!

Here is the full episode listing for this set:

SpongeBob SquarePants: Christmas

Christmas Who?
Everyone is disappointed when Santa does not show on Christmas morning, especially SpongeBob.

Procrastination
SpongeBob has to write an essay but every time he begins, he finds another excuse to stop.

Snowball Effect
Squidward discovers the joy and competition of snowball fighting.

Survival of the Idiots
Sandy is hibernating for the winter with strict orders for SpongeBob and Patrick to stay out.

Mermaidman and Barnacleboy IV
SpongeBob finds Mermaidman’s secret utility belt and nearly destroys Bikini Bottom.

Chocolate with Nuts
SpongeBob and Patrick sell chocolate bars from door-to-door.

As Seen on TV
SpongeBob makes a short cameo in a Krusty Krab commercial and thinks he is famous.

Pizza Delivery
SpongeBob and Squidward deliver the first-ever Krusty Krab pizza.

Squeaky Boots
Mr. Krabs tricks SpongeBob into buying a worthless pair of fry cook boots.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Halloween

Scaredy Pants
Patrick helps SpongeBob conjure up the scariest Halloween costume ever.

Imitation Krabs
Plankton disguises himself as Mr. Krabs in order to steal the Krabby Patty formula.

Frakendoodle
SpongeBob and Patrick discover a pencil that makes everything they draw come to life.

I Was a Teenage Gary
SpongeBob and Squidward are accidentally turned into snails.

Squidward, the Unfriendly Ghost
SpongeBob and Patrick think that they killed Squidward and are haunted by his “ghost.”

The Secret Box
SpongeBob will stop at nothing to find out the secret that Patrick keeps hidden in a box.

Band Geeks
Squidward gets the chance to upstage Squilliam at the famous Bubble Bowl.

Welcome to the Chum Bucket
Mr. Krabs loses SpongeBob’s fry cook contract to Plankton.

My Pretty Seahorse
SpongeBob attempts to tame a wild seahorse.

Idiot Box
The boys order a large-screen television so they can play in the box.

SpongeBob SquarePants: To Love a Patty

To Love a Patty
SpongeBob has trouble saying Goodbye to the most perfect Krabby Patty he has ever cooked.

A Flea in Her Dome
SpongeBob and Patrick try to help Sandy rid her Tree Dome of fleas.

Mermaidman vs. SpongeBob
Plankton has brainwashed Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy!  With the dynamic duo under Plankton’s control, he orders them to wreak havoc on the Krusty Krab.  It’s up to SpongeBob and his trusty spatula to save the day.

Le Big Switch
SpongeBob switches places with a snooty French chef from a high-end restaurant.

The Donut of Shame
When Patrick accidentally takes SpongeBob’s donut he is overcome with guilt for his heinous crime.

Blackjack
SpongeBob’s parents are missing and all clues point to cousin Blackjack, the family bully.

Blackened Sponge
SpongeBob accidentally gives himself a black eye while taking the cap off the toothpaste! Embarrassed, he makes up a tale about being in a nasty fight.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Holidays With SpongeBob available to purchase on Amazon tomorrow, November 15th, for $21.99. I received a promotional DVD for the purposes of this review.

Are you looking for a gift that is as educational as it is fun? Then you might be interested to learn about Growums, a selection of indoor gardening kits for children that allow kids to quickly and easily grow their own veggie garden – all you need is a pie dish!

Each Growums kit is a small tub that includes everything you need to get started: Coco pellets, seeds, and plant tags. The process of starting and caring for your Growums garden is as easy as can be, and children can register their garden on Growums.com to track their progress and learn more about the gardening process. Each garden kit is themed – you can grow everything from a Pizza Garden which contains tomato, basil, oregano, and bell pepper seeds, to a Taco Garden, which includes jalapeno pepper, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cilantro seeds. Growums’ mascots are cute anthropomorphic vegetables, which feature in the how-to videos on the Growums website to help get kids excited about gardening.

I received a complimentary Growums Herb Garden to try out, and I was really excited about getting started. I really like container gardening, as I’ve written about on my other blog, and I’ve been wanting to get a cilantro plant since I use it so much in cooking. This kit not only contains cilantro, but also oregano, basil, and parsley seeds – a great selection of commonly-used herbs.

Getting started it extremely easy. All you need to do is place the coco pellets in a shallow pie dish or bowl – we used a plastic storage container:

Next, fill the plastic Growums tub with warm water and pour into the dish. The pellets will soak up the water and expand.

Now, add three seeds to each pellet, push them down into the pellet, and add your plant tag. That’s it! Your Growums garden is now ready to be placed on a sunny windowsill.

The kit comes with extra seeds, so if the plants don’t pop up after 10 days, you can re-plant. I love this kit because it’s so simple and fast – in addition to being a good gift for children, I think this would also be a fun stocking stuffer for any adult who has an interest in gardening or cooking. Many people want to get started growing their own food, but don’t have much time or space – this would be great for people living in apartments, for example.

Growums kits are available in stores and online for $9.99 – click here to locate a brick-and-mortar location near you or purchase online.