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This Black Friday felt a little overwhelming with so many deals and stores to choose from. I focused on updating my Christmas list and finding thoughtful, budget-friendly gifts for everyone on it (plus a few fun extras for myself!). Once the shopping was done, my daughter and I jumped into simple Christmas crafts for kids and festive activities that kept her entertained and made our home feel cozy and fun. All prices shown during the Black Friday sale.

Black Friday 2025: What I Actually Bought

For Family, Teachers & Friends

I picked out thoughtful gifts for family and friends and put together gift boxes filled with items they would actually use.

For Teachers

For Friends/Family

Small Items for Gifts

Aloha Collection Mini Pouch ($9)
Everywhere Belt Bag 1L ($38)
Aloha Crossbody Le Tour ($20)
Hair Clips & Scrunchies ($9.99)
BAGSMART small pouch ($7.19)
Bath & Body Works Hand Spray & Sanitizers ($1)
NIVEA Lip Balm Set ($6)

For My Daughter

She wrote down her wish list, these two gifts are the main ones and she’s been asking for months.

Gabby Dollhouse

Pretend Play Luggage

Gabby Doll House ($45.99)
Disney Princess Style Collection Deluxe Suitcase ($27.99)

For Kids of All Ages

Bought all of these toys on Black Friday for her cousins and friends, ages 1–5. Nothing extravagant—just fun toys they can grow with and learn from through play. I also took into consideration what they would actually be interested in when making these purchases.

Matching Game

Writing Tablet

Police Truck

Activity Cube

Walkie Talkies

Action Figure

Pull Toy Chatter

For Me

I don’t really need much for myself, except selfcare. But since I saw all the Black Friday deals, I decided to stock up on my favorites and pick up a few useful things for the office too.

For Hair/Skincare

Tripod

Mary Jane Flats

Mary Jane Flats ($12)
Brown Belt - not on sale ($10)
Tripod for travel ($12.36)

Self-care Haul - (prices shown during Black Friday sale)

SHOP THE LIST:

MANYO Pure Cleansing Oil ($13.90)
AROMATICA Root Enhancer ($12.60)
MEDIHEAL Toner Pads ($16.80)
MEDIHEAL Face Masks ($7.99)
UNOVE Deep Damage Treatment ($16.80)
celimax ONE STEP Body Brightening Pad ($11.69)

Shop Cocomoon Hawaii Bliss Blankets →

Christmas Crafts & Fun Activities With My 4-Year-Old

My daughter still remembers the fun we had last Christmas, and she’s been asking to do some festive activities again. This year, instead of a traditional Christmas calendar, we decided to focus on small holiday activities and stocking surprises to make December extra special.

**Decorating our Christmas Tree**

Our first big holiday activity! She helped hang ornaments, fluff the branches, and choose her favorite decorations to display front and center. She’s also been having fun playing with our Santa display, adding even more festive cheer to the living room.

**Coloring Gingerbread Placemat**

The first thing I picked up from Target was a pack of coloring Christmas placemats. For just $3, it comes with 10 placemats—enough to keep my daughter busy for weeks! She loved coloring them.

**Writing Down Her Wish List**

Writing down her wish list is a fun way for her to practice both writing and spelling skills. It’s a simple activity that doubles as a festive craft!

**DIY Christmas Cards**

This year, we decided not to send traditional cards but to include them with the gifts, since all her cousins and relatives will be here for Christmas. Instead of buying cards, I designed them on Canva, printed them on cardstock, and let my daughter color and write “Merry Christmas” on each one. It was a fun, personal touch that made the gifts extra special.

This year’s gift wrap includes a card. Forgot to mention, I made all gift labels using Avery.

**DIY Paper Filler for Gifts**

This one was a hit! I realized we had some colored paper and a paper cutter at home, so my daughter helped me make DIY paper filler for our gift boxes. She had so much fun adding the filler herself.

**Stocking Surprises**

We didn’t do a traditional Christmas advent calendar this year, but instead, we decided to put small surprises in her stocking—like stickers, little collectibles, money to put in her jar and more. She’s been so excited, checking it every day and asking if Santa is going to visit!
These tiny treats double as **fun holiday activities** and add excitement to her mornings.

**Packing classmates’ Christmas gifts**

Got these **bulk stocking stuffers** on Amazon—perfect for preschoolers! Not fancy, but super cute for the holidays. My daughter loved helping me pack them for her classmates.

This has been our busiest yet most meaningful holiday season. She’s four now and growing so fast, and her excitement for the holidays makes everything more magical. December has been hectic but so fun, and I’m soaking in all these little moments as a mom!

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