If you haven’t yet heard about the fiver birthday party trend, it could change the way you plan parties from now on—and we bet your guests will love it, too.

The “fiver party” is a simple solution for both attendees and hosts when it comes to the big birthday gift dilemma. Instead of gifts, guests are simply asked to bring five dollars for the birthday kid. With a dozen or more kids in attendance, those “fivers” will quickly add up to a decent sum that can be used toward one big gift.

It’s a win-win for parents and guests, as you’ll eliminate that stack of presents that will barely fit in your overflowing playroom. Plus, guests can save money and skip the hassle of having to shop. The only downside is that young kids might miss the fun and excitement of unwrapping gifts or choosing a special present for their friend. At the end of the day, though, the birthday boy or girl will be able to use the money for something they will truly want and cherish.

If you’d like to throw your own fiver party, make sure you discuss the plan in advance with your kid so they can get excited about what they plan to spend their special birthday money on. And remember, it doesn’t have to be a toy. It can go toward an experience or become a donation to an important charity of the kid’s choosing. Make it clear in the invitation what a “fiver party” means—while it is a growing trend, some parents might not be in the loop.

According to TODAY.com, Amy McCready, author of The Me, Me, Me Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World, suggests wording the invite like this:

“We’re trying to help [NAME] focus on the joy of celebrating this special occasion with his cherished friends rather than on receiving gifts.

To that end, we hope you’ll consider NO GIFTS. For those who feel uncomfortable with that, we ask you consider NO MORE THAN a $5 gift card or cash that he can put towards something special he’s saving for. Thanks for understanding and celebrating with us.”

Hopefully, we’ll see this birthday trend take off even more in 2023.

With over a year left until the third installment of Fantastic Beasts hits theaters, we are in need for a fresh stash of Harry Potter goodies. Luckily, Williams Sonoma is constantly updating its collection!  Here are a some of our favorite exclusive magical finds.

Harry Potter Cookie Baking Set

Williams Sonoma

The 26-piece set includes eight stainless steel cookie cutters, 12 icing bags, one storage box, four decorating tips and a plastic coupler--everything you need to make sweet Hogwarts treats.

$24.95

Harry Potter Silicone Spatula

Williams Sonoma

Whip up pancakes or a batch of cookies with these exclusive silicone spatula.

$14.95

House Crest Cookie Cutters

Williams Sonoma

Root on your favorite house with some tasty cookies.

$16.95

Hydration Water Bottle

Williams Sonoma

Stay hydrated and show off your Hogwarts school spirit with these water bottles.

$29.95

Harry Potter Pancake Molds

Williams Sonoma

Bring the magic to the breakfast table with these whimsical molds that will produce pancakes shaped like the Sorting Hat and Harry’s glasses.

Hedwig Cookie Jar

Williams Sonoma

Count on Hedwig to keep watch over those House Crest Cookies. 

$69.95

Harry Potter Chocolate Wand

Williams Sonoma

The only downside to this edible wand is that the magic will disappear once you’ve gobbled it up, but it’s totally worth it. 

$11.99

—Karly Wood & Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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If you’re a fan of salty and sweet flavor combinations, then Starbucks Santa Boots Chocolate Frappuccino is a holiday wish come true.

The new Frappuccino flavor features a chocolatey base topped with whipped cream, candy-coated chocolates and crushed potato chips. Oh, and did we mention the edible cookie straw? The only downside to this unique flavor combo is that you probably won’t be able to get a taste––unless you happen to live in Japan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5l9azlAcee/

The Santa Boots Chocolate Frappuccino is only available at Starbucks locations in Japan through Dec. 25 or until supplies are sold out. You can always get creative and sprinkle some potato chips on top of a good, old fashioned Peppermint Mocha!

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: uesugi_yuji via Instagram

 

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Too many Amazon packages? Don’t worry, this UPS driver will hide them from your spouse.

Shopping online is one of the blessings of parenting in the 21st Century. You never need to leave the house to stock up on supplies, but the downside is your porch will probably be constantly piled with packages. One clever woman has the perfect accessory to pair with her online shopping, a doormat that reads, “Please Hide Packages from Husband” and that’s exactly what her UPS delivery person did.

In the now viral post that Ebony Freeman shared on Facebook, she shows a picture of a giant package hilariously sticking out from underneath that genius doormat. The caption reads, “Oh my god look! The UPS guy actually hid it under the rug!”

The post was shared and liked thousands of times, with commenters coveting both the awesome doormat and the delivery person. “I had no clue it was going to get that much traction,” Freeman told Good Morning America, explaining that her husband Mike doesn’t actually get upset with her shopping habit. “I have a package a day coming from Amazon but he thinks it’s funny.”

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Courtesy of Ebony Freeman

 

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Does your kid’s love of Mickey rival their Mario fandom? Now they can have the best of both worlds, thanks to a new Disney-themed Nintendo Switch.

The limited-edition Nintendo Switch will come packaged in a bundle that includes pink and purple Joy-Cons covered in Mickey ears and a Tsum Tsum-themed dock. The only downside to this awesome console? It will only be available in Japan as of now.

photo: Nintendo Japan

The Disney Tsum Tsum Nintendo Switch will be released to coincide with the release of the Tsum Tsum Festival game, which rolls out in Japan on Oct. 10. You can check out the trailer for the new game below.

While the Tsum Tsum Festival game will be available for Switch users worldwide, there are currently no plans to release the limited edition console outside of Japan.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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Wouldn’t it be great if more things in life served more than one purpose? Now your breakfast cereal is multi-tasking as an inspiration for young artists thanks to a campaign that turned Kellogg’s cereal boxes black and white.

As part of a campaign developed by a creative advertising agency in Australia, Kellogg’s has temporarily turned their cereal boxes black and white in order to encourage young breakfast eaters to color the boxes. Not only that, but the Colour and Win campaign, which is a partnership with Crayola, has also added an augmented reality feature to the cereal boxes. Kids can use an AR app to bring their colorful creations to life after they’ve turned their cereal boxes into masterpieces.

The only downside to this creative endeavor? It’s only available down under. Kellogg’s products, like Rice Bubbles and Coco Pops, on store shelves in stores throughout Australia will be featuring this redesign for a limited time. Here’s hoping the U.S. counterparts, like Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies could get the same treatment!

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Feature photo: FabNewsLive via Instagram

 

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Ah, summer. The only downside to those hot, sunny days outdoors is the heat. But what if you could bring the ice, cold AC outside and on the go where you roam? Now you can thanks to the new IcyBreeze Cooler Chill Package.

Coolers are a blessing for keeping your food and drinks cold, but what about you? Now there’s a cooler that performs double duty with a built-in air conditioner. The 38-quart IcyBreeze Cooler, which was featured on Shark Tank, utilizes the ice and water at the bottom of the cooler to dispense a cold breeze through a tube, making the air up to 35 degrees cooler.

The IcyBreeze Cooler has three fan-speed settings and comes in five colors, including Polar Blue, Molten Red, Electric Green, Hot Pink and Desert Tan. The cooler can be powered either by a 12-volt power supply (car adapter), 110 to 220-volt power supply (wall adapter) or a smart charger and battery. You can also add on an extension tube to extend the fans reach.

You can score the Icy Breeze Cooler on Amazon starting at $289.99 and never let the heat scare you away from a beach day or camping trip again.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Amazon

 

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Working moms understand the value of multitasking better than anyone and are bound to be excited about the latest Rent the Runway location opening in San Francisco.

Part dream closet, part co-working space and part coffee shop, the newest addition to the Rent the Runway family gives women a space where they can literally get it all done. The new location is the largest space yet and goes beyond the clothing retail space to include stylists, a beauty bar, a coffee cart, a desk space for co-working and even space for networking and evening events.

The only downside to this amazing spot is that you’ll never want to leave. “Think of it like your gym or your Starbucks; it’s part of what you do on a daily basis,” Rent the Runway chief operating officer Maureen Sullivan told TechCrunch.

photo: Courtesy of Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway was previously an online-only retailer, but in the past year it has opened five brick-and-mortar locations, including this space which will be it’s largest. The other stores are located in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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Like we needed any more excuses to shop at Target, but now that quick trip “for just a few items” is easier than ever thanks to Apple Pay at Target—finally!

While Apple Pay was already accepted as payment on Target’s website, it was not an option in store—until now. Apple Pay has reportedly been under testing at certain Target locations since late last year, but now it will rolling out as a checkout option at all 1,850 Target locations nationwide.

photo: Courtesy of Target

Android users aren’t left in the dark, however, the retailer will also be supporting Google Pay and Samsung Pay at all locations as well. “Offering guests more ways to conveniently and quickly pay is just another way we’re making it easier than ever to shop Target,” said Mike McNamara, Target’s chief information officer said in a blog post.

The only downside is Target’s REDCard will not be added to Apple Pay, which means customers that wish to pay with one will still have to do things the old fashioned way.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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The most dreaded season has officially arrived: the season of stuffy noses and fevers is here—and we’ve got the complete rundown on everything you need to know about the flu season this year.

Read on for all the important updates parents need to know.

photo: sweetlouise via Pixabay

How Many People Have the Flu Right Now?

Flu activity has begun to increase in the past two weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control. While several states are still showing little to no flu activity, both New York and California are among a handful of states already reporting widespread cases of the flu. This is in addition to  the 37 states reporting regional or local flu activity, at the time of writing.

This is just the start of the season, however, so you can continue to check the CDC’s flu activity map as we head into the New Year; it’s updated weekly.

What Flu Vaccines Are Currently Available?

One of the hardest parts of parenting is convincing your kids to face the needle at the doctors office. In years past, the flu vaccine has been available in a nasal spray form, making it easier to convince unwilling kids to get vaccinated. During the 2017-2018 flu season, however, the nasal spray was not recommended for failing to provide effective protection against the flu.

This year both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the CDC support the use of the nasal spray, however, the shot is still recommended over the spray as it will likely offer kids and adults more protection.

How Many People Have Received a Flu Vaccine?

According to the CDC, about 45 percent of adults and kids have received the flu vaccine as of November 2018. That’s nearly seven percent more than the amount who had received the shot at the same time last year.

However, according to a recent survey published by the the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, approximately one-third of American kids will likely not get their flu shots this year. (And yes—you should definitely make sure your kids get their flu shot this year.)

Photo: Rawpixel

When Is the Best Time to Vaccinate Against the Flu?

The optimal time to get the flu shot is as early in the season as possible. Experts at both the CDC and the AAP recommended people should have been vaccinated by the end of October 2018. Before you throw your hands up say “Oh well, too late,”—its’ not too late! Just because you missed the optimal vaccination window doesn’t mean the shot won’t still help you.

Getting the vaccine at any time throughout the season will help—but the sooner you get it, the better.

What Flu Treatments Are Currently Available?

Whether you vaccinate or not, there’s still a chance you can get the flu—but luckily there are some treatments available to help fight the symptoms and make things a little less miserable if you start them early enough.

In addition to Tamiflu and Relenza, the FDA also approved a new treatment in time for this year’s flu season, Xofluza. Unlike the other two treatments, this new one only requires a single dose, which makes it easier to administer. The only downside is that it can only be prescribed to those ages 12 and up, so it won’t help with your youngest if they catch the flu.

Beware These Common Flu Myths

Contrary to popular opinion, the flu shot will not give you the flu and getting the vaccine last year will not protect you against this years strain. There are many myths when it comes to the flu and the flu vaccine, so if you’re ever in doubt, forgo Dr. Google and call up your IRL pediatrician to get the answers you need in order to keep your family healthy and safe this flu season.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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