Welcome Contributor Wendy French And Her Holiday Gift Guide For 2014...Including A Giveaway!

Posted by contributor, Wendy French

I’m so excited to be posting a Holiday Gift Guide on Burbank Mom today.

We moved from Orange County to Burbank four years ago for my husband’s job. We have fallen in love with the small town feel of Burbank and the easy access to all the great things Los Angeles offers.

There were a few things that I learned pretty quickly once we moved here. For example, when the guy in front of you at Starbucks looks a lot like the guy in the commercial you saw yesterday, he probably is the very same guy. Also, the first few times you drive by a location being used for filming, you might drive by really slow or even circle around the block for a closer look. You might even call your mom and brag a little bit. After a few months, the novelty wears off and you will find yourself rolling your eyes at the gawker in front of you, driving super slowly.

With the Holiday Season in full swing, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite go-to gifts that I tend to give often.
All of these items are $25 or less.

Mr. 7 Hands

Mr. 7 Hands is my favorite gift for Dads, Grads, Newlyweds, and my favorite lady friends. It’s the one tool I keep in the kitchen drawer because I use it for everything. It’s a screwdriver that has multiple heads to handle whatever project you need it for. It is one of those gifts that a few weeks later I get a phone call, “Oh My Gosh, I use it all the time. I just bought another one because my spouse/child/friend/neighbor keeps borrowing mine.” I have found it at our local Target for about $10 or on Amazon.com (Link in sidebar)

Supply Sergeant Messenger Bag

My kids always love a trip to Supply Sergeant on Victory Blvd between Magnolia and Chandler Ave. It’s an Army Surplus Store that has all sorts of things that let my children’s imagination run wild. I usually can find something there for someone on my list. My favorite item to give is this First Aid Military Inspired Shoulder bag. These messenger style bags act as an offbeat carryall for all our gear we haul on family outings. I have dragged mine to every theme park in Southern California and they hold an array of water bottles, snacks, and band aids. They have an assortment of military style bags that are great carry alls. Around $20.

Unique Vintage Sunglasses

I learned about Unique Vintage through Burbank Mom! It’s one of my favorite places to hit when I need a pair of sunglasses with a little sass. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong with anything in this store.

For somewhere between $10 to $20 bucks I can pick up some fun sunglasses for a friend. They are perfect for the ladies on your list who have a future so bright they gotta wear shades.

Unique Vintage is located at
2013 W. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91506

Or shop online HERE!

Fashion Plates

We love Fashion Plates in our house.

I had these as a kid, and my daughter received them as a gift. This is a toy she continually pulls out to play with and a gift we love to give. It turns any little girl into a fashion designer as she picks different “plates” to design a fantastic outfit to color. It’s about $13 from Amazon.com (Link In sidebar)

Lolli & Pops Candy Shop

Have you been to Lolli and Pops Candy Shop yet? We love hitting this Candy Shop for a treat when we are out and about. Located in the Glendale Galleria, they have a huge array of Candy and full Old Fashion Soda Fountain. My favorite is the Jelly Bean room and my kids love the Soda Fountain. Do yourself a favor and ask to take a tour of the store when you arrive or get a “Penny Lick” of Ice Cream. (A Penny Lick is a teeny tiny scoop of Ice Cream.) We love to buy their Harry Potter inspired Butter Beer Soda to give as a hostess gift.

A Lolli and Pops gift card is the perfect gift for anyone with a sweet tooth on your list.

Happy Shopping!
Want to win a Lolli and Pops Gift Card of your own?
I’m giving away a $20 Gift Card to Lolli and Pops to one lucky Burbank Mom Reader.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wendy French lives in Burbank with her husband, two children, two dogs, and two fish. She is an adoptive mom of a tween boy and elementary age girl, working as an accountant by day, aspiring writer at night. She finds herself dreaming of travel to far off lands, but as a Southern California native, she realizes most of the best stuff is right here. A self proclaimed house project and shoe junkie you can find her either roaming the aisles of the Home Improvement Store or at Nordstroms depending on the day. Wendy currently blogs at www.Qwendykay.com