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There are few things cuter or more important than your baby's firsts, but baby's first Thanksgiving is especially poignant. Coming up with Instagram captions for baby’s first Thanksgiving requires more thinking than a sleep-deprived parent is used to, but come on: You can't bypass a holiday like Thanksgiving with just an emoji as a caption.
The trick is that you need to know your audience. If you're going to joke about how your baby hated Aunt Ida's lumpy mashed potatoes, or how the plate in your cousin Randy's head has made him somewhat of an unpredictable personality around the little ones, you want to be sure that those people don't follow you on Instagram. Perhaps save those remarks for the group chat with your siblings, where you completely rip into all of the crappy foods that your aunt tried to pass off as edible while you all just drank the good wine you brought. By sticking to captions with appropriate first Thanksgiving quotes, you’ll keep the holiday spirit alive on your Instagram feed (and keep your relationships in tact).
In all fairness, though, it can be hard to come up with meaningful first Thanksgiving captions when you’re emerging from a food coma after too much turkey. So, here are some Instagram captions that just reflect how thankful and joyful you are to be with your baby on this holiday.
Baby’s first Thanksgiving outfit photo captions
Shutterstock
Cuter than a pumpkin.
Baby’s first Thanksgiving ‘fit.
Hey there, cutie pie.
“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” — Karl Barth
My first Thanksgiving.
The cutest turkey.
Why wear stretchy pants on Thanksgiving when you can wear no pants at all?
“Ah, babies! They’re more than just adorable little creatures on whom you can blame your farts.” — Tina Fey, Bossypants
My little turkey.
Don’t worry everybody, we brought the rolls.
“I’m in a glass case of emotion.” (There is nary a situation where an Anchorman quote cannot be used.)
“For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm, This bond between us can’t be broken, I will be here, don’t you cry.” – Phil Collins, “You’ll Be In My Heart”
Baby’s first Thanksgiving meal photo captions
kate_sept2004/E+/Getty Images
This baby agrees: canned cranberry sauce is way better than fresh.
In this house, we save room for dessert.
“I feel a very unusual sensation — if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude.” — Benjamin Disraeli
Good vibes and good pies.
She was the total package: smart, beautiful, tremendous appetite.
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — Willie Nelson
Oh baby, this is your first real food fight. Your best bet is to get to the cornucopia first, and take out all the competitors with your elbows to get the best slices of pie.
Gobble ‘til you wobble.
Baby’s first Thanksgiving family portrait photo captions
“I sustain myself with the love from my family.” — Maya Angelou
“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” — Desmond Tutu
“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” — Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum
“This is a place where grandmothers hold babies on their laps under the stars and whisper in their ears that the lights in the sky are holes in the floor of heaven.” — Somebody Told Me: The Newspaper Stories of Rick Bragg
“Rest and be thankful.” — William Woodsworth
For baby's first Thanksgiving, we decided on all of the pie, and our chosen family. It was a real banger.
Small moments create big memories.
“When your children arrive, the best you can hope for is that they break open everything about you. Your mind floods with oxygen. Your heart becomes a room with wide-open windows. You laugh hard every day. You think about the future and read about global warming. You realize how nice it feels to care about someone else more than yourself.” — Amy Poehler, Yes Please
“...the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy.” — Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
“Goldfish get big enough only for the bowl you put them in. Bonsai trees twist in miniature. I would have given anything to keep her little. They outgrow us so much faster than we outgrow them.” — Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
“The soul is healed by being with children.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky
You’ll definitely want to capture this memorable moment, and you know that all of your friends and family — near and far — will want you to share it. Hopefully these baby’s first Thanksgiving captions make that easier to do.
The part I remember most on the drive to the emergency dentist was that my mom let me borrow her fuschia down jacket. I was super sweaty and starting to get really cold, so she took it off and handed it over. Never in my life could I remember my mom letting me wear something of hers, or at least something of hers she ever planned to wear again, so when she handed me the jacket, I knew I must look pretty bad.
I had just finished a bike race, and I’d been pushing myself to the very end, trying to outsprint another racer to the line. After crossing the finish I missed the fact that the course turned, and proceeded straight ahead, coasting at a high speed, straight into one of the metal barricades ringing the course. The metal was wrapped in the orange plastic mesh that cut my lower face like a checkerboard when I careened into it headfirst. I also seemed to have broken a couple of teeth, one of which the emergency dentist would inform us would have to be pulled out, and would lead to my being known as “Fang” to my racing friends. I hated the feeling of the plastic retainer and fake incisor so much that I decided to go toothless while I waited for a permanent replacement.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately, especially now that my low vision kid has decided that more than anything else, he wants to play soccer.
I am also low vision, and have been my whole life, which might make you wonder what I was doing racing bikes. Was that why I rode head-first into a barricade? Yes, I am low vision, born with a neurological condition called nystagmus that makes my eyes shake and reduces my visual acuity. I don’t see well enough to pass the vision test at the DMV, and I can’t drive, but there was a period in my late twenties when all I cared about doing was becoming a professional bike racer.
While I regret the time and money I spent trying to make my vision better, no part of me regrets my attempt at serious bike racing.
From the very first racing clinic I joined, I was always questioning whether I could do it with my vision, but I loved riding my bike. I very much wanted to be able to see normally, and this phase in my life coincided with my chasing “cures” or mitigation strategies for my eye movement -- none of which ended up improving my vision. Eventually, after witnessing enough crashes that I was responsible for or involved with where friends or teammates were pretty badly banged up, I decided I couldn’t keep racing. I also accepted that vision improvement wasn't ever going to be possible.
Of course some part of me is still sad about this, but I'm glad that, if nothing else, the decision was mine to make. And while I regret the time and money I spent trying to make my vision better (in particular an unfortunate allergic reaction to the sutures in one eye surgery), no part of me regrets my attempt at serious bike racing.
From the time he was diagnosed with the same eye condition a few weeks after he was born, I have have wanted to make sure my son grew up in a world, as much as I could landscape it, that taught him to value his strengths and sidestep his weaknesses.
The first and most obvious of these were ball sports. When your depth vision is limited and the way your brain perceives the images from your eyes makes it difficult to track fast moving objects, things like trying in vain to hit a tennis ball or the repeat bloody noses I got playing volleyball in middle school PE really stay with you. Ball sports were always hell for me, in other words, and I wanted my son to have nothing to do with them.
Instead I encouraged sports where his vision wouldn’t be a limitation, like running or swimming. And at first, I was really militant about this. I insisted on a policy of no baby or toddler clothes with balls on them. At one point my mother, terrified of my wrath, sewed butterfly patches over the baseball and soccer paraphernalia on a sun hat she’d found for him.
But of course my kid had different ideas.
His obsession started with golf. Mini golf at first, which my husband and his brother started to take the kid to during the pandemic. This progressed to the driving range, and one of those pieces of putting green grass that lived permanently unfurled taking over most of our living room. My husband had once tried to take me to a driving range early in our relationship, and I was so terrible and made so many embarrassingly large divots in the grass he never tried to get me to go again. I knew my awfulness at golf wasn’t only because of my vision, so I was supportive of their golf outings. Sure, not being able to really see where a ball went when you hit it would definitely not be an asset, but it would be the kind of thing that you could always get someone you were playing with to describe. Worst case, your ball didn’t go where you wanted it to. It seemed a lot better than knocking some teeth out.
Second grade started and my kid transferred to a new school. The first day he came home and told me about this amazing game called four square. He was obsessed and insisted we get a four square ball so we could play in the park next to our house after school, which he did, happily, for two plus hours on weekends. Four square was the best part of second grade, he regularly told me. Again, the stakes were low, as long as he was having fun, I didn’t care. So what if he ended up eliminated more than the other kids? If he didn’t like that feeling, he could always figure out something else to do on the playground. Though part of my willingness to buy a ball for home was to see that he did get the chance to practice as much as he wanted. Even if he couldn’t catch the ball every time, he could still have a wicked serve and end up surviving the game that way.
I think of all the joy this could bring for him, even if it’s a little harder, or he’s never very “good.”
Then a kid on our block joined a soccer team, and I could tell that my kid wanted to as well. My goal was always to raise a child who felt no shame about his vision, but in conversations with him, I realized he didn’t fully yet grasp how much less he (and I) see than other people. I wanted him to be able to follow his interests and I knew that he loved to be athletic. Moving and pushing his body was of course something I could understand the visceral need for. But I knew the youth soccer scene was brutal, and I didn’t want him to be crushed emotionally.
Some parts of soccer he could be good at — he loved to run and he could learn good ball handling skills. But he was never going to be able to see and track a fast-moving, airborne ball as well as his friends without nystagmus. I hated to set him up for that eventual disappointment.
But then I think back on my mom. Many parents of low vision kids don’t teach them to bike. My balance has always been a little wonky — probably not helped by prism glasses the doctors prescribed — so my mom says my learning to ride wasn’t as easy as it was for my siblings. She also must have been so fearful when I started to ride with traffic, and eventually on my own. But she let me take those risks.
And I am so grateful. I can’t picture my life without biking — the freedom to get where I needed to go, the mental health benefits that in darker periods of my twenties were mitigated through hours of moving meditation on two wheels, the physical strength and health a lifetime of biking has given me.
Maybe soccer will be that way for my kid. I think about him playing pickup games with friends in college, with his future coworkers, maybe with his future child. I think of all the joy this could bring for him, even if it’s a little harder, or he’s never very “good.”
Mid-September comes and it’s time to sign up for after school activities. When I ask my kid what activity he wants to sign up for, I keep soccer on the list of choices. Of course, he picks it. I considered whether I should try to say something to the coach. Would they notice his eye movement and head tilt, which most adults read as him not paying attention? But if I said something, would the coach act differently around him in practice? I didn’t want him singled out. I decided it was better to not disclose.
I was out of town on a work trip for the first week of practice and as I was waiting for my flight home, I realized his first practice had just ended.
“How was soccer?” I texted.
“It was great. I love it!” he replied, almost instantly. I was relieved but in the back of my mind, I knew that at some point soccer would force him to confront his limitations.
In particular with disabled kids, as parents and caregivers, we have the tendency to be overprotective. We know there is so much pain, so many barriers they will inevitably encounter, it feels wise to mitigate a few by steering our little ones away from the fences, away from where we know there will be heartbreak and struggle and their differences will only be amplified. But I am challenging myself, and I’m challenging you all as parents, in particular parents of kids with disabilities, to allow your kid to follow their passions, even if you know their limitations or the risks. If my mom had questioned or discouraged my bike racing, I know (and she probably knew, too) that it would have only resulted in me throwing myself more deeply into it.
And while it took a couple of years of struggle for me to realize my limits and to grieve the path I couldn’t take, this gradual process left my relationship with her stronger. I can see now how hard it must have been for her, but she trusted me to make these decisions myself, on my own terms and in my own time. I'm glad she gave me the chance to get there.
When Elf on the Shelf hit homes several years ago, it wasn't immediately clear if it would be the sort of tradition families would keep around for the long haul. But it's obvious now that Elf on the Shelf is absolutely still going strong. You can't visit your go-to social media app in the month of December without seeing an elf getting into some dustup that inevitably ends with mini-marshmallows, somehow. But if you're new to this magical world, you might be wondering how to introduce Elf on the Shelf to kids for the first time. There's the whole "don't terrify them" bit with the idea of an elf moving around at night and keeping tabs on their behavior, but you also want to make sure you tie up any loose ends with the magic so your kids don't have any questions.
What is Elf on the Shelf?
Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that has kept holiday magic alive in countless homes across the world. One of Santa’s helpers is sent down from the North Pole at the beginning of December to keep watch over the family and encourage the kids to behave. Over the course of the next 24 days, the elf moves around the house, continuously keeping watch on how the children involve themselves in the family atmosphere (i.e. are they behaving well or no). At the end of each day, the Elf on the Shelf will set “itself” up in a scene or unique part of the house to truly immerse the children in the Christmas magic.
Everyday is a surprise with an Elf on the Shelf in the house, however, everyone must remember to not touch the elf. If one of your family members touches the elf, their magic will be drained, forcing them to retreat back to the North Pole while they await reassignment. Elf On The Shelf brings families together around the holidays through searching for the elf each day, naming him, interacting with him, and learning about Santa and the excitement that Christmas Day brings. Elf on the Shelf is meant to show the importance of love, patience, resilience, and the Christmas spirit, and all you have to do to keep the magic alive and well is make sure that tiny elf is moving each and every day.
Elf on the Shelf all began in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell wrote the children's picture book The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. The story is all about an elf who was sent from the North Pole by Santa to observe how well a little kid was behaving in the days leading up to Christmas. Every night, the elf would return to Santa to tell him how the children were doing, and then he would zip back to the family to find a new spot in their house where the kids wouldn’t be too quick to find him right away.
Families are now encouraged to adopt an Elf on the Shelf for their own family and give it a new name. You can even get an adoption certificate from their website. But you might be a little stumped as to how to introduce your kids to their new friend. Thankfully, the rise of the elf has also given rise to a plethora of ideas for introducing your kids to their Scout Elf for the month of December.
When does Elf On The Shelf arrive?
The week between November 24 and December 1 is a time called “Scout Elf Return Week,” where all the elves around the world travel from the North Pole back to their families to begin the fun on December 1. Your elf can arrive on any of these days — between early in the morning on November 24 or late at night on December 1 — as they are truly unpredictable little imps. Getting into the Christmas spirit begins on December 1 for an elf, regardless of when they landed back with their families.
What happens if your Elf on the Shelf comes late?
Having 24 specific days of Elf on the Shelf surprises isn’t necessarily required. If your elf arrives two weeks late, don’t worry — just tell your kiddos Santa needed extra help checking the list twice before he prepares to deliver Christmas joy to millions of children around the world.
How do you introduce Elf on the Shelf to your kids?
1. Print out a welcome letter.
An Elf on the Shelf welcome letter is one way to introduce your kids to their new buddy who will be sticking around for the holidays. It can explain to them that the elf has been sent from the North Pole to watch their behavior for Santa, and that the Elf will report back to Santa every night.
2. Read them the book, The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.
Another way to introduce the Elf on the Shelf to your kids is to read the book to them. This way you can familiarize yourselves on the story together and the kids can understand why the elf will be hanging around all month and what he or she will be up to.
3. Just plop them down somewhere in your house and announce their arrival.
Honestly, introducing your Elf on the Shelf can really be as simple as setting up the elf somewhere in your home. There are tons of Elf on the Shelf arrival ideas that range from trashing your kitchen to simply setting your family’s Elf on the Shelf on the mantel with a candy cane. Either way, your kids will be surprised and excited as long as they know the story of the elf (that they can’t be touched or they’ll lose their magic, and that the whole point is for the elf to return to Santa each night and report their findings). Contrary to what you may feel pressured to do by the Instagram moms, it really doesn’t take much to impress excited kids.
But whatever you do to introduce the Elf on the Shelf to your kids, just know that you’re in it for the long haul between now and Christmas. So long as your kids are old enough, they’re bound to notice if the elf doesn’t move a few nights in a row, so try to do your homework and prepare yourself with some easy Elf on the Shelf ideas in advance.
There’s nothing I love more than the feeling of prepping and cooking all day, smelling and sampling as the sides and gravy come together, and finally piling scoops of everything onto my Thanksgiving plate. But before I hop into the procession around the kitchen to dip into each casserole dish, I’ll have to make my 3-year-old’s plate first. It’ll be something like cold pepperoni, string cheese, and some clementine wedges. Yes, yes, I know all that home-cooked food is sitting right there, but just hold on. The way to get him to try any of it, is to offer him none of it.
For starters, the term “picky eater” is on its way out. As more and more overhyped solutions arise trying to prevent picky eating or intervene on it in infancy (and inevitably fail to do so), a growing number of parents are realizing that frankly, toddlers just don’t have diverse diets. Neophobia – the fear of trying new foods – peaks between ages 2 and 6. It’s a holdover from early humans, a protective instinct that prevented young kids from putting every poisonous berry or mushroom straight into their gob while their parents were wrangling a bison to the ground. It’s present in nearly half of 4-year-olds, but only 14% of 5- to 9-year-olds. Saying yes to beloved foods and no to unfamiliar ones is also a way for toddlers to exercise their independence, and if you know toddlers, you know they don't ever pass up this chance.
My son is 3, and yes, we still make him his own separate breakfasts, lunches, and dinners most days (somewhere, the baby-led weaning apostles are plotting my demise for that admission). The list of foods he likes is longer than it once was, but the items on it can be frustratingly simple: fruits, crackers, pretzels, chicken nuggets, string cheese. Any of the “real meals” my husband and I might make are nonstarters for him. Spaghetti and meatballs is his textural nightmare – slippy, slidy sauce, ground beef, the mouthfeel of which gets weirder the longer you think about it, and don’t get him started on his distaste for pasta (“no noonles”). He’s simply not interested in complex flavors or textures yet, so his dinner is usually some form of toddler charcuterie. We’ve learned to enjoy the simplicity of it. His meals are easy to make, filling and enjoyable for him, and he eats way more fruit in a day than either of his parents.
We have certainly tried to get our son to taste more foods – agonized over it at times. We’ve done the oft-hyped method of putting a solitary steamed carrot on his plate and encouraging him to poke it, sniff it, anything to help him “familiarize himself” with it or recognize it as suitable for human consumption. We have demanded, pleaded, and straight-up bribed him into taking bites of things he’d otherwise side eye and place back on my plate. And we have learned that in giving up – because try as I may to think of one, there is no humane way to force feed new foods to a child – our kid will use his burgeoning independence to ask for a bite. He’s like a cat at a house party. Let him observe and come to you.
The moment you offer him a new food, you’ve scared the cat back under the bed.
Recently, we met up with family at a barbecue restaurant. My kid was happily noshing on a crinkle fry next to me when I noticed him eyeing my styrofoam cup of baked beans. He asked to try some, and I gingerly captured a single bean on the end of my spoon to offer him. He proceeded to help me polish off the bowl, and even requested a bite of cornbread before deciding he’s more of a biscuit guy. A few days later, sweaty and half-drenched in hose water from playing with his cousins, he sat down with them to eat lunch in my sister’s driveway. We’d been serving him PB&J sandwiches for a few weeks and he would lick the spreads off and ditch the bread, but that day, he devoured the whole thing.
Which brings us to Thanksgiving.
Most Thanksgiving dishes – veggie casseroles, herby gravy, and jiggly cranberry sauce – are not things he sees any other time of year. So, I’m not holding out much hope he’ll want to taste it all, but with our new live and let live approach to meals, I’m hopeful my son may just buy into the hype of the holidays. Special plates? So many people he loves at the table playing Spiderman figurines with him around the place settings? But the possibility of him braving a taste of something new, like he did on bean night, hinges on one thing: everyone at the table needs to play it cool.
“Cooper, want a taste of the…?” No. “Here buddy, have some mashed pota…” Shhh. You see, the moment you offer him a new food, you’ve scared the cat back under the bed.
My advice to all family members of toddlers this year is to ignore their plate entirely. Do not perceive it, and definitely don’t say anything about what’s on or missing from it. Chat with them about their recent trip to the zoo, what all their friends dressed as for Halloween, or what’s on their Christmas list. There are so many more interesting things to talk about, at all ages, than what we will and won’t eat. Doing so might earn you a hilarious toddler soundbyte that you’ll recount at every Thanksgiving dinner to come.
Even if the young children in other families are nothing like mine, I’d wager that their parents feel similarly. We have spent hundreds of meals negotiating about how many grapes eaten is enough to get up from the table, how the green bean on the edge of the child’s plate is not a direct threat or a middle finger from us to them. The relationship between parents, child, and child’s plate is usually a fraught little triangle in some way, and all parties would be relieved if no one else tried to get involved. Besides, without getting too saccharine about the meaning of the holidays, the real point of Thanksgiving is to spend time with family, make memories, and leave satisfied. If that means one attendant departs with a belly full of Goldfish crackers and Cool Whip from the pie table, well, so be it.
Gone are the days when you hand your wife a bath set from Target and watch her eyes glaze over as she swears she loves it. Three months from now, it will still be rotting next to the tub. No, this year, you’re aiming for pure, unfiltered delight when she opens her presents. Yes, this year you’re going to get your wife something she actually wants and will use all the time, and we are going to help you find just the thing.
Maybe you have one or two things picked out for your wife’s Christmas gifts this year, but you need help figuring out what special items to put in her stocking, or that perfect big ticket item that’s going to make her remember why she picked you. Our editorial team is diverse in our hobbies, styles, interests, and lifestyles, so somewhere in this list, you’re sure to find just the thing that will make the love of your life gasp with joy when she unwraps it. And if she doesn’t, well, we take returns... as in, send us the goods, please. We want them, too.
—The Romper & Scary Mommy editorial team: Kate Auletta, Sarah Aswell, Katie Garrity, Katie McPherson, and Julie Sprankles
This perfume is the most delicious gourmand fragrance I've ever smelled. It's got some cinnamon and vanilla to it, but it's not overly sweet or childish at all. I wore it to my birthday dinner and got so many compliments from friends, and when our waitress breezed by me to take a group photo, she asked who smelled so edible. The price point makes me hivey so I'd never buy it for myself, but my hope is that once my Sephora sample of it runs out, my husband will miss it enough to stick a bottle under the tree. — Katie McPherson, Associate Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment
If your partner is one of those people who refuses to take their jewelry off like, ever (but particularly for showering), they’ll love this jewelry company. Everything is 100% waterproof and, even better, they plant a tree with every order you place. Their pieces are on trend, but timeless and affordable. — Kate Auletta, Editor-in-Chief, Scary Mommy
A pillowcase to make her feel like she’s at a bougie hotel
I’ve been on the hunt for a jacket to wear to and from the gym as the weather cools down, something toasty enough to get me through the parking lot walk and warm-ups in the open warehouse where I box, and then shuck off once I get going. This Under Armour jacket is just... it’s too good. I love the slightly cropped cut, the color blocking, and the water resistant material. It’s available in sizes XS to 3X. — Katie McPherson
This stuff smells like Jolly Ranchers. Every time I apply this moisturizer as my last skincare routine step in the AM, I am so happy because it smells so good. This also has SPF 30 because we're sun-conscious girlies. — Katie Garrity, Editor, News & Social
Every chore I do is paired with a podcast, and every workout is done to music. Good headphones are invaluable to me. These Sonos ones have incredible sound quality — I noticed some things in “Bitch Better Have My Money” I'd never heard during previous workouts — and their noise cancellation is A+. Also, as someone who gets headaches easily, it’s worth noting these headphones have been comfortable enough for me to wear for a full day of travel. — Katie McPherson
A beauty gift set that’s actually worth the space it occupies
I am so over getting a weird bath bomb for Christmas, but I am so into getting a really luxurious set of bath products that will make me feel really great. I love this trio of gifts from Lautir that includes a lovely skin balm, a body scrub, and a face mask. — Sarah Aswell, Deputy Editor, News & Social, Scary Mommy
This is truly the gift that keeps on giving. These stationery sets are beyond cute, catered to your vibe, and are the perfect gift. I'm always running out of notecards and constantly heading to the store for a birthday or anniversary card. These parcels come every month and they are stuffed to the brim with the cutest cards, pencils, and other knick-knacks. — Katie Garrity
Full disclosure: I have never bought myself a nice pair of sunglasses of any kind. I typically just order cheap ones from Amazon that I won't be upset about losing or breaking. But I've always, always wanted a pair of Ray-Bans, and ever since a friend of mine posted videos from her recent trip to Greece that were taken with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I've been dreaming of these. Getting them as a gift was the best surprise since I normally wouldn't buy something like this for myself. And, honestly, they are so cool. They make me, a person who is most definitely not tech-y, feel like I'm from the future. — Julie Sprankles, Deputy Editor of Lifestyle & Entertainment at Scary Mommy
I have plenty of decade-old black hoodies. What I didn't know I wanted and needed was a fancy, nice hoodie. One that fits perfectly, is cut super well, has high-quality fabric, and every perfect detail. This pick from Hinoki In Common is pricey, but it is so nice and special, too. It's something I would never get for myself, but something that I absolutely loved being gifted. — Sarah Aswell
It's impossible to get this made before Christmas which is why I have never asked for it. But I would love it if my husband ordered this silhouette locket for me anyway and I got a few weeks later. Silhouettes of my kids in locket form is something I would cherish for the rest of my life. — BDG Editor
A good weighted blanket, because they’re here to stay
I finally caved and got this weighted blanket everyone has been talking about, and now I'm utterly hooked. I love how calm it makes me feel. Curling up with it to watch a cozy movie is my favorite zen activity after a stressful day. I have the color Luna Blue, and it's gorgeous. — Julie Sprankles
For a lot of women, you absolutely just can never go wrong getting them a nice luxury pair of leggings. I buy my leggings at Old Navy on clearance, because I try to be a responsible person, but BOY do I love getting a really nice pair for a gift. These sculpting leggings from Tasc come in great colors, are made from recycled materials, and have a pocket for my phone. Perfection. — Sarah Aswell
Or, comfy Lululemon dupes she can wear around the house
Aerie has the softest, most comfortable leggings in the world, I swear. Come fall and winter, they are my work-from-home, school drop-off and pickup uniform. My husband has been sweet enough to gift me new pairs and styles over the years, and every time I’m delighted. These flare ones are my favorites of all. — Katie McPherson
Long have I waited to order a pair of perfect lug sole black boots like these. I love wearing them with straight leg jeans or faux leather leggings, and they’re so, so comfortable. After owning a pair of similar boots that had more open ankles — unlike these close fit ankle openings — trust me when I say these are the iteration she wants. — Katie McPherson
I have zero desire to wear something like an Apple Watch. I don't need more ways to stay connected. An Italian leather band with gold hardware is my love language. Classic and simple. — BDG Editor
I love getting travel-related gifts, and this one is so pretty and functional. A duffle bag that doesn't look like it’s carrying sports equipment or a body! This bag is the perfect size for a weekend road trip, and just looking at it makes me happy. — Sarah Aswell
Festive chocolates, which will always be well-received
When I commuted more, I used to have a favorite stop on my way into Grand Central — this tiny chocolate shop, Neuhaus, right at the entrance. They make these delicious little truffles, and I'd stop for exactly two to eat on the train en route home. Well, they have a website, and they do lovely little assortment boxes. Bonus points for giving her something she doesn't have to find a place to store. — BDG Editor
This tote, handcrafted in Honduras out of 100% genuine leather, only feels better each time I use it. Every woman needs a good catch-all, Mary Poppins-style tote and this really has it all. With a hard base and internal pockets for organization plus a cute little outer strap to keep your bag securely closed, this bag is not the bottomless pit disaster you'd think, plus it smells oh-so-good. — Katie Garrity
I have a thing about dainty jewelry in that I cannot get enough of it. Sometimes, my engagement and wedding ring feel clunky (or too tight because, well, I'm not 25 anymore). However, I still like to wear something sparkly on my ring finger. This Azul Ring from Beads by Tara is lightweight, absolutely stunning, and affordable. It looks expensive but runs at such a reasonable price. — Katie Garrity
These Bombas Sunday Slippers feel so soft and fuzzy, a little bit like you've stuffed your feet inside of a teddy bear. (Too weird?) But here's what I really love: there's a little bit of back to them. They're still slippers and I can step right into them, but it doesn't feel like I'm gonna fling them off my feet, which prevents me from becoming overstimulated, which prevents me from becoming irritated at my family. Everybody wins! — BDG Editor
A high-end subscription box she’ll be delighted to see on the doorstep
I feel like luxury gift boxes are a criminally underrated gift for moms. A high-end collection of things we love delivered in a beautiful box (great for reuse, because #moms)? God, yes. I was recently gifted the Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice EkuBox, and I literally ooh'ed and ahh'ed over it — from the Le Creuset stoneware mini pumpkin dish to the fact that the box came wrapped with a fresh sprig of lavender. They have lots of different box themes and options to choose from, so I know what I'll be gifting my mom friends this year. — Julie Sprankles
I love gifts that give you a new activity to do or something to learn about. This matcha starter kit is super fun and inexpensive, but gives you the opportunity to not only have a new thing, but a new experience. Pair this kit with some really cute tea cups and you're good to go. — Sarah Aswell
I have a Verloop throw blanket that is so soft and well-made, and I use it constantly. Because it’s somehow the perfect weight — enough to make me warm, not too much to where I’m hot — I just know it’d be the perfect scarf material. This flower pattern would be such a pick-me-up to a neutral winter outfit. — Katie McPherson
There is something so much more special about a personalized gift, especially one remembering a fun place you've traveled. Joy to the World Ornaments, a woman-owned business, makes custom and personalized ornaments. They have a ton of different options, but the luggage tags are beyond cute. These ornaments are handcrafted, taking at least a week to make each ornament. My husband picked out an Ireland luggage tag ornament for me last year and it's one of my absolute favorites. — Katie Garrity
Stocking stuffer idea alert: Jenny Lemons is known in girl world for their selection of food-inspired hair accessories. But if your wife received one of their clips from you, she’d probably be seriously impressed. Choose a fave bite of hers, from baguettes to pickles to pizza, and drop it in her stocking with care. Personally, I’m a fan of this giant hot dog one for Fourth of July. — Katie McPherson
I would love nothing more than to dump out my stocking on Christmas morning and find it filled with sassy, rage-y stickers (like this banned books one I own and never tire of seeing on my Kindle). Getting some related to my favorite fandoms, like a cozy Lord of the Rings design or, yes, some fun romantasy series options would be amazing, too. — Katie McPherson
This is my new favorite night light — I love that I can easily recharge it during the day and that it really easily clips onto my book. It’s perfect for your beloved bookworm who likes to read well into the night. — Sarah Aswell
Bag charms are such a fun way to add some personality to a basic bag (and therefore not feel like you have to buy a new one), and help me add color to an outfit when I find myself, as always, dressed in head to toe neutrals. These little knit cherries are so adorable and I love their punchy hues. — Katie McPherson
I didn't think I needed sleeping masks until I got one, but it has changed my life, especially my travel. Having a nice, soft silk sleeping mask is such a good tiny luxury for a mom. — Sarah Aswell
OK, this would be an amazing stocking stuffer for your wife who loves beauty products. Typology’s lip oil formula is not sticky at all and so hydrating, and their newest Black Cherry color is my favorite. The little glass bottle just makes it feel extra special too. — Katie McPherson
Whatever you buy for your boo, just make sure it shows how much you thought about her and spent time finding something she’ll love. That’s a gift, too.
When Trump won in 2016, there was a groundswell movement to protect women's rights. Suddenly there were seemingly endless books and think pieces about where women go from there, and how to raise the next generation of strong girls despite the obvious obstacles. But — as has been reported countless times in the years since — there's been no equivalent for boys. Survey after survey shows that young men have reported feeling left behind by American culture, thanks to gaps in education, “free-thinking” podcasters like Joe Rogan, and a TikTok algorithm that often surfaces misogyny. And recent political polls showed voting age men moving increasingly rightward and embracing the rhetoric of the far right, and the sexism and bigotry that come with it. Last week’s election results bore out this prediction: in overwhelming numbers, Gen Z men — specifically white men — voted for President-Elect Trump, who also embraced such rhetoric with gusto.
For many parents, whether they’re in blue, red or purple states, it is increasingly obvious that now, it’s the boys who are not alright. As moms, we know we have an opportunity to — quickly — find ways to model empathy, justice, media literacy, and critical thinking skills for our sons. We obviously must install robust YouTube filters. If nothing else, it is clear that parents are ready to meet this moment with the urgency it requires: Our reporters heard from over 100 parents eager to talk about raising boys in 2024 (and beyond).
Here’s what just some of them had to say:
We have to explicitly teach boys about justice and inclusion.
Rebecca K., Lynchburg, Virginia
“I have two boys, 12 and 14, and discussing politics and inclusion is part of our everyday life. When the news comes on the radio in the car we talk, when we see something gross in ‘80s movies I comment on the ‘why’ that isn't acceptable. I try to point out how things impact other people. My greatest fear is to raise an Alex P. Keaton, so we try to just make it a natural, everyday part of what we talk about.
Yesterday I sat both of them down and told them that while they would be ok, not everyone in our country would be and that it was their duty to use their privilege to call people out when they saw things that went against our values. To stand up for others and to protect them.”
Jamilah M., Chicago suburbs
“I feel concerned. Sad. I don’t want my son thinking that racist rhetoric, removing the rights of others, and thinking that being crude and disrespectful is normal and the right thing to do. Prior to the election, I listened to an episode of The Daily and it talked about young men in this country and they had such narrow definitions of what it is to be a man.
I fear that the far-right is everywhere, in podcasts, video games, movies, etc., indoctrinating the next generation of young men. I want to make sure my boys have a foundation based on equality for all. That they are well-educated. I want them to understand that their value isn’t based on who they can oppress.
I am trying to lean into strategy and action — not fear. But it is hard. I want the best for my boys and the best feels very far away now.”
Caroline S., Charlottesville, VA
“My son is still just a three-year-old but I keep thinking about how I will be intentional about teaching him what masculinity is and what it isn't. How to identify men who abuse their perceived power. I think about how I will teach him about consent and respect for women (not just assume he will know it). I want to show him examples of powerful women so he only knows a world where women are seen as being able to do anything a man can. And I want to show him examples of men who demonstrate kindness, empathy, an open mind, and respect.”
Jamie K., Connecticut
“The fact that this election saw enthusiastic Gen Z support for right wing politics, particularly among white men, really shook me. My husband and I have always been extremely worried about our son, who is 13, facing the forces of online radicalization one day. Our conversations about dog whistles, misogyny, transphobia, and conspiracy theories started early and are ongoing. They've yielded some really great, important conversations at home. But now I'm genuinely worried about him among his male peers. My son is extremely opinionated and not afraid to open his mouth. I love that about him, but in this political atmosphere, I worry how the boys around him will react to that.”
Let’s prioritize our sons’ emotional development.
Corey K., Scottsdale, Arizona
“I still have a lot of hope for the younger generation, and I also think we are at a real precipice. I think boys are becoming better versed in emotions, but something we need to collectively work on is where do we then channel those feelings? There are endless pipelines to hateful outlets. There are so many big feelings and such anger. We could be a lot better at creating opportunities for young people to channel those feelings into age-appropriate, productive action.”
Maria S., Chicago, Illinois
“For a decade I have been concerned about the absence of a narrative that affirms my boys’ development as the beautiful, capable, insightful, empathetic, and generous boys they are. They are growing up in an environment that tells them the future is female.
It really is too bad that the progressive movement did not craft a vision for healthy masculinity strong enough to offer an alternative. I’m worried and disappointed and also feel alone. I don’t feel safe talking about this with my friends.
We desperately need a healthy way to talk about what it means to be a boy with the sophistication and care we have applied to the conversation on girls. I am a committed feminist and want each person to flourish and grow to be who they are, and that includes boys, with their beauty, and particular ways to engage the world. It cannot be a taboo.”
It’s high-time to be vigilant about misinformation, and the algorithms that promote it.
Kimberly C., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“I think one of the biggest issues plaguing boys at this time is how they are getting their information. Their views on women, race, and politics are being shaped by what they see online, by social media influencers or podcasters who are credible in the eyes of young people. Many times it starts innocently enough by following another teen or streamer who posts funny or entertaining videos but over time it can then spiral into something more sinister.
I worry about what this could mean for how their entire worldviews are shaped. It's frightening.”
Anonymous
“I know my teen boys will hear competing messages from all sides. My 13-year-old tells me he sees Andrew Tate pop up on YouTube and has to click ‘not interested,’ but it keeps happening. We live in a diverse, welcoming, progressive community where my kids have immigrant friends, queer friends, wealthy friends, and friends who struggle to make ends meet. I see how this has given them compassionate hearts and a desire to understand the lived experiences of others, but I worry every day it won’t be enough.
We talk about what’s on the internet, indoctrination, and misinformation. I pay for subscriptions to reliable newspapers and log them into quality news apps on their phones to push back against the algorithm, but with a serial cheater held liable for sexual assault in office, it feels at times like trying to put a cap on a blasting firehose as this country venerates dishonorable men.”
Laura R., Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
“As a pediatrician and mom in Texas, I am generally concerned about public health and RFK’s stance on vaccines. I am also very worried about public education being affected by Project 2025. It also sickens me that the president of the United States, a position that commands respect and dignity, is a convicted felon and found liable for sexual assault. What message does that send to our sons? I’ve seen multiple posts where boys are saying in school, ‘Your body, my choice.’ I’ve heard how JD Vance speaks about his wife and children as if he shouldn’t be helping her. What does that tell our boys? I worry that the misogynistic attitude is going to filter down for generations.”
Who is in your son’s community and how will they influence him?
Michelle J., Central Pennsylvania
“I desperately want to move out of my red area, in rural central Pennsylvania, so my son has at least some non-Trump options to grow up with. How do I get him access to good men, to good boys? How can he possibly not internalize all the trash he heard from his peers? And knowing that is not even a bit fair of me to expect him to be the guy I expect him to be, given his surroundings. I am googling things like, ‘How do you teach young men that women are full humans?’ My son is 11. He's too intimidated to tell anyone at school who his family supports.”
Katie F., Florida
“My husband and I were already thinking of moving out of Florida to live somewhere with seasons. Now, with Trump promising to dismantle the Dept. of Education and turn abortion rights and more over to the states, we are dead-set on relocating to a blue state. We don’t want to raise a young white man here, in a state that bans books conservatives don’t like, strips AP African American history courses of content, and prohibits discussion of LGBTQ+ people and families (don’t say gay!) in schools. Moving is a privilege not everyone has, but frankly, we refuse to raise a bigot. Keeping our son in Florida means we’d be constantly fighting to prevent exactly that.”
Anna P., Brooklyn, New York
“My son's school is very diverse and he's very aware of the mutual aid work being done to make sure all our families have what they need, and also aware of the precarious situation of some of his friends who've recently arrived from other countries. When Trump won, he immediately became scared that some of his friends might have to leave.
I'm not worried about him in terms of his heart and mindset, but what terrifies me is that boys everywhere have such concrete evidence that it doesn't matter if they break the law or violate someone else's body — they can truly do whatever they want and be as mediocre and hateful as they want, and it won't hold them back. What a horrible example for our boys and men. I think my son knows this is wrong now, but part of me is definitely scared that as he grows up, it'll become easier and easier for him to lose sight of that.”
Jessica S., Denver, CO
“One of my brothers is a big RFK fan who probably voted for Trump. His life hasn't gone very well; he's a very different person from me and our other brothers. The last time I saw him, he was lying shirtless on my parents' lawn, chugging a diet energy drink and listening to some horrible thing from Joe Rogan and the like that upsets her. He and I only see each other every few years, and honestly, I'm too busy with work and my kids to care. It's not like that for my mom. She tries really hard to get him to spend time with her, but he'll flake on her or show up and say some horrible thing. Their dynamic really makes me wonder how possible it is for any of us to shape our sons. I definitely want to try.”
Our ideas about masculinity need to be deconstructed and remade.
Stephanie B., Evanston, Illinois
“I want to come up with a plan to make sure I’m raising him to be the best of us, but it’s still so fresh that the only thing I keep coming back to is that I for sure want to raise a son who is not willing to take away anyone’s rights.
F*ck masculinity. Masculinity can't be blamed for all the hate in this country, but it certainly plays a role in the hatred of women. I never wanted to raise my son to conform to ‘gender roles’ and I never wanted to raise a ‘masculine’ son. I want to raise a good, kind, caring person who does what he loves without judgment from his family.”
Kimberly C., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“I have asked my husband to be more vocal about what makes a ‘man’ — how you can be tough but also compassionate and respectful. I’ve also asked him to talk with the boys more about what they are seeing online, how to question what they are seeing and why someone may be biased and to use critical thinking skills.”
Deb P., Evanston, Illinois
“I want my son to know that his masculinity is part of him, but it’s not all of him, and that the ‘you have to be a man’ mentality is not the most important thing, and that he is raised with a level of emotional intelligence that he recognizes. Not just his own feelings, but the feelings of others.”
Hannah H., Raleigh, North Carolina
“Masculinity is a social construct. It may have served us well in previous generations, but now it is holding our country back. We need to deconstruct some of those harmful beliefs, both with our children and the men in our lives.”
Erin G., Chicago, Illinois
“It is my job as a mother of boys to interrogate the conditioning of gender that exists at every touch point of their daily lives: from the length of their hair; to the color and style of their clothing; to the sports that they play; to the activities they enjoy; to their decisions and interest in jewelry or nail polish or makeup; to the friends they make; to the music they listen to; to the messages I communicate; to the stereotypes I refute.
And it is my job to protect them — and give them the strength, fortitude and language to protect themselves — from an outside world whose narrow-minded view of what it means to be a boy could crush their spirits, heart and potential.”
Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Reporting by L’Oreal Thompson Payton and Meg St-Esprit.
We’ve all watched enough heartwarming holiday TV movies to know that the true reason for the season is giving (and, if you’re single, maybe a small town romance with a charming Christmas tree farmer). Sometimes giving is easy: giving love, giving thanks, donating to charities. But when it comes to giving gifts, our confidence and our energy tends to falter.
That’s why we’ve partnered with RAYOVAC®, maker of long-lasting batteries that power your life without draining your wallet. After all, apart from caffeine and stress, what runs the holidays? Batteries, baby. From seasonal decorations that make your living room sparkle to that cordless hand mixer working overtime to make all the cookies, everything is easier when you’re stocked up on affordable batteries — and gift-giving is no exception. As anyone who has ever given a child an electronic toy and forgotten to include batteries can attest, these powerful little guys are the MVPs of meltdown-free holiday cheer.
Now, on to becoming the gift-giving G.O.A.T. you’re destined to be — it all starts with knowing your audience. Do they like to be surprised, or want you to stick to the bulleted list they sent? Do they veer towards the practical or the sentimental? Choosing the perfect present can be overwhelming for even the most thoughtful of folks, but the good news is that we’re here to help!
And in keeping with the RAYOVAC® brand’s reputation as great value at an affordable price, we’re giving you holiday hacks that [cue the chorus of angels] actually save money. Because truly great gift-giving isn’t about the price tag — it’s about the care, enthusiasm, and joy that goes into the process.
And whether you’re shopping for a close friend or family member, or a co-worker whose name you just learned last week, these tips will guide you every step of the way.
