I spoke with Newsday about little touches you can add to wrapped gifts to make them extra special. (It's pegged to Christmas, but the tips work just as well for birthday gifts!) And bonus: You don't really need to be good at crafts to do these.
Easy holiday gift-wrapping tips from style experts
Sometimes when you're doing an interview, either conducting one or giving one, you can tell that you can skip the chit-chat and just go straight to being real. That's how it was being interviewed by Danusia Malina-Derben on the School for Mothers podcast. I loved having this conversation — especially because she told me up front that she wanted to start by talking about Star Wars. Give a listen!
PARENTING
How to Keep Your Cool Around Your Kids When You're Ready to Blow
The Best Empty Nest Advice for Parents Whose Kids Are Leaving the Coop
Why Do Children Have Imaginary Friends, and How Far Do You Have to Play Along?
Gossip Is the Best Toddler Parenting Hack (if You Do It Within Earshot)
What Is TikTok? A Full Guide for Parents
Justin Baldoni, Star of 'Jane the Virgin,' on Raising His Kids Free of Gender Stereotypes
Tamron Hall Reveals Her Toughest Parenting Moment, and It's so Relatable
What Are Standard Babysitting Rates? It Depends on Your Location, Family, and Priorities
30 Fun Things to Do at a Sleepover to Keep Them Busy All Night Long
These Will Be the Most Popular Baby Names of 2020
The Most Popular Baby Girl Names for 2020 Will Be Inspired by Nature
The Most Popular Baby Boy Names for 2020 Are Inspired by Travel
ENTERTAINMENT
20+ Best Kids' Movies 2020 Has in Store for Families
Here Is Every Confirmed Original Movie Coming to the Disney+ Streaming Service
A Full List of Every New Disney Show Available on the Disney+ Streaming Service
A Full List of Every Disney Live-Action Remake Coming Soon
A Complete List of Every Upcoming Superhero Movie, Including Ones From Marvel and DC
How to Watch All 23 Marvel Movies in the Correct Order
10 'Game of Thrones' Locations You Can Actually Visit in Real Life
20 Best End-of-the-World Movies for When You're in the Mood for an Existential Panic
Blippi's National Tour Won't Include the Guy Who Plays Blippi, and Parents Are Pissed
Build-a-Bear's 'Frozen II' Bears Will Melt Any Frozen Heart
Everything You Need to Know About LEGOLAND New York, LEGO's Biggest Theme Park Yet
Mattel Makes History by Launching a Gender-Inclusive Line of Dolls
HOLIDAY
65 Kids' Halloween Costume Ideas for Easy, Creative, and Unique Trick-or-Treating
20 Unique Toddler Halloween Costumes That Are Too Stinkin' Cute
What Is Trunk-or-Treat? Halloween Tailgating Is Genius When You Really Think About It
40 Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for the Spookiest Car Ever
40 Best Halloween Movies on Netflix That Will Give You the Chills
20 Coolest Halloween Gender Reveal Ideas That Celebrate Your Little Pumpkin
10 'The Purge' Costumes for People Who Are Dead Serious About Looking Scary
20 Cute Baby Thanksgiving Outfits for Their First Turkey Day
60 Christmas Crafts to Bring a Handmade Holiday to Every Room in the House
The Best Types of Christmas Trees for People Who Want the Real-Tree Smell in Their House
20 Christmas Gift Tags for the Perfect Finishing Touch
How to Tell Your Kids About Santa Without Breaking Their Hearts
20 Baby's First Christmas Ornaments That Celebrate Your Growing Famil
30+ Best Christmas Books for Readers of All Ages That Aren't "The Night Before Christmas"
20 Classic Christmas Cards to Delight Your Friends and Relatives
16 Creative Christmas Card Photo Ideas for Your Best Holiday Greeting Ever
GIFT GUIDES
20+ Magical Unicorn Gifts for People Who Love Rainbows, Glitter, and Sparkles
20 Toy Advent Calendars for Kids to Get Them Excited About the Run-Up to Christmas
These Cool Advent Calendars Make the Countdown to Christmas Extra Exciting
Chocolate Advent Calendars for People Who Want a Sugar-Filled Christmas Countdown
The Best Advent Calendars for Men Who Love Beer, Comics, Meat, and More
Stocking Stuffers for Teens That They'll *Actually* Want
Target Says These Toys Will Be the Most Wished-for Christmas Gifts
Walmart Says These Will Be the Hottest Holiday Toys for 2019
20+ Best Baby Gifts to Delight Brand-New Parents
10 of the Coolest Baby Boy Gifts to Buy in 2019, According to Parents
10 Fun Gender-Neutral Gifts for Babies Whose Parents Want to Be Surprised
SHOPPING/STORES
15 of the Coolest Kids’ Clothing Stores to Shop Online
The Best Baby Stores Online for Parents to Bookmark Right Now
Hasbro Promises to Remove Nearly All Plastic From Its Packaging By 2022
Disney Stores Are Setting up Shop Inside 25 Target Locations, and We Want to Live in Them
Walmart's Car Seat Recycling Program Means Savings for Parents — Here's How to Get Some Money Back
STORIES I EDITED FROM OTHER WRITERS
Do Girls Really Prefer Pink? There's No Hard-Wired Reason for Girls to Choose Pink Over Blue
13 Things Nobody Tells You About Postpartum Recovery (But Really Should)
Who Are My Kids Talking to Online? Internet Safety Facts for Parenting in a Digital Age
How to Spot and Treat Anxiety in Kids, According to Child Psychologists
Child Therapists Explain How to Stop Your Kids' After-School Meltdowns for Good
The Sunday Scaries Are Tough, but Here's How to Beat Them
The Best Ways to Handle Teen Anger, According to Psychologists
Long-Distance Relationship Tips for Couples Who Are Separated by Miles
Are There Foods That Induce Labor? Why Overdue Moms Can Skip the Eggplant Pizza
Do Kids Actually Need Playdates?
20+
Pretty Christmas Living Room Décor Ideas for the Coziest Room in the House
20+ Christmas Mantel Ideas for a Holly, Jolly House
ESSAYS I EDTED FROM OTHER WRITERS
I Happily Changed My Last Name After I Got Married, but I Didn't Realize What I'd Lose
I Won't Let My Son Play 'Fortnite,' and This Is How His Friends Reacted
My Husband and I Plan Our Whole Lives Around My Chronic Paranoid Schizophrenia
Breast Cancer Made Me a Better Mom
I Wasn't Ready to Talk to My 3-Year-Old About Death. Then Nana's Cat Died.
Parents, Why Do We Belittle Each Other's Problems?
My Daughters are Ditching Their Big Dreams for Their Cell Phones
I know I still have to post about what's been going on since July (oops!), but in the meantime I wanted to show off the bouncy hair I wore to go on Yahoo Finance's morning program, YFiAMl. I talked about the chldren's content offered on new streaming platforms as part of their "Streaming Wars" series. It combines my two favorite things: parenting and being a couch potato. Take a look.
Yahoo also did a good text recap of the segment:
Dark Crystal forever!
The beginning of the year brought a little of everything, from quick news and service to holidays to first-person essays — even my old hat as a weddings editor popped back on. And, of course, Baby Shark never goes away. But my two favorite pieces for January and February were these:
The Best Royal Movies to Help You Truly Understand the Monarchy
Kind of related to the Oscars — and movies like The Favourite and Mary, Queen of Scots — and kind of to satisfy my own curiosity, I challenged myself to see if I could trace the royal lineage from Elizabeth II to Elizabeth I just through movies. I was able to do it, though some were obscure. But now I know that Colin Firth from The King's Speech is the current Queen's father.
We're Officially Calling Blume Dolls the Hottest Toy of 2019
This was the first year I got to attend Toy Fair, and scout out all of the hot new toys for the year. And while I saw lots of great things, these cuties leapt out as an early favorite.
News
Parents, The Momo Challenge Isn't the Video You Need to Be Worrying About on YouTube
The Hatching Baby Toothless Is the Perfect Gift For Your Aspiring Hiccup
The Disney+ Streaming Service Sounds Like It's Going to Be Every Parent's BFF
Andy Cohen Was Just Dad-Shamed for Taking His Newborn on an Airplane
'Riverdale' Star Mark Consuelos Dishes on What It Was Really Like Working With Kelly Ripa
Kristen Bell Shut Down an Instagram Follower Who Said She's "Exploiting" a Kid for Her New Line
Kairi, the New Gerber Baby for 2019, Just Made History
The U.S. Divorce Rate Is Going Down, and We Have Millennials to Thank
Terminally Ill Girl in Wisconsin Just Wants Letters From Your Dog
Service
3 Tricks That Calm a Crying Baby, According to a Researcher Who Surveyed 800+ Parents
This Dad’s Trick for Getting Picky Kids to Eat Is Brilliant
My Daughter Wouldn't Sleep Away From Home Until We Got This Toddler Travel Bed
6 Apps That Make Potty Training Way Easier Than a DIY Sticker Chart
16 Lego Storage Ideas That'll Keep Every Small Piece Organized
15 Best Stargazing Apps for iPhones and Androids
The Best Books About Self-Love, Because We All Need to Pump Ourselves Up
Holidays
Watch This 'Peppa Pig' Chinese New Year Sneak Peek With Your Kids Tonight
15 Best Hallmark Movies to Watch Before Valentine's Day
14 Baby Valentine's Day Outfits for Your True Sweetheart
Easy Valentine's Day Games Any Kid Will Love
40 Quotes About Broken Hearts That Are Just Too Real
The 20 Best Irish Movies to Watch for St. Patrick's Day
The Best Irish Movies on Netflix to Stream on St. Patrick's Day
Milestones
14 Gold Wedding Dresses for the Bride Who Wants to Sparkle
15 Pink Wedding Dresses for the Most Romantic Brides Out There
Inspiring Backyard Wedding Ideas for Casual Brides and Grooms
Neon Wedding Signs That Will Give Your Reception Some Electricity
14 DIY Floral Garland Ideas for Spring Parties and Weddings
15 Grazing Tables Ideas That Will Make Any Party Stand Out
13 Creative and Thoughtful Ways to Ask: Will You Be a Godparent?
18 Mesmerizing Number Cakes We Wish We Could Eat Right Now
16 Cheap Neon Signs That Add Major Personality to Your Space
30 Quotes About Change, Because We Never Stop Evolving
Baby Shark
So, Where Did This "Baby Shark" Song Come From, Anyway?
Baby Shark Toys, Books, and Shirts Are Taking Over the Internet
A Baby Shark Play-Doh Set Is in the Works Because the Craze Will Never End
The New Baby Shark Toy Will Dance Circles Around You
Assigned Essays
Their Son Tested Positive for Strep Throat. Then Came the Severe OCD, Anxiety, and Hallucinations.
14 Reasons Parenting Teenagers Is Better Than You Think It Will Be