The Piano Guys say "It's Gonna Be Okay"

2016 has certainly been a rough year for world events and culture. In May 2016 my home country of the Philippines was surprised and shocked when Rodrigo Duterte (aka captain murderfest) was elected President of the Philippines. In July, Alfie's home country, the UK, was surprised and shocked when its citizens voted for Brexit. Then just a week ago, the USA was surprised and shocked when its citizens voted to elect Donald Trump as President of the United States. And don't even get me started on all the pop culture legends -- David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Gene Wilder, Muhammad Ali, Alan Rickman to name just a few -- passing on!

I doubt if The Piano Guys knew all that would happen when they first started collaborating on their latest album, Uncharted -- but its release on October 28 could not have come at a better time. It's as though they knew that we would need the healing touch of their music to uplift us and inspire us to keep going, even in a world gone topsy-turvy. They have a magical way of blending the classical sounds of cello and piano with contemporary hits to make beautiful music that every generation can relate to.

I can't get over how perfect the name of their album is, not just for the music itself but for the present time. The Piano Guys became famous with their videos, and three of the videos for this album were shot in literally "Uncharted" (at least for them) territory -- Scotland, Mexico, and Jordan. The music is "Uncharted" in the sense that they've combined so many different styles, from pop music icons Justin Timberlake, Adele, Coldplay to modern composers John Williams and Hans Zimmer to classical composers Mozart and Handel.

I've listed Uncharted's song list below. To be honest, I could listen to any of those songs again and again, because The Piano Guys are one of my favorite musical groups, but I have a special fondness for Pirates of the Caribbean, Fight Song/Amazing Grace, and the Jungle Book medley.

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Can’t Stop The Feeling
• Indiana Jones and The Arabian Nights
• Okay
• Celloopa
• Holding On
• Tour de France
• Uncharted
• Fight Song/Amazing Grace
• Sky Full of Stars
• Hello/Lacrimosa
• Jungle Book/Sarabande

Finally, I can't publish this review without mentioning the tragedy that befell The Piano Guys just a few days before the release of Uncharted. Pianist Jon Schmidt's 20 year-old daughter Annie went missing, and after weeks of frantic searching, her remains were found at the bottom of a cliff. I can't even imagine what Jon and his family are going through. Every time I listen to Uncharted, I think of Annie and her dad and mom and the rest of the Piano Guys family. Somehow it makes the album even more meaningful. When I listen to "It's Gonna Be Okay" or "Amazing Grace", I imagine telling Jon and his family the same thing. I think a lot of people are listening to Uncharted and thinking the same thing.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Uncharted to facilitate my review The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Purchase an American Girl Doll, and they'll Give One To Charity

There's nothing quite like seeing the joy on your little girl's face when she opens up her holiday present and discovers and American Girl doll inside.  American Girl has been a part of so many of our holidays, and we've created so many special memories with my daughter and her American Girl dolls!

It's a sad fact of life that not everyone can afford an American Girl doll.  They represent a significant investment, and many families are struggling this holiday season. That's why I'm so excited to announce (on Giving Tuesday, of all days!) American Girl's charitable holiday program -- for every purchase of an American Girl doll made thru December 18, American Girl is donating a doll to charity!

I was blown away when I received the news. What a generous program!  Their "Share the Wonder of the Holidays" giving campaign launched on November 24, and runs through December 18, 2014. During that time, American Girl will match any doll purchase made online, in-store, or via phone with an 18-inch doll donation (up to 1,000 dolls each day). The dolls will be donated to children in hospitals around the country through their partnership with the Children's Hospital Association. That's worth nearly $3 million in retail value!

What a great program, and I can't think of a more worthy beneficiary.  Kids in the hospital need some extra holiday cheer, and I'm sure American Girl will be brightening up the holidays for quite a few little girls this year!

Disclosure: As a thank you for posting this information, American Girl has kindly offered to donate an American Girl doll to the charity of my choice. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Giveaway: Give a gift, help a family with the World Vision Gift Catalog (win a handcarved serving spoon set!)

Are you looking for a holiday present for someone who has everything?  Get creative this holiday season by giving  friends and loved ones delicious, poverty-fighting holiday gifts from the 2014 World Vision Gift Catalog. They have more than 250 items, ranging in price from $10 to $39,000, are available online and in the print catalog to help improve quality of life for women, children and families in the U.S. and around the world.  You can choose from gorgeous handcrafted jewelry or accessories like a silk scarf or a tote.  The World Vision Gift Catalog also features wonderful hostess gifts, like gourmet coffee or cinnamon, or this beautiful set of wooden serving spoons that they sent me:

Hand-Carved Serving Spoons: A perfect gift for holiday entertaining, each beautiful set of two hand-carved olivewood serving spoons is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. The serving spoons are made to benefit orphans of the Kamba tribe in Kenya. $65

If you'd prefer not to receive a handcrafted gift so that your donation goes directly to benefit underprivileged families around the world, the World Vision Gift Catalog also lets you purchase items that directly benefit those families. You can purchase a donkey or some fish, or a deep well, or mosquito nets, or clothing.  You can purchase these in the name of someone you love. You can purchase these for someone who already has everything money can buy -- they gets a happy, warm feeling, knowing that someone less fortunate is benefiting, and of course the physical gift actually benefits people around the world who truly need a holiday gift.

Help where it's needed most ... AND get a gift for yourself or someone you care about!  It's a wonderful win-win situation, and just what the world needs for the holidays!

Win a Hand-Carved Serving Spoon set

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Hand-Carved Serving Spoon set from World Vision!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you and your family like to spread the true spirit of the holidays, or how you teach your children about the true meaning of the holidays.

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I joined the World Vision Gift Catalog giveaway for a hand-carved serving spoon set on Bonggamom Finds!  Ends 11/14

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to a hand-carved serving soon set fr @WorldVisionUSA! Giveaway on @bonggafinds ends 11/14

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59 PST on November 14, 2014. I will draw a winner at random on November 15 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: World Vision USA is providing the giveaway prize to the winner, and a second one for me.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Disney Junior announces Give a Book, Get a Book campaign

If you're reading this blog post, I'm guessing you already know how to read.  And I'm guessing you already know how important reading is for your child's future.  You probably know that reading to your child helps develop their creativity and imagination.  You probably know that letting your child see you read, and having books available in your home, increases your child's chances of being a good reader even more.

(Yes, that's LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow reading to the lucky kids at the Disney Social Moms Celebration!) 

No, I'm not worried about you or your child.  You are doing a great job!

I'm worried about the families who don't know about these things.  I'm worried about the families that do know about these things, but don't have the resources or opportunities to do anything about it. They may work two jobs, leaving them no time or energy to read to their kids.  They may not be able to afford their own books, or have access to libraries with books.  Did you know that in some low income communities, there are as little as 1 book for every 300 people?  This country spends $300 trillion on defense, and leaves 300 people to share 1 book.  What a disgrace.

If we don't educate our children, we don't have a future.  Something has to be done.  In my years as a blogger, I'm proud to have worked with various brands to promote programs designed to help children in low income communities discover the joys of reading.  This month, I'm proud to add Disney Junior to that list.

On April 12, at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at the Disneyland Resort, Disney Junior announced their partnership with First Book in the Give a Book, Get a Book initiative. Between 4/21/2014 and 9/30/2015, families can enter special codes at giveabookgetabook.com. Once you enter the code, two magical things will happen:

1) You GET a free Disney Junior digital book!
2) Disney will GIVE a book to a family in need!

Yes, that's right -- Every time someone enters a code, Disney will donate a book to First Book, a non-profit social enterprise that provides new books to schools and programs serving children in need, all over the country.  Disney will donate up to one million books!  You even get to specify the region where the book goes.  I've worked to get books into the hands of kids in nearby school districts like East Palo Alto and Redwood City, so I'd love for my book donation to go there.

Here's how to get the codes:

1)  Purchase specially marked Disney Junior products and books which include a redemption code.

2)  Give a Book, Get a Book bookmarks with redemption codes will be distributed to visitors at participating public libraries and Radio Disney events throughout the summer.

3) Starting April 21, Disney Store locations will provide an enhanced interactive "Storytime Powered by Give a Book, Get a Book" featuring two new stories from Disney Junior favorites, "Sofia the First" and "Jake and the Never Land Pirates."  Children at these events will be given a free book along with a redemption code bookmark.

4) Disney Store locations will host special storytime events at Boys & Girls Clubs of America in multiple markets across the U.S. Children at these events will be given a free book along with a redemption code bookmark.

I've included step-by-step instructions (including screenshots) for redeeming the codes at the end of this post.

(And yes, those are Disney Junior Stars David Arquette -- voice of Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates-- , Ariel Winter -- voice of Sofia from Sofia the First -- and Tim Gunn -- voice of Baileywick from Sofia the First -- reading to the kids at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration!)

What a wonderful way to help kids all across the country experience the joy of reading!  And what a wonderful way to help your kids experience the joys of giving back to the community!  Visit www.giveabookgetabook.com for more details.  Happy reading!

Photo credit: all photos except screenshots on this post courtesy of  Disney / ABC Television

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the 2014 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. The conference fee I paid included discounted lodging and park tickets for me and my family.  I was not asked or required to blog about the conference or any of its sponsors.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Here's how to redeem a code for a free Disney Junior eBook and Disney book donation to First Book.

Go to www.giveabookgetabook.com and enter your code.

You'll need to enter your email address to get to the next screen.

Choose from 1 of 10 Disney Junior eBooks featuring Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Minnie, Mickey, or Sofia the First.  Two of the book choices are in Spanish!

Select a US region where you would like the book to be donated.  

Confirm your selection.

Check your email for the link to your free Disney Junior e-Book.

Enjoy your free Disney Junior e-Book, and be happy in the knowledge that Disney has donated a book to a child in need!

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Give the Gift of a Great Future this holiday season with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating

Despite everything we say about thankfulness and spending time together as a family, let's face it: as far as the kids are concerned, presents make up a HUGE part of the holidays.  To make matters worse, 3Po and Jammy's birthday is in December, so it's a double whammy of presents for our family.  That's why I always make a special effort to remind the kids that not everyone can celebrate the way we do.  Every holiday season we participate in the One Warm Coat drive, the Toys for Tots drive, and the Family Giving Tree drive.   For the past couple of years we've also volunteered at the Family Giving Tree warehouse, sorting and labeling donated toys to be distributed to various community agencies.  It's one of the highlights of our holiday season, and it makes me so happy to see my kids so excited about helping others.

Every parent I know wants to foster a spirit of community and giving in their kids, but sometimes it's difficult to know where to start.  Many organizations require volunteers to be at least 14, 15, 16 years old -- but you want your kids to start young and make volunteerism a habit.  No age is too young for children to start learning the importance of giving back, especially during the holiday season!

That's why I'm so glad to see that the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has created a website to help parents teach kids the value of giving back.  BGCA's Give the Gift of a Great Future website features resources to help parents with ideas on how to give back with their children, printable gift tags, and an interactive Giving Game.  There's a great section where you can view photos and read about ways BGCA kids are serving their communities. You can even vote on your favorite photo, and in the process, enter to win $2,000! The Kids Give Back photo contest ends December 12, so cast your vote today.  What a great way to inspire your kids to make a difference in your community!


Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Giveaway: win an artisan necklace from World Vision Gift Catalog

When the holidays roll around, many people focus so much on Gift Giving Season that they forget to remember the Giving Season and the true meaning of the holidays.  Many parents want to teach their children values of compassion and kindness and sharing blessings with others, and there's no better time or place to do it than during the holidays.  World Vision Gift Catalog is sharing a few ways to do it:

*  Host a house party for friends and family and ask your guests to contribute to a share of a group gift such as a farm animal, winter clothing or school supplies to families in need, or even a water well. Make the selection of the item, how to raise funds for that gift, and the collection of the money a collaborative, group effort.
* After Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday shopping, consider celebrating Giving Tuesday (12/3) and make meaningful, life-changing gift purchases such as medicine, mosquito nets or a fish pond.

* Be active in your giving -- volunteer at your local homeless shelter or senior living center; cook a meal or bake cookies for an elderly family member or neighbor.

* Organize a family giving night and have kids select charitable gifts from an organization such as the World Vision Gift Catalog. Talk with your children about how giving back changes lives of children and families living in poverty and that their efforts truly make a difference.

You can even incorporate the true spirit of giving into your own gift giving, with the World Vision Catalog.  When you shop for presents from the World Vision Gift Catalog, you're not only giving a present to friends and family, you're helping out families from all over the world.

I love the idea of leafing through the World Vision Gift Catalog with my kids.  The catalog has over 250 items that help fight poverty all over the US and the world.  It has stories of hardworking families from all over the world (including the US!) whose lives could benefit from your gift.  With a financial contribution, you can even select one of the 30+ Handcrafted Gifts that can be shared with a loved one and at the same time help a person in need.  World Vision Gift Catalog sent me the Colors of Africa jewelry set to check out:

This gorgeous Zakale jewelry set is handmade from recycled materials by Kenyan artisans reclaiming their own lives from poverty. What a beautiful way to make a difference AND treat yourself or a loved one to a holiday present!


Win a Colors of Africa Bracelet & Earring Set
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a gorgeous Colors of Africa Bracelet & Earring Set

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you and your family like to spread the true spirit of the holidays, or how you teach your children about the true meaning of the holidays.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

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3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like" Bonggamom Finds on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the World Vision Gift Catalog giveaway! http://ow.ly/qgwra

6) Tweet this (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a Colors of Africa bracelet/earring set from World Vision Gift Catalog! Enter by 11/16 at http://ow.ly/qgwra

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry per giveaway you've joined)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 16, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on November 17 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by World Vision. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Get Ready for School with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America

This is a sponsored post

Where has the summer gone?  My kids have less than a week before they start school!  We are all freaking out, but it is what it is, so we try to ease the "pain" of transitioning from summer to school by planning ahead.  Here are five things we always do before school starts:

1) Start transitioning from our summer bedtime schedule (sleep and wake up late) to our school time bedtime schedule (sleep and wake up early).  I've gotten pretty lax about enforcing bedtimes, so much as I hate to do it, we're going to stop weekday movie nights, after-dinner ice cream runs and other late-night activities.

2) Find out which teacher and classroom my kids are getting.  They don't release this information until two or three days before the first day of school, but my kids find it incredibly comforting to know in advance who will be teaching them and which of their friends will be in the same classroom.

3) Check the kids' shoes and clothes to see whether they fit and take them shopping to replace anything they've outgrown. It's amazing how much kids can grow over the course of just a few months!   I never buy a whole new school wardrobe every year, but I might buy a special shirt to commemorate the start of the school year.

4) Check the kids' lunchboxes and backpacks to see whether any are worn and need replacing.  I prefer to invest in high-quality school gear that lasts instead of buying trendy-but-cheap things that break down by the end of the school year.

5) Check the kids' school websites to see whether they are required to purchase any school supplies for the upcoming school year. We are very lucky in that our school PTA has the funds to pay for most school supplies our kids need in the classroom, so most of what I have to buy are binders and locker trinkets for my middle-schooler!

The Disney Company wants to make sure all kids start the new school year right, not just the ones whose parents can afford to pay for school supplies.  That's why they've teamed up once again with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to launch an online school supply drive.  By simply playing a pop-quize style game, you can help donate school supplies to local BGCA Clubs.  For every five correct answers, a donation of supplies will be made!

I took the quiz several times, and it's super easy.  You'll be asked questions about the BGCA and education statistics like the number of high school students who fail to graduate high school in the US every year (hint: the number starts with 1 and it has 6 zeros).  If you get the answer wrong, you get a second chance to guess the correct answer!

You can take Disney's and BGCA's Supply Drive Game at www.greatfutures.org/backtoschool.  This website also has useful tips for kids and parents to prepare for the school year.  The more times you take the quiz, more more supplies will be donated -- Disney will be giving up to 40,000 supply kits!

Disclosure: Thank you to the Boys & Girls Club of America and Mom Central Consulting for selecting me to be a BGCA Back-to-School Ambassador! As a Back-to-School Ambassador, I am participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and I will be receiving a promotional item as a thank you for participating. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Make your loose change go a long way at JC Penney and help out the Boys and Girls Clubs of America

This is a sponsored post

The first day of school is almost here, and this year I've got a big role to play -- I'm going to be co-President of my sons' elementary school PTA!  After 7 years at this school, I wanted to help my kids' wonderful teachers in a meaningful way and help ensure they have everything they need to do the most important job in the world -- educating our future leaders and citizens.

Challenging as the PTA president job is, I know I'm lucky.  I have a wonderful co-president and friend who is going to be with me the whole way.  I have a supportive husband and a part-time job that gives me flexible hours.  Most of all, we are lucky to have a community of parents who have the time, money and passion to devote to making our school the best it can be.

Sadly, not all communities are like ours, and through no fault of their own.  It's just an economic reality.  The truth is that many kids across the country who are starting school without the school supplies,the staff, or the enrichment programs, that help make their learning experience a success. That's why afterschool programs like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) are so important. They keep kids off the streets and give them a place to gather with friends and engage in activities that keep them motivated and prepared to succeed in school.

I can't be join the PTA of every school district across the country, and I wouldn't even know which schools to donate to... but there's an easy, meaningful way to help the BGCA continue their mission -- just shop at JC Penney, round up your purchase to the nearest dollar, and JC Penney will donate your change to the BGCA.

That's right, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is JC Penney's JCP Cares partner of the month for July.  All month long they are inviting their customers to round up their purchase amounts to benefit the BGCA.  It's just a small amount of change -- less than a dollar! -- but it really adds up.  Last year, JC Pennney was able to raise and donate over one million dollars to the BGCA, and this year they have already raised over $700,000!  Those donations fund Club access grants and help promote programs like Tools for Back to School, an initiative that provides kids with the tools they need to achieve academic success.

For more information about the BGCA, their mission, their partnership with JC Penney and how you can help, go to: www.greatfutures.org/backtoschool.


Disclosure: Thank you to the Boys & Girls Club of America and Mom Central Consulting for selecting me to be a BGCA Back-to-School Ambassador!  As a Back-to-School Ambassador, I am participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and I will be receiving a promotional item as a thank you for participating. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Join RMHC and Give the Gift of Togetherness

More than 11,500 moms, dads, brothers, sisters and grandparents find compassion and healing within the walls of our Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms every day. There they find caring, supportive staff and volunteers, home-cooked meals, relaxing living spaces, comfortable beds, and a vital support network to give them strength so they can help their child heal.

But to serve more families and keep their programs running strong, they need help. Simply put, their big job of keeping families together can’t get done without your support. No way. So from November till the end of December, RMHC is launching a Gift of Togetherness campaign to rally people around the most meaningful gift of all this holiday season – the gift of family. The campaign’s hero is a little red ribbon, helping to illustrate and share RMHC family stories and the impact you can have in your community and globally. On RMHC.org, through their e-newsletter and direct mail, through the media waves, and even in print, RMHC is spreading the word and we really hope we can recruit your voice to help.

Ronald McDonald House Charities has a lofty goal – they need to raise $1 million to support RMHC and its Chapters by the end of the year. Here are five simple ways that people can give back to RMHC this holiday season.

Visit RMHC.org to learn more about the Gift of Togetherness: watch the feature story, which tells the story of the Maley family, and then watch several other RMHC family testimonials. You will also be able to learn how your donations add up, start a Group Give fundraising page, and then share your experience with friends and family.

Donate – even the smallest amount goes a long way in giving families comfort, hope and healing.
Start your own Group Give fundraising page benefiting RMHC or your favorite RMHC Chapter. Ask your family and friends to get involved and demonstrate strength in numbers in your network.

* Use your Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages to spread the word about the campaign – share the Maley video, share the campaign imagery, share how your support of RMHC helps give families the gift of togetherness all year long, and invite others to get involved.

* Add this signature to your email messages from November 1 through December 31. (Depending on what version of Outlook you have, you should be able to change your signature, adding the image below by clicking on Tools/Options/Mail Format/Stationery.)

Disclosure: Full text for this post was provided by McDonalds via the Family Arches Community. I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post -- I just RMHC is a worthwhile cause.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Give a Gift and Help a Family with the World Vision Gift Catalog {Giveaway}

"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”

I have always loved this quote. Contributing to self-sufficiency programs is such a wonderful way of giving because it sets the beneficiaries up for the long term, empowers them to help themselves, and preserves their dignity. But I think there's one part missing: the man's going to need a net, otherwise he's going to come home empty handed. The world is full of bright, hardworking people who just can't get a leg up because they don't have the infrastructure or can't afford a small capital investment to get started.





Every year at around this time I receive the World Vision Gift Catalog, and every year I think what a great job they are doing by giving folks here a chance to help people around the world through unique gift ideas for the holiday season.  Donate to their Maximum Impact Fund, which helps children and families throughout the world, and you can choose from a variety of beautifully crafted artisan gifts. You can choose from items like  accessories, children's toys, holiday ornaments and jewelry like this gorgeous Artisan Beaded Necklace.  World Vision sent me a sample necklace, and I can't think of any woman who wouldn't want to receive it for the holidays:

You can wear it as a single strand, or your can double-loop it around your neck.  The beautifully colored beads go with anything, and I love the mix of chunky beads and dainty strands.

 I think it's truly the perfect holiday present for someone who has everything.

Another great gift option is making a donation in someone else's name. The World Vision Gift Catalog puts a personalized twist to the idea: instead of making a straight cash donation, you're actually buying items that help people out around the world, like donkeys or fish. Who would want a stinky old animal? A poor family in Rwanda would -- that's where your gift goes, and that's where the real Christmas spirit lies. Your gift recipient gets a happy, warm feeling, and the physical gift actually benefits people around the world who truly need a holiday gift.

There is such a wide variety of gifts and causes in this catalog to suit anyone's tastes. You can choose a cause that's especially close to your gift recipient's heart. For example, I would love to receive a couple of ducks because they benefit families in the Philippines, where I'm from. Or you can tailor the gift to your recipient's tastes and personality. For example, you could give soccer balls to a soccer fan -- only he won't be kicking the balls around, poor children in Africa or Asia or Latin America will. Or you could give a duck to an animal lover. Or a deep water well to a swimmer.  You can even help families across the USA, with school supplies, clothing, even toiletry kits and other emergency essentials to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The only negative thing I can think of to say about this program is the obvious Christian focus, which could turn some people off. I don't know how many bibles or missionary pitches come along with the rabbits and sheep, but that may not be something that an atheist or Hindu might want to contribute money towards. But honestly, it's hard to argue that this is a bad cause, whether you're Christian (disclosure: I'm a Catholic) or not. Helping people help themselves is something that every person of every faith, or lack of it, can believe in!

Win an Artisan Beaded Necklace
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an Artisan Beaded Necklace from the World Vision Gift Catalog!

Required Entry
Check out the World Vision Gift Catalog and leave a comment on this post telling me which gift you would most like to give or receive.

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For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the World Vision Gift Catalog giveaway!


6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once a day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a Beaded Artisan Necklace from the @WorldVisionUSA Gift Catalog! Giveaway ends Nov. 29 at http://ow.ly/f16Ss #giveaways

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 29, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on November 30 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US  residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: World Vision provided a sample gift item for me and a second gift item for the giveaway prize.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Monkeez Makes a Difference: turning philanthropy into child's play

All 3 of my kids are mad about stuffed toys, so we've got piles of them at home.  Every year I try to downsize their stuffie stash, winnowing out the ones they don't play with and letting them keep their favorites.  We recently received 3 adorable new friends that are sure to be in their favorites pile until they leave for college!

Meet Nelson (the monkey), Ozzie (the octopus) and Clover (the cow).  They're part of the Monkeez Makes a Difference group of friends.  They are so soft and cuddly, made of knit material that feel just like your favorite pair of socks.  They have a wonderfully whimsical look that's not too cutesy and not too cartoony.  Their vivid colors and sweet expressions ensured that my kids would fall in love with them at first sight.

They have magnets on their hands and feet, so you can put their hands and feet together.  This allows for all kinds of fun positions.  My kids like to make their Monkeez touch their toes, do some yoga, climb up the fridge, or monkey around on our magnetic board.

I love how they're all wearing socks on their own hands and feet.

What makes Monkeez more than just a toy is a special code on their product tag that triggers a donation worth 10% of the wholesale cost of goods to the charity of your child's choice.  Your child can go to the Monkeez Island online site, enter the code, watch videos giving an overview of the charities. Then he or she can specify which charity to donate the money to.  The charities are ones that kids can relate to, like Alex's Lemonade Stand and Best Friends Animal Society, so it's a great way to start a meaningful conversation about helping the less fortunate.  What a wonderful way to introduce your child to philanthropy and help her feel like she's making a difference!

If you're going to clutter your house with stuffies, these stuffies are definitely the ones to clutter them up with.  Big thumbs up!


Here's more information on Monkeez Makes a Difference. You can also visit their Facebook Page to learn more!

Monkeez Makes a Difference gives children the opportunity to learn and practice giving back while having fun. It also provides an innovative solution to parents, grandparents and others who are hungry for tools to help them discuss and demonstrate what it means to think of others in today’s world.

The fun and education starts with the purchase of a Genuine Monkeez and Friends plush character featuring a special Monkeez Makes a Difference tag, which are available at www.MonkeezAndFriends.com and at independent retailers across the country. There are more than 90 plush designs in multiple sizes to choose from in the program, including characters such as monkeys, owls, bears, lions, dogs, cats, pigs, cows, octopuses, panda bears, kangaroos, turtles, koalas, alligators, hedgehogs, elephants, hippos, zebras, frogs, bunnies and raccoons. New pint-sized pals are also part of the program, featuring smaller sizes, soft fabric and retail prices starting at just $8. Each specially marked character comes with a unique online game activation code on the tag. The products’ suggested retail prices range from $2.99 to $100, and are available at www.MonkeezAndFriends.com and independent retailers across the country.

With an adult’s help, children follow the instructions on the tag and visit www.MonkeezAndFriends.com. There, they can enter the code and watch videos about each charity that partners with Monkeez Makes a Difference, including Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse and Best Friends Animal Society.

Children can select which charity they would like to contribute to, and Monkeez Makes a Difference donates 10 percent of the wholesale cost on their behalf. By selecting the charity of their choice, children unlock the door to an interactive and educational online world. Children can revisit www.MonkeezAndFriends.com as many times as they’d like to play educational games and learn more about what they can do to help others.


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) was provided by Monkeez Makes a Difference.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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