10 Ways to enjoy PEEPS over the holidays (and a giveaway for you!)

Breaking news for candy lovers: PEEPS, everyone's favorite Easter chicks aren't just for Easter any more! PEEPS & COMPANY® have all kinds of holiday themed goodies for your eating, gifting, and decorating pleasure. Here are 10 ideas for what to do with PEEPS candy this holiday season:

1. Add to your holiday stockings 
2. Give to classmates at school
3. Leave in the break room at the office
4. Add to a gift basket for teacher or a friend
5. Add to a hostess gift 
6. Place in do-it-yourself Advent Calendars
7. Add to a cup of cocoa
8. Decoration for holiday cookies
9. Gingerbread house decoration
10. Leave on a plate (instead of cookies) for Santa!

With so many different kinds of holiday PEEPS products, it's easy to make any of these 10 ideas look festive and merry. Just look at the assortment of PEEPS I saw inside our local grocery store!

Not only did I find the regular marshmallow PEEPS in holiday packs, I also found PEEPS® Candy Cane Flavored Marshmallow Chicks. I love how these packs come with a plush PEEPS chick with its own darling little Santa hat.

PEEPS sent me a basket of PEEPS goodies so we could get an idea of just how many different kinds of holiday PEEPS products are out there!  Check out this Vanilla Crème Chicks Pop -- it's so easy to make. Just buy some lollipop sticks at a craft or candy supply store, then stick on PEEPS chicks in different colors. You can also get the Vanilla Crème Chicks Pop ready-made, so it comes in decorative packaging, all ready for your stocking.

PEEPS candy doesn't just come in the classic chick shape! xtra holiday cheer, you can get Gingerbread-Flavored Marshmallow Gingerbread Men, Marshmallow Trees, Marshmallow Snowmen, even a Large Marshmallow Snowman. These are just perfect for a holiday gingerbread house! Why not buy a bunch and have a gingerbread house decorating party.

Other PEEPS holiday products include Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Trees and Chocolate Mousse Reindeer. As if all of that wasn't enough variety, PEEPS AND COMPANY® makes more than just PEEPS products. Check out their Snowman Lollipop  made with candy melts,  MIKE AND IKE candy in a candy cane tube, Hot Tamales in a candy cane tube, and Teenee Beanie Menorah Mix, You can see the full holiday selection online at peepsandcompany.com

Win Holiday PEEPS products
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a variety of (5) five PEEPS® and PEEPS & COMPANY® products to use as holiday treats. Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below, but hurry, this giveaway ends on December 17!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Disclosure: I received samples for review. Giveaway product provided by PEEPS AND COMPANY.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Girl Holiday Accessories for Dolls

Yesterday I reviewed one of the American Girl 2015 holiday items: the Joyful Jewels dress. But what is a holiday outfit without accessories? The American Girl Holiday Accessories for Dolls set has everything a doll wants to complete her holiday celebrations. I received a sample of the accessories set to review, and I agree, it's the perfect complement to the Joyful Jewels dress. If you're getting your daughter/niece/goddaughter/granddaughter the Joyful Jewels dress, make sure you get this accessory set to go along with it!

The full set includes:

• A velveteen shrug to add a bit of warmth to any fancy dress
• A ring to add a glimmer to the festivities
• A glitter globe that makes a great gift for a special friend; it has loose glitter and a little tree inside (no liquid)
• Pretend striped glossy ribbon candy
• A candy box
• A pink gift bag covered in foil snowflakes
• A sheet of red tissue paper

Here's a close up of the gift items. The ribbon candy is so pretty, and so is the snow globe. Proportion-wise, I'm not sure the two items work well together (compare the size of the globe next to the size of the ribbon candy; if that globe were the size of a child's palm, that candy would be huge!!), but I love the level of detail in both of them.


Here's a close up of the ring. It fits on American Girl dolls' pinkie fingers or index fingers. The ring's size is adjustable, but take care because it can easily fall off a doll's finger.


How I wish this were available in real-person size! Who wouldn't want to see this under their Christmas tree with their name on it?! Right now, the Holiday Accessories for Dolls set is on sale for $22 (originally $32) so it's a great deal.





Disclosure: I received a sample for review.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Girl Playful Polar Bear pajamas

The holidays have arrived at American Girl, and there are gift ideas galore for every girls big and little, and budgets big and little! Right now all their regularly-priced merchandise is on sale at 20% off until December 12, so don't delay, get those presents for your American Girl today! The sale is good at Americangirl.com, the American Girl catalog, and the American Girl stores.

I'm really loving the Playful Polar Bear PJ set that American Girl sent me to review! The set (modeled below by McKenna) features a red long-sleeved tunic top with a polar bear graphic and polar bear print pajama leggings. Also included are knit red bootie slippers with white faux fur trim and red rubber bands so you can keep her hair in pigtails or braids. This set is so festive and it looks just like something a little girl would wear.

The Cozy Christmas Scene is the perfect backdrop for photographing McKenna in her PJs (or any holiday scene for that matter!). I just couldn't resist purchasing it (especially with that 20% discount), and I'm so glad I did. It really looks as though McKenna is relaxing with her polar bear friend and his holiday present (neither are included in the pajama set nor the backdrop, BTW) in her beautifully-decorated home. At just $12, the Cozy Christmas Scene makes a great inexpensive present. I'd say it would make a great stocking stuffer, but it's too big to fit into a stocking!


Disclosure: I received a review sample of the doll pajama set. I purchased the Cozy Christmas Scene and other photo props myself. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Dig Into IHOP's Festive Flavors

I don't think I could eat cereal every morning for breakfast, but I sure as anything could eat pancakes (or waffles or french toast), sausage and eggs every morning -- or every afternoon and evening! I don't think I'd ever get sick of them, especially when you can always add a seasonal twist to your pancakes or waffles or french toast.

As if to prove my point, IHOP has assembled a delicious collection of holiday-themed dishes and is serving them at IHOP restaurants all season long. If you haven't really thought of IHOP as a holiday restaurant, think again -- they've got Christmas trees at the entrance, the walls are covered in holiday decor, and their holiday dishes make any meal merrier!  The holiday offerings I most wanted to try are:

Banana Bread French Toast: banana bread with cinnamon bits, dipped in vanilla French toast batter, then grilled and topped with caramel sauce, powdered sugar, and whipped topping.

Caramel Bon Bon pancakes: buttermilk pancakes layered with Dulce de Leche cream, topped with caramel sauce and whipped topping.

Pumpkin Waffles: Belgian waffles made with real pumpkin, topped with pumpkin spice sugar and whipped topping.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was out of caramel syrup (I guess word gets around and everyone ordered a dish with caramel sauce!), so they weren't taking orders for the Caramel Bon Bon Pancakes. I decided on the Banana Bread French Toast.  It was divine! The banana bread had the flavor of real bananas in it, and it was so dense and moist it was almost like a pudding. The French Bread batter gave it a crispy coating, and bananas and whipped topping gave the dish a nice finishing touch.

As with most of IHOP's pancakes, waffles, and french toast dishes, you can order Banana Bread French Toast by itself, or you can order it as part of a breakfast meal which includes your choice of bacon or sausage, two eggs (cooked whatever way you choose), and hash browns. The Banana Bread French Toast portion is smaller when you order it as part of a meal. I love IHOP's hash browns, so I can't visit an IHOP without ordering it. The Banana Bread French Toast was the perfect sweet ending to my meal!

Other items on the holiday menu include Chicken and Pumpkin Spice Waffle (a belgian waffle with pumpkin puree, topped with pumpkin spice sugar and candied pecans, served with crispy chicken).....

.... Roasted Turkey Breast with all the fixins (gravy, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and lingonberry sauce).....

... and a Pumpkin Waffle Sundae (a belgian waffle with pumpkin puree, topped with pumpkin spice sugar and candied pecans, served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce)...

... and don't forget the drinks! Pumpkin coffee (roasted Arabica beans with pumpkin syrup, whipped topping and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice) and Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate (hot chocolate flavored with Toasted Marshmallow Syrup, topped with whipped topping and cocoa powder) are the perfect way to warm up on chilly nights.

Jammy ordered Red Velvet Pancakes, which are a huge seasonal favorite at IHOP. They taste soooo good when eaten with IHOP's strawberry pancake sauce!

I wish I had the stomach capacity to try all of IHOP's holiday dishes! I guess we'll just have to go back and order the rest of IHOP's merry menu -- but just like the holidays, it won't last, so head to IHOP ASAP.


Disclosure: I  received a gift card to try IHOP's holiday offerings. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Save 20% on Label Daddy for the holidays

The holidays are here and it's gift wrapping season! We are part of a huge family: we are 5 kids, my mom has 6 siblings, my dad has 4 siblings, and each of them have their own kids! My maternal grandmother has 38 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren! That's a lot of presents to wrap. We love each and every one of them, so we want each and every present to be special.... but wrapping all of them can be time consuming!

If you have a large family like ours, check out Label Daddy, the number one solution for labeling your belongings. Their new Holiday inspired Gift Tags, Return Address Labels and Gift Wrap Packs! All Christmas and Hannukah designs! Decorate, celebrate and enjoy! The entire Holiday Collection is waterproof and dishwasher safe! Here's a closer look:

Need return address labels for your holiday cards? Label Daddy has festive holiday designs that will complement any holiday card. Your recipients will know that they're receiving a bit of seasonal cheer even before they open the envelope!



Need gift tags to mark your holiday presents? Check out Label Daddy's holiday-themed gift tags! They'll add a level of pizzazz to your holiday presents because they're personalized with your name and message. These gift tags make it easy to wrap a great looking present without spending a lot of time and effort (which is important when you have 30 cousins to shop for!).

For the ultimate in ease, get a Label Daddy Gift Wrap Pack, which includes everything you need to wrap the perfect present. With Label Daddy, your present will look as good on the outside as it does on the inside! It will be almost too pretty to unwrap. Almost.

Be sure to stock up on everyday labels too! Label Daddy labels are super durable peel-and-stick washable labels -- they're washer/dryer safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe and UV resistant! Label Daddy labels are also fun and attractive. You design your own labels! Pick from tons of colors, sizes and logos, including Disney and Marvel characters, MLB, NBA, and NHL team logos, other sport and fun logos, and more. Their exclusive laminated coating gives labels an extra layer of protection and is a must for camp! These labels are made in the USA and shipped directly to you worldwide.

Save 20% on your entire Label Daddy order - this is the best discount available anywhere. Use code USFAMILY20 at checkout. www.usfamily20.labeldaddy.com

Disclosure: I am receiving a sample for review courtesy of USFamilyGuide.com. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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American Girl Joyful Jewels Dress for Dolls

When I first saw American Girl's 2015 holiday doll outfit collection, I was immediately drawn to the Joyful Jewels outfit. There is just something so fun and festive about a red party dress; whenever I see it, it puts me into a holiday mood!


When I received a sample of the Joyful Jewels Outfit to review, I got to see the beautiful detail and fell in love with it even more. The dress has a red velvet bodice with a neckline adorned with gems, sequins, and a taffeta overlay. The skirt is red tafetta and tulle, with a taffeta bow. This dress is sugar and spice and everything nice, but it's also fire and sass and a whole lot of class.

Note that the black shrug is not included in the outfit; it is included in the Holiday Accessories set (review coming soon!).

The outfit also comes with shiny black t-strap shoes and a red headband. Just look at the detail on the jeweled headband!



You can also get the matching girls' dress so your American Girl and her doll can match! It's really the perfect outfit for a holiday tea, holiday party, Nutcracker performance, music recital, or family holiday gathering at Hanukkah or Christmas. The girls' dress is on sale right now for $47 (down from $68) which is a really great deal.


Disclosure: I received a product sample to review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Foster Grant sunglasses: on point and cool as ever

Remember the slogan "Who's that behind those Foster Grants"? Foster Grant is still around, and their sunglasses are better than ever! Foster Grant sent me several pairs of their high fashion glasses and they were the perfect accessory for The Pea on last week's road trip to sunny San Diego.

She loved the pink and gold toned aviator shades with glittery bling on the sides. They make her look so grown up! I love that they are UVA/UBB protected, so her eyes are protected. I also love that they're so affordable: right now, styles for men, women and children are all under $30.

Did you know that Foster Grant also makes high fashion reading glasses for a low price of under $20?  This definitely puts Foster Grant sunglasses into the stocking stuffer price range! Who wouldn't want a cool new pair of shades in their holiday stocking?

You can find Foster Grants for sale at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and online.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Make the holidays brighter with Balsam Hill

There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to decorate your home for the holidays! A few weeks ago we were invited to the opening of Balsam Hill's holiday tree lot. Just like at our visit to Balsam Hill last year, we previewed Balsam Hill's amazing assortment of holiday trees and wreaths. Balsam Hill's premium greenery is so lush and thick, and their special molded plastic needles look so much like the real thing, why wouldn't you make the investment and get a Balsam Hill tree that will last for generations?

Balsam Hill doesn't just sell trees and wreaths; they also have swags and bows and ornaments and all kinds of seasonal decor. Everything you need to decorate your home for the holidays is available at Balsam Hill!  Jammy fell in love with the mama and baby polar bear figures that are so soft and silky, everyone will want to give them a cuddle. They're also so sturdy, an 11 year-old can sit on them!

Prizes were raffled off to event guests, and we won this beautiful German-made Santa Nutcracker. It is so well made, with intricate details like the berries on Santa's tree staff and the gift tag on Santa's burlap sack. We are thrilled to display this on our holiday mantel!

Balsam Hill designers were on hand to show off some of their creations and offer wreath decorating tips (speaking of tips, check out my recent post with wreath decorating tips for beginners).

The highlight of the evening was a wreath decorating contest where bloggers were given huge pre-lit wreaths to decorate. We were given access to a table full of ornaments, flowers, branches and bows, as well as crafting materials like florists wire, scissors and a glue gun, and forty-five minutes to put everything together.

The wreath decorating contest was so much fun!! Just like at last year's Balsam Hill event, I had two secret weapons: my assistant decorators, 3Po and Jammy. Sometimes having too many decorators in a wreath decorating contest is like having too many cooks in the kitchen, but we made an awesome team, and won FIRST PLACE!! All the other wreaths were amazing, so it was indeed a great thrill and honor to have all three judges (the Balsam Hill decorators) vote unanimously for our wreath.  The boys were over the moon!

Our prize for winning the contest was a Balsam Hill gift card, which we plan to use to buy a new holiday tree. Our current tree is not pre-lit, so we want a pre-lit tree to save us the hassle of stringing lights. Jammy really wants a pre-lit tree that has a remote to control the lights! Yes, Balsam Hill has trees where you can switch from clear lights to colored lights with the push of a button. How cool is that?

What with our new Nutcracker, our new award-winning wreath, our wreath from last year, and our new tree, our home is going to look amazing this holiday season! Thank you Balsam Hill for all the inspiration!

Check out more photos of the beautiful trees, wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and seasonal decor available at the Balsam Hill tree lot and at Balsamhill.com:

Disclosure: I was a guest of Balsam Hill at their recent showroom opening and received a goody bag, a wreath, and prizes. No other form of compensation was received. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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