Gifts

From jewelry to art work and everything in between, there are many unique gifts you can buy to bring back home or to enjoy for yourself. And this time of year when some of our friends leave Beijing for another country, coming up with the perfect keepsake with which to send them off can be a challenge. But no more! Introducing Katart by Finnish artist Kata Ruohtula, with her distinctive collection of photography on canvas and bricks.

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Guest blogger and baby international founder Nils van Doorn offers his Top 10 gift suggestions for the holidays.

1. Wishbone Bike 3-in-1 Apple Limited Edition (pictured above)

Isn't this one just gorgeous? This is certainly the coolest Christmas gift! The Wishbone Bike is pure joy to ride. Start at 12 months on three wheels, learn to balance on two wheels, then flip the frame to fit your growing 5-year old for off-road rides. This limited edition comes with a cool design that is all about wholesome living for active and healthy kids.

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Stumped on what to get you or your friends' kids for Christmas? BabyGro founder and beijingkids board member Johanna Selth offers her top ten suggestions for the holidays.

1. Mini Micro (pictured above)

It is a proud moment when as a Mum or a Dad you see your toddler master and perfect the skills of a fully grown surfer. But believe us that is what happens within days, when you give your child a Mini Micro! This Swiss-designed product has been a huge bestseller at BabyGro in 2010 and will give your toddler hours of outdoor fun. They are incredibly portable - I took my son's with us on our recent trip to the US, just pulled it apart, popped it in the suitcase and viola! At 1.5kg it won't put you overweight. My 2 year old whizzed around everywhere in DC!

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Looking for a unique gift to give teachers, colleagues or friends? Want a super easy way to help support charities during the holiday season? Or would you just like to try great restaurants in Beijing that you’ve never taken the time to visit?

The Little Gold Book serves all these needs and more!

I know that this sounds like an advertisement, but it’s really not. It’s just an enthusiastic endorsement of a way-cool item available right now -- good to use all year long in 2012!

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From the desk of Jerry C. Chan,

Department of Paternity,
Chan Household

Baiziwan Lu,
Chaoyang District, Beijing

PRC

Prepared for: Department of Household Finances and Purchasing, Spousal Division, Beijing Branch

Prepared by: Department of Paternity, Beijing Branch

Summary: Father's Day is fast approaching and the Department of Paternity is in dire need of equipment vital to the effective performance of its fatherly duties.

Implementation Plan: The Department's goal is to utilize these items to further improve the quality of life and living environment of department members. This will provide a much needed morale boost for the department and ensure its continued smooth operations.

The following list of equipment and materials is hereby requested:

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One would think that China would love gift cards.  In a society that deals with cash, not credit, it’s the perfect way to take care of an easy gift transaction.  It also shows a bit more forethought for the recipient than perhaps cash would, giving them a pre-paid gift to a favorite place.  Alas, this is not the case.  The best scenario is a gift voucher, but far from all locations offer these.  Even if they do, you sometimes have to play around with the words in order to get what you want.  I actually save the envelopes or extra vouchers to show store employees when I want to re-purchase.

Purchasing gift vouchers is one thing; redeeming them is another.

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It’s that time of year again, end of school, when teacher gifts and other such presents are given to those special people in our children’s lives.  To me, the thought of purchasing the “right” gift here in China is intimidating.  If you’re a Room Mom, you have the added pressure of asking for/collecting money from other parents in the classroom (not always easy!), and then you often have to come up with the entire gift plan on your own.

I think one reason it’s tough is because you want to show enough appreciation for the person who teaches your child every single day.  It’s a hard job, and they deserve kudos for a job well done.  But since you might not know the teacher on a personal basis, discovering what they’d appreciate can be a bit of a challenge.

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