My daughter loves playing with puzzles. Ever since she was about 3 years old, we noticed that she could sit there for an hour working on puzzle sets that are way beyond her age. A year and a half later, that hasn’t changed. But here’s the problem: She doesn’t like doing the same puzzles over and over, so over the years, we’ve collected almost 100 different sets of puzzles, and the collection just keeps growing.

Recently, I came across a seller on Taobao who seemed to offer the perfect solution – something that combined her love for puzzles with her other love for drawing. Our home is filled with her colorful masterpieces, and wouldn’t it be great if I could turn her favorite ones into puzzles?

Here’s how it works. The process was incredibly simple:

1. Choose the size and number of pieces you want for your puzzle. The seller I chose offers puzzles between nine pieces and 1,000 pieces. The price ranges from RMB 5.2 for the nine-piece puzzle to RMB 79.9 for the 1,000-piece.
2. Once you’ve placed your order on Taobao, send them a message through the app and upload your artwork. You can take a picture of the artwork with your phone, but use a scanned copy if you want better results.

They’ll usually send you confirmation within the hour, and in a few days, you’ll receive your custom puzzle in the mail.

When the puzzle arrived, I wasn’t that impressed by the quality. The wooden puzzle did have a few pieces that didn’t cut all the way through, but for how little I paid, I was happy with what I got. But the best part was seeing my daughter’s reaction when she realized the puzzle was her own artwork!

She immediately wanted to put it together, and it was so much fun watching her piece together her own creation. Now, every time she finishes a new drawing she loves, she asks, “Can we make this one into a puzzle too?”

If you’re looking for a heartfelt and fun gift, I highly recommend trying this Taobao service. It’s affordable, easy to order, and brings so much joy to my little artist. Now, we have a growing collection of one-of-a-kind puzzles – each one a beautiful memory of her imagination at work.

Alternatively, if getting them printed isn’t what you’re looking for, Pinduoduo also sells completely blank puzzles that kids can draw on directly.

These come as a pack of ten puzzles for just RMB 15.

If you want more toy recommendations, join our Toy Reviews and Recommendations WeChat group.

Images: Taobao, Mina Yan

Last month, I talked about how Pinduoduo has become more popular over the years, becoming even more convenient to use than Taobao. Well, today, I’ve got to share one of the cutest custom-made things I’ve found on the app.

When it comes to little kids and their adorable drawings, I know I’m not alone when I say that every parent is proud of their little artist and their creations. I’ve got plenty of cute drawings my 4-year-old made at home, and I’ve discovered vendors on Pinduoduo who can turn them into jewelry. And when the grandparents come to visit (or when you’re getting ready to come up with creative holiday gifts) these make adorable stocking stuffers.

It all started when my daughter drew a “blue yellow fish” for her grandpa. She was so proud of it that I really wanted to find a way to keep this artwork.

Then, as if Pinduoduo read my mind, the algorithm pushed a seller who takes kids’ drawings and turns them into keychains and necklaces. For about RMB 90 you send them a picture of the drawing directly on the app and they’ll send you a confirmation along with the size.

Then a few weeks later they mail you the actual keychain all wrapped up in a pretty little gift box. My dad absolutely adored his fish and has been sporting his new keychain ever since.

The seller has different options of colored or clear pendants. As for myself, I couldn’t help but get one as well. My “rinosaurus” now hangs proudly on my purse and my little girl loves showing people her artwork.

Pro tip: They can only work with artwork that’s done in markers. Crayons and colored pencils are too light.

There are plenty of vendors on Pinduoduo who make these products. If you’d like to try it out with the one who made ours, scan the QR code below.

Images: Mina Yan, Pexels

Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner, and in case that has somehow escaped you, Monday Jun 14 is a public holiday! So you’re either getting a day off work or getting paid double. Unfortunately, it’s been a while since there was legitimate dragon boat racing to commemorate the holiday, however, the tradition of gifting delicious zongzi (or buying them for yourself, duh) has never gone out of style.

Zongzi has a long and tasty legacy in China that dates back more than 2,000 years. If you’ve never had the opportunity to indulge, and have no clue what they are, let us give you the down-low. They’re pyramid-shaped snacks made with glutinous rice and stuffed with various fillings, then wrapped in bamboo leaves. Despite being sold year-round, zongzi is the signature treat of Dragon Boat Festival, and you’ll be able to find them all over the city in the coming days, from street vendors to luxury 5-star hotels. We’ve chosen to round up this year’s fancy hotel zongzi gift sets, just for you.

Check them out below!

Kerry Hotel Beijing

Coming in a gift box designed for display, these zongzi flavors include millet candied date, traditional red bean paste, lotus seed paste rice, spicy chicken, fresh meat and egg yolk, five-spice beef, and smoked fish. From RMB 138. Call 8565 2188 for more information.

Fairmont Beijing

Your choice of either six-piece gift box for RMB 128 or an eight-piece gift box for RMB 168. For more information or reservation: 8507 3618.

Conrad Beijing 

This gift box includes purple rice lotus seed zongzi, bean paste eight treasures rice zongzi, yellow rice and red date rice zongzi, brown sugar oats, and red bean rice zongzi, chestnuts and mushrooms and beef rice zongzi, bamboo shoots tip chicken rice zongzi, as well as a bottle of Guyue Longshan Yellow Wine. RMB 328 per box. Call 6584 6290 or 6584 6291 for more information.

Grand Mercure Hotel Dongcheng

In this eight-piece gift box set for RMB 198, the zongzi are flavored with Chinese Ham and Chinese chestnut fresh meat. To purchase, call the hotel at 8403 1188.

Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng Hotel

Eight-piece gift box set with eight different flavors for RMB 328. For more information please call 5798 8998.

Grand Hyatt

This super cute six-piece gift set with a kid-friendly design is available for RMB 168, while the regular six-piece gift box set is available at RMB 198. For more information, call 6510 9362.

Rosewood Beijing 

This minimalist green gift box includes not only triangular zongzi, but also long zongzi. For more information, call 6536 0066.

Hilton Tongzhou

Up your the gift box game with this gift suitcase filled with cookies, tea, wine, and of course, zongzi for RMB1,588. To order, call 5633 5566.

China World Hotel

These zongzi come in a gift box designed to honor traditional Chinese aesthetics. Inside are sweet, salty, and spicy rice dumplings, including Fujian-style barbecued pork, Yunnan mushroom, Thai basil pork, and more. This year, they’ve also got ice zongzi to keep cool this Dragon Boat Fest. For more information, dial 6505 2277 or scan the QR code below to purchase.

KEEP READING: Calling All Lil’ Dragons! Family-Friendly Events for the Long Dragon Boat Weekend

Images: Courtesy of vendors

Whenever the Christmas season rolls around, I face the same problems: Who should I shop for? When should I start shopping? Where do I find the right spots to shop? How much do I spend, and how many gifts should I buy? This year, I came up with a couple of rules and ideas to save some money and make my gifts memorable when I shop for my friends and family. 

Hand-Craft Something for Friends and Family

 As a teen, it’s hard for me to buy what my friends or family want with the limited amount of money that I have, so crafting or making something always comes to my mind when Christmas time rolls around. As a birthday gift from earlier this year, my friends made a video showing all of their favorite moments of us caught on camera and a compilation of many of my close friends wishing me a happy birthday. That gift was by far the best birthday gift that I have ever received, and I was touched by the amount of thought and effort that went into making that gift. The thrill that comes with unwrapping a gift on Christmas morning is irreplaceable. Still, I think that knowing that a gift, or a video, or anything of the sort that was customized or personalized for them can touch someone’s heart.

 Personalize Gifts

It’s always a priority for me to find something to gift or buy that has some sort of meaning behind it, whether it’s an inside joke or just something that the person I’m giving it to likes or wants. I can’t spend that much money on gift shopping, so to make up for that, I try to put meaning behind everything I buy to give myself a valid reason to spend my money on getting it. This makes shopping a strenuous task, but as long as I have a good idea of what I want to buy for one person, I can find it on Taobao nine times out of ten.

 Buy Ahead of Time, or Plan a Time to Go to the Mall!

As a yearly tradition, my best friend and I will go to the mall before Christmas and help each other brainstorm and get gifts. We will list out all the people we plan to get gifts for and what we’re getting for them during this time, ensuring that the presents we gift don’t clash. To be realistic, we only get one or two people gifts at most at the mall. But the real value in going together is to get ideas for what to get people on our list and go home and shop online. It’s always super fun to do with her each year, and I find that it’s a tradition that gets me in the Christmas mood.

Try New Ways of Gifting During Christmas Instead of the Traditional Gift-Giving 

Because my best friend and I shop together each year, we always agree not to buy each other gifts. It’s hard to keep what we shop for from each other and because we are both people who don’t value physical gifts highly. Instead, we agree to do something that we both want to do. This year, we are going to get our ears pierced together for Christmas! This tradition gives us something to spice up the regular Christmas feeling and just gives me something to look forward to Christmastime even more.

Plan How Much I’m Going to Spend on Each Person

Quite honestly, I don’t successfully budget how much I spend on each person. But for me, I think spending anywhere between RMB 30-100 is reasonable for a friend’s gift. For close friends or family, I usually spend anywhere from RMB 30-200 on a gift. When I’m buying for my family or my group of friends, I consider buying a gift for all of us, like a set of matching socks that we can wear together, or some sort of present that we can all use while spending time together.

Gift shopping is always a challenging task. But I think the key to buying the right gift is still the thought you put into it, whether it’s purchased, hand-crafted, or just something you do together. I’m looking forward to Christmas this year, but in the meantime, I’m going to need to do some last-minute shopping. Hopefully, I’ve learned my lesson and do my shopping earlier next year!

KEEP READING: Brush up on Chinese Gift Giving Faux Pas

Trying to find the perfect Father’s Day gift is difficult enough, but showing appreciation to him doesn’t have to be. Sending a Wechat hóngbāo（红包，red envelope）seems like the trend these days in special days like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. It doesn’t have to be parents giving a hóngbāo to their children, but children also can send a hóngbāo via WeChat as well to show their love, and of course the meaning of it matters more based on the amount of money you send. As some of you know, in traditional Chinese culture, certain numbers are believed by some to be auspicious or inauspicious based on the Chinese word that the number sounds similar to. The numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9 are always considered to be good and lucky, while 4 and 7 are generally considered as unlucky numbers. Here are a few numbers in Chinese you could use to express gratitude, love, and thankfulness to tell your hero growing up just how much you care about him.

520

520 It is pronounced as “wǒàilíng”， which sounds similar to “wǒàinǐ” （我爱你, I love you）. Like ILY in English, 520 originally started as a slang word online as a shortcut to saying I love you in Chinese. Now, you can see on the 20th of May, people celebrate love as a special day. More couples choose that day to get married or send each other WeChat hóngbāo in any number as 520, such as RMB 5.20, RMB 52.0, RMB 520, or more. It’s not limited to just romantic days, and more people are sending WeChat hóngbāo to their father to show their love in a trendy and fun way in China.

521

521 Similar as 520, 521 is pronounced as “wǒàiyī”.  521 generally means “I love you” because of the likeness in pronunciation “wǒàinǐ” （我爱你, I love you）. The only difference between 520 and 521 is that 520 is more commonly used compared to 521.

5201314

5201314 1314 is pronounced as “yī sānyísì” , which is similar to “yī shēngyíshì” （一生一世，One Live One Dead；Forever）. 5201314 together sounds similar to “wǒàinǐ yī shēngyíshì”, then by sending WeChat hóngbāo in any number together as 5201314 means “I love you forever”.

666

You might wonder why there are a lot of people use 666 as their lucky number on car plates, phone number, or even password in China, The oft-dreaded western number 666 is actually considered very positive in Chinese culture, as 6 means luck in Chinese culture. 666 originally started online as a word to describe something great and cool. Now people also use it as a number for triple luck.

888

8 is one of the luckiest number in Chinese culture because it sounds like “fā”（发）, which means “wealth” and “prosper” in Chinese. Multiples of eight are even better, and people prefer 888 as it triples the fortune associated with the 8. So why not send RMB 8.88, RMB 88.8, or RMB 888 to wish your hero prosperity this time around.

Photo: express.co, Hainan airline.com, weibo.com

Recently I’ve been inspired by the creative ways in which moms around the globe are finding ways to connect with their kids. Legacy building is a big part of this, and can be done in so many different fun, practical, and whimsical ways. Our kids know us as “mom” or “dad”, but it’s also good to invest in helping our little ones get to know who we are as people, our lives before them, and the experiences that have shaped us into the individuals we are today.

It’s great to be able to share another side of ourselves with our kids and I am currently doing my best to make this happen through a number of different writing exercises that I can one day share with Lux when he’s older. You can do the same and start this project: 30 things your kids should know about you. There’s no rush to begin documenting your notes and you can take each step at your own pace. The first I have already completed and is titled: ‘20 random facts about myself’. You can use these notes to create a striking digital legacy page with graphics for the family, or create a hardback illustrated book or set of cards using beautiful templates.

Here’s what I created:

I used different fonts and a ‘Love’ template to create my card

1. I love cheese; any time of the day and usually with salty cold cuts and a glass of wine.
2. I’m very particular about where things go. Everything should have a ‘home’ inside the home.
3. I have always wanted to learn to play the saxophone and have dreamed about doing my own rendition of “My Funny Valentine” to an audience.
4. I am theater-trained and my dream was to become an actress when I was younger. I even traveled to New York when I was 19 to pursue an acting career.
5. I love the ocean and am also terrified of it at the same time.
6. At Christmas I love watching Edward Scissorhands.
7. When I was younger I wanted to be one of the ‘Goonies’ from Steven Spielberg’s adventure fantasy, and probably still do!
8. I’m extremely sensitive and words are everything to me.
9. I’m not very good at math, so put extra effort into excelling in humanities.
10. If I could study anything just for fun it would be Folklore, with a focus on the history and generational passing on of fairy tales.
11. I always wanted to have a house on the beach and wouldn’t mind having my own bed-and-breakfast.
12. I really dislike impoliteness. It’s one of the most unnecessary traits to have.
13. I’m a dreamer. The complete opposite of your dad.
14. I met your dad and a week later moved in with him (this does not give you license to do the same when you’re older and meet someone!)
15. In other life I would be an interior designer or a chef.
16. I love scary, dystopian, and melancholy movies.
17. My favorite animal is the blue whale. They have access to a part of the ocean that remains unknown to man. They’re mysterious and are the giants of the ocean.
18. Christmas is my favorite time of the year.
19. I’m a night owl. Your dad is usually in bed before I am.
20. I’m quite a good cook and wish I had time to do it more often.

Some of my random things were too long for my card, so I shortened them and you can do the same.

Below is the remaining list of prompts:

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe three legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your spouse. 
4. List ten things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the five things that make you most happy right now?
6. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are five passions you have?
9. List ten people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.
11. Describe ten pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. What’s the hardest part of growing up?
14. Describe five weaknesses and strengths you have.
15. Describe when you knew your spouse was the one, or how you fell in love.
16. What are your five greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What do you think your spouse loves most about you?
19. How did you feel the moment you became a parent?
20. Describe three significant memories from your childhood.
21. Describe your relationship with your parents.
22. Where do you see yourself in five years? ten years? 15 years?
23. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
24. What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about parenthood?
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What’s your favorite quality in your spouse?
29. What are your hopes and dreams for your prosperity?
30. List ten things you would hope to be remembered for.

If you start your own project let us know and share the finished product!

Photos: Nicole Bonnah

My little one’s first birthday is coming up, and I have been thinking of ways to memorialize the day in a special way. There are baby smash cakes, celebratory jello, and maybe baby’s first refined sugar intake, but what are these moments if not captured and shared? Photos are a great way to forever embrace the most special moments the family share in celebrating the changes and progress of the little and not so little humans in our lives.

To do this, you need more than your smartphone camera to hand. Let a professional take hold of the lens and take home quality and unique images that you can cherish forever. Here are our top five Beijing based family and baby photographers who will help keep your memories alive in the most beautiful of ways.

Dave’s Studio

With a wealth of experience and background in producing photos for various commercial brands, Dave Hanssen is a dab hand at creating some of the most stylistically creative and memorable images of kids and their parents. Back in 2010 as a first-time father Hansen, went about capturing every moment of his newborn son’s life and so his passion for photographing children and families began.

Prices start from RMB 1,000 for a one-hour session, and families can choose from a number of different packages to suit their needs. (WeChat ID: dlhzao, 139 1026 8205)

Nicole Photography

Nicole Ni has been working as a family photographer in Beijing for five years and has been churning out sharply distinctive and organic photos of little ones in her Shunyi studio. There’s little that this fine photographer wouldn’t be able to capture with nuance. Ni produces artistic, vintage, and unscripted stills that will impress any family looking for something a little special. Whether to celebrate a special occasion for your little one or the whole family, or just because, you will walk away with something enchanting.

Prices start at RMB 3,500 for a studio session, or get in touch to discuss your requirements for a tailored service. (WeChat ID: nicolenz, www.nicolephoto.net)

Baxter Studio

Mexican photographer Priss Baxter has over 12 years experience and has collaborated with one of the celebrated big guns of photography, the National Geographic Traveller Magazine. Baxter has experience shooting weddings, journalistic-style photos, architecture, editorials, and more. Baxter offers pregnancy sessions, couple sessions, and of course family and baby sessions. Her work is seamless and classic, and really embodies capturing timeless moments that exude spontaneity and charm.

Prices start at RMB 1,500 for a 30-minute in-home photo shoot. (WeChat ID: prissbaxter, www.baxterstudio.net)

Chiara Ye Photography

Visual artist and commercial photographer Chiara Ye has been working in Beijing for six years and has recently been offering and taking private family commissions and other projects. Ye’s business focuses on tailor-made services that keep the client at the forefront of her approach to each photography session. Ye notes that she tries to understand the client’s needs and build upon those with her team to create bespoke packages for individual needs. Ye will talk through makeup, styling, location, etc., using a process similar to that used in commercial photography.

Prices vary depending on client needs. (WeChat ID: chiarayeph, www.chiaraye.net)

Elizabeth Albrecht Photography

Last, but certainly not least, is children and family portrait photography Elizabeth Albrecht. Whimsical and magical should be the words to best describe the adorable baby portrait photos captured by Albrecht, who has been photographing families and children in since 2012. Using fairytale-like accessories, her outdoor photography sessions with newborns and young babies are particularly impressive. Sweet as honey and cute as pie with a cherry on top, Albrecht’s striking creations will have you swooning for days.

Prices start from RMB 1,000 for family and baby portraits. (WeChat ID: LisaAlbrecht, www.lisaalbrecht.pro)

Photos: courtesy of featured photographers

Father’s Day always sneaks up on me by surprise.  Growing up, I moved so often that I still don’t have a good grasp of when Father’s Day is. I know June 19^th is the American Father’s Day (thanks to good ol’ American commercialism), and I remember that August 8^th is the Chinese Father’s Day (mainly because it’s a homonym for baba). I also know that the Father’s Day my dad celebrates is neither, but I have a tough time remembering when that one is because, like Mother’s Day, it changes every year.

I just looked it up, and this year it apparently falls on November 13^th (exactly 6 months after mother’s day for the sake of equality). [Here’s a list of dates for Father’s Day around the world.]

What normally happens every year is that I know I won’t remember the correct Father’s Day, so when marketing campaigns in the US remind me for months at a time that Father’s Day is coming (another reason to shop! More sales!), I just send my dad an e-card so he knows that I did think of him at a Father’s Day, even if it wasn’t the right one.  Sure, I hear some grumbling around Christmas about the missed November Father’s Day, but then I remind him that he received a card when he least expected it—and wasn’t that a nice surprise? Daddies are easily appeased.

This year, I could actually celebrate Father’s Day Sunday with my dad.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t celebrate this Father’s Day.  Most of Beijing does, though, and I realized that my husband, who’d only get to celebrate his second Father’s Day, will not be able to celebrate with our son.  Actually, we haven’t discussed which holidays we’ll celebrate, and it’s not like my son has a clue that he’s missing out on daddy-son bonding time (that doesn’t begin till he enters a school, I think), so I suppose it’s not a big deal.

Besides, it probably won’t be the first Father’s Day that my husband misses given the amount of traveling he does for work. I travel for work as well, and I recently read an article about a mother who travels between two cities so that her children from a previous marriage can remain with their father and community, while she treks for hours each week to her new husband and infant (splitting her time in two locations).  Maybe long-distance is the new modern family.

Whether you agree or not, I think Father’s Day should still be celebrated, even if the father in your family is far away—it’s only fair! I would still be expecting something even if I were away. So, I’ve gone ahead and rounded up “digital gifts” that we can still make and send in time for Father’s Day this Sunday, June 19th:

A quick gift for the Busy Dad:

• Call him. Better yet, video call him via Skype, Face Time, or WeChat.
• Send an e-card! Choose one that will fit your Dad’s personality. I picked a music video e-card where you can paste your dad’s face on it, and then I made a rap video of my husband (subscription required).
• That book your dad’s wanted to read? Buy him an e-book on iBooks or Kindle and send it to his email!
• Make a music playlist to either educate your dad on “what’s in”, or to satisfy his own musical tastes, on a site like 8tracks and send him a link!
• Create an animated emoticon of your dad’s face (or your face) and send it to him via WeChat! Here’s another one you can try!
• Play a game together online (either multiplayer, or just the two of you) via computer or even mobile. WeChat has a selection of free games you can compete on, but there’s also Words with Friends (iOS), Chess, Monopoly, Beyond Speed Limits (Android), Pogo, etc.

A personalized gift for the Sentimental Dad:

• What would be the perfect Father’s Day with Daddy? What would you want to do? Go to the movies? Visit the arcade? Go to Happy Valley? Hit the pool?  Plan your perfect day, then on Saturday, take your phone or camcorder (or gopro, if you have one) and record your own video tour. Remember to talk to your dad like he’s right there with you. At the end of the day, edit the footage and send it to daddy so that he’ll know what he’s missing out on!
• Plan a movie date for Father’s Day by choosing a movie on Netflix, or other similar site, and then watch it simultaneously while connected via video chat.
• Start writing a Twitter-like digital letter (on your phone) when you wake up on Father’s Day, and then add one sentence at a time to it throughout the day with a “location”. You can do this via WeChat with location pins, the occasional sight, or a photo snapshot as well.
• If your dad likes fishing, schedule a fishing trip early in the morning, and sit together while connected via video or voice (WeChat, Skype, Face Time, or a simple phone call will do).
• Reflect on what your dad nags at you to do the most, and then make him personalized vouchers or coupons, whether digital or printed out, and promise that you’ll do the chores when he presents the coupons. Find a sample here.
• If Daddy’s going to be gone for a while, or is often away, create a digital photo album for him to browse and remember you by (because Facebook is too much of a distraction). The same pictures you’ve selected can be made into a calendar, photo book, t-shirt, mug, or cellphone cover at your local print shop (a gift for when he returns!)

A screenshot of my husband’s rap video e-card

Photos: courtesy of Jessica Suotmaa, Flickr, Sage Ross, BPhoenix

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and for many that means purchasing gifts for the ones they love. This year, instead of a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolate, why not get your loved one a few pieces of jewelry from the Starfish Project.

The Starfish Project was established in 2006 to empower exploited women in Asia. The Project has developed a socially responsible jewelry business in order to provide women with alternative employment and a range of holistic care opportunities. The Starfish Project also provides opportunities for women to heal and grow through counseling, vocational training, language acquisition, family education benefits and health care access, as well as providing housing in a women’s shelter.

Now it is easier than ever for you to purchase the beautiful jewelry that helps transform the lives of these women by visiting the Starfish Project website where you can shop online, make a donation, even organize a jewelry party, and learn more about this extremely effective social enterprise that is truly making a difference in the lives of the women who participate in the Project.

To learn more, please visit www.starfish-project.com

Photo by Flickr user: atmtx