Why Choose Stacker Toys for Infants and Toddlers

Why Give Stacker Toys to Babies and Toddlers?

Babies and toddlers have so much to learn in their first few years of life, and that is why parents are so concerned that the toys they buy their children stimulate them and help them to learn.  So what types of toys can you buy for your little ones that will help them learn and develop their skills, while still giving them lots of fun?  One of the most popular toys with babies and toddlers, and one with which they will play with for hours, are stacking toys. There are many different types of stacking toys on the market today, and in many different materials and colours.  So what educational benefits do babies and toddlers gain from playing with stacking toys?  Because stacking toys are brightly coloured, they help babies and toddlers to recognise colours and learn their names.  The action of stacking the pieces of the toy helps to develop your child’s fine-motor skills, improves their hand/eye coordination and gives them practice in basic problem solving in a fun situation. Stacker toys also teach very young children about size, and how things fit together.  Stackers also encourage numeracy, as your child becomes aware of how many pieces they have to stack. Some stackers also have lights, music and buttons to press, which are additional features that also help with developing co-ordination and problem-solving skills.  To get your toddler started in learning their letters, you can buy colourful stackers with ABC letters on them.

Creative Playthings Four-way Blocks

So What Are Stacker Toys Made From?

Stacker toys for babies and toddlers are made in a variety of different materials, such as plastic, wood and fabrics.  Where possible the ideal thing is to look for stacker toys made from organic materials.  Many stacker toys are made from painted wood, so it is much kinder to the planet and better for your child’s health, if the wood has come from trees grown organically.  This means that your child will not be exposed to any of the dangerous pesticides or chemicals that can be used when growing trees commercially. Also try to ensure that the stacker toys that you buy are made from solid wood, as pressed wood can contain formaldehyde, which is definitely a nasty chemical that you don’t want your toddler exposed to. Any paint on your stacker toy should also check out as not containing any toxins. Organic plastic is not so common and organic plastic toys are harder to find, but they do not contain the dangerous chemicals found in ordinary plastics, as organic plastic is not made from non-renewable petroleum products.  Fabric stacking toys are good for your baby or toddler, as the different textures of the materials, as well as the bright colours, stimulate your child’s sensory perceptions. They are also light and have no sharp edges, so can be thrown around and dropped by babies, without them hurting themselves or damaging anything.

Finding The Best Stacking Toys

One of the very best places to buy stacker toys is online.  Why not have a look through Amazon’s great range of stacker toys today? They have a really wide range of stacker toys available to suit all budgets.  You can buy the major brand names in stacker toys, such as Fisher Price and Melissa & Doug, and also organic stacker toys and fabric stacker toys. If you are looking for a gift for a young family member or child of a friend, you will find that stacker toys make great gifts for Christmas or the first few birthdays of a child’s life. Stacker toys are also very durable, so your child can play with them and be as boisterous as they like, without breaking them. You will even be able to pass your stacker toys onto the next generation of children, when your child moves on to more sophisticated toys.

So give your child hours of endless fun play and help them to learn and develop, by buying them a stacker toy online.  After all, what can be bad about a toy that helps your child develop counting skills, good hand eye/coordination and fine-motor skills, and helps them to recognise colours and textures?  Flashing lights or music can be an extra bonus, add to the fun of playing and learning with a stacker toy for your child.

Creative Playthings Image Daniel Schwen Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Why Choose Pull Along Toys for Your Toddler?

Why Buy Pull Along Toys for Your Toddler?

Early childhood is a magical time and toddlers spend most of their waking hours playing.  But playing is how older babies and toddlers learn, so it is important that the toys that you buy for your kids are educational as well as fun to play with. So what are the best educational toys that you can buy for your toddler?  One of the best toys that you can invest in for your infant is a pull along toy.  So you may be thinking how is a pull along toy a good educational toy for a toddler? Well a pull along is a good toy for your toddler to play with for several reasons.  One of the main reasons is that toddlers find pull along toys fun to play with, as they love to spend hours pulling things around behind them.  The act of pulling a toy around behind them helps an infant to learn to balance properly when they are walking, and also encourages them to spend more time on their feet learning to walk more confidently.  The ideal age to start giving your child pull along toys is about 18 months, when they have been walking for a couple of months and are able to walk and give their attention to something else at the same time.  Of course, toddlers vary considerably as to what age they start walking properly, so your child might be a bit younger or older when they are ready. Very young children are attracted to anything that is brightly coloured and an appealing, cute shape.  Many pull along toys are shaped like popular animals, birds, insects or vehicles that really appeal to toddlers and encourages their creative play.

What Should the Best Pull Along Toys Be Made From?

What a pull along toy is made of is also very important, as young children like to feel objects, pick them up and try to put them in their mouths!  One of the best materials for pull along toys to be made from is organic wood.  Organic wood is grown without using any potentially dangerous pesticides or chemical fertilisers, so your toddler is not being exposed to any nasty chemicals.  Also look for solid wood for your pull along toys, as the pressed wood that is sometimes used to make wooden toys can contain formaldehyde, another nasty that you do not want your infant exposed to. Also check that any paint used on your wooden pull-along toy is completely non-toxic, especially as at some point your child will try to put some part of the toy in his mouth.  Of course, at lot of pull-along toys are now made of plastic, which is great as plastic is very brightly coloured, very durable and very easy to wipe clean.  Organic plastic is, unfortunately, still quite rare, but if you do see a pull along toy made in organic plastic it is a great toy to buy because organic plastic does not contain any petroleum products or the damaging chemicals that petroleum products contain.

Popular Types of Pull Along Toy

There is a huge selection of pull along toys available these days and one of the best places to buy them is online.  Have a look on Amazon today, to see how many different pull along toys that there are and decide which one would make the best gift for your child. There is also a big selection of push along toys, where instead of the toddler pulling the toy around by a cord, there is a pole attached to the toy made of wood or plastic that lets the child push the toy along.

Animal Pull Along Toys:  Kids love animals, so having an animal pull along toy is going to really appeal to them – the more brightly coloured the better!  Many animal pull along toys have heads and limbs that bob along as they move, which adds some extra fun for your toddler.  The movement of the animal can also create a noise, and what young child does not like creating as much noise as possible?  Whatever your child’s favourite animal is, there is bound to be a pull along toy featuring that animal.  I have seen pull along dogs, monkeys, cats, giraffes, mice, rabbits and also totally not scary big green crocodiles. Some of the push along animals are also snugly soft cuddly toys, and with some of them you can even remove the wheels so that the toys can be used as solely as a cuddly toy.

Insect Pull Along Toys – the world of insects is also well represented in pull along toys.  There is a great choice of butterfly pull along toys, and also brightly coloured segmented caterpillars, snails and bees.

Vehicle Pull Along Toys – the more mechanically minded child would probably be more fascinated by a pull along toy in the shape of a train, helicopter, car or boat. The pull along trains are especially good fun as they often combine as activity toys with detachable carriages that have things like mirrors or bead frames attached for extra play opportunities.

Pull Along Carts – these are the most traditional of the pull along toys and are great for toddlers on several levels.  Often they come with block or other toys inside them, which gives the toddler another dimension to explore as they play.  Also, when they are empty your infant can load the cart with their teddies, dolls or other playthings and use the pull along cart to create a different type of game. Pull along carts come in many different sizes, colours and can be made of metal, wood or plastic.

So whatever pull along toy that you choose for your toddler, it is bound to give them hours of fun, help them improve their walking, and stimulate their creativity.  A lot of pull along toys are also very reasonably priced, so make a great birthday gift or as an extra little something under the tree at Christmas time.

Shop for Bearington Bears and Bearington Baby Products Online

What is a Bearington Bear?

If you love collectible teddy bears, you will love the Bearington teddy bears! If you are lucky enough to own a Bearington bear you will know that they are cute, very well made, and surprisingly affordable.  Bearington bears really have not been around for that long, the company was started thirteen years ago by the Stray family with the aim of producing quality, collectible teddy bears that were easily within the price range of ordinary families. There is a Bearington bear for every occasion and life situation, so you can buy Christmas Bearington bears, get well Bearington bears, fairytale Bearington bears, romantic Bearington bear’s for Valentine’s Day and many more.  As well as the famous Bearington bears, there is also a great range of Bearington plush animals to choose from, and there are cute stuffed plush lambs, cuddly ducklings that quack, leopards, plush dogs, and even adorable bunny purses. Bearington bears make great gifts, so if there is a new baby in your family looking for their first teddy bear friend, or you are looking for a romantic gift for the one you love, or you have a friend who is sick and needs cheering up, you are bound to find the perfect Bearington bear for the occasion.

Bearington Baby

Bearington has also diversified and produced an amazing collection of clothes and accessories for babies.  If you would like to buy a cute fur coat with ears for your baby, look no further than Bearington.  There is a wide range of animals to choose from, and you can buy a giraffe coat, a smartly lined reindeer coat with antlers, luxurious faux fur leopard coats, puppy coats, frog coats, bunny coats and the ultimate in designer luxury, the Bearington baby mink couture coat complete with teddy bear ears.  If you are going for the whole coordinated designer look for your baby you can also buy a range of matching accessories to go alongside your Bearington mink couture coat, such as the Bearington mink couture blanket, the mink couture diaper bag and the mink couture bib.  If you are looking for something to keep your precious bundle of joy warm this winter, Bearington Baby also do an enchanting range of baby blankets and snugglers. These cuddliest of blankets come in soft pastel shades of blue, pink and cream and many have cute teddy, puppy or lambs heads as an extra joy and comfort for your child. Bearington baby products make great gifts for new babies, as for each design there is a range of products, so you can buy a matching bib, snugly blanket, rattle and booties and put together a great present.

Bearington Christmas

Christmas is a special time at Bearington and there is a wide selection of Christmas Bearington bears wearing lots of different festive costumes, reindeer and Santa outfits for your baby to wear on Christmas Day, charming miniature Bearington Christmas bears made into ornaments to hang on your Christmas tree, stuffed plush reindeer and even delightful rattles for baby with a reindeer head to remind them of their first Christmas. All of these Christmas Bearington bears are extremely well made from the highest quality materials and are very collectible, so choose your Christmas Bearington bear today and start adding to your collection.

Bearington Valentine’s Day

If you struggle to find the perfect Valentine gift for your loved one, why not surprise and delight them with a Valentine themed Bearington bear?  There are Bearington Valentine bears for both men and women in a huge variety of sizes and costumes.  Some Valentine Bearington bears are carrying Valentine cards or stuffed hearts, and all of these beautiful teddy bears are bound to win the heart of your beloved on the most romantic day of the year.

Other Bearington Bears

If you need to say a special ‘thank you’ to someone, what is a better way to say it than with a thank you themed Bearington bear?  Of is someone you care about is sick? Then why not bring a smile to their face and speed them on the way to recovery by presenting them with a Bearington get well bear or a Bearington doctor or nurse bear?  Bearington bears come in such a wide range of characters and costumes, both boy bears and girl bears. There are Bearington fairytale princess bears, bears dressed as flower girls, pumpkins and in their pyjamas.  Whatever you want to say with your gift, you will be able to find the ideal Bearington bear for the message that you want to give.

One of the best places to find Bearington bears is online.  Amazon has an excellent selection of Bearington bears and Bearington baby products for you to choose from, so why not have a look today and find that perfect Bearington gift for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays and any other festive occasion.

Choose The Best Crystal Decanters and Glass Decanters

What is a Decanter?

Do you enjoy having people over to dinner and serving them a great bottle of red wine or port? Or keeping some of your favourite scotch whiskey or cognac on the sideboard or wet bar in case friends decide to pop over for a drink or you fancy a snifter after dinner? If so, then you should definitely look at buying a great wine decanter or a whiskey decanter.  You will find that there is a huge selection of decanters to choose from, ranging from very expensive cut lead crystal decanters to contemporary glass decanters that are very affordable. Decanters vary immensely in shape and design, and are usually big enough to contain at least one standard sized bottle of wine. So what actually is a decanter and when would you use one? In basic terms, a decanter is a receptacle for wine or spirits that are then used to serve them. It has to be said that having a beautiful lead crystal decanter on your dinner table or sideboard is far more visually appealing than having to look at the average wine bottle, so there is a strong aesthetic reason for decanting wine, as well as the more practical considerations.

Why Decant Wine?

Decanting wine is a subject that causes wide discussions and varied opinions among the top wine experts. The main reasons why red wine and port is decanted are to remove any sediment that may have formed in a bottle of red wine that would not be too pleasant to drink, and also to aerate the wine or allow it to ‘breathe’. The opinions on which red wines are improved by being decanted and how long before serving you should decant wine differ widely, as decanting too early can damage a fine red wine and decanting  too late does not allow the wine the chance to fully develop its richest taste and aromas. It is most commonly believed that robust young reds such as Barolos, Bordeaux, Syrahs and Cabernet Sauvignons that benefit the most from being decanted, but more delicate wines such as most of the white wines and red wines like Pinot Noir or Chianti could be damaged from decanting.

The reason why wine is allowed to ‘breathe’ is that by exposing it to the air causes oxidation and evaporation, which is thought to help to release to full aroma of the wine and soften tannins present in the wine, making it feel smoother to drink. However, too much oxidation will just make the wine taste stale and flat, and some wine experts argue that the small amount of time that a wine is generally decanted for does little to soften the tannins present in the wine. The best time for tannins to soften is when the red wine is actually being made or aged in wooden barrels, and one of the reason some wines are aged in wood barrels is that air can seep through the wood into the wine creating a chemical reaction to polymerise the tannins giving the wine a much smoother taste in the mouth. So decanting wines may not alter the tannins present, but it can help to dissipate other undesirable compounds and intensify the fruit characteristics.

History of Decanters

The history of wine and spirits is a long one and wine has been drunk since ancient times. In antiquity wine was stored in large clay pots and clay pots that once have been excavated from Ancient Egyptian tombs that once contained wine that was destined to be drunk at royal banquets. However, it was the mighty Romans who first extensively used glass vessels, and wine would be poured from the large amphora where it had been stored into these Roman glass decanters for use at the table. After the fall of the Roman Empire, production of glass fell away, so during the Dark Ages and early medieval periods wine decanters were generally made from metals such as gold, silver and bronze or from clay pottery.  It was the Venetians who reintroduced glass-making to Europe during the Renaissance and they designed elegant glass decanters with a wide body and a long, slender neck that allowed for a larger surface area of wine to react with the air.  In the 1670’s a man called George Ravenscroft created a new way of making glass that utilised lead oxide. This new lead crystal that was produced was stronger, heavier and more lustrous than earlier glass, and allowed further expansion of the crystal making industry. Another development for decanters came in the 1730’s when British glassmakers invented the decanter stopper that limited too much exposure to the air.

Wine Decanter

Wine Decanting Tips

So if you have bought yourself a sparkling new crystal decanter, what do you need to think of when you are decanting wine?  If you are having friends around or holding a dinner party, you will need to think about decanting your bottle of red wine between twenty and forty minutes before you intend serving it.  Make sure that there is a good light source when you decant the wine, so that you can see that you only pour clean wine into the decanter and leave all of the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.  How much you spend on a wine decanter is a matter of budget and personal taste, but consider before you buy whether or not you want to be able to wash it in the dishwasher or by hand, if you want to match your decanter with the rest of your crystal and tableware, and whether you prefer old-fashioned vintage decanters or sleeker, more modern designs.

Whiskey Decanters

Some spirits such as scotch whiskey, cognac and brandy are also stored in decanters with stoppers and you can even buy whiskies bottled in fancy decanters with stoppers. If you are looking to buy a whiskey decanter, you will find that they are usually square shaped glass or crystal flasks designed to hold the decanted spirit and then used to serve. Square bottomed decanters were popularly preferred for whiskies as they can contain the greatest volume of liquid in the smallest space.  Square spirit decanters are often fitted with faceted ball stoppers, and come in many different designs and patterns of lead crystal.

Choosing Crystal or Glass Decanters Online

You can buy crystal and glass decanters in top stores, but one of the best places to look for a great crystal decanter is online.  Amazon has a huge selection for you to browse through today, and you can choose from decanters in all sizes and shapes.  If you fancy a really traditional decanter why not consider a ships or captains decanter?  These crystal decanters have very heavy, wide bases that were designed to stop them from sliding around or tipping over when the ship entered rough waters. If you like modern, clean glassware, there are some really beautiful glass decanters that are clean and contemporary looking and will really add some modern elegance to your dining room.  Amazon also offers crystal and glass decanters from the top crystal manufacturers such as Waterford, Riedel, and Ravenscroft, so if you are looking for a very special addition to your home, you know where to look.  You can also buy decanter sets that include matching decanters or matching glasses, and may come with accessories such as a tray or a wooden box to store your decanters in.  Crystal decanters also make wonderful wedding gifts or get a decanter engraved for that special wedding anniversary or retirement present?

Image Tomas ER Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Why Are Disney Princess Baby Dolls and Disney Princess Toddler Dolls So Popular?

The Disney Princess Phenomenon

As all Moms who have little girls know, the world of Disney Princess has become a worldwide phenomenon and these days practically every little girl in the world eats, breathes and sleeps Disney Princess. Little girls watch the Disney films and dream of dressing up as their favourite Disney Princess, wearing the tiaras, slippers and jewels, enjoying the adventures and meeting a handsome prince.  They want to have Disney Princess themed bedrooms, school equipment, lunch boxes and clothes. So what is Disney Princess? Disney Princess is a Walt Disney franchise based on the animated princess characters who have starred in famous Disney films.  The franchise was set up in 2000 and the Disney Princess toys and merchandise rapidly became very popular and now enjoy sales of over $3 billion a year. This distinguished group of celebrated princesses includes Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Aurora, Pocahontas, Tiana, Jasmine, Ariel, Rapunzel and Mulan. So which of the Disney Princesses is the favourite of your little girl?  There is now a bewildering range of Disney Princess merchandise on the market that includes Disney Princess costumes, toys, dolls, games, clothes, jewelry and accessories, so you can collect everything relating to your favourite Disney Princess.  One of the most popular Disney Princess toys to collect is the dolls, and there is an amazing selection of Disney Princess dolls to choose from.  But if you are looking for that perfect Disney Princess doll as a gift, then why not go and have a look at the cute and cuddly Disney Princess Baby Dolls and the Disney Princess Toddler Dolls?

Disney Princess Baby Dolls

The Disney Princess animated adventures on film usually show your favourite princess characters as young adults who are learning to make their way in the world and finding love.  Most of the Disney Princess dolls on the market today are based on this exciting phase of their lives and these dolls come dressed in gorgeous gowns and jewels.  However, have you ever wondered what your favourite Disney Princess was like as a baby? If your little girl collects Disney Princess dolls then she will be delighted to find that she can have a baby Disney Princess doll that she can rock, care for and cherish. The Disney Princess baby dolls have soft bodies that are just made for cuddling with plastic arms and legs.  Your favourite baby princess doll comes dressed in a really cute costume in her signature colour and of course has her very own tiara that straps around her head with an elastic strap. Because some of the small parts of the doll can pose a choking hazard, these baby dolls are not suitable for children under three years old and on many of the dolls the onesies that they are wearing cannot be taken off.  So how exciting that your little girl can cuddle her very own favourite Disney Princess baby or maybe collect them all?  Disney Princess baby dolls make great gifts for Christmas or birthdays, so if you are looking for a gift for a little girl in the near future, then find out which is her very own special Disney Princess and delight her by adding to her collection of dolls.

Disney Princess Toddler Dolls

Of course all babies grow up, so luckily you can also buy Disney Princess Toddler dolls so that your little girl can enjoy the next phase of her Disney Princess’s life.  Disney Princess Toddler dolls show your favourite Disney princess as they were when they were starting to walk, learning to talk and having a lot of fun. The Disney Princess toddler dolls are between 14” and 16” tall, have fully poseable bodies, come dressed in their signature colour costumes and of course many of them are wearing the tiara that shows the world that they are a princess! As these toddler dolls are a little older than the baby dolls, they also have gorgeous rooted hair. Again they have some small parts that could be a choking hazard, so are not suitable for children under three years of age.

Choosing Disney Princess Dolls Online

There are Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Aurora, Pocahontas, Tiana, Jasmine, Ariel, Rapunzel and Mulan baby dolls and toddler dolls, so that is a pretty big collection of Disney Princess dolls if your little girl decides that she wants to collect them all!  You can find Disney Princess Baby dolls and Disney Princess Toddler dolls in all the major stores but one of the very best places to find your Disney Princess infant doll to love and cherish is online. Amazon has a great selection of Disney Princess dolls to choose from, so go online today to add to your collection of Disney dolls.  Shopping online is one of the simplest ways to secure the Disney Princess baby or toddler doll that your little girl has set her heart on, so go and have a look and lose yourself in the enchanting world of Disney Princess.

Best Baby Blankets – Blankies, Security Blankets and Receiving Blankets

Baby’s First Blanket - Receiving Blankets

Are you looking to buy a baby blanket for your own baby or as a gift for a family member or friend who is expecting? If you are expecting a baby, you will know how many things that you need to buy for your new arrival, and good quality baby blankets are some of the most important things that you can invest in. The first ever blanket that a baby is swaddled in is known as a receiving blanket. As a baby grows in the womb during pregnancy, it is cocooned in a warm, dark secure little world. When they are born they are suddenly thrust out into a much wider world of noise, bright lights and confusion, so hospitals snuggle the newborn infant in a cosy receiving blanket to make them feel more safe and secure.  Parents can also use receiving blankets when they take their baby home to swaddle the baby to make it feel warm and secure, and it can also be draped over a parent’s shoulder when the infant is being burped or spread on the floor to change the baby. Your baby will also sleep more peacefully if they are cosily snuggled in their familiar receiving blanket. Receiving blankets make great gifts for new parents, and you can even order personalized receiving blankets that have the baby’s name or a short message embroidered on them. So go online today and choose a warm, cuddly receiving blanket to take to the baby shower.

Security Blankets, Blankies and Comfort Blankets

As your baby grows they will have baby blankets for their cribs, buggies and car seats, and over time they may become particularly attached to their favourite blanket and begin to use it as a security blanket. These security blankets are also known as blankies or comfort blankets, and there is some controversy among experts and parents as to whether it is a good thing or not for your infant or toddler to have a security blanket. In the first few months of its life it is believed by experts that an infant is not aware that it is a separate person from their mother, and so is very dependent on being physically very close to her, being cuddled and soothed, and having all of its needs met.  Gradually the baby begins to understand that it is a separate being from its mother, and so when mother leaves the infant, it will become upset and anxious that mother may not return. Having a comfort blanket, or blankie, helps to comfort your baby when you cannot be physically close to them, as the baby will associate the blanket with the same feeling of comfort and security that they receive when they are close to you. Teething is often a difficult time for babies, as they are in discomfort, may develop a high temperature and have trouble in settling for the night and sleeping through. Luckily, you can now buy blankies that have multiple textured corners for soothing sore gums and also give your child the soothing comfort of being wrapped up in their favourite comfort blanket.  You can also buy really cute blanket friends, which are blankies with a soft toy animal’s head attached, such as cuddly rabbits and adorable sheep. When a child grows into a toddler they seem to need their comfort blanket the most when they are going to sleep, visiting a new place, and being exposed to new experiences. The big question is how long should a toddler be allowed to depend on their blankie and at what age should their security blanket be taken away?

Choosing a Baby Blanket

When choosing a baby blanket, there are certain things that you will need to check for. What the baby blanket is made from is very important. You want to buy a baby blanket from the very best quality fabric that you can afford.  A baby’s skin is very sensitive, so fabric that is rough may chafe or rub their skin and also look to see that there are no rough edges or uneven hems that may also rub. You want the material of your baby blanket to feel soft, cosy and snugly as these blankets will help to soothe your infant and make them feel comfortable and secure. An infant’s blankie is very important to them and they become very attached, so if you buy a poor quality baby blanket that may get destroyed by frequent washing or daily wear and tear, then your toddler may become inconsolable. The very best fabric for receiving blankets and blankies is organic. Organic baby blankets are great for a baby’s sensitive skin, because they have been produced without using any nasty chemical fertilisers to grow the cotton or harsh chemicals to treat the fabric.  Organic cotton is great for soft, cosy baby blankets and if you are looking to spend a little more, why not splash out on a luxurious cashmere baby blanket? It is also important that you check the size of your baby blanket when you buy it.  Some of the cheaper baby blankets, especially if they are in multi-packs, might not be as big as you want to them to be, and you need your baby blanket to be able to swaddle your baby snugly and cover it warmly at night. A baby blanket needs to be the exact size to fit your baby’s crib, as if it is too large or bulky it may have trouble turning over and moving around, and could even impede their breathing.

Finding a Baby Blanket Online

There are many great baby blankets in the baby stores and department stores, but to get the biggest choice you need to have a good look online.  Amazon has a wonderful selection of baby blankets to browse through including some of the most popular brands such as Little Giraffe, Munchkin, and Under the Nile. If you are going to a baby shower then baby blankets make great gifts, or you can buy one as part of a baby layette if you are purchasing a bigger gift. Remember though, that pink is for girls and blue is for boys, and if you do not yet know the sex of the baby opt for a baby blankest in pale lemon, neutrals or softest green.

Go Back In Time With Retro Candy and Retro Candy Gift Baskets

What Is Retro Candy?

I have to admit that when it comes to sweets and candy that I am still a total child.  I would still rather have a bag full of lollipops, white chocolate mice, fizzy jelly snakes, fruit salad chews and sherbet than a fancy, expensive box of chocolates.  Some of my best memories of childhood are of clutching a few pence in my little, sticky hand in the local corner shop and pointing at penny sweets for the lady to pop into a white paper bag.  Or of enjoying a very special treat of choosing a quarter of candy from one of the hundreds of jars high up on the shelves in the sweet shop.  That is why I am especially happy that retro candy is becoming popular once again, and I can once more revel in sherbet lemons, kola cubes, space dust, Parma violets, jelly beans and love hearts. And I can also see whether or not I have lost the knack of blowing the biggest bubble with my bubble gum!  One of the best places to buy retro candy and old fashioned sweets is online, so why not indulge in some nostalgia this Halloween and Christmas by buying retro candy instead of modern candy and chocolate brands? There are also some great retro candy gift baskets and gift boxes available, that make great gifts for family and friends.  So if you want the kids to get to know and really enjoy the candy that you spent your precious pocket money on, have a browse through Amazon’s fantastic range of retro candy today.

Retro Candy By the Decade

It doesn’t matter which decade that you grew up in, you can now get the retro candy brands that were introduced onto the market during your era. One enduring candy favourite goes back to the very end of the 19^th century when Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts were introduced, with Bertie Bassett the famous candy man made up of different pieces of liquorice coming on to the scene in 1929. From the 1930s through to the end of the 20^th century, each decade had it its own popular sweets and candy that became the must have candy brand.  The 1930s were the depression years in both the US and the UK, so money was tight and candy would have been a real treat. However, the 1930’s did give us the Snickers Bar, which remains a firm favourite today and Tootsie Roll Pops.  The famous British sweet manufacturer Swizzels Matlow was also formed in the 1930s and has given us some of the most iconic British retro candy brands, including Love Hearts in 1933, Parma Violets, Double Dip and Rainbow Drops.  The 1940s were dominated by the war years and the years of rationing just after the war when sugar was scarce and hard to get hold of, but the 1940s did give us the iconic Bazooka Bubble Gum and Junior Mints. Rationing was still going on in the early 1950s, but gradually people became more prosperous and had more money to spend on sweets. The 1950s gave us Atomic Fireballs, Marshmallow Peeps and Candy Necklaces.  I can still remember having Candy Necklaces as a kid, and being really torn as to whether I should wear them or eat them! The 1960s was a very modern decade and saw the introduction of Starburst Fruit Chews, Sweetarts and Lemonheads. The 1970s was when we enjoyed Reese Pieces and Jelly Bellies for the first time and Skittles and Gummi Bears appeared in the 1980s.

Retro Candy Gift Baskets and Gift Boxes

There are now many stores and internet sites where you can buy your favourite retro candy either by weight, of even by the jar.  However, if you would really love to be able to indulge your sweet tooth on lots of different brands of retro candy, why not buy a retro candy gift box or gift basket that contains a great selection of different candies and sweets?  You can buy retro candy gift baskets for individual decades or as a nostalgic candy selection across the years.  Retro candy gift baskets also make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, as a get well present or as a fabulous thank you present.  There are retro candy gift boxes and gift baskets in all different sizes and to suit all different budgets.  Also, if you are looking for something a bit different for Halloween candy this year, why not get some retro candy and give the local kids a sweet taste of times gone by?

So whether you have one firm retro candy favourite and want to buy your best-loved candy by weight or by the jar, or whether you want to buy some amazing retro candy gifts for family and friends, you will find a great range of retro candy and old fashioned sweets available online.  Have a look on Amazon today to find your childhood candy favourites and take yourself back in time to when going to the sweet shop to choose your sweets was the most important and most exciting part of the week.  And I bet that I can still blow a bigger bubblegum bubble than you!