Daisy & Hen under $20 Stocking Filler Gift Guide: 2020

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It may not feel like it this week, but Summer is just around the corner (YAY!), so you know itâs time to start sorting out that summer wardrobe for your little adventurers⌠Finding those staples they will love to wear day in, day outđ
Our go to Summer shoes for bigger kiddos (and Mamas) are Saltwater Sandals. They are seriously the whole package â the look, the feel, the quality, the value â itâs a win-win-win-win!
Saltwater Sandals, or Salties, are THE perfect summer sandal! Crafted from soft, durable leather they are perfect for the Aussie lifestyle and for growing feet! As the name suggests Salties are made for water đ They mould to the foot shape and become softer, with repeated wear and exposure to water. Making them PERFECT for the beach, splashing in puddles and doing all things kid! AND best of all, you can throw them in the washing machine when they need a clean, thanks to the non-rusting brass buckles and tough, but flexible soles.
Oh and did we mention that Salties also have a range for Mamas? Who can resist a matching moment with your littlies đ
We are currently stocking the HUGEST range of these amazing sandals. Take a look below at just a few of the styles and colours â or if youâre already sold on the incredibleness of these babies jump straight to the full range here!
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The classic iconic Originals. These are super stylish and sophisticated even your biggest little will be happy to wear them. Adjustable ankle band, and leather that will soften â please note these can be a little trickier or chunky toddler feet, or particularly wide or super narrow feet due to no adjustment on the width.
The best for those tricky to fit feet, and also super unisex so these are great for the boys. Hello Navy, Tan, Olive etc. Double buckle means optimum fit and lots of room for growth. Choose these for super narrow, or wider than average feet as you can adjust both ankle and toe to fit. A little extra length is ok with these too, as you can keep feet nice and secure #doublebuckleforthewinÂ
Saltwater Sandals - SweetheartÂ
All the amazing features of the Surfers but with the sweet heart cutout if you want something a little more feminine. Our tip: add some socks for transeasonal wear & a cool retro look
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Looking for boys sandals, look no further. But also these are totally unisex and we love the Rose Gold for the girls. Everything we love about Salties, in an uber practical closed toe & heel sandal. If unsure size up in these, as the closed in toe and heel will keep feet nice and secure with plenty of growing room. These make perfect everyday shoes, especially for school or daycare.
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Sizing tips: Use the size guide! Measure you childâs foot length and go from there. And hit us up if you want to double check! Mamaâs if youâre buying the slides we do recommend sizing up 1, but otherwise they are a true fit. Retro are a bit narrower than the originals.
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Between us we have lots of kiddos, and theyâve alllll worn Salties! We canât recommend them enough.
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If you have been following Daisy + Hen since the beginning you will know we opened our very first shop in the beautiful town of Tanunda in March 2016. Since then we have continued to grow and build an amazing Daisy + Hen community. With that support we now have three stores in Tanunda, Glenelg & Stirling, as well as our online store! With this amazing growth we finally decided it was time to upgrade from our original store in Tanunda and move to a bigger space. As of Saturday 12th September 2020 we closed the doors to our very first store and opened our new shop just across the road!
Without the amazing support of our Daisy + Hen family this big move wouldnât have been possible! We are so in love with the new space and we hope our Barossa Valley community love it just as much!
For our online fam who canât make it to the store for a peek, we have added a few pictures below!
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Gina & the DH team xo
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Just âcos itâs Winter your kiddo doesnât suddenly become an inside creature right? Stir craziness hits all time highs around July when the seemingly eternal cold weather makes outdoor adventures seem too hard. Especially when your little persons usual act is to de-robe their layers after 3 mins on the playground #ammiright? And just âcos itâs cold outside, doesnât mean you want to skip your morning walk, even if you have a teeny babe in tow.
The solution to all your Winter problems (ok maybe not all, but, ya know some) is to get your babe sorted with a beanie! During Winter our heads are usually the only part of our body left exposed, and for that reason we lose most of our body heat via said noggins. Beanie equals lost body heat problem solved.
Beanies are also a super cool fashâ accessory. Our beanies are practical of course, but are also stylish (and great value, but we donât want to brag) Weâve got beanies even your biggest little kiddo will be happy to wear.
But choosing a beanie is hard? What type to choose? Will it fit my childâs man-sized head? Wonât they just pull it off? It makes their head itchy / hot / sweaty etc.
Thatâs where we come in. Your trusty advisors for all things baby & kiddo. We have lots of babes between us (therefor lots of beanies) and we have road tested alllll the brands. Our beanie collection is epic. A one stop shop if you like. We are self proclaimed beanie experts.
You can jump right ahead and see all our beanies clicking here or read on for our run down on choosing a beanie:
If you have a newborn or a teeny babe, may we suggest a cotton hat for around home, car trips and going out and about without actually being outside. Teeny babes canât regulate their own body temperature and during Winter a soft, gentle hat made from natural fibres will help them stay cosy warm (and look cute). Especially when theyâre sleeping and they arenât snuggled up against your body. Plus photoâs of your babe in a sweet little hat will be some of your faves to look back on. Check them out here
If you are heading out and about, you will want something a bit warmer for your baby. We have a HUGE range of beanies that are just perfect! First up the Wilson & Frenchy knit beanies are a Cotton x Wool x Bamboo blend and honestly, they are heaven. This natural fibre blend is gentle, breathable (thanks Cotton) and crazy soft (thanks Bamboo) but till super warm (thanks to that little bit of wool) These beanies are generously sized and the style is slouchy. They have a great amount of stretch, so thereâs no need to size up. Go by the age size and you should be right. You can see them here
Second, we love the Toshi range. These are Organic Cotton â which makes them super, super gentle. Great for hot little heads, and babes with sensitive skin. Use the size guide in the product, but you can size up with Toshi. The style is a bit more structured as not as generous or stretchy. Shop them here
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If itâs super cold where you live, we highly recommend this Handmade Merino Wool blend, chunky knit beanie range. Merino wool is super warm, and these will keep heads nice and toasty. The come in baby to big kid sizes & the matching mittens and Scarves are super cute too! These beanies are true to size, and unless your babe is particularly petite or bigger you can go their usual size. They are quite chunky and sizing up unnecessarily will bother them (trust me, learned the hard way)
If you are looking for a beanie for a bigger kiddo, we have some super stylish & fun ones to choose from. While still being warm and practical if you âgrowing up too fastâ kiddo is starting to have more say than you would like, we think these beanies will do the trick. The Kapow beanies are super warm, hot heads will not love these ones as much. BUT if youâre in a cold cold climate â youâre onto a winner with these! The styles are COOL and the sizing is true. But with the earmuffs we donât suggest sizing up. Hello Stranger beanies are for the super cool older kiddos. The sizing is generous and stretchy and if you grab one of these weâll even throw in a Tote Bag.
If your little person is a hot little bod prone to heating up easily OR has a sensitive head, we suggest the Toshi 100% organic cotton range. The fibres are natural, gentle and importantly breathable. Theyâll feel comfortable to wear & while keeping them warm, they wonât make them too hot.
Question about sizing? Weâve tried to give as much info in the product descriptions as we can, but if you need any further help get in touch via email, Instagram / FB DM or call one of our stores. All contact info is here.
We hope you find what youâre looking for, and weâd love you to share your Winter adventures feat. Beanies by tagging us @daisyandhen
Big love,
Gina and the team x
Easter is one of my absolute fave times of the year. I just truly love the magic of it. Here I am 5 years ago with Henry, on his first Easter:
Waking early to the delight of your little people, the big Easter Egg hunt and subsequent divvying up of the collected goodies and having chocolate for breakfast.
Now as a school Mum I especially LOVE that Easter coincides with school holidays. It usually represents at least a little bit of downtime for my fam (and I hope for you too) This year we have booked 2 heavenly weeks by the sea, a first for us â but something we have worked so hard to achieve.
Iâve always loved that with Easter, the change of season seems to coincide. By this time of the year Iâm hanging for trackies, nanna rugs and couch snuggles. I love eating all the Hot Cross Buns and naturally allll the Easter Eggs and I love eating them as a combo, have you ever tried this? I just love a good hot lunch and some indulgence too.
Easter â whatâs not to love right?!
And of course at Easter, I love to spoil my little person. I love the sparkle and wonder in his eyes. In addition to Easter Eggs, for me Easter gifts include some practical things, and a few FUN activity type treats for the holiday period.
I would love to share some of my faves suggestions youâŚ
New PJâs for Easter With the change of season, Easter is literally the perfect time of the year for some fresh Winter PJâs. Nothing like those angelic post bath clean faces, freshly combed hair, and bedtimes stories all tucked up in new jammies. Magical. Shop the PJ's here
It wouldn't be Easter without a Jellycat Bunny of course. We love these all year round, but they become just that extra bit special at Easter time. Suitable from birth these make the perfect keepsake first Easter gift. But trust me when I say older kiddos love these equally as much â we watch their eyes light up in the store all the time. Machine washable, with long, soft, floppy ears for holding onto, one Jellycat is just never enough.
I LOVE Easter Eggs as much as anyone, but I do not love the associated sugar high come down so much. Thereâs no denying the chocolate but I like to disperse the eggs amongst some other small & fun chocolate alternatives. These are the same price as an Easter Egg but are fun, engaging and some are even reusable.
As a basket collector from way back, I love to gift something to use for hunting & gathering, that will be cherished and used over and over again. Our range of baskets, are designed to meet the intrinsic desire of your little people to hunt & gather. Whether that be toys, rocks, leaves or Easter Eggs. These baskets will get a workout on Easter morning but trust me â they will be used for everrrrr!
Whatâs a better Easter gift, that something that can provide some downtime for the whole family after lunch. We love a puzzle for some serious family fun time. Especially after what is usually a hectic morning â I am all about something that will promote some stillness and use of mental energy.
Perhaps your little person is too young or you just donât want to give chocolate at all? We have an amazing range of Easter themed toys that make an amazing alternative. Lotâs of perfect first Easter gifts here too. These are toys, that will be played with all year round but just have something about them that makes them a bit Easter-ey.
If like me you are getting away over the Easter holidays, then may I suggest gifting some activity sets? You will thank yourself later when youâre couch side about to pour a wine and you need something to occupy the little people. These portable, compact and fully self contained activity sets will set you up for some peace during the holidays. Especially as it almost always rains at Easter!
And I am going to sneak these in, cos some themed and fun to wear Easter clothes is COOL!
So those are my best picks, I hope Iâve given you some inspo for this Easter.
Wishing you all a safe and magical holiday period.
Gina and the DH girls xo
There is something so so magical about a little babeâs first Christmas â¨
Whether a 1 week or 51 week old little babe, the first time you celebrate Christmas with your own little person is so much more magical.
With 14 DH babe's amongst us, we are well experienced to share our picks for your babe's first Christmas. And if you have a first Christmas gift to buy, maybe for a niece, nephew or special fam friend - this guide has all the price points covered. Yesss read on for those extra spesh fave Aunty gifts!
We love the idea of gifting your little babe something super extra special for their first Christmas. Something they will love and treasure for the year (and years) ahead, but also a timeless keepsake that will be treasured for the years to come.
Weâve put our collective Mama heads together & curated our best ever collection of beautiful gifts [in all price points] that we think are just perfect for a babeâs first Christmas. We hope you love them as much as we do.
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A Ride On or Push Along Toy
Starting with the Ride on Reindeer #obvs, and golly jolly gosh I just donât know if this one can be topped! OK that's the blog, thanks for reading.
Jks. Itâs a Deer, so naturally itâs the perfect first Christmas gift (just imagine how instaworthy this beauty will look under the tree!) Georgia from Glenelg says it perfectly: âDepending on their age they may still be too little to ride it, but I like to think that Christmas is the perfect opportunity to get the key toys they are going to grow into and use for the next yearâ Plus think of the Christmas photos!
All the beautiful ride on and push along toys are carefully chosen because they are practical and they are made to last forever.
You can see our full range of Ride Ons & Push Alongs here.
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A keepsake doll
We love these beautiful keepsake dolls as a special gift. These are exquisite dĂŠcor for the nursery, and also in a âbig girls roomâ in years to come (if you choose to keep it special and out of reach) But they are also designed to be loved and would make the perfect doll for treasuring now too. The fabric dressed dolls will be a little sturdier and the tulle style ones are just a little more precious. We have a huge range of these from sparkly princesses to boho beauties.
You can see the full range here
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An heirloom wooden vehicle
Like our dolls, these vehicles make the most beautiful heirloom gifts. The quality is amazing, and they are absolutely designed to be loved and played with (read: wheeled over all the furniture and driven all over the house) These are the type of toys stand the test of time. They are the ones that outlast the childhood and get packed away with all the keepsakes and the most treasured things. You know the box that your Nana had, when you were a kid, filled with toys from your parents childhood? These wooden vehicles end up in that box. And one day youâll be the Nana and youâll be telling your Grandie how you got this truck for your babeâs / their parent's first Christmas.
See the full range of these beautiful vehicles here
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A Dinkum Doll
The Dinkum Dolls truly are the best mate for your little babe. They are made from the softest, snuggliest cotton fabric, which is machine washable #enufsaid. They feature the sweetest embroidered details, from their eyes and mouth, to the little rainbow over their heart.
Itâs up to your child to choose who their Dinkum doll is, and with their loveable faces, huggable and posable bodies, there is no end to the fun and imaginative play ahead. We love these as *the doll* for your babeâs childhood. The one they love the most and the one that accompanies them on allllll the adventures (that you canât leave home without â sorry!)Â We love everything about these, especially all the beautiful doll things that go with them. May we suggest a Strolley, A cot or even a doll bassinet!
Also - boys love dolls too! Boys grow into fathers, and teachers, and doctors and uncles, and all sorts of people who care for children. And it is so intrinsic for boys to also want to nurture their own babies. These dolls are just perfect for that, as they are so neutral and non gendered.
You can see our huge range of dolls & accessories here
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A Special Jellycat & Book
Thereâs a reason we share the Jellycats nearly everyday. They are truly so loved by everyone and for good reason. With the softest, most tactile fur they are a sensory delight. They soothe, calm and offer comfort for little babes. With a huge range of creatures there is something for every babe (or every nursery theme!) Whether you go with a small one for a stocking filler or a big one for a real keepsake, this is a toy that will be so treasured over the years.
May we also suggest this is a great suggestion for a relative to gift too. We all know from experience how much our littles LOVE these, and yours will too.
Check out all of our amazing Jellycats here (we are the biggest stockist in SA!)
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A Wheely Bug
So much fun! And cute (back to that Instaworthy Christmas tree!) Coral from Tanunda gifted her little Esme one for her first Christmas and says: âEsme absolutely loved hers and used it so much more than I ever thought she would. Even  up to the age of 2.5 - 3 she got around on it, and itâs often a part of her imaginary play world too even nowâ
Developmentally these are bang on perfect for that 10-12 month mark, and are truly something your little one will get so much joy from.
The wheely bugs are hereÂ
 A wooden toy
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âToysâ in the sense of things an under 1 babe will interact with are a bit limited, but weâve put together a little collection of interactive toys designed specifically for this age. Some of these are 18 month plus, but we also like the idea of buying a toy they will grow into.
This collection of interactive toys for the littlest babes, perfect for the early stages of development. Encouraging stacking, sorting, colour recognition, problem solving, fine motor skills and more.
We have carefully select toys that are of the highest quality, made with safe and sustainable materials. These toys are made to last, and these are the heirloom pieces that will be played with for generations to come.
You can see our little collection of toys designed for little babes here
A Noah's Ark Toy
We adore a Noah's Ark Toy for a special Christmas Gift.
These Arks will captivate your babe's imagination - open ended imaginative play at it's absolute finest. We can guarantee your little person will be playing with this well into their school years.
Arks are open ended, and will integrate will all the toys. They foster creativity, story telling and problem solving. And if it suits these will be amazing decor until the time is right to pull it out for play.
 You can see our incredible range of Arks here
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We would be so thrilled to help you choose the perfect gift for your babe's first Christmas. And if you need any help choosing you can reach us at any of our stores, or via email and all the contact details are here.
Wishing you the most magical festive season ahead.
Gina & the Daisy and Hen team xo
Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year and for me it's the Adelaide Christmas Pageant that signifies the start of the season. If you're an Adelaidean - you'll know! If you aren't - you should Google it, it's epic! With the Pageant on the weekend just gone, it's time for us to put up our tree and release our 2nd Christmas Gifting guide for 2020: New PJs For Christmas.
I adore this tradition of new PJs for Christmas. There's just nothing like freshly bathed babes with twinkling eyes, in new fresh PJ's marveling in the wonder and magic of Christmas.
Plus we love a gift that's practical, and new PJ's in December will see you right through Summer. It's the perfect seasonal timing for new PJ's - with the weather well and truly warmed up.
There's two main streams of thought around *when* the gift the Christmas PJ's:
First: Give them on Christmas Eve. This is what we have done, for the last 5 years (2020 will be Henry's 6th Chrissy)
For us Christmas Eve is neighbourhood walks to see Christmas Lights followed by a Christmas Movie & a Fruit Platter (& a bubbles for me). All done in our fresh new PJ's. They are soft, lush and cosy and of course clean. It feels peaceful & calming to wear them and they look great in photos! And then you get to wake up to the magic of Christmas Day in your new jams (more photos!)
Second: Give them on the 1st of December. And this year we have chosen Christmas PJs for H, so are going to give them to him on Dec 1. He can wear them in the lead up to Christmas, when we are watching all our fave Christmas movies, emptying our advent calendar 1 day at a time & heading out to see all the neighbourhood lights,
My team and I have carefully curated our collection of Summer Pyjamas to meet the highest standards of quality, style and value. These are brands we know, love and have road tested. This year our range features a combo of Christmas PJs and non Christmas PJ's
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You can see the full range of our Pyjamas here.
We know you'll love themÂ
Gina xo