Gift Sets for Abuelitas

One more shameless plug for Latin Baby...for those of you wondering what to buy Abuelita this Christmas, be sure to check out LB's gift sets. The one pictured here comes complete with a "#1 Abuelita" tee (available in azul or lavendar, sizes S-XL), an "Abuelita" pendant made of dichroic glass, and a pack of 5 handmade "Dichos de mi Abuelita" notecards using loteria images. All these are carefully packaged inside a vibrant day bag that is perfect for trips to see her grandkids.

For more information, check out the Latin Baby boutique here.

Or, if you prefer, a gift certificate to the store also makes a great regalito for mamás y abuelitas and is available for as little as $20.

Dichos de Mi Madre Makes an Hierloom Gift

A few months ago, Latin Baby received a lovely sample of a gift book by Victoria Killeen called Dichos de mi Madre. I thought it was beautiful and it brought to my mind some poignant memories of my 'buelita who was such a happy soul and always imparting her wisdom with a smile. And since we will be celebrating Grandparent’s Day this month, I decided to add the book to our "Gifts for Abuelita" section. This would be a wonderful heirloom gift that could be passed down in the family. In fact, I have decided that within the next couple of days, I will be adding a gift basket, too, (which will include this little book, an abuelita T-shirt and a mirror) for those of you looking for an extra-special gift for the abuelita in your life.

Here is an excerpt from a book review of Dichos de mi Madre that I did for the Latin Baby Book Club...

"Written completely in Spanish, the book is a collection of "sayings" or "dichos" that often are quoted to us by our mamás or our abuelitas. Some of the verses have English equivalents, such as "A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes" which translates to "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" and "El amor es ciego" which means "Love is blind."
But some are uniquely original to Latin America such as "Gallo que no canta algo tiene en la garganta" which is one I distinctly remember my great-grandmother saying. It means "a rooster that doesn’t sing has something in his throat" – HA! And even better, "Échate en la cama y verás quién the ama" meaning "Throw yourself on the bed and you’ll see who loves you" gasp – MAMÁ!
I also like "Hombre casado, ni frito ni asado," which means "don’t bother with a married man, not even if he’s fried nor grilled."
There are SO MANY dichos in this book it is hard to pick out so few. I have to say that Victoria did a great job collecting them all. She is to be commended for all the effort that I am sure it took to remember and write them all down. She dedicates the book to her mother and is donating all the proceeds to charity in honor of her beloved mother.
Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Victoria completed her studies here in the States, and graduated with degrees in interior design and art history. After getting married, she moved to Atlanta where she and her husband became very involved in the arts community. They are founding members of the High Museum and Victoria has been on the board for many years. Thanks to her husband’s job, she has had the opportunity to travel to almost 100 countries which has made Victoria very aware of in the importance of culture and traditions and the pride that people take in theirs. She wrote Dichos as a way to celebrate both our Latino culture and our mothers who have taught them to us.
If you would like your copy of this wonderful little book, click here. Remember that it makes a wonderful regalito!"

Pies Calentitas....

Few things bring back the memory of mi 'buelita faster than the sharp, clear smell from a jar of Vicks. For the last week, I have been battling The Flu. Both mis niños have been hit hard (possibly with 2 strains, I am told) as has my husband. My youngest has had it the worst with several fever spikes up to 105 degrees. Cold showers were becoming a routine for him, but finally the antibiotics and the antiviral meds have kicked in and we have not had a fever now for almost 48 hours. Hallelujah!

But now The Flu is fighting back with a severe case of coughing. Nights are the hardest. Despite various props (extra pillows, blankets under one end of the mattress, etc), my kids insist on laying flat. The first night, after an hour of non-stop coughing, I finally cracked out my 'buelita's secret weapon...an nice blue bottle of Vicks Vaporub. I can't figure out how this stuff works so well, but a little dab on the bottom of each foot followed by some nice comfy calcetines and...tada!

Buenas noches, mi'jitos!

Holiday Gifts for Abuelita's

Looking for some special gifts for Abuelita? Then look no furter! Latin Baby has some great gift ideas that celebrate the bond between 'Buelita's and their grandchildren. Our "#1 Abuelita" made their debut this year at the State Fair of Texas and were a real hit. It was one of our top sellers. Also, the little Anglito sun catcher above is handmade by JoAnna Ordóñez, owner of Vidriosa Glassworks, and may be customized according to the number of grandchildren. For example, for first time Abuelas, only one red heart may be used. Up to 5 hearts may be added per sun catcher. Throw in a couple of "Dichos de mi Abuelita" Notecards and you have the perfect gift basket!

To view these items, click here.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Latino Families

Feliz Navidad a todos! With the holidays fast approaching, I decided that I had better get cracking and start investigating holiday gift ideas. So over the next few weeks my posts will revolve around regalitos for Hispanic families.

My choices are dictated by the following three criteria:

1) The item(s) celebrates the Latino spirit.

2) The item(s) preserves or promotes Hispanic traditions.

or 3) The item(s) is created/crafted by a Latina(o).

So to start the ball rolling, I am going to champion a toy that probably most (if not all) of you have heard about. The Baby Abuelita dolls include Abuelita Rosa, Abuelito Pancho, Baby Andrea and Baby Tita. Each doll sings anywhere from 4 to 6 tender and sweet songs that preserve our Hispanic heritage. From "Arroz con Leche" to "Los Pollitos Dicen," "Naranja Dulce" to "Duermete, Mi Niña" these dolls are a wonderful tool for teaching little ones music while enhancing their listening and learning skills. A unique product on the market that is making a difference in children's lives. Thank you to Baby Abuelita's creators, Hilda Jimenez and Carol Fenster, for your contribution towards helping Latinos pass on their cultural identities!

An excellent gift from Abuelitas to their grandchildren.

So what are you waiting for? To order your Baby Abuelita doll, click here.

Abuelita's Gift

It's funny the way our minds work. At the fair last week, a discussion with one of the other vendors triggered a long-forgotten memory. We were discussing gifts for Mamás and Abuelitas when Dulce Parker of D'Caribbean Gifts mentioned how popular amber necklaces seem to be in Latino families.

"Really?" I said, interested. And then... a teeny, tiny whisper in the back of my head suddenly became a SHOUT!

My great-grandmother, who I called 'Buelita, was the sweetest woman on the planet. She died when I was twelve, but I spent so much of my childhood with her, that I can sometimes still see her laughing next to me. Far from being a fashion diva, my 'Buelita was a very - shall I say huggable? - and down-to-earth lady with no-nonsense shoes and a neat and tidy appearance. I can't remember her ever spending any money buying extravagant accessories (though she did have a nice collection of costume jewelry), but I do remember her amber necklace.

Dulcé mentioned that oftentimes, Latinas will buy amber jewelry that they treasure and then pass down to their daughters and grand-daughters. After further discussion with her husband, Bill, I asked if the appearance of the amber made it more or less valuable.

"No," he said. "It just seems to be a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer the amber with bugs or fauna (plants) inside, while others like the clear."

Not too fond of amber? No problem! D'Caribbean Gifts also carries my newest love, Larimar, the only semiprecious gem with the blue color of the sea found in the Caribbean Islands. Each piece has its own unique natural colors from shades of blue to green.

So for those of you thinking about what to buy your mamá or abuelita for Christmas this year, perhaps a beautiful amber (or larimar!) necklace will earn you an extra hug and besito.

Or maybe it is time for you to buy yourself a little memory to pass on down to your hijas.

To see more of Dulce's jewelry, check out her site here.