Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Holiday Treats: Go Cold with Baskin-Robbins to Create Magical Memories!

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This post was sponsored by Baskin-Robbins as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is watching my children discover and delight in the magic that abounds. From special family trips to the movies to discovering a new treat for the first time, there are wonderful memories to make around every corner, especially if you keep your eye out for the magic.

We made one such special memory last week when I surprised the kids with some holiday treats from Baskin-Robbins. My girls had absolutely no idea that such a thing as ice cream cakes even existed, but I will never forget the look on their faces when I brought one home!

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This is the Ganache Poinsettia Cake, and it is so very easy to get one by ordering online at least 24 hours in advance. You can customize the writing on the 9 inch round cake (or leave it simple) and you can also customize both the cake and the ice cream flavors. We opted for chocolate cake with an OREO® cookie ice cream and that combo was AMAZING! One cake can make MANY slices because it is so tall that even a thin slice will be filling as a dessert for folks. The slice we cut here was enough for 2 to share.

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It is so perfect for a holiday party when you need to bring something along (especially if kids will be there: you will be the hero of the event!) or you could just surprise your family like I did and enjoy nibbling away at it for several days (we keep breaking it out to enjoy while watching holiday movies).

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Last week we also enjoyed a play date with a close friend of my girls. Her mother was recovering from some surgery so I thought it would be fun to bring along a fun after dinner dessert for her family. Did you know that Baskin-Robbins makes Polar Pizzas? That’s right: it’s like a pizza, only made with ice cream!

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This is the Peppermint & Winter OREO® Cookies Polar Pizza and have mercy it is SO good! Just as with the ice cream cake, this Polar Pizza is fully customizable, with a double fudge brownie or chocolate chip cookie crust and your pick of ice cream (but I’m telling you now that the peppermint ice cream is so fantastic…it’s really a must try!). It’s also got that awesome Winter OREO® Cookies topping, along with drizzles of marshmallow and fudge. What a fun way to surprise a friend this holiday season. It’s also a fun host/ess gift idea if you are spending the holidays with others. Everyone will love it and everyone will get to enjoy it, too!

The online ordering system at Baskin-Robbins for special holiday treats is very intuitive and very simple. It’s designed to remove some of the stress of the holidays and make life a little easier for you. I had everything ordered in both cases in just a few clicks and both times I went to pick up my orders, everything was ready and correct. I was in and out of the store in a flash!

And while you are in the store picking up your holiday orders, be sure to ask for a scoop of Peppermint Bark in the Dark, the December ice cream flavor of the month. It will help hold those cravings at bay so you aren’t tempted to dig into your ice cream cake and Polar Pizza on the spot. 🙂

COUPON!

And because I love you and want to help you save your sanity AND a some money, here’s a coupon for $2.00 off a Polar Pizza. You can use this when placing an order online or you can use it in the store if you want to go there to place your order.

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I Hope the next week is filled with love of love, laughter and light as you spend time with the ones you love. And I hope it’s filled with some fantastic ice cream treats, too! 🙂

New on Netflix: 13 Hours of Awesome Just in Time for Winter Break!

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I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team and as such, receive complimentary Netflix Instant streaming service. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

My kids have been out of school for roughly 72 hours. And that is long enough for me to start saying, “Yes” more often to their requests to watch some Netflix.

Gotta practice some self-care, y’all because winter break is a marathon, not a sprint.

Netflix knows what’s up for worn down parents, who are already staying up late wrapping presents every night, and working hard all day to be able to pay for all that stuff that needs to be wrapped. So right when parents could use a little extra help most, DreamsWorks Trollhunters is being released on December 23rd for all Netflix Instant subscribers!

My family just sat down to watch the first episode, and we all LOVED it! But get this: there are 13 HOURS of adventure, suspense, and limitless imagination waiting for you (or your kids) to check out. You could let them binge if you really need to the time to get some stuff done (no judgement) or you could let them watch 2 episodes a day for a week or so to stretch it out.

So what will you find with this movie-quality show? A whole lot of things! For example:

troll-hunters  So yeah, you are definitely going to want to let your kids in on this great release. Mark the calendar for 12/23. Relief (and awesome entertainment) is on the way!

 

A Bean Bag Chair Alternative for Your Big Kid

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Now that my oldest is an independent reader, she needs a space in her room where she can get super comfy and do some serious reading. I thought about getting her a bean bag chair, which in some ways just feels like a rite of passage for kids, right?

But then I thought about all that filling spilling out everywhere as it will eventually do, and decided that’s not really something I want to do.

Brentwood Home is a company that offers a really nice alternative to a bean bag chair, and they call it a Venice Lounger. We were sent a lounger and a pillow to test out, and as always, I’m giving you my honest opinions.

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As far as how much my daughter likes it, I have to say this lounger gets very high marks. She enjoys doing cannonballs into it for fun, and I’m not the least bit worried that she will break it, because the internal stuffing is actually a pillow made out of memory foam. It feels great and won’t be exploding in the near future, which is a win for me.

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I have also noticed that the outer covering, which is easy to remove and wash, is super soft and yet remarkably sturdy. I have picked the lounger up by he handle at the top and toted it up and down the stairs and all over the house and have never felt, seen or heard any evidence of strain from the fabric. We have already had decorative pieces that were connected to the zippers fall off, but I’m not too concerned because again, their purpose was nothing more than decorative.

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We were also sent a child’s size pillow, called the Lilypad pillow, and Layah seems to enjoy it. The filling is a combination of latex and kapok. It is very soft like down, but doesn’t come with allergy concerns, so that’s a good thing for folks out there who need so be mindful of that. I appreciate the smaller sizing for her, but it isn’t so small that she’ll outgrow it in the next 2 years (which will be when it is time to replace the pillow, FYI).

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Based on our experience, the quality of products from Brentwood Home is quite high. I will say, however, that the customer service experience was lacking. It took a little over a month for our shipment to arrive, and repeated requests for an update on the order were met with vague language about having production delays and the promise to let me know when the order would arrive. When I attempted to check the shipping status on my own, it seemed that I needed a password to get into my account that I don’t recall creating. No problem, since there was the ability to reset it via email. Only I never received any emails with links to reset the password (I attempted this route on two separate occasions with no luck).

Only by connecting with the media rep was I able to finally get any information about my order, but that is not an avenue available to the typical customer. If I had placed this order myself I would have been very unhappy with a month-long delay, and would have preferred to have just seen the item listed as out of stock, which would have been more accurate. I don’t like it when a company sells something that it does not have on hand to sell, and then doesn’t provide the customer with an opportunity to cancel the order but leaves them hanging for a month.

Brentwood Home is a company with other 30 years of business experience, and it has had online offerings since 2012. The product quality is quite good, and it just may be the case that I had unusually bad luck as a test customer. But I always tell you straight, so keep in mind before you order from them that based on my experience, the item might not actually be in stock and you may have to wait quite a while for your products.

Traveling for Christmas? Send the Host Family a Gift Before You Arrive!

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Will you be at a loved one’s home over Christmas this year? If so, help with the hosting needs a bit by providing a beautiful centerpiece. You can help with the holiday decor, send a thoughtful gift, and lighten your own packing load all in one simple step by using Teleflora to help you out!

And what if there are folks you love dearly who you won’t be able to see for the holidays? You can let them know you are thinking of them and sending them love and light this season, all the same. And if you aren’t going to be seeing your family with younger kids at home, trust me, you will be missed! Don’t believe me? Watch and see!

Did you catch that 20% off code at the end? Use YOUDELIVERED at checkout to save!

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There are countless possibilities for arrangements, but to make life easier for you, I’m just going to highlight my favorites from the holiday line. I really love (and am currently enjoying!) the Sparkling Star Centerpiece ($69.95). This is a stunning table centerpiece that really helps dress up our dining area, and I love the mercury glass bowl it arrives in because it can be reused as home decor later.

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Also check out the Snow Day Bouquet ($64.95) that is both a floral gift and a cookie jar. This is a great fit for families! Along the same lines, the Gift Wrapped Bouquet ($59.95) is also so pretty and comes in a ceramic jar that can be later used for displaying ornaments or sweets.

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For your friend who loves to sip on hot drinks throughout the winter, consider the Send a Hug® Christmas Cardinal Bouquet ($49.95). I love that pop of red throughout the bouquet and those beautiful red cardinals on the mug.

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And for a more classic look, go for the Silver Christmas Bouquet ($49.95). Notice that it has eucalyptus and white pine! Later, the snowflake vase can serve as a winter candle holder.

Teleflora is designed to make floral arrangements easy for the buyer and the recipient. You don’t have to know who the reputable florists are in your family members’ hometown; Teleflora automatically connects you! And you know the quality you can expect and the price point…no awkward surprises when it’s time to pay or when the arrangement is delivered. Just beautiful blooms and a reminder of your love and friendship.

The Cat with Two Daddies: Portraying Diverse Families in Today’s Kid Lit

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Thanks to today’s guest author, Max Goodman, who also wrote The Secret Life of Lilykins, which is a book my girls fell in love with at first read! I asked Max to tell us a bit more about this special book and why he wrote it. Be sure to check out the book for yourself! 

As a kid growing up in Queens, NY, I lived in what was probably one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire world. My friends and classmates, many who were recent immigrants to this country, came in all colors and from what seemed like virtually every part of the world.  Where I grew up, diversity wasn’t just about ethnic origin; there was also an amazing amount of variety in the kinds of families in which kids were being raised. Thinking back to my two closest childhood friends, one was raised by both his mother and grandparents, who all lived in the same apartment building. The other friend was raised by his adoptive parents who had decided to start a family in their 50s. Whether it was single-parent homes or multi-generational households, these “nontraditional” family units were so common where I grew up that they seemed as normal as any notion of a typical nuclear American family.

The only sort of families I didn’t see when I was growing up were ones with same-sex parents. Now, this was back in the 1980s, a virtual lifetime ago in terms of public perception and acceptance of gay people. The truth is that there have always been gay parents; sadly, these people had to keep their sexuality a secret for fear of being judged or rejected by their families and communities. Back then, there were few visible real-world examples of same-sex couples with children, much less representations of these kinds of families in children’s literature.

Fast-forward to the 1990s, when there was an increasing demand for kid’s books with characters and storylines that were more inclusive and more relatable for all types of children, including kids with same-sex parents. A well-known example of this attempt for inclusivity was with the book “Heather Has Two Mommies.” While this story of a little girl being raised by a lesbian couple helped to start an important conversation about different types of families, it was also met with fear and anger by many people. Accusations of some sort of “gay agenda” being forced on the general public lead to protests and outright bans of the book in some libraries and school districts. But while some people just weren’t ready 25 years ago for a book like “Heather Has Two Mommies,” it most certainly paved the way for greater visibility of same-sex parents in popular culture.

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My book, The Secret Life of Lilykins, features a same-sex couple, but it’s not a story about gay parents or different kinds of families. In fact, it’s not really even about people. The central character is a house cat whose wild imagination takes her on some pretty amazing adventures. And while the book is most definitely a work of fiction, the inspiration for it is based on my own everyday life. There really is a cat named Lily (who often acts like she’s possessed), her brother Charlie (who always tries to steal Lily’s food), and their two “Daddies” (my husband and I) who make brief appearances at the beginning and ending of the book. My goal with this book has always been to show children what powerful tools their creativity and imagination can be — but if my story can also show kids that same-sex couples and same-sex parents are as normal as everyone else, well then that’s just icing on the cake.

Society’s views on different kinds of families have changed a lot since I was a kid. My hope is that we’ve arrived at a point where a child can read a story about a wacky cat with two Daddies, and that child doesn’t think twice about a home with same-sex parents because it’s simply become a non-issue.

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About the Author:

Max Goodman lives in New York City with his husband and two very important cats. By day, he works as an advertising copywriter. The Secret Life of Lilykins is Max’s first book. The Secret Life of Lilykins is currently available in paperback via IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, and CreateSpace, and in both paperback and Kindle editions via Amazon.

Why December is the Perfect Time to Visit a Water Park

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Thanks to Wilderness at the Smokies for hosting my family overnight. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Want to know a travel secret I’ve learned over the years? November and December are VERY GOOD times of the year to take little vacations. Other than the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas, this is a time of year when most folks aren’t thinking about vacations, so the crowds at resorts and attractions tend to dip a little bit. This is great news for the folks out there like me who want to have lots of fun but skip the lines and long waits.

Just 2 1/2 hours away from our home in Chattanooga is a spot we have visited before and were so glad to return to now that the weather has gotten chilly. December is the most wonderful time of the year….to visit a water park!

Do I sound crazy? Well, perhaps I should clarify. This particular water park is located indoors and boasts year-round 84 degree weather. Yes, even when the weather outside is frightful! It’s also connected to a beautiful lodge so you don’t ever have to even leave the building where you are staying in order to get to the fun. And entrance to the water park is included in the price of the room you stay in which really makes this a tremendous value! Let me introduce you to Wilderness at the Smokies.

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Before we check out the amazing on-site water park, let’s look a bit more closely at the rooms. This resort offers a wide variety of room options, from a more traditional hotel room look and feel at Stone Hill Lodge to several different choices in the main River Lodge. We have really enjoyed the bunk suite, which comes with a queen bed and a pull out couch in one area, and a half wall for a bit of privacy separating a bunk bed (twin on top, queen on the bottom). The room also has a balcony and a small table for in-room dining, as well as a fridge and a microwave so you can have plenty of snacks on hand (always important when kids are around). I also noticed the placement of the sink outside of the room with the toilet and shower, and that is another great design feature that makes things easier when lots of people are staying in the same space. There’s also the possibility of renting adjoining rooms if you have a big group and need more than one suite!

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Now let’s focus on all the fun to be had on site! We spent a lot of time playing in this kid-friendly splash zone. A giant bucket of water is tipped over every 10 minutes of so, and the kids line up to get soaked by it. For the older kids, there are 3 different tube slides that are tons of fun and take you several stories down as you twist and turn. There’s also the option to do a little surfing!

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Since we have a 4-year-old, we spent a bit of time in the part of the park designed for the younger kids. It’s nice to have an area where you don’t worry that your little one will be overlooked and subsequently run over (it happens!).

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This space has slides and bucket swings for babies and toddlers, as well, and even seating areas for the parents if your child can comfortably splash around on his/her own.

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We spent the majority of our time, however, in the giant wave pool, jumping over wave after wave and absolutely wearing ourselves out with the fun of it. When the waves would stop, we found ourselves heading over to the giant hot tub area for a warm up. I was surprised (and the kids were delighted) to see that there’s an entire section of this hot tub area that is outside and it’s also open all year. We went out for a bit just for fun, but quickly decided we liked that 84 degree weather much more! 🙂

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The water park can provide hours upon hours of entertainment, but it’s not the only fun attraction at the resort. Layah was able to snag this super awesome plush dog by trying her luck (and winning!) in the video game arcade. Before 10am every day, the arcade games are only half price, so that seemed like the ideal time for us to try our luck and have some fun. It paid off in prizes, but even if it hadn’t, we made some great memories while we waited for the water park to open.

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In the same area, you’ll also find some really fun activities, like candle pin bowling, rock climbing, a ropes course, laser tag and glow-in-the-dark putt putt golf. We had stay passes so we could play these types of games as much as we want (I recommend going that route) and had so much fun playing together.

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So all of these fabulous things can be found at Wilderness of the Smokies any time of year that you visit, but during December, there are some extra special features that you will want to check out.

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Shortly after we checked in, we noticed a doorway that led to Santa’s workshop, and we decided to check it out after we we finished with our water park fun that day. So after dinner, we got into our matching Santa jammies (because #wesleigh) and headed downstairs to check out the fun. And we were SO surprised by how much fun was waiting for us!

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There were several different crafts set up (only 2 options had a cost…everything else was completely free!). We decorated cookies, made ornaments, did some holiday coloring, and even wrote a letter to Santa.

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And speaking of Santa, let me tell you about one of the greatest moments of the entire trip. While we were having our fun in the workshop, I decided to go over to the cafe on the first floor and get some hot chocolate (they serve Starbucks, so I knew it would be yummy!). I took my 7-year-old with me, and guess who we ran into at the coffee shop?

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SANTA!!!! Oh my gosh! Darah could not believe her eyes and was just beside herself with joy at this unexpected run-in! Turns out, Santa was there to hang out for a bit with the kids and to take pictures (again, completely free of charge for guests!). It was a rather magical encounter, friends, and one that my girls will remember for a long time!

We stayed at the resort just shy of 24 hours, but we made countless memories and enjoyed so much fun while also enjoying lower crowds. I very highly recommend taking a trip to Wilderness at the Smokies during December. It was such a fun experience, with all sorts of complimentary extras thrown in for the guests who are extra savvy and work in a little vacation during the holiday season! Be sure to check out the specials being offered by the resort, even if you are reading this after the holidays! There’s always something fun in store for you.

Stock Up on Baby Items at Kroger (Perfect for Filling Stocking for a Bargain!)

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If you have a baby on your holiday shopping list, NOW is the time to head to your nearest Kroger and take advantage of The Baby Event.

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This is a special two week Catalina coupon promotion just for the Baby aisle at Kroger. A Catalina coupon is a special coupon that prints at the register when you make a qualifying purchase, FYI. From 12/14-12/27, when you spend $40 on participating Baby items, you’ll get a coupon printed at checkout to save $10 on your next Baby Aisle purchase!

To help that $40 stretch even further, don’t forget to make use of additional digital coupons that are available, including $2 off any Huggies and $2 off an Goodnites or Pull Ups.

Huggies is also offering a $5 Catalina coupon at checkout when you purchase $25 or more of the following products: ANY size Huggies Diapers, Wipes, Pull Ups, Goodnites, and Little Swimmers.

And for the folks who like to buy larger numbers of diapers at a time, there’s a sweet $10 Catalina coupon when you buy 2 Pampers or Luvs Diaper Boxes (including Easy-Ups).

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So if you need some of these products look for the tags on participating items and get stocked up while racking up the savings! And then you can turn around and use all those great Catalina coupons (you could find yourself with $25 in Catalina coupons!) to get some great stocking stuffers that will be just perfect for your little one. The Baby Aisle at Kroger has a great assortment of products that you will love and that baby can use!

Remember, the $40 purchase minimum must be met AFTER any digial coupons have been applied and this great offer only lasts until 12/27, so head on over to Kroger today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Baby Catalina . The opinions and text are all mine.

The Family that PJs Together, Slays Together

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We just switched up a holiday tradition that goes back in my own family for as long as I can remember. We ALWAYS opened one gift on Christmas Eve, and that gift was brand new pajamas so that we looked fabulous on Christmas morning.

This year I decided to change things up a bit with my family. We are still getting holiday pjs, to be certain. But now we are getting them earlier in the season so we can enjoy them for more time before they have to be put away (or in the case of my kids, outgrown). I’m enjoying getting more use out of our festive jammies, and in fact, I decided to do the matching family pajamas this year (similar set here). It’s silly, a little dorky and you know what? Also so much fun!!! I’m going to keep doing this until my kids are too embarrassed to match their parents. 🙂

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If you are still shopping for holiday sleepwear for your family, definitely check out Zulily. You can purchase a product featuring a “Buy One, Give One” badge and that will trigger a donation to one of two philanthropic organizations, First Book and Treehouse. And while you are shopping, keep in mind that 31% of families will go the matching PJ route (I vote for it! It’s so stinkin’ cute!), that 29% of folks prefer plaid for their winter pajama look, and that 8% will go all in and get matching PJ accessories for their dog(s). However you want to work it, Zulily can help you achieve your perfect look and slay (sleigh?) this holiday season. That Buy One, Give One promotion is pretty awesome, too!

Do you usually get holiday jammies? Any favorite looks from Zulily? I love this set. I mean, I tried, ok? 🙂

My Little Pony Castles: All the Royal Homes of Equestria

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Do you have big My Little Pony fans in your house? We certainly do! Our entire family has watched every season together as it has been released on Netflix. We have had so much fun watching the plot evolve, getting to see more and more of Equestria, and meeting fun new characters.

Also, the castles! The number of castles in Equestria has grown as we have been introduced to different parts of the kingdom. In this post I’ll highlight all of the different My Little Pony castle playset options.

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In the newest season (6) viewers get a better look at the Crystal Empire Castle and its brand new resident, Baby Flurry Heart! The latest and greatest castle on the market, therefore, is the Crystal Empire Castle, sent to us by Hasbro. It has a few fun features that I want to point out, most notably the light up feature on the bottom which is very fun for kids (3 AAA batteries are needed and aren’t included, FYI).  my-little-pony-castle-toy

Another thing included with this set that the kids will flip over is the only baby alicorn in all of Equestria! Baby Flurry Heart has her own bassinet, her own swing, and even her own crown included. This castle is currently priced at $39.99.

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Another new royal residence in Equestria is Princess Twilight’s upgraded home, located right in Ponyville. This is the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom Playset and it’s perfect for all the pony besties to get together for some fun. The rainbow pony slide is sure to be a big hit, as is the pony swing. This castle is priced at $39.99.

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The original castle we learn about in the series is, of course, Canterlot Castle, where Princess Celestia resides. This set is 3 stories tall and comes with Princess Celestia and Spike the Dragon. Other features include a real working elevator and codes that can be scanned with your smartphone to unlock fun on the MLP Friendship Celebration app. 42 accessories are also included, so this is a great pick for the child who really gets into those details. It retails for $79.99.

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There are other castles that have been created in the past, but they are all discontinued so you will likely have to pay inflated prices to get them, which is why I haven’t listed them here (I don’t pay crazy prices and I wouldn’t want to suggest that you do that, either!).

I’d love to hear which castle you want for your MLP fans at home? Will any of these be under your tree this year???