Now that school is back in, the next big holiday on the kids minds will be Halloween!  The one day of the year, when asking for candy is cool and acting out and dressing up is accepted by parents, teachers and friends alike!  This is  a kids dream of a holiday!  A holiday where their unique and creative ideas can shine!

Halloween ideas are rampant, but will take some serious thought and preparation from both the kids and the parents.  Who or what are you going to be this year is the first big question.  Next, are you going to create your own Halloween costume or just buy off the shelf?  Lets hope you can help create their own Halloween costume!    Whether it is their favorite pop star, a simple ghost with a sheet and two eyes cut out, most costumes can be created from items right in your own closet or attic and these will be the most memorable and also the most affordable.

Of course this is not an option for everyone, but there are ways to still make it a Personalized Halloween even  if you can't stitch up a costume.  And the candy, how are you going to carry it??  A halloween bucket, bag or if you're expecting a big haul, how about a pillowcase!

At Anything Joe's Personalized Gifts for Kids, we've featured bags, of every size, but the cutest and most enduring choice for a Halloween Candy tote idea are the personalized Halloween Buckets hand painted by our artists. 

These sturdy Halloween buckets, 10"H   come in Black, Orange and Dark Purple and are personalized with the child's name, a Halloween Candy design and feature a nylon rope handle.  Strong enough to carry anyones take on Halloween evening!  This is a great way to make their Halloween experience more personal.  The buckets can also be used over and over for several years and they are a great place to store the Halloween Candy until it's all gone.

Need a more customized theme?  We can do this too, we can do something to match their Princess Costume, Super Hero, or whatever character they envision!

These Personalized Halloween Buckets are also great for whoever greets at your front door to pass out the candy.  Another choice for your Front Door Ghoul would be our personalized Halloween Snack Bowl.  This can be painted with the family name, such as, "THE JOHNSON'S TREATS" and will look great as you dish out the candy or on your counter for the Halloween Party!

OK, so now that we have that out of the way, we always like to include our

Top Halloween Safety Tips:

So, as you prepare your child for the Candy Grab Night, remind them of these points and then be sure to escort your little trick-or-treater on his rounds or make sure that there is a responsible adult present with them.

1. Stay on the sidewalk, if there is one, if not, stick close to the curb, facing oncoming traffic.
2. Choose the safest route, not the shortest! Emphasize the importance of crossing only at corners. Crossing mid-block increases your risk of an accident.
3. Remind kids to look both ways (left-right-left) before crossing the street, and don't assume that motorists will yield to you.
4. Limit your territory to familiar streets and neighbors. Make it clear if certain areas or houses are off-limits. There's advantages to trick-or-treating with a group: there's safety in numbers, and it's more fun!
5. Halloween is a great time to remind kids about stranger danger! Teach your child to be polite but cautious around neighbors they haven't met, and to never, ever enter a stranger's home or car.
6. Beware of black cats…and other nocturnal critters. Halloween, with its constantly ringing doorbells and throngs of people, can make even calm pets nervous. Advise your child to steer clear of pets he or she doesn't know, and consider removing your own pet from all the action.
7. This one is never popular…but don't let kids sample their treats until you inspect them. To lessen the disappointment, serve up a fun, Halloween-themed meal first. How about a Worm Sandwich (hot dogs cut into squiggly strips, curled up on a bun)? Or Spaghetti and Eyeballs (with strategically-placed olives embedded into the meatballs)?
8. Set rules regarding candy consumption, starting on Halloween night. It's no coincidence that physicians see a rise in upset stomachs after Halloween!  A great idea we heard was to once you get home, divide the candy into 7 bags, ziplock sandwich sized, so they will have a weeks worth of candy.  Keep it in the kitchen in a safe, unreachable place and divvy it out each day!  Anything left over seven days worth, divide into bags and take to the local nursing home or shelter, they will appreciate it so much!
9. Spook-proof your yard for visiting trick-or-treaters. Clear the walkway of wet leaves and other obstacles; turn on all the lights. If your decorations require extension cords, get them out of the way.
10. As far as Jack o' Lanterns go, never let young children near carving tools. Non-toxic paint, stickers, and push-in picks are safe decorating alternatives. Or let your child draw the face, while you do the carving. Instead of candles, illuminate your pumpkin with a safe, battery-operated alternative.
11. Falls are the leading cause of accidental injuries on Halloween, according to the National Safety Council. So shorten that hem, leave the high heels home, and make sure you think safety!
12. Get the pictures before you start!  Stay focused on helping them have a great time!

Storage of toys, plush pets, books and art supplies are a daily challenge to Moms and their kids.  When choosing storage options, it is important to select storage containers that are functional and will blend with a kids room decor and can also grow with the child.  Early organization skills can be taught to children as young as two, as long as you keep it simple....this box for toys, this box for blocks, this box for pets, etc.  You can make this learning process a game with the Clean Up Song:

Clean up, clean up.
Everybody clean up.
Clean up, clean up.
Put your things away.

We have found several great ideas for dealing with these toy storage problems, large to small  These personalized gift items are not only practical, but they are cute too with hand painted designs and personalization providing a workable level of style and usability for their rooms and play areas.

For large toy storage, we have a our Large Personalized Toy Box storage units that can be painted with their name and choice of designs.   These is perfect for the nursery right up through their Kindergarten days.  This includes a rolling toy tub that can be rollled around to pick up the toys.  Another large storage choice is the Treasure Chest. Shaped like a pirate's chest, this can be used for boy's toy storage with a Pirate Design and also makes a great Dress Up trunk for little girls with a princess or dress up clothes pattern.

A Mom favorite is our folding fabric hampers / toy bins Painted with a design to match their room decor it can begin their life as a toy storage bin and later be used as a hamper.  Available in ocean blue, fuschia pink and lime green, this large fabric box, 16" x 16" x 19"H, is a versatile choice.

Got lots of art supplies?? Our new Art Supply Tool Chest is perfect for boys and girls who love projects, but can never find all of their supplies.  This Art Box with it's outside boxes, inside divided lift out tray will get them on the road to organization.

Book storage is one of our specialties.  Tired of digging books out of the toy chest, off the floor, from under the bed?  Get them our practical personalized book rack and watch them learn to put their books in a proper place by their bed or even in the living room.  This little personalized gift has been one of our customers favorites for years!

We hope these storage ideas will inspire you and offer a solution to your storage problems.  Happy organizing!

This time of year our minds start preparing for the next upcoming Holiday, EASTER!

The Easter tradition at our house include a personal visit by Peter Rabbit who left our full to the brim Easter Basket on the front steps (bunnies don't do chimneys and can't open the door my Mom said).  Along with the basket he would scatter a trail of eggs for us to find before we began dressing in our Easter finery and heading off to church, our pockets full of chocolate that always melted before we could eat it.

We now see more and more that this holiday has become one of gift giving, but the key is still the Easter Basket.  But the basket is now larger and a container for many other gifts, along with the candy.

Our three favorites this year are our Sol Totes, a "croc bag" that is made of the same material as a croc and will serve as their purse or beach tote all summer.  So in these days of watching the budget, it is a two fold gift that will be a hit and used all spring and summer on beach, lake or pool trips.

Our next favorite is the traditional personalized wicker Easter Basket for kids with the Chambray liner.  This is a traditional gift that will bring excitement to Easter morning.  Large, deep and lightweight this basket will become part of your Easter Tradition.

Last but not least are our pesonalized Easter Basket bags that are the perfect size for filling and for the Easter Egg Hunt and when the holiday is over, "crush flat" for storage until next year.

So happy Easter Basket filling and Easter Egg Hunts to all!

Storage of toys, books and art supplies are a daily challenge to Moms and their kids.  We have several great ideas for this problem.   These personalized gift items are not only practical, but they are cute too with our designs and personalization providing a workable level of style and usability for their rooms and play areas.

For large toy storage, we have a our Rolling Toy Box, (19" x 14" x 11"D) that can be painted with their name and choice of designs.   This is perfect for the nursery right up through their Kindergarten days.  Another large storage choice is our Treasure Chest. Shaped like a pirate's chest, this can be used for toy storage and also makes a great Dress Up trunk for little girls.

Got lots of art supplies??  Our new Art Supply Tool Chest is perfect for boys and girls who love projects, but can never find all of their supplies.  This Art Box with it's outside boxes, inside divided lift out tray will get them on the road to organization.

Book storage is one of our specialties.  Tired of digging books out of the toy chest, off the floor, from under the bed?  Get them our practical personalized book rack and watch them learn to put their books in a proper place by their bed or even in the living room.  This little personalized gift has been one of our customers favorites for years!

We hope these storage ideas will inspire you and offer a solution to your storage problems.  Happy organizing!

Debbie