Shopping: Thanksgiving 2014 Gifts & Treats

Editor’s note: To further get in the giving spirit this Thanksgiving & holiday season, click HERE to learn about local opportunities to give back by volunteering!

Kitchen Aid
Entice the youngest members of the family to pitch in with the Thanksgiving meal preparations by offering them a cool apron to wear while cooking. Not only will Williams-Sonoma’s Thanksgiving Turkey Apron for kids keep youngsters’ holiday outfits spic-and-span, but it will help create a festive mood and make them feel included in contributing to the day. $29.95, williams-sonoma.com
The Name Game
There’s no reason that “kid-friendly” and “sophisticated” have to be mutually exclusive when it comes to a holiday tabletop. And Mark and Graham’s Linen Satin Stitch Cocktail Napkins are the perfect example. The linen napkins promise to be super-soft, super-absorbent, and totally machine-washable (making them great for kiddos)—plus, the look is one of understated elegance (and is customizable when it comes to monogram and color options). $32 for a set of four; markandgraham.com
Treat Yourself
This Thanksgiving, the gourmet crisped rice makers at Treat House are serving up some new festive treats in harvest flavors. Prepare to feast on bites of Pumpkin Pie Spice, Turkey Caramel Sea Salt, and Candied Orange Cranberries. And in keeping with the spirit of the season, 10 cents from every treat purchased will be donated to the Food Bank for New York City. $2.25 per treat; $24 for a 12-pack; treathouse.com
This Must Be The Place
Add some crafty panache to your tabletop with Meri Meri’s Thanksgiving Placecards (a set of 10) from Land of Nod. The set includes pilgrim-shaped place cards in male and female designs, each bearing a blank banner for writing in guest’s names. $12.95, landofnod.com
Creative Cookies
Well-known as a sweet treat staple in NYC, Eleni’s is at it again with their seasonally inspired Color Me Turkey Cookie with Markers set. As with all Eleni’s Color Me cookies, this kit lets you decorate artisan sugar cookies with edible markers—so each sugary turkey is totally unique. Plus, cookies are made in a nut-free environment and are certified Kosher. $58.50 for 21 cookies and seven markers; elenis.com
Festive Flock
Planning an all-day marathon celebration for Thanksgiving? Keep little ones occupied with a fun craft! The Paper Source’s Turkey Puppet Kit—which includes paper bags, pre-cut shapes, assorted papers, googly eyes, and templates for five puppets—is the perfect activity for kids to do together! Bonus points if you can wrangle the kids into putting on an after-dinner show for the grown-ups! $15.95, papersource.com
Home Plate
Complete with rustic, patchwork-style turkey tableaus, Pottery Barn Kids’ BPA-free and dishwasher-safe melamine plates are the perfect way to make young guests feel special—plus each different style offers up a message of something to be thankful for. Snap up the Food, Sun, Family, and Friends designs for a complete set. $6.60 each, potterybarnkids.com
The Dude Abides
They say the right tee-shirt really ties an outfit together—and none more so than this cheeky pick for toddlers from Old Navy. Perfect for little dudes to rock as they gobble up their dinner and sip their non-alcoholic White Russians (read: milk), this 100 percent cotton crewneck comes in an aptly named Squash hue and is sure to elicit a few giggles from any “Big Lebowski”-loving parents at the dinner table. $8, oldnavy.com

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Looking for something to do with the kids in New York City that is fun, exciting, and educational? The Intrepid Museum offers family-friendly activities and programs all year long that keep children engaged, entertained, and curious about history and science. Fun rain or shine, the Museum offers both indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits and activities. With so many things to do and see, you&rsquo;ll never hear &ldquo;I&rsquo;m bored,&rdquo; when you climb aboard Intrepid. A non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world&rsquo;s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine.

Chickenshed NYC

Chickenshed is an inclusive theatre company that began in the UK in 1974. Chickenshed NYC is a young organization bringing that same ethos and unique methodology to the USA. Chickenshed&rsquo;s mission is to create entertaining and outstanding theatre that celebrates diversity and inspires positive change. Chickenshed's model of Inclusive Theatre is based in the belief that everyone can flourish when everyone is included. At Chickenshed everyone is welcome, everyone is valued, and together we produce remarkable theatre. We want to break down barriers between people to create a world without labels and where differences no longer divide. At Chickenshed, support is given to those who need it, and given by those who can . We believe that creative activities, self-expression and performance should be available to anyone who has the desire, no matter their background or circumstances. We know that when everyone has the opportunity to shine, amazing things happen. Chickenshed NYC provides programming for little ones, children and youth through semester-long activities and performances.