Build-a-Bear is the perfect gift because you get to create your own new best friend. Bears, dogs, bunnies, hedgehogs and even elephants are available for you to build, dress and bring home. We love dressing our Build-a-Bear friends and Princess Cuddles has quite an extensive wardrobe that fits her diva-in-training personality.

One of the best things about Build-A-Bear Workshop is the opportunity to make or buy a unique gift, add a customized, signature sound or embroidered message and give it to someone special. From newlyweds to new parents, sports fans to foodies, tweens to tough guys, Build-A-Bear Workshop has something for everyone and every budget.

What could be more personal than LIVE elves, ready to talk to your child about his/her wishlist? Thanks to our friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop, your family has a direct line to Santa and his little helpers! By visiting  http://play.buildabear.com/, your child can create their own wish list with one of Santa’s elves and tell them what they want for Christmas! Parental agreement is needed for all children under 13.

If you are rushing through the mall wondering what to get the people left on your gift list I suggest giving them all Build-a-Bear Workshop gift cards so they can build their own friend.

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Build-A-Bear Workshop gift card in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place. All opinions are my own.

The post Holiday Guide 2011-Last Minute Gift Ideas-Build-a-Bear appeared first on The Mom Maven.

“I would use the $25 to get some clothing and accessories for my daughter’s brand new and 1st ever Build A Bear (She got Frosty the Snowman) that my mom so kindly got her last night!”

Congratulations Becky!

This is the last of my Holiday Gift Guide Giveaways but there are plenty more giveaways in the works. Make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed so you don’t miss anything!

The post Holiday Gift Guide: Build-A-Bear Winner appeared first on The Mom Maven.

The winner of the Short Cut Carabiner Keychain is #7…Christina S who said she also liked the Keychain Knife: Royal Crest 15 Function Multi-blade Key Ring.

The winner of the Despicable Me prize pack is #55…Shala_Darkstone.

Congratulations to the winners and don’t forget to enter my other giveaways:

Udderly Smooth Lotion 12/15

LEGO Universe 12/15

Build-A-Bear $25 Gift Card 12/18

The post Winners from this Weekend appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Back: Shadow, Shadow, Middle: Mr Huggles, Foster, Princess Cuddles Front: Big Bruiser, Little Bruiser and Brown Sugar

We are a Build-A-Bear family! We have been making them since we came upon our first Build-A-Bear Workshop when we were vacationing in Gatlinburg, TN in 2001. There we made a beautiful black bear named Gatlin as a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law, and the rest…is history.

One of the things I have always admired about Build-A-Bear is all they do to give back to the community. I had the chance to meet Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark this fall at the Type-A Mom Conference and one you meet her and hear her heart and passion, you know why Build-a-Bear is such a caring company. Each year for the past seven years, Build-A-Bear Workshop has recognized young leaders who make a difference in their communities through the Huggable Heroes program. To date, more than 100 Huggable Heroes have been honored for their outstanding community service efforts. Know an outstanding young person? We’d love to hear about them! Visit buildabear.com/huggableheroes in January for information on how to nominate someone for the Huggable Heroes Class of 2011.

There are lots of ways you and your family can give back while shopping at Build-A-Bear this holiday season and throughout the year!

• During December, Guests can add a $1 donation (or more if they desire) to support Toys for Tots when they check out either at the store or online at buildabear.com®. Last year, through the generosity of its Guests, Build-A-Bear Workshop raised nearly $400,000 for the Toys for Tots program.
• Give back online at buildabearville.com®, the Build-A-Bear Workshop virtual world. Guests purchasing Build-A-Bearville® game cards can choose to direct 5 percent of the price to support Toys for Tots.
• Purchase a  World Wildlife Fund Gray Wolf and $1.00 of each purchase goes to the WWF to help protect endangered animals.
• Purchase a Turner Owl and they will donate 50¢ to First Book to provide new books to children from low-income families & 50¢ to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation to support other literacy & education programs.
• Purchase a Pujols Bear and $5 from the sale of this friend will be donated to the Pujols Family foundation which promotes awareness, provides hope and meets tangible needs for families and children who live with Down syndrome; provides extraordinary experiences for children with disabilities and/or life threatening illnesses; improves the standard of living and quality of life for impoverished children in the Dominican Republic through education, medical relief and tangible goods.
• Purchase a Black Lab, Beagle, Boarder Collie, Boxer, Golden Retriever, Husky, Westie, or Yellow Lab and $1 from the sale of these Bearemy’s Kennel Pals^® friends will be donated to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation to help real animals.
• Purchase a Champ Bear, like my friend Mr Huggles and $1 from your purchase is donated to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation which makes grants to pawsome causes that support children’s health such as juvenile diabetes, autism, children’s cancer research or other important wellness causes for children.

It feels good to shop with a company that sews a portion of its sales back into worthy charities and foundations.

It also feels good to win a $25 Bear Buck$ Gift Card!
Mandatory First Entry Leave me a comment telling me something your family does to give back to the community during the holiday season.

Bonus Entries: Leave a separate comment for each entry.

• Visit BuildABear.com and look around, Come back and tell me what you would buy with your $25 gift card
• Like Build-A-Bear on Facebook
• Follow @MomMaven and @BuildABear on Twitter
• Tweet this Dear @MomMaven I want to #win a $25 @buildabear giftcard for Christmas http://bit.ly/fO9Syw
  (you may do this 2x a day)
• Blog subscribers, Networked blog followers, GFC friends and Facebook likers get 1 entry each
• “Like” this post on Facebook

This giveaway is open to US residents only and ends at 10pm ET on December 18, 2010. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: Build-A-Bear Giveaway appeared first on The Mom Maven.