Our Guide to Gifting Hazel Village
We might be biased, but we firmly believe that a Hazel Village woodland friend makes a quite a fine present for just about anyone. In this blog post we will share our best recommendations according to age group, to help you put together the perfect gift!
No matter what items you decide to purchase, you can rest assured that we treat every order we receive here at the Village as if it is a gift. Prices are always excluded from our packages, and we take care to nicely wrap each and every item so they arrive at your home ready for gifting.
You can explore our collection of woodland animals here, and our diverse range of kid dollies here. We also have a Meet the Animals blog post in case you would like to read all of their stories in one place, to help you choose the perfect friend for your intended recipient.
Here at Hazel Village, we make toys with the quality, play value, and sheer emotional appeal to stick with a child for the long haul. We aim to help you give a gift that will be treasured lifelong!
Gifts for Babies
Dolls & Animals
Our dolls and animals are safe for all ages! Babies being as fond of gnawing on things as they are, it's important to provide them with only the best. Our dolls and animals are made from organic cotton fleece, with hypoallergenic polyfill stuffing. Because their faces are embroidered, there are no hard components that could present a choking hazard. (You can view our safety standards here.)
We often hear from parents that our bunnies and mice are especially popular with babies, because their big ears are perfect for chewing on. Quite right!
Doll Clothing
If your chosen doll or animal needs an outfit, we recommend the Forest Green Picnic Overalls. Simpler dolly outfits are best for a baby gift, and these super soft overalls are a timeless and classic choice. They have been one of our best sellers for many years now!
Play Quilt
If you would like to truly elevate your gift, our Map Tapestry Play Quilt is a spectacular option that can be enjoyed from babyhood onward. It can be used as wall decor in a nursery, a comfy floor mat for a little one’s play, and a special accent blanket for an older kid’s bed. It is made from 100% cotton and linen, and printed with our original artwork of the Hazel Village map in dazzling full color.
Gifts for Toddlers
Doll Clothing
When building a doll’s outfit for a toddler gift, we recommend selecting items of clothing with velcro closure. Velcro makes it easy for little hands to dress and undress a woodland friend – an excellent way to develop dexterity! You might select the Festive Frill Blouse and the Garden Tile Skirt Overalls, or perhaps the Windowpane Plaid Shirt and the Butternut Squash Suspender Pants.
Mini Animals
Our mini animals are ideal for little ones because of their diminutive size – at just 2-3” tall, they fit perfectly in a toddler’s hand. These charming critters are designed to be dollies for our dollies. The Hazel Village animals love having their own cuddly companions!
Matching Crowns
Is there anything more delightful than matching with your woodland friend? Our Goldenrod Crown for kids and dolls is a quintessential piece of headwear for special occasions or for everyday play. The kids crown is adjustable, and will comfortably fit heads measuring 18”-21” – perfect for toddlers and small children.
Gifts for Kids
Doll Clothing
We’ve found that playing dress-up is most enjoyed by kids ages 4 and up. This is the time when it’s ideal to gift a wardrobe of varied doll clothing and accessories, so the recipient has plenty of different pieces to play with. Sweaters, hats, shirts, pants, dresses – the more options, the better!
Play Sets
We definitely recommend including a play set in your gift as well. Like all Hazel Village products, these sets are designed with care to encourage imaginative play. Plus, we recently lowered their price to just $28 each – quite a bargain!
The Toy Set has a doll-size functional jigsaw puzzle, patchwork ball, and foraging-themed card game, neatly packed in a drawstring bag.
The Art Set has a doll-size functional sketchpad, watercolor paints, birch wood easel, and dolly beret, packed in a little rucksack.
Both sets are sure to keep kids and their animals entertained, whether they are playing indoors on a rainy day or on a picnic blanket in the sunshine!
Storybook
Our storybook The Gifts of the Year is an excellent gift for any little one, but ideal for ages 3-8. It tells the story of Gwendolyn Raccoon and her animal friends as they enjoy every season in Hazel Village; they celebrate holidays, harvest the treasures of field and forest, and make nice presents for their friends. The Gifts of the Year was written and illustrated by our founder Jane, and is an essential item for any Hazel Village collection.
Gifts for Teens & Adults
While our products are first and foremost designed around kids, we believe that Hazel Village is for friends are for all ages. Perhaps your teenager is having a tough time in school, and could use an encouraging animal buddy. Maybe your parent or grandparent is feeling lonely, and would appreciate a cozy woodland companion. Maybe you, yourself, are hoping to reconnect a little bit with your inner child. Gifting a stuffed animal to an adult may seem silly, but we believe it can be a powerful thing to remind a loved one that they are deserving of comfort.
If you are having trouble deciding which Villager to purchase, we highly recommend reading through our Meet the Animals blog post to get to know their personalities. For instance, if you are planning a gift for someone who loves to paint, then Jeremy Owl is the natural choice!
You have reached the end of our Gifting Guide! Thank you so much for reading and for supporting our small business. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hello@hazelvillage.com.
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