Dear Savvy Aunties,

In the spring of 2007, I had the idea to create a community and lifestyle brand for PANKs, or Professional Aunts No Kids, the term I coined for the growing trend of women who are not moms (by circumstance, choice or challenge) and love the children in their life. I wanted these women to have the resources and community moms and dads have to more savvy about their most beloved role. I called the brand: Savvy Auntie.

It was then that I made the decision to leverage my experience as a marketing and communications executive at global media, finance and consumer goods companies - along with my Savvy “Auntuition” of what women like me - childFULL women - wanted and needed, to create Savvy Auntie.

In 2025, I feel so grateful for that morning in 2007 when I woke up and decided to become an "Auntrepreneur." I am so proud of all the things we as a community - the Savvy "Auntourage" - have been able to accomplish. I'm humbled by the response of both aunts and those who love them.

As we head into 2025, I believe that individually as aunts, and as a tribe of childfull women, this is our year. I am so looking forward to achieving "fauntastic" things with you and hearing about all your “Auntventures!”

To share your experiences, get advice and support from others in the Auntourage, or to simply post a photo of a niece or nephew with pride, join the closed Savvy Auntie Facebook Group – And of course, Like our Savvy Auntie Facebook Page with over 100,000 Savvy Aunties just like you!

Thank you for an incredible 17 years! And here's to what's to come in 2025!

It was then that I made the decision to leverage my experience as a marketing and communications executive at global media, finance and consumer goods companies - along with my Savvy “Auntuition” of what women like me - childFULL women - wanted and needed, to create Savvy Auntie.

In 2023, I feel so grateful for that morning in 2007 when I woke up and decided to become an "Auntrepreneur." I am so proud of all the things we as a community - the Savvy "Auntourage" - have been able to accomplish. I'm humbled by the response of both aunts and those who love them.

As we head into 2023, I believe that individually as aunts, and as a tribe of childfull women, this is our year. I am so looking forward to achieving "fauntastic" things with you and hearing about all your “Auntventures!”

To share your experiences, get advice and support from others in the Auntourage, or to simply post a photo of a niece or nephew with pride, join the closed Savvy Auntie Facebook Group – there are nearly 4,000 Savvy Aunties there, already! And of course, Like our Savvy Auntie Facebook Page with over 100,000 Savvy Aunties just like you!

Well it's that time again... the Sunday night blues turning into Monday morning school bells. Our nieces and nephews are going back-to-school!

And once we get over the shock of what grade they are entering (Preschool! Grade School! Middle School! High School! College!) it's time to buckle up and get ready for the ride.

There's that incredible day when you realize that they can read – even it requires some help from Auntie. And before you know it, they are sharing things they learning about that you never knew. They're learning languages you never knew! They're playing sports you never tried! They're showing talents you never knew they had!

Here's to the Class of 2023, Auntie. And here's to you for the best lessons on love and family!

For now, mark your calendars!

It's hard to believe that in the third week of February, 2020, I was at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City among with thousands of people looking at and touching hundreds of toys and games for the year to come. We had all heard about COVID-19 but the concerns were focused on small and large toy companies that had products being manufactured overseas and how the delays caused by COVID-19 shutdowns in China would affect their ability to fill orders from retailers, online and in stores. For some toy companies, it was a make or break situation for their survival.

Just days later, New York and many other states would be shut down and naturally our concerns with the epidemic were much greater and brought closer to home. And while at first, the toy industry felt layoffs and manufacturing challenges, it quickly became one of the industries that was able to not only bring its workers back but add more workers to its teams.

Toys and games, including puzzles, building sets and board games, were flying off the online "shelves" while children were quarantining at home with their parents through the spring and then through the summer. And while its true that some of the toys and games we spotted in February are delayed for release until 2021, many of the toys I spotted in February and in virtual press events throughout the year, are available in time for the holidays.

I curated my list of the coolest 20 toys and games for 2020 from literally hundreds I saw this year, in person and through online demonstrations. No doubt, the 12th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards list is not like any other in that it is focused on the coolest toys that are also safer bets. It's been a very challenging for everyone - especially for our nieces and nephews whose worlds were thrown upside down. Where we usually see trends that come out of schoolyard play, we didn't have as many open schools thus year. And movies that were supposed to come out this year were delayed and so were the toys that went along with them. And toys that children can play with their parents (and with their Savvy Aunties who were able to visit) instead of friends their own age were more popular than usual.

Still, the 2020 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award winners list is filled with truly cool toys and games. I hope that this guide will help you be the hero at the holidays- and all year 'round.

Find the 20 Coolest Toys of 2020 here: SavvyAuntie.com/ToyAwards

Dear Savvy Aunties,

Last month, we celebrated the 12th "Auntieversary" of SavvyAuntie.com. Since we launched the site for cool aunts, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids, much of our content and engagement has shifted to our social media platforms.

Our Facebook Page (Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie) is going strong with over 100,000 fans and our Closed, Private Facebook Savvy Auntie Group of 3,250 is always busy with Savvy Aunties posting moments of auntie pride, challenges, advice and support.

We're also on Instagram @SavvyAuntie and you can find me on Twitter @SavvyAuntie.

Join us on the SAVVY AUNTIE social media platforms! And find other members of the Auntourage just like you!

Sunday, July 26 is the 12th annual Auntie's Day!

I established the day as a celebration of aunts and aunthood, dedicated to all the aunts by relation and aunts by choice. Like Mother's Day in May and Father's Day in June, Auntie's Day is a day set aside to honor and acknowledge all the cool aunts, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love a child-not-their-own on the fourth Sunday in July each year.

Auntie's Day is a grassroots movement that began here, at SAVVY AUNTIE, and has reached aunts throughout the world. This year, we are working on social media campaigns and virtual events with me, so be sure to join the closed, private SAVVY AUNTIE Group on Facebook (FB.com/groups/savvyauntie) and Follow me on Instagram (Instagram.com/savvyauntie) so you can be a part of it.

There's much more to come! But for now, as some parts of the nation open up and others have tighter restrictions due to COVID-19, plan a way to be connected with your nieces and nephews on Sunday, July 26!

Stay safe and keep well. I cannot wait to celebrate Auntie's Day with you on Sunday, July 26!

XOXO,

Melanie Notkin

Founder & Author SAVVY AUNTIE

Dear Savvy Aunties,

A couple of weeks ago, I toured my 12th Toy Fair New York, an event where American and global toy and game companies preview the toys and games coming in 2020 to toy industry executives, retailers, and the press. And as member of the latter, I toured the largest companies like Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master and LEGO - as well as medium sized companies and a few startups with exciting innovations.

I spotted a few trends like the continuation of surprise reveal collectibles where kids have to unwrap or dig through a compound like kinetic sand or oozy slime to find their treasure. Some reveals happen when a package in dunked in water and it dissolves to reveal a toy or the toy changes colors while to reveal something new. And FUNKO has a new way to experience collectibles found only in kiosks coming to stores nationwide.

Sustainability took a front seat with some companies like MGAE (makers of the 2020 Toy of the Year: L.O.L. Surprise!) who is replacing plastic with degradable materials including the ubiquitous L.O.L. Surprise! ball. We held MegaBloks blocks at MATTEL that were nearly impossible to distinguish from the traditional plastic versions. And other companies looked to help kids better understand and appreciate the environment through play.

While encouraging STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) learning in play has focused on coding for a few years now, I noticed a bigger focus on environmental sciences, biology and chemistry. Robotics continued to be on trend.

Board games are still on a resurgence as kids and families look for ways to move away from the screens and spend more time together. Modernized versions of classic games Savvy Aunties remember from our childhood like Hasbro's Monopoly, Mall Madness and Dungeons and Dragons - and Mattel's Pictionary Air (2020 Toy of the Year: Games) Kids version are good bets, but we also spotted new games with unexpected twists like PlayMonster's Drone Home.

I gave 10 toys and games a SAVVY AUNTIE COOLEST TOY AWARD - Toy Fair 2020 edition. It was challenging to pick just 10 from the thousands of toys and games I previewed, but I think these toys and games will make kids go "Wow!" when they see them! Click here for the list.

Here's to the toys and games coming to wow your nieces and nephews in 2020!

XOXO

Melanie Notkin

Founder and Author, SAVVY AUNTIE

Indeed. Valentine's Day is coming.

Whether or not you care about Valentine's Day, or think of it simply as a great excuse to share hugs and chocolate kisses with your nieces and nephews, it's challenging to avoid those who indulge in the spirit of the day. A co-worker may ask your Valentine's Day plans as she happily shares her own, you may drive by a man carrying a bouquet of roses on his way to a date or a woman coming out of the salon with her hair spun in waves of excitement and wonder for what's to come.

Valentine's Day is a reminder for some that finding love, and having that love returned, can be as elusive as finding a parking spot at the mall on December 23rd. You may slowly follow someone to their car, only for another car to get in front of you to get that spot. You may see an empty spot from afar only to discover it's "reserved" for others. And you go around and around the lot again. And you finally see one but it's right at the other end of the mall from where you want to be. You consider settling... only to decide you just can't be that far from what you want. Hey! How did that car you saw drive into the lot two minutes ago get a spot already? And you drive around and around and consider that far away spot again only to find someone else has taken it and you have a ping of regret until you comfort yourself knowing it wasn't right and wish the other driver well. And you drive around and around hoping a spot will open before it's dark... All you need is one spot, you think to yourself, just one spot to park yourself for a while.

Holidays and special occasions can feel frustrating when all you want it to share it with someone you love and who loves you right back. And it's around those times that we neglect the journey we're on and to appreciate all the wonderful things in our lives, including the children we love and who return that love.

While we are looking for our parking spot, we don't focus on the interesting podcast we're listening to. We forget to smile when our favorite song from our high school days comes on the radio and brings back happy memories. We barely listen to a friend sitting next to us in the car talk about her problem because your problem of finding a spot is your priority.

When looking for love, remember the journey is filled with life. The journey becomes the stories we share, the memories we make, and the lessons we learn. The journey is what's happening right now while you're focused one what hasn't happened yet.

Find the time to appreciate the time you're in right now. This moment is when you'll be aware of all the possibilities that are opening up right in front of you that you miss looking off into to the distance.

Life is right here, right now. Enjoy the journey before the journey passes you by.

The 11th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards have been announced! I established the annual Savvy Auntie holiday toy list in 2009 designed specifically for PANKs (Professional Aunts No Kids) and ALL the cool aunts by relation and by choice, great-aunts, godmothers and every woman who loves a child-not-her-own!

Each year, I look at hundreds and hundreds of new toys and games to discover and share the ones I believe our nieces and nephews will have on their wish lists at the holiday season. I want aunts to be savvy about the toys and games their nieces and nephews are talking about now - and will still enjoy long after the holiday season.

You can learn more about the 2019 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners, 2019 toy trends, and more here.

Discover all 25 of the 2019 Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Award Winners, here.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

A Savvy Auntie alerted me to a post by @cupofjo on Instagram that looked quite familiar. It was an illustration of a smartphone screen with photos of the same niece or nephew in various poses. The caption is: The Phone of a New Aunt.

I shared the image on Savvy Auntie's Instagram, Twitter, Savvy Auntie Facebook Group and of course, the Savvy Auntie Brand Page on October 3rd. It's gone viral.

In 10 days, the image has reached nearly 300,000 people, with over 50,000 engagements and over 435 shares and at least 10,000 comments!

And it's still going!

It goes to show how there are so many universal experiences in aunthood! The auntourage is strong!

XO

Melanie Notkin

Founder and Author, Savvy Auntie

As my nephew and nieces get older, I have become more aware of how they had at one time looked to me to share some cool trends in style, toys and pop-culture. After all, I get to see the coolest toys of the year months before they arrive in stores and online by attending TOY FAIR NY and other media events throughout the year. They always knew about the toy trends before their friends, and would tell me when they'd see a commercial for some of the coolest news toys and games closer to the holiday season.

And until recently, there was a time when I could introduce them to things I loved as a child - and still appreciate to this day. From Hello Kitty to Snoopy and the Gang to Archie comics - I created loyal fans of decades-old popular characters.

Now, however, as they are focused less on toys and more on fashion, style and technology, they have surpassed my awareness of "what kids are into these days."

The cool new backpacks? It's the lightweight Fjällräven Kånken. These well-designed backpacks come in various sizes to take kids, teens and college-age kids from class, to hikes, to overnight travel, and more.

The cool new hair trend? Barrettes! Extra large hair clips are hot right now, even for grown ups who haven't worn them since grade school. Here are a few of the hair clip trends. Now, two years ago, I had gone back to wearing barrettes in my hair and introduced my nieces to the DIY ribbon hair clips we made when I was a kid by braiding and threading thin ribbons through bare hair clips. Naturally, I wore the barrette one of my nieces made for me for weeks!) But these new clips, including the one a niece brought back for me as a gift this summer, are much cooler!

I'm being schooled in what's cool and having so much fun exploring the style Zeitgeist with these kids. I'm even taking on a few of the trends myself. I am obligated to maintain my Savvy Auntie status, after all.

When kids reach an age where they make you feel like a kid again by delighting in what they discover, and in some case, develop a real passion for ... well that's a fAuntastic benefit of being an aunt, isn't it?

Being a "cool kid" isn't what important in the end, of course. And I certainly wasn't a "cool kid" when I was a kid. Still, seeing this time through their experience, knowing that years down the line the stand-out trends will feel nostalgic to them, marking a time when they were kids in the 20-teens and beyond, I'm happy to be a part of that memory making.

Here's to the memorable cool trends our nieces and nephews grow in-and-out of. And here's to being along for the ride.

It's hard to believe that the 11th annual Auntie's Day is Sunday, July 28. As many of you know, I established Auntie's Day in 2009 to honor and celebrate the aunts and godmothers in a child's life. Auntie's Day falls annually on the fourth Sunday in July.

And every year, July comes around faster and faster.

My nephew and nieces celebrated milestones and awards at the end of this school year. Some are moving on to new schools ... one is even moving overseas for the academic year.

These are the days I imagined would be far away in the distance when my nephew and nieces were babies. And yet, July comes around faster and faster as each year passes and spins around to the next.

And here we are. And there they go.

Being an aunt is still as joyous and rewarding and prideful as it was when my nephew and nieces were small. The only difference now is that they appreciate how much they mean to me. And I know I'm lucky to have a brother and sister-in-law who make me feel so incredibly welcome into their immediate family, inviting me to celebrate every milestone and award.

On Sunday, July 28, I won't be able to celebrate with my nephew and nieces. They will each be focused on their summer activities. But I don't need to be with them to know they are with me and I am with them. Whether it's the Archie Comics and letters I send to camp, or the texts and Facetime exchanges I have with the older ones, or the letters I receive from the younger ones - I am always with them. And they are always with me.

This Auntie's Day, whether or not you are with at least some of your nieces, nephews and godchildren, take some time on Auntie's Day day to appreciate your mutual love. Celebrate all the pride and joy, all the challenges overcome, and all the ways the children (and grown nieces and nephews!) fill your heart.

And for those for whom Auntie's Day is a reminder of a strained relationship, feeling far from the children you love or far from home, missing a sibling or close friend, or God forbid, remembering a niece or nephew who is not longer with us, know that you are not alone. The "Auntourage" is with you. I hope Auntie's Day reminds you of all the love in your life and all the love you have to give. An Auntie's love is an always kind of love.

Aunthood Is a Gift. This Day Is Yours. Happy Auntie's Day on Sunday, July 28, 2019!

You can learn more about Auntie's Day, here.

By the way - have you joined the Auntourage on Facebook? Like our Savvy Auntie Page and please request to join our Closed Savvy Auntie Facebook Group!

Ahh... spring is finally here and those of us in North East can finally shed our puffy coats - including those trendy Amazon jackets I see everywhere on Manhattan streets!

It's time to think about Easter and Passover and how we'll celebrate with the children we love - from near or far.  It's heartwarming to watch my nieces and nephew celebrate the holidays as I did as a child and see the traditions carry on to the next generation. And it's fun to see and hear about the new traditions they are creating.

For those of us who live near our nieces and nephews, or plan to visit, spring is also  time to get out and play! Play is an important part of a child's development and outdoor play has the added bonus of fresh air and nature - like taking a hike together, flying a kite on the beach, or simply swinging in the park. Maybe this spring is the time to introduce a niece or nephew to your favorite outdoor activity, or invite them to introduce you to theirs. Perhaps they will inspire you to start running again, or you'll inspire them to take long, meditative walks by the river. Maybe this is the year you finally get back on a bike and go for a long ride with the kids.

Here's to creating new memories for your nieces and nephews this spring!

As we head into 2019, I believe that individually as aunts, and as a tribe of childfull women, this is our year. I am so looking forward to achieving "fauntastic" things with you and hearing about all your “Auntventures!”

To share your experiences, get advice and support from others in the Auntourage, or to simply post a photo of a niece or nephew with pride, join the closed Savvy Auntie Facebook Group – there are over 2,200 Savvy Aunties there, already! And of course, Like our Savvy Auntie Facebook Page with over 100,000 Savvy Aunties just like you!

It's been a busy fall here at Savvy Auntie HQ!

We are working on packaging the results of the Savvy Auntie Survey we conducted last spring - which hundreds of you generously responded to. We're also working on adding more and more cool toys to our Gifts section so you can discover the toys your nieces and nephews are likely wishing for this holiday season. Plus, we're working on finalizing our 10th Annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards winners list!

That's right - every holiday season since 2009, I've shared my picks for the coolest toys of the year! Throughout the year,  scout for the coolest toys and literally see and sample hundreds of toys and games - and drill down my list to the ones I truly believe are going to make you the heroes at the holidays!

I attend the annual International New York Toy Fair in February and the semiannual TTPM Showcase events as well as attend private toy brand events. I connect with toy industry insiders and toy industry finance analysts to get another look at which toys retailers are making more room for on their shelves, or are discounting.

While there are a number of toy lists out there this time of year, the annual Savvy Auntie Coolest Toy Awards list is the only toy list designed specifically for all the cool aunts, great-aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids not-their-own. And for PANKs - or Professional Aunts No Kids - many of whom have more discretionary income to spend on the children they love, my list includes both special big-ticket toys that are rarely seen on general toy lists - as well as more accessibly priced toys. After all, many Savvy Aunties have more than just a one or two nieces and nephews by relation and by choice to shop for!

I cannot wait to share all the exciting news with you in the coming days and weeks!

In the meantime, have you joined the Closed Savvy Auntie Facebook Group, yet? Unlike our popular SAVVY AUNTIE Brand Page - this Group is private so you can share and exchange ideas with the Auntourage!

Inspired by that moment in kindergarten, I was never bashful about teaching my then little nieces and nephew new words as often as possible. And I wasn’t shy about teaching them “big” words like haberdashery and entrepreneur. We would also count together, from the number of crayons were spread around the table, to how many bumble bees were flying on the pages of the picture book I read to them.

Learn more about QualAuntie Time in my book: SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids