It’s THAT time again: music in stores, lights on houses, the smell of evergreen and pine. Whether you wait for Thanksgiving to pass or not, the Christmas season has arrived and the shopping has begun. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be highlighting great green gifts for your family and friends.

One of my favorite web sites to shop for unique kid’s toys is Stubby Pencil Studio. Mom and owner, Kate Rosenthal, stocks eco products for creative kids that are non-toxic and environmentally responsible. Here are some of my favorites:

Holiday Smencils, $6.50. Grab these first, they were sold out last year! 5 limited edition gourmet scented pencils made from 100% recycled newspapers. Each Holiday Smencil comes packaged in its own (recyclable) Freshness Tube and come in 5 fun scents: Cinnamon, Sugar Plum, Candy Cane, Gingerbread & Sugar Cookie.

Star Crayons, $8.95. I can’t get enough of fun shaped crayons and your kids won’t either. Each box holds 20 crayon stars in assorted colors and are made from 100% recycled crayons from the National Crayon Recycling Program. Purchasing eco stars supports recycling education and employs people with disabilities.

Monkey Pencils, $2.95. Your kids will love taking these to school. 3 monkey pencils made from natural, chemical free rubber wood, and finished with non-toxic and child friendly colors.

Rainbox Softdough, $9.95 Mary’s Softdough is a soft, non-crumbly modeling dough made from 100% food-quality ingredients. Completely non-toxic, this colorful tub of dough will last up to a year and provide hours of fun. An 18 oz. tub holds a rainbow of colors: red, yellow, green, blue and purple. Ingredients include flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, soybean oil, food coloring and sodium benzoate (a food preservative).

Softdough Tool Set, $7.95. No playdough set would be complete without tools to roll and cut the dough. This 12 piece set includes a hardwood rolling pin and assorted cookie cutters: moon, star, sun, cloud, leaf, heart, frog, squirrel, butterfly, dragonfly, and turtle.

Made By Me Kits, $4. These are great projects to do with your kids. The kit provides all the pieces but kids provide their imagination. Put the car, truck or train together and then get out the crayons and markers and kids can personalize them.

Bio: I have a wonderful husband of 5 years and I am mom to an (almost) 3 year old daughter and our second child due in November. When I had my daughter 3 years ago, I became interested in a healthier home and environment for our family and that passion eventually turned into Mommy Goes Green. Additionally, I am a marketing consultant for a database marketing agency and my husband and I own an online children's bike store. My family and interests keep us busy in the outdoors, camping, biking, skiing and playing on the water.