Where to find American Girl Giveaways

Don't you just love a good giveaway? The internal pressure of trying to convince yourself there's no way to win when there are already 6000+ entries but that there is totally a chance you could win because it only takes one entry to be picked? Really though, entering giveaways can be an interesting way to spend your time, and American Girl giveaways are an especially good way to use your time! 

American Girl giveaways most commonly take place around the release of a new doll, whether that's a new GOTY, Historical Character or Truly me doll. Most giveaways are hosted by some sort of blogger or influencer, especially if that blogger or influencer is directly sponsored by American Girl. Many of these bloggers are moms with daughters who review the American girl product and then give it away, often a second product. 

1. Theresa's Reviews

If you want a consistent chance to enter a giveaway, Theresa's reviews posts various American Girl related posts throughout the year. It can be a bit of a hassle though, to get the most entries you'll need to be subscribed to the E-mail list and have a functioning Youtube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook account. You also have to be quite diligent about commenting all of your social media handles so that she can count all of your entries, and there are many times that entries just don't go through. However, they are posting giveaways every few months, so there's always another chance to enter and win.

2. American Girl

Occasionally, American Girl will host giveaways on their Facebook Page. Lately, giveaways have dwindled, however around new releases they are especially likely to host a giveaway. 

3. Dandrige House Dolls

This blogger is an independent blogger who sometimes posts giveaways. Last Christmas I entered and got very close to winning. She buys the prizes herself and although the giveaways are posted in very long intervals, waiting for them is worth it!

4. Chloe's American Girl Doll Channel

I've never entered one of their giveaways, but American Girl is a HUGE sponsor of Chloe's American Girl Doll Channel. They send her absolutely everything, and giveaways aren't uncommon. 

5. Google

If you are really bored and want a way to indulge in the AG goodness, just google for these giveaways, you just never know what you're going to find. 

Giveaway Tips and Tricks

*Disclaimer*

I've never won an American Girl Giveaway online (in fact I never really win giveaways at all, American Girl or not). This section does not guarantee you to win anything, these are just little things you can do to increase your chances of finding and possible, though not absolutely, winning American Girl related Giveaways. 

1. Know when giveaways are most likely to happen-

The release of a new doll is the most likely time for a giveaway to happen. Especially the Girl of the Year. When Joss debuted this year there were countless blogs giving her away, and usually the American Girl stores give away the girl of the year as well. Any new releases that aren't dolls should also tingle your giveaway senses. While not every new release is sent out to every affiliate, many of them are, meaning that after taking in the new releases for yourself, search for some giveaways, it can be a good way to spend your time.

2. Have functioning social media-

I don't use much social media. I'm on a few sites heavily like YouTube and Reddit, but others like Instagram and Facebook aren't my cup of tea. However, entering giveaways often involves social media activity, whether that's liking an Instagram post, following a Facebook page, or watching a YouTube video. For these, you're going to need social media that you have access to and that can do all of these things. I don't think you should have to remain public to do most of these actions, you can still like and comment on YouTube Videos if your channel is private, I think? I know too that on Instagram you can make your page private but hopefully still like and comment on posts there? It depends on what platform you're using, and I just don't know them all. If you're younger, please get a parent's permission, and even if you're older, think critically and know that you have a choice in what platforms you sign up for and how much you choose to do on them.

3. Have an E-mail you check regularly-

Most giveaway winners are notified through E-mail, especially if they aren't announced directly on the platform. Have an e-mail you can put in and check regularly. You also may become subscribed to a few e-mail lists, keep an eye on your e-mail to make sure that you only stay subscribed to lists that are crucial for winning giveaways (the e-mail list for Theresa's Reviews comes to mind).

4. Locate "Indie" giveaways

Dandridge house of dolls is a great place to start for Independent giveaways. Independent giveaways have a blogger or other influencer purchasing AG product using their own funds in order to give it away. Now, of course, as more people learn about these independent influencers, their giveaways will grow in the amount of entries and then not be so easy to win. However, the last giveaway I entered from Dandridge house of dolls only had about 30 entries, and I was one number away from the number that got picked. I hope to find more independent giveaways in the future, because one of these days I'll be in a similar situation, and I'll be picked as the winner! (but probably not lol)

Gabriella McBride was NOT a dancer

I really love the character of Gabriela McBride. She's an outspoken young girl who isn't afraid to use her voice, even if she stutters. However, the way that this character was portrayed through advertisements and items in her collection is such a slap in the face to everyone who had been hoping for a black GOTY in 2017. One of the first impressions I had of her was the she was a dancer. Many other people had this impression too, which was annoying because we'd already had Marisol in 2005 and Isabelle in 2014. The dancing theme has been so overdone. Gabriela, however, is NOT a dancer. She's a poet, and she has adventures at her local community center writing poetry, despite the fact that she STUTTERS. That is so cool, yet nobody paid attention to it, because she was marketed as a dancer and a poet, and being somewhat dance-oriented just caused people to ignore her. I didn't know she stuttered until long after 2017 had ended. 

Aside from Gabriela's pajamas, two of her four outfits are dance-oriented. Gabriela's Rehearsal outfit and Gabriela's Sparkling Sequins outfit. Her other two outfits are nice, pretty dresses, perfect for reading poetry. My question is why she had to have two dance-oriented outfits at all? On the cover of Gabriela's second book, Gabriela wears the same "sparkling sequins" top, but with a black blazer and jeans. How cool would that have been?!?!? A black blazer, an item we've never had before AG. On her third book, she's wearing a simple blue t-shirt and jeans. Why, oh why did AG have to make these crazy outfits?

This outfit gives you the impression that Gabriela is a dancer or does something sporty and active

This outfit gives you the impression that Gabriela is running for some student council position, a very different impression from being a dancer or sporty character. 


This outfit doesn't have a picture in the books, but it got a lot of criticism for being strange, which I agree with, but most of all it's a dancing outfit. There's a leotard/bodysuit, leggings, shoes that look like dancing shoes. However, Gabriela's story focuses on poetry, not being a dancer. 

It's not only her outfits, her accessories are dance-oriented too. For Example:

This is Gabriella's creative studio set. A recolor of Isabelle's ballet bar, a DANCE item. This was Gabriela's "big ticket" item to. Why not produce a stage so your doll can read her poetry? Or a simple cafe set where she can do smaller poetry readings? There were so many missed opportunities here for a more creative, more original playset. 

Gabriela's Showtime Kit. It's not necessarily dance oriented, I'd want to look good for a poetry reading too, but to make a whole set based on this? What about making a poetry notebooks set, or a backpack set, or something that isn't focused on hair like we've had so many times before?

This is one of the coolest items in Gabriela's collection. Here she's not a dancer, she makes music! I think something like this should have been included in her big creative studio. This looks a lot more creative to me than a blue ballet bar. She's got a laptop with screens of a sound editing program, a microphone and a drum pad. What if she was a music producer? That would have been really cool. 

Now the question is, why complain? 2017 was three years ago, at least we got a black GOTY, and if I wanted to I could make every item I hypothetically offered up. I could make my doll a black blazer with golden buttons and dress her up just like the outfits on the covers and make her a poetry stage with a microphone and everything. But, these are the images that people see before they read the books, if they read them at all. These images don't show poetry, they show dancing. The other two outfits I didn't include don't necessarily give off the vibes of anything, but when little girls see the blue ballet bar and the leggings and leotard, they think dance, not poetry. Dance doesn't play as large of a role in her story as it would look like from her collection. It's not bad to be a dancer at all, and if she wants to dance and do poetry that's great, but the dance theme was overdone. SO overdone, especially in the girl of the year line, that the way this collection came together can only be described as disappointing. I really want everyone to know that Gabriela McBride was NOT a dancer, she was a poet, and that her story is just as valid as every other Girl of the Year story, because many young black girls looked up to her, and are continuing to look for the next black or POC Girl of the Year. 

How to Restore American Girl Lindsey's Boots

I got Lindsey Bergman as my third doll for my birthday in 2013. She came with most of her meet outfit, which includes a pair of red faux suede boots. These boots were a nightmare, because the deep red flocking flaked everywhere. I didn't use them for the longest time. They left red flakes everywhere, as if paprika had leaked out of them and onto everything they touched. However, I finally came up with a restoration method! 

*Side Note, I have no clue what Lindsey's shoes are actually made out of. It's obviously a synthetic material, but whether it's suede or pleather I have no idea.*

Step 1: Remove the suede

Using your fingers, rub off all of the old dark red flocking from the shoes. All of it. I used my fingers for most and then I used a toothpick for the tiny pieces under the strap. Be sure to get as much of the red flaking off as possible. Inside the shoes are also seam allowances that will continue to flake, so be scrupulous. 

The left boot is peeling, before I removed the suede. The right boot is step one completed and all the suede/flocking removed.

Step 2: Paint the suede

Once all the dark red flaking is rubbed off, get some dark red paint and paint all the red parts of the shoes. I used Anita's all purpose Acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby in Dark Red. Linsdey's Meet boots are technically a bit darker than that shade, but I was happy with that color so I decided to use it. Paint the boots and let them dry. 

I didn't take a photo of the shoes before I put the mod podge over the paint, so onto step 2.

Step 3: Mod Podge

Use Mod Podge inside and out to seal the boots and make sure they don't flake anymore. I used a paintbrush to apply the podge in a thin layer on the outside and inside of the boot, and I used my fingers to get the podge all into the toe of the boot. Then, let it dry.

Here are the shoes completely painted and mod podged. As you can see, they don't need socks! The red color is sooo pretty on camera and IRL.

And you're done! Linsdey's meet boots are still red and now you can use them without the red flakes going onto everything else.