Have you seen our new gift guide for Valentine’s Day?
Shopping information, pricing and links can be found here.

Have you seen our new gift guide for Valentine’s Day?
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Shopping information, pricing and links can be found here.
Whiplash Scooter – The Whiplash Scooter is part scooter, part wave board, and can either self-propel or ride like a traditional scooter. It’s a little bit like a more agile skateboard with a handlebar. And totally cool anyway you ride it.
Wall Candy – Re-do a room in minutes with Wall Candy, reusable wall decals that can add just the right touch to a room. Even better, you just peel, stick, and decorate – which is great when the mood suddenly strikes your eight-year-old to go from flowers to pirates.
Baking Kids Love – Chef Cindy Mushet and her daughter Bella give kids (and parents) some great cooking lessons in this spiral-bound cookbook, great for bringing kids and parents together in the kitchen. You’ll bake some kid-favorites like breads and desserts.
Eebee’s Adventures: Mix & Mash – For younger culinary kids, there’s Mix & Mash, which features baby-friendly recipes little ones can help prepare. This is the first book that makes snack time another opportunity for you to teach and interact with your child. Lots of squishing, mushing, and stirring written in playful rhymes.
myWallaby Doll Carrier – The myWallaby Doll Carrier converts in seconds, into a carrier from a purse. The pouch in the front allows for the little girl to carry her belongings and doll at the same time! The myWallaby Agile Doll Carrier fits a variety of dolls, ranging in size from 12-18″ including American Girl Dolls and stuffed animals.
Iceing on Top – When it comes to children, there is just no limit. But if you had one wish, it would be to find the perfect gift that lasts a lifetime. Iceing on Top makes fine jewelry just for children to cherish through the years. Made with ethically mined minerals and eco-friendly golds, these are fine pieces a child will treasure.
CustomMade for Kids – Customize a book for a child in your life with CustomMade for Kids. The book uses their name, birthday, pet’s name, favorite places and more for a fun story and special keepsake.
Money Savvy Pig – The Money Savvy Pig is a new kind of piggy bank – one that teaches more than saving and spending. With compartments for Save, Spend, Donate, and Invest, you can introduce more long-term fiscal concepts to your child. It even includes a guidebook to help you talk to your kids about their money choices.
CloudB: Gentle Giraffe – Cloud B is a children’s toy company specializing in helping children sleep better. Gentle Giraffe is a cute stuffed animal soother that plays music and calming sounds to help kids drift off to sleep. It even features a sleep timer to prevent those wasted batteries.
Name Your Tune – Another personalized gift for a child, but Name Your Tune features songs personalized with your child’s name. This is a great way to foster self-awareness and establish positive self-esteem at a young age.
Napster Gift Cards – You can’t go wrong with the gift of music – any music the recipient wants it to be, that is. Napster gift cards allow the recipient to download the music of their choice.
Little Piggy House – Have you ever bought your child an expensive toy, only to find they spend most of their time playing in the box it came in? The Little Piggy House is an eco-friendly cardboard house that lets you cut to the chase…but with a lot more style. This is something you’ll want to keep around and not be itching to throw out as soon as the kids get their attention on something else.
Cherished Voices – For the child in your life who may live far away, or perhaps for long business trips away from home, you can record your own voice reading a bedtime story. A very cute gift idea and definitely a one of a kind gift that will be cherished through the years.
Rabbi’s Daughter’s Clothing – Rabbi’s Daughters clothing and accessory line is infused with a sense of expressiveness and humor. They make for snappy Hanukkah gifts. Some of their kitschy offerings: YOU HAD ME AT PEEK-A-BOO infant tee, TUSH sweatpants (infant and toddler) and OY VEY womans tee.
Journal Buddies – Improving self esteem, encouraging creativity and building healthy relationships are core elements of the award-winning Journal Buddies books for kids. An interactive and creative journal for pre-teens would be a great gift for young boys and girls.
Tooks Hats – Never be at a loss for your earbuds – Tooks builds them right into a beanie. This is the perfect companion to your Ipod, cell phone, or other favorite MP3 player and can be used for just about any activity where you listen to music. Perfect for that winter sports, music loving teen that is always found glued to their MP3 player.
Kajeet cell phone – Kajeet is a pay-as-you-go cell phone service for kids created from a kid’s point of view. Kajeet offers services that do not have long term contracts or activation fees and free parental controls. t lets parents manage the child’s cell and texting usage but still allows them to let go a little because of its GPS locator capability.
Scholastic Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics (Scholastic Video Collection – DVD adaptations of 100 beloved children’s stories targeted at pre-schoolers aged 2-5. There are Caldecott Medal winners here, books that you read when you were a kid, including Curious George and Where the Wild Things Are. These videos are faithful adaptations and are pretty much books on DVD and in many cases the original illustrations are used.
Bella Sara Trading Cards – Bella Sara is much more than just a toy, Bella Sara inspires pro-social dialogue & inspirational thought with positive messages. This year, Bella Sara Adventures has received a NAPPA Honors Award for its enchanting online world of North of North – a place where kids can be a part of the magic while discovering new realms and befriending new characters and horses.
Count Your Blessings Game – “The Game with an Attitude of Gratitude” – a family game from the makers of Chicken Soup for the Soul. The game uses clever copy and engaging logic to get players to go from “tired to inspired, frazzled to dazzled and stressed to blessed” by navigating challenging (and often funny) real life scenarios about health, home life, work, school, and finances. Players can head to the Thank Tank and hear why losing their phone could be a reason to “cell-abrate,” or try on the Bright Side Glasses and “see” a ripped pair of pants in a “hole” new light! A great holiday gift to inspire the whole family to count their blessings. Bring everyone together and remind yourself of all you have to be thankful for.
PixOs – PixOs is a next-generation, multi-surface Lite-Brite. Use the applicator and water to adhere PixOs to almost any surface – use mixed colors to dot out pictures of your own or use the PixOs templates.
Brainy Baby DVDs - Created by a team of early childhood educators and using a time tested and proven method of introducing and reinforcing preschool concepts, Brainy Baby DVDs have won more than 60 awards and offer a highly effective supplemental tutorial for parents who have children entering kindergarten. The DVDs depict fun, live action scenes of real kids and objects from everyday life exposing children to basic preschool concepts like the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors. The DVDs offer lessons in everything from right brain and left brain exercises to ABCs to foreign languages.
HEXBUGS – HEXBUGS are small robotic creatures with endless potential for fun and mischief. These creepy crawlies can react to touch, light, sound, and even skitter around like a real bug. HEXBUGS are designed to engage and inspire kids at a young age by giving them a positive experience with robotics, ideally furthering their educational interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. We’ve been told first hand that they’re fun for all ages, from 6 to 86 (and yes, they feel like a real bug when on your person).
Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods – Cute and earth-friendly (down to the packaging), Dandelion baby toys make great gifts you can feel great about giving. Parents can be reassured that the developmental toys, ReUsables (plates, bowls, utensils), diaper bags, rattles and teethers will not be detrimental their children or to the planet. Inspire exploration, cultivate imagination, and promote playful recreation with Dandelion’s Organic Developmental toys. Their shape-sorter is a particular favorite here at ConstantChatter.
Alphabetplates – Paul loves hotdogs, Mia loves soccer, and Eli likes to clean his plate and see his cartoon self smiling back at him! Alphabet Plates are personalized by you with cute sayings and can feature your child’s favorite food, sport, or even their own cartoon likeness. And they’re BPA-free and top-rack dishwasher safe.
The Sense of Smell – Sniff n Go aromapods – Sniff n Go aromapods offer aromatherapy in a non-intrusive, on-the-go container. Open it up and breathe in the relief, then close it up to seal off the scent for next time. Great for dropping in your purse or weekend bag.
Old 52 General Store – Old 52 General Store harkens back to the old days of soda fountains and old-fashioned candies. Their online store ships hundreds of different kinds of rare and old-fashioned sodas and candies – you might even find something and think, “Wow, I didn’t know they made that anymore.”
There’s No I in Office: 4293 Meaningless Phrases to Keep Your Coworkers Smiling While Avoiding Actual Conversation – Sometimes, avoiding conversation is key. Spare yourself the water-cooler convo with these simple, witty, and sometimes downright meaningless quips that will keep the chit-chat to a minimum while making your co-workers smile, and sometimes, scratch their heads.
The Ultimate Book of Top Ten Lists: A Mind-Boggling Collection of Fun, Fascinating and Bizarre Facts on Movies, Music, Sports, Crime, Celebrities, History, Trivia and More – Is there a list-o-maniac on your list? This book just might be the listiest gift they could hope to get. Even if you know someone who just kinda likes lists, the #1 reason to get this book is for the random facts and trivia presented in fun, engaging formats.
Kiva – Kiva is all about making loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries. Purchase a gift card for a friend, and they can log in to Kiva, loan their gift card amount to chosen entrepreneurs, and get repaid all while watching the fledgling company grow. A very inspiring stocking stuffer.
YoYo Lipglosses – A gift for the lipgloss fanatic – keep your lipgloss close at hand when you can clip it on and pull it out whenever you need it. The retractable cord keeps it tucked away when not in use.
Moo Cards – So maybe the standard business card isn’t cutting it. They’re trash, scratch paper, or ignored. MiniCards are eye-catching in shape and design, very affordable and perfect for the enterprising person on your list.
Hyp Yoga Audio Class CD - Use your body and mind while experiencing relaxing yoga poses and a hypnosis session. According to Hyp Yoga’s web site, you can achieve your goals faster than ever when you relax with their audio classes.
Eat Whatever – Do you know an adventurous eater? Spicy garlic chicken and double anchovy pizza are a regular theme in their diet? They’ll appreciate these eatwhatever pill and mint combos that freshen breath, yes, but also use a blend of organic oils to soothe your stomach.
Ornaments with Love – There’s a reason your mother hasn’t thrown away that popsicle stick snowflake you made in first grade: everyone loves cute Christmas ornaments, especially when there’s a story behind them. Personalize an ornament or two, they’re sure to be cherished.
Glade Holiday Candles – Nothing says the holidays like the perfect wintery scents. Even after the holidays, they’re great for adding that warm, homey aroma to your house at a moment’s notice.
Flip & Tumble – Flip & Tumble is a reusable tote bag that folds up to about the size of a peach. Always have an extra bag on hand for shopping trips – no more getting up to the checkout and realizing your reusable bags are still in the backseat of your car.
Parties that Cook - Food brings people together, and cooking together with Parties that Cook’s recipe decks brings food, fun, and friendship into the mix. Host a part or invite over a few friends and try out a few recipe cards.
Porta Pocket – When you don’t have pockets, you don’t have to be out of luck: Porta Pocket is an adjustable velcro band made to hold your ID, money and credit cards, keys, and other necessities. No more worrying over what to do with your cash or keys, because you can keep ‘em on you without having to occupy your hands (or stuff them in more indelicate places, ladies).
Celebriduck: Cocoa Canard - Cocoa Canard is a chocolate-loving duck. Send him and his chocolate bar – a cute gift for a choco-holic.
Pacific Shaving Company – Pacific Shaving Company offers affordable, all-natural shaving products. Use their Nick Stick to stop bleeding and soothe razor nicks, or try their raved-about shaving oil.
Stop and Kiss Card Game – Stop and Kiss is a card game for couples all about reliving old memories, planning to make new ones, and just taking the time to, well, stop and kiss. Great stocking stuffer for your significant other, and you’ll both get to have some fun with this gift.
Brazilets – Wrap around your wrist and tie three knots, making a wish with each one. When the bracelet naturally breaks down and falls off, your wish will come true – that’s the local lore about Brazilets (pronounce like bracelet), which are making big waves internationally for their wish-granting properties.
R. Nichols’s Travel Collection Luggage Tags & Note Cards – Let the seasoned traveler ditch the crinkled standard-issue cardboard and go with something a littler snazzier. R. Nichols’s cute and durable luggage tags can add a little flair to your totes.
Clean – Inspired by soap, reads Clean’s tagline. Clean perfume prefers a simple, shower-fresh approach to fragrance, and for anyone who shies away from the stronger perfumes and body sprays, this light, airy scent could be a great stocking stuffer.
Privé candles – Yummy Provencial herb garden in a candle. That’s what Privé candles has strived for, and their candle is a lovely blend of scent and style.
Herculittles – Clear the clutter and keep your photos and paper organized. Herculittles are tiny, stylish magnets with a herculean hold, great for refrigerators, lockers, dorms, and cubicles.
Vedante Super Reflective Pop Bands – Pop Bands are super reflective arm and leg bands for high visibility at night – slap one on before that evening jog or bike ride.
LovePak cards - LovePak cards are cute but naughty – made for slipping into a briefcase or bag to put a few extracurricular thoughts in your significant other’s head.
Sweet Soaps: lump of coal, snowman poop, bacon – For the naughties on your list, Sweet Soaps has made Santa’s coal and snowman poop – soaps, that is. There’s also bacon (which smells and looks like the real thing) for bacon lovers or the single gal in your life hoping to attract a real carnivore.
BlissCals – Think positive – reusable static cling BlissCals make it easy by reminding you to take a deep breath, let it go, and stay focused on the good things.
Jones Soda: My Jones line – Customize a Jones Soda with your photo and saying on the back label. Pick the flavor and order by December 15th for your very own custom six-pack.
Dazzle Dry Nail Care Kit – Topcoat, base coat, and nail color – Dazzle Dry means a manicure in minutes. Very fast-drying formula sets this brand apart.
Eight Cranes PS-PC101 Perfect Steeper Portable Loose Leaf Tea Brewer and 8-Ounce Tea Cup All In One, Stainless Accents – Brew loose-leaf tea on the go with this portable steeper and 8-oz teacup unit. Attractive and functional – sure to wow any tea lover.
A Very Special Christmas Volume 7 – Miley Cyrus, Colbie Caillat, and Carrie Underwood are a few of the artists contributing to the 7th edition of AVSC – a very special holiday album with proceeds benefiting Special Olympics organizations worldwide.
PakNak – Decorate backpacks, lunch bags, bedrooms, and more with PakNaks. They’re rubbery 3-D decorations you can reuse, and they don’t require glue or tape. Just stick ‘em on and peel ‘em off.
Bling Strands – Tie a few Bling Strands into your hair for a big effect – these are colorful strands great for parties, dance recitals, pep rallies, and just for fun. Skip the permanence of hair dye and change your mind (and hair) as you like.
Wi-Fire – If you know anyone that does any business travel, then this is the perfect gift for them. The Wi-Fire enhances wi-fi connections making the connection both stronger and more reliable. It also eliminates those annoying dead spots that can often plague hotel users (or anyone trying to get a good wi-fi connection while away from home). It’s portable, easy to use and only $59.
AllSport GPS – There’s no longer any need to carry separate devices to record your workout and exercise results. AllSport GPS is a mobile app that can help making reaching fitness goals extremely easy. Just hit “start” on the app on your mobile phone, do your workout, then hit stop – it’s that easy. AllSport GPS is available on most all GPS enabled phones and through major cell service carriers.
PaperShow USB Pen – Who hasn’t wanted the ability to write something out by hand and have it saved to a computer file? It’s an interactive presentation and digital whiteboard that uses a Bluetooth pen, USB key and interactive paper to bring your handwritten notes and ideas instantly to life. Whether giving a presentation, taking notes, or brainstorming, Papershow is a fun, professional tool that encourages group participation and creativity and allows notes to instantly be saved to your computer and emailed to colleagues and clients.
SanDisk ImageMate – If you’re looking for a gift to knock the socks off your favorite shutterbug, the new SanDisk ImageMate All-in-One and SanDisk ImageMate Multi-Card USB 2.0 Readers are just the ticket. Both readers sport a glossy black and metallic silver design with a detachable, magnetic base. They also feature a transfer button to automatically launch your favorite application or Web site when transferring files. One button transfers? Awesome!
FotoBox – Know someone that loves to take pictures and create slideshows? FOTOBOX features a USB 2.0 interface, with an integrated memory card reader, and imbedded PC software within FLASH memory which automatically runs on a PC without software installation. Pictures taken by Digital Cameras with a memory cards can be easily loaded to create slideshows by inserting memory card into the card reader slot. So now you can quickly and easily create multimedia slideshows from photos, videos, music, and narration.
iGo Charge Anywhere – Here’s a perfect gift for the modern, techie or travel bug…the iGo Charge Anywhere is small enough to fit in your pocket and can power two low power devices (cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, GPS and gaming devices) at the same time without the use of a wall outlet. Small and lightweight, the iGo Charge Anywhere has foldable wall blades that easily store away and functions as a standard wall outlet as the battery recharges. No more need to carry multiple chargers with you when you travel.
Digital Foci: Pocket Album OLED 1.5 – What proud mom or dad wouldn’t want an electronic brag book to carry around and show off their little ones? The Pocket Album OLED 1.5 is a keychain photo viewer with a 1.5-inch OLED screen and internal memory that holds 124 photos. Now you can carry your favorite photos with him everywhere you go.
Rap Cap – Ever have one of those moments where you wish you could record what’s going on around you? Maybe when you’re in class or taking or workshop, or those times when you wish you could interview someone for an article or blog post, or maybe record your music practice. The RapCap is not only small enough (the size of a gumdrop) to keep nearby, but it’s also inexpensive ($15!). Just what the budding journalist could use.
Chill Pill – We’ve been on the lookout for a pair of portable, high quality, yet inexpensive stereo speakers for our iPods and iPhones. To find one that also charges our iPod/iPhones and gives us 6 hours of play time…even better still. Works great for notebooks (or anything that takes a 3.5mm mini plug). Best $40 you’ll spend.
Samsung DualView Camera – Looking for that new digital camera this holiday season? Check out the Samsung DualView TL225. It features LCD screens on the front AND back of the camera, making it easier than ever for moms to take “self” portraits of themselves or with the kids. The camera also features a “child mode” which displays an animation to hold a fidgety child’s attention and help capture the perfect photo every time.
EarBudeez – For your favorite, music loving’ tween Audiovox has created EarBudeez. They come in a variety of fun colors and packaging, each reflective of the tween listeners’ sense of style (the packaging alone is so cute it’s won awards). And just in time for the holidays, they’ve even created a limited-edition package shaped to look like Santa and his elves! EarBudeez are super-affordable and compatible with virtually every media device including Apple’s iPod and iPhone.
Shure’s Sound Isolating Earphones SE115 – Now for the more advanced listener or music lover, looking to upgrade from the standard MP3 headphones we have Shure’s Sound Isolating Earphones. The SE115 is the newest, most affordable member of the SE family and is available in four vivid hues – Blue, Pink, Black, and Red. These high-quality earphones are light-weight, stylish, and are the perfect accessory to an iPod, smart phone, or any other device that requires earphones.
Waterfield Designs: iPhone travel case - I think if I wasn’t able to keep my iPhone/iPod stuff all collected in one safe place, I’d go nuts looking for that one thing I needed. Waterfield Designs makes a stylish bag (we’re a fan of the medium sized bag) that lets you keep everything in one place. So basically, no more fumbling at the last minute looking for all your accessories. Stash them in this Travel Case where they’re easy to find and ready to go.
Power Genix Batteries – What would the holiday season be without the need for batteries? Nearly 40% of all batteries are sold during this time. Whether powering the latest digital camera, a flashlight for camping or hand-held electronic video games, PowerGenix batteries offer an eco-friendly power solution whose performance benefits match its environmental advantages and help you turn over a new, greener leaf.
muvee Reveal – This is the season, the season for making your own home movies and muvee Reveal makes it easy. Simply add your photos, video, choose your music, and select a style. muvee Reveal creates personalized, automatically edited home movies that are perfectly synced to your music. All in a few clicks. You can then either burn a DVD or share your movies online with family and friends. Super easy.
iBend – This little powerhouse is a must give for all your friends. It’s an ultra-thin, portable stand for your iPhone or iPod. It’s small enough that you can tuck it into your wallet or stow it behind your skin or case to pull out whenever you need it. For only $5 for a two-pack, get one for everyone you know and
Occupybaby – This little iPhone app is perfect for parents with little ones…At a restaurant? On a flight? The iBend (above) and OccupyBaby are the perfect travel companions, designed to calm, entertain and educate. Easy storage, instant entertainment. OccupyBaby is available now in the App Store for 99cents. A bargain considering the pleasure of an entertained, non-fussy toddler.
Scosche solCHAT – We all know that we shouldn’t talk on our cell phones while driving. So why not get your favorite chatterbox a bluetooth speaker phone – better yet, go with the solChat, solar powered bluetooth speaker phone. They’ll love how it’s one less thing to have to charge and that it can be mounted on the visor or the windshield and has voice-announce caller ID, voice dialing and a loud speakerphone.
The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Online Dating – Does your sister need a nudge? Girlfriend need some pointers? Dale Koppel, PhD found love online (despite not being a 20-year old supermodel) and has written about her adventures in online dating and describes how women can make it both fun and fulfilling.
Reactor Ladies Fusion Sports Watch – A ladies watch that is more than just jewelry. The Fusion Sports Watch offers women the same durability and performance that made Reactor sports watches a favorite among professional athletes in a size and style tailored for women. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a free Fusion Sports Watch.
Green Tea Goods – As natural products go mainstream, avoiding “bad” ingredients is becoming easier but Green Tea Goods raises the bar by adding traditional Chinese herbs to create functional, all natural products that do a world of good. Dreaming of a relaxing spa sojourn? Or perhaps your idea of a great vacation is something more active like rock climbing? Whatever your perfect getaway, Green Tea Goods offers the perfect mini-break in a bottle for far less than cab fare to the airport – we love the ENERGIZE & FOCUS Pulse Point Elixir! And speaking of traveling, they also offer a neat and super portable, pocket and purse friendly alternative to lotion in their Herbal Body Balm.
Holiday Reed Diffuser Gift Set – Rekindle your holiday spirit with warm and inviting fragrances. Hillhouse Naturals has created five collections reminiscent of nights around the fire and the exuberance of winter’s first heavy snow. Hillhouse Naturals’ Holiday fragrance sets the mood with the scents of fresh pine and warm cinnamon – and their reed diffusers won’t leave needles in the carpet or a mess in the kitchen.
Eco Me Body Box Set – For the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that file: Eco-Me Body Box Set. This is a great holiday gift for anyone looking to treat themselves with natural skin care products and want only the best. The unique part of the box sets is that the products are DIY – it gives you all the ingredients including pure plant essential oils and the containers and you get the mix up fresh, healthy skin products for at home spa treatments(Sugar body scrub, Softening body powder, Toning body tonic).
Indigo Wild | Zum Soap – Due to the rush on the holiday season and the influx of artificial trees, more often than not, it just doesn’t smell like Christmas. The folks at Indigo Wild things it’s about time to jingle your bells…Zum Joy Mist (fir needle and pepperminty goodness), Zum Whif Sticks in Bah Hum Zum (pepperminty), Frankincense and Myrrh Bow Bars, Sum Minty peppermind goat’s milk soap. Yum! And all Zum soaps are handmade and start with a base of nourishing goats milk then and add olive oil, essential oils, and other natural ingredients (that you can pronounce!) So good your skin – and your nose – will love you.
NVEY ECO Every Occasion Gift Set – Let your favorite beauty junkie go green without going crunchy-granola. Nvey’s Eco line has the great shades and textures of the luxury brands in formulas that trade funky chemicals for certified organic oils, vitamins, and minerals. The Every Occasion Gift Set is a great gift for the gal who loves color! Strategically put together to include our award winning Natural Bronzer along with a powder blush, creative eye color system, and lip lustre – there are three “color” options available…one for the nude and neutrals, one for the pastels and another for a neutral tone with hints of color….and the best part is, you don’t have to worry about skin tone and undertone because each set will work for any and every skin tone (and undertone).
Yoga Paws – Yoga Paws are “mini mats” are worn on the hands and feet. Your favorite aspiring yogi will be able to practice almost anywhere without schlepping around a full size sticky mat, just perfect for that traveling yoganista on your list. Each pair of Yoga Paws also comes with a free Yoga Syz DVD.
The Bliss Principle: 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress – All year round, women around the country and the world encounter stress in their lives. Kellye Davis describes a comprehensive plan – from simple yoga postures and deep breathing to recipes and design tips – all help women to learn manage the unavoidable stresses in our lives. Perfect for the holidays but useful year ’round.
The Bubbley Bar – A fun gift for your favorite hostess or “mixologist”, The Bubbly Bar opens up a delicious world of drink recipes beyond your Sunday brunch mimosas with everything from standards like the French 75 and Kir Royale to original ones such as the Ginger Snap (ginger root and sparkling sake), The Sour Cherry (maraschino, brandy, marasca cherry and brut) and the Lava Lamp (pomegranate liqueur and brut). There’s also a guide to making your own drink mixers, finding organic bubbly, and scoring the best sparklers in any price range– even under $15. It’s a practical and pretty gift for people who love sparkling wine, cocktails or entertaining – or if you’re buying a random Secret Santa gift and you have no idea what to get!
Uberstar – If you know an American Idol fan, this novelization of actual Idol behind-the-scenes events makes a great gift. It’s a three-parter, and will keep ‘em reading as it details a behind-the-scenes look into reality tv shows. Vaughn interviewed producers and former American Idol contestants in this exciting book. Warning: this is a PG-13 sort of book.
Twitter ID Necklaces – Survival of the Hippest turns its attention to ID jewelry with a range of items personalized with a Twitter ID or hashtag. Choose from necklaces, bracelets, anklets, pins, tie clips, and keychains in gold or sterling silver – you can even add diamonds! Make up your mind quickly though because SotH will only be making these custom pieces for a limited time.
Keep Your Bottom Dry Bag – Keep Your Bottom Dry totes are a great gift for anyone on your list. The quintessential urban-hip tote that will always help keep your bottom dry thanks to their ingenious design features a waterproof bottom & interior pockets, sturdy construction, and stylish, custom-dyed colors.
Story Club Games: Girls Night Edition – Skip the standard gift card for your favorite reader and let her start a Story Club where she and her friends can write the stories. Decks of cards for story starters, people, places, and things will provide the framework for creative and original stories.
The Knit Kit – Knitting has become fairly cool in recent years – despite knitters constantly fumbling around for lost notions. The cool knitter’s solution: The Knit Kit, sort of a Swiss Army Knife for knitters. The palm-sized organizer holds seven must-have knitting notions and is even TSA-compliant.
Coffee Bean: Winter Dream Tea Latte Mug Set & Winter Blend Coffee – Let’s face it, one of the coolest things about living in Southern California has to be Coffee Bean and their awesome lattes and ice blendeds. Now you can make them at home any time you want – even if you don’t have a Coffee Bean nearby. This delicious tea latte set would be a great gift for anyone but makes an especially nice hostess gift. After hosting a holiday party, your bleary-eyed hostess can enjoy Coffee Bean’s Winter Dream tea & French Deluxe vanilla in her bunny slippers.
I’ve Never Game – I’ve never is part drinking game, part board game. Created for players 21 and older, its goal is to get players laughing, revealing secrets, and maybe even singing and dancing. Game play will last about an hour or two but the stories and embarrassing Facebook posts will live on.
Things Remembered: Custom Couture Jewelry Collection bracelet – Things Remembered made it easy to give customized gifts. Now they are taking it a step further with their Custom Couture jewelry which offers choices for almost every part of a bracelet or necklace. Though there are almost 1 million different combinations available, creating the perfect piece is easy with their simple three step ordering process.
Bella Jet-Set Duffel + Head Case Combo – Bella’s Jet Set duffle has it all. Its bold, bright coated fabric is water repellent. Its lightweight design and extra little zipper makes it easy to fold up into its own storage pouch. Great for the gym, weekend trips, or any time an extra bag would be handy – which is basically all the time.
Her Game Face – For the sports fan: Her Game Face carries a huge variety of team logo gifts, accessories and clothing cut and sized for women. All the major leagues, NCAA, NASCAR, and even international soccer gear. The swimming-in-a-ridiculously-oversized-jersey look is officially over. We especially love the Mini Dog Tag Necklace a Sterling Silver necklace and dog tag surrounded by sparkling cubic zirconias and a delicate team logo charm.
Learn to Knit Kit – Let’s face it, knitting is here to stay. It’s something that’s easy to do, fun to share and totally portable. So why not get that gal pal who has talked about wanting to learn to knot one of Blond Chicken’s Learn to Knit Kit. Each kit includes super soft, hand-died and hand-wound yarn, easy to hold wooden needles, two patterns and an easy to read, friendly instructions complete with full color photos. There’s no excuse not to learn how to knit now.
Wellness Mat – What true foodie wouldn’t love something soft and squishy under there feet while they’re working away in the kitchen. You gotta love that they’re “ergonomically engineered to provide maximum comfort, safety and relief.”
Citizen Bean – For that over-caffeinated coffee lover on your list check out Citizen Bean. They work with small batch, sustainable coffee roasters across the country and deliver a full pound of beans, “food samples, herbs, coffee accessories and/or other monthly delights” and they include both a how-to guide and a Roaster profiles. Makes me wish I drank more coffee.
Grill Grates – I bet each and every one of us can think of someone that loves their grill. Well thanks go Grill Grates, you can now grill to perfection without the flareups or drying out your meat. The grates allow for that perfect steakhouse sear all while letting the fat drain down through the holes.
Destination Dinner – I’ve always wanted to try my hand at cooking some more exotic dinners, but I always felt bad about having to buy all the spices only to never get around to using them again. Recipe Kits by Destination Dinners includes the pre-measured hard to find spices, sauces and dried items as well as step-by-step instructions, a shopping list for fresh ingredients and fun facts and trivia about the destination you are “traveling” to.
Bev Shot – When I first saw BevShots – beers, wines and cocktails photographed under a microscope and featured as modern art – I was immediately intrigued. Not only is it some cool and funky art, but it also pays tribute to your favorite adult beverage and gives you a fun story when folks ask about your art collection.
Freshman in the Kitchen: From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef – The perfect gift for that recent grad or foodie in the making. Freshman in the Kitchen is written with the budget-mined first time cooks in mind. Their goal was to get the inexperienced cook or future foodies to get excited about cooking from scratch and to ditch the frozen and fast food options. You can’t go wrong by learning some simple “getting started” recipes, adding “heat”, moving up to “grilling”, “cooking to impress” and trying your hand at “themed meals” before ending with some simple desserts.
Nutra Salt – Who isn’t trying to cut back on salt these days? There’s no need to scrimp on flavor though. NutraSalt are low sodium, sea salt season blends packed with a full day’s supply of potassium. Allows you to bring salt and flavor back to your meals.
Culinary Institute of America – The Culinary Institute of America is a lot more than just a cooking school. Not only do they have they own gift shop chock full of cookbooks, DVDs and kitchen essentials, but they also offer up some amazing experiences for the cook and foodie alike. You can take classes (or bootcamps) as well as experience up-close-and-personal visits with premier growers, vintners, chefs, and purveyors that let participants experience the best of California’s legendary Napa Valley or demonstrations, tastings, and hands-on cooking, where you can expand your knowledge, explore new flavor profiles or the world of wine.
Naumes Gourmet Pear Gift Box – You’ve got to love a giving a gift that keeps giving. The Naumes family have pears that not only taste good, they also do good! They ship directly from their orchards and have no middle man. For every fruit gift purchased, they donate an equal amount of fresh fruit — pound for pound — to a local food pantry or shelter.
Coombs Family Farms – What’s better than a winter breakfast of pancakes with hot maple syrup? Not much, which is why anyone would love a Coombs Family Farms basket filled with pancake mix, maple syrup and some maple sugar. Ahhhh…heaven!
Vineyard Sampler: Cheesecakes in a Jar – Cheesecake is one thing. Vineyard-inspired cheesecake is something else entirely. What foodie on your list wouldn’t love to get their hands on some Blackberry/Cabernet, Blueberry/Merlot, Pear/Chardonnay and Port/Fig with a currant reduction sauce Cheesecakes in a Jar? And they can last up to six months in your freezer (if you can manage not to eat them all at once!).
Cali Bowls – Have you ever tried to spoon up some salsa using a chip only to end up pushing the salsa out of the bowl leaving you with a naked chip and a mess? Well, CaliBowl has a patent-pending design that puts an end to that. So whether you are using a chip, a spoon, chop sticks, your hand, or any other utensil the CaliBowl not only prevents the contents from spilling, but effortlessly guides the contents back toward the utensil making eating, mixing, feeding, cooking, whipping, and scooping more fun and exciting! Perfect for young kids.
POURPerfect: bowls, measuring cup & spoons – How many times have you tried to pour your batter from your bowl into the pan only to have some of it end up on the counter? The POURPerfect bowls have solved that problem. Thanks to the deep spout and high sides, it guides your ingredients to go exactly where you tell it to go. Even their measuring cups and spoons are designed to allow you to pour your ingredients exactly where you want them to go.
The I Love Trader Joe’s Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Only Foods from the World’s Greatest Grocery Store – We have been going crazy for this book in Southern California. It’s a simple and delicious cookbook that takes basic ingredients that you your local Trader Joe’s store carries and turns it into something fabulous. We’ve had this book for less than a week and have already made three things out of it and told everyone we know to get it. Yes, it is that good.
2 Hounds Design: No Pull Harness – We liked this one so much, we actually arranged for a giveaway for our readers. You see, our little guy is a puller. He likes to lead us when we take him out of a walk. Because of that, we like to use a harness over a leash. While using a harness make the pulling stop, the patented martingale loop on the back of this harness allows the harness to tighten gently around your dog’s chest, giving him or her a gentle reminder to discourage pulling. It doesn’t stop the behavior, but it does make it a bit more controllable.
The Dog Lover’s Guide to Massage: What Your Dog Wants You to Know – We know far too many dogs that get freaked out over the littlest thing – fire trucks, trips to the vet, someone cutting the yard. Little did we know that massage could help to calm them right down. The perfect gift for anyone with a dog, but in particular, this is great for someone with an anxious little one.
Fur Shui: An Introduction to Animal Feng Shui – Recently noted on CBS The Morning show as being a new “west coast trend,” Fur Shui picks up where Feng Shui takes off, promising that now you can have more love, abundance, better skills, more balanced health all by having a bit of fun as well as a closer bond between you and your pet!
Pepper & Tanky eau de parfum – Our little guy is NOT a fan of the bath. He’s also not a fan of the brush. He is sadly, a fan of sleeping tight and close even when he’s a bit past his prime and some might say stinky. Lucky for us, there’s Pepper and Tanky’s eau du perfume just for the smelly dogs in our life. Puppy Love is a personal favorite, but we’ll let you decide.
Pork Chomps – What dog doesn’t like pork? What dog wouldn’t love Pork Chomps Dog Chews? These pork skin products are more readily consumed and don’t cause any digestive or stool challenges and are a safe and healthy alternative to beef rawhide. But your dog won’t know that, he’ll just know that he loves when he gets one.
Yummy Chummies Treats – We’ve been treating our boys with Yummy Chummies for the past year or so. This dried wild Alaskan salmon treats drives both our cat and our dog crazy and begging for more.
Nurtured Pets Anti-Lick StripPrevent – I don’t know about you, but if left to his own device, our dog would like his leg raw from time to time. The folks at Nurtured Pets realized this and came up with a “Band-Aid” for pets, the Anti-Lick Strip Prevent. It not only stays on, but it deters dogs and cats from licking wounds and hot spots.
Marshall 8-Ounce Small Animal Bi-Odor – Don’t let bad odors or a stinky letterbox ban your cat from this year’s holiday parties. Marshall’s GoodBye Odor will virtually eliminate all feline odors with just a few pumps a day. Just add it to your cat’s food or water daily.
EzyDog Element Coat – The weather outside is frightful, but this Element Coat is so delightful! Don’t let the harsh winter elements ruin your dog’s love of adventure.This windproof, waterproof, fleece=lined coat acts like a barrier in bad weather keeping your four-legged friend warm and comfortable.
Dogstar Flying Disc and Fido Flyer – For the playful pooch on your list, the Dogstar Flying Disc and Fido Flyer are durable, non-chew toys that are sure to provide hours of fun. They’re sure to keep your pup busy during the long winter months.
Stella and Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses – Are you looking for the pawfect stocking stuffer for our furry little one this year. Both cats and dogs alike are going crazy for Stella and Chewy’s Canivore Kisses. Stella and Chewy’s believes that dogs deserved to be pampered and spoiled every day. So why not spoil them rotten with some freeze-dried yumminess and be on the look out for those puppy kisses!
Dog Tornado – For the smarty paws on your list The Company of Animals, founded by animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford, introduced innovative pet puzzles just in time for the howlidays. The reasoning behind the line of pet-friendly games (our guy loves the Tornado) is to combine mental activity for your pouch while reinforcing the canine-human bond.
Happy Tails’ Sparkle and Shine Holiday Duo – We’ve been using Happy Tails in our home for just over a year now. Our favorite by far has to be the Dry Dog Instant Clean (he really doesn’t like to take a bath) and the Itchin’ For Relief spray for his summer allergies. We love the products are eco-friendly, cruelty-free and all natural. But most importantly, we love the way they smell and how effectively they work. So why not treat your barkster to a little sparkle and shine this holiday season.
RVR Hearts of Gold Ties – Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know it’s cliche, getting him tie and all. But RVR ties are not only luxury Italian hand-made ties, the Hearts of Gold line also gives back to charity. Proceeds from the sales of the ties, pocket squares, and the gala event will be used to support approximately 900 mothers and children in residence annually at three Manhattan shelters.
Peasants & Travelers’ Diaper Bag – We all know that a smart, stylish and let’s face it, cool dad wouldn’t be caught dead carrying around the standard, pink, blue or floral diaper bag. Hip dads need something equally stylish which is where Peasants and Traveler’s bags enter the picture; it’s where “classic style blends with innovative design to produce this one-of-a kind brown waxed cotton Diaper Bag.” Something any dad could be proud to carry.
Ergosleek Comfort Pen – We’ll admit it, we’re pen snobs (some might even call us pen fanatics) and when we find a new, fun pen, we just can’t say no. When we saw this ergonomic pen that promises to relieve writer’s cramps and calluses, we’re so there. Now if we could only keep everyone away from asking to try it out and try to pocket it when we’re not looking.
Chef in a Box – Have you ever wanted to cook a quick, easy, yet tasty romantic meal? Well Chef in a Box makes cooking an exquisite meal easier than ever as chef Justin Grecco brings his talents literally to your kitchen via video/DVD with an easy-to-cook, easy-to-order, gourmet meal that you create from scratch in your very own kitchen. Now there’s no excuse for your guy to cook a romantic meal.
iMinds Tracks – I think in this day and age, it’s hard to imagine that someone doesn’t carry either a smartphone or an MP3 player of sorts. Well now there’s a way to actually learn something new in short bursts of time from iMinds with a library of about 100 or MindTracks across twelve categories including the Arts, People and Places, Law, Culture and Business. They’re the perfect addition to your workout play list or even for your commuting, cooking or shopping playlists. They can be purchased through iTunes or Audible.com.
Eco Touch – Traditional auto care products are full of petroleum distillates and other nasties. Since we’re de-toxing our homes and choosing healthy beauty care products, isn’t it time we turned to our home-away-from-home–our car? The Waterless Car Wash is a simple spray on/wipe off product that saves 80-150 gallons of water per wash—great for people in water-starved regions. There’s no exposure to toxins for either the user or the earth (in the form of runoff).
Viper SmartStart – Thinking back to those freezing cold winters of my youth, I would have loved to have a way to start my car and pre-heat it so it’s ready to go…without ever have to go outside! Now thanks to Viper and their SmartStart application, that’s totally possible. Users simply download the free Viper SmartStart app from the Apple App Store, have Viper SmartStart professionally installed on their vehicle, and then activate their account to start experiencing the year-round comfort and convenience of Viper SmartStart.
Omnimount – The Omnimount, is this year’s perfect stocking stuffer or holiday gift for anyone with a TV. Whether it’s for a college student looking to get more space for their dorm room or for a parent looking to keep the flat panel TV from toppling over around rambunctious kids (or just looking to keep the TV up and out of the way of little fingerprints). It installs in three easy steps and includes everything you need to install it outside of the drill and your TV.
Bacon Freak – The last thing we want to do here at ConstantChatter is generalize about men. But…when it comes to the men we know, nearly all of them love bacon. Enter Bacon Freak where they carry everything from bacon memberships including actual bacon, chocolate covered bacon goodies, ham membership clubs and yes, they even have a bacon and wine pairing subscription. Holy swine heaven!
Your Name University Tee – Sometimes you have that hard to shop for someone on your list. YourNameUniversity.com allows virtually anyone in the United States to have their first or last name printed/embroidered on more than 70 products (t-shirts, jerseys, sweats, shorts, letterman jackets, hats, nightshirts, tank tops, baby bibs, toddler tees, etc.). They also have plenty of personalized Christmas-themed products available: Official Santa Loading Zones and Parking Permits, as well as some fun “university” wear (we’re big fans of the Grinch and the Naughty or Nice universities here). They’re also offering a special 10% discount for our readers using the code: constantchatter
For the past two years, we’ve written about the importance of having a Black Friday plan and how to how to make the most of the various Black Friday deals. This year, thanks to some crazy antics and injuries across the country, some stores like Walmart, will be forgoing the pre-dawn event and are instead opting to stay open 24-hours on Thanksgiving. Other stores like Target, are offering a two-day sale to avoid the need to rush to the stores.
Some online companies like Amazon have already started their “Black Friday” sales and plan to have new deals going up daily. Other stores like MacMall are having a 72-hour sale with great discounts (and add-ons) for new Macs and Apple products. If I can’t find what I’m looking for online, I like to try shops like BestBuy or Nordstrom where I can at least make my purchase and having it waiting for me at customer service. Anything to avoid the rush, I say.
And don’t forget sites like Black Friday Ads where you can enter to win daily prizes along with creating your shopping list. Other companies, like NewEgg.com are offering advance notice of discounts and giveaways through their Facebook Fan page.
Black Friday is definitely not like it used to be. Just think, you can get massive savings AND sleep in. Happy Shopping!!
We heard through the blog-o-twitter-o-sphere that this Alton Brown, Thanksgiving presentation at Google was an amazing experience.
Hopefully, listening to Alton talk about his Thanksgiving Survival Secrets will be the next best thing.
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