Low-cost gamer gifts that keep on giving

(ARA) – Video gaming’s popularity is at an all-time high – in fact, a recent study from Memorex shows four of five families have at least one gaming console in the home. This holiday season, skip a pricey console purchase and give your favorite gamer a gift that keeps on giving. Here are four gift options under $25 that won’t break your budget and will keep video game fans entertained well into the new year.

*The gift of style
If your resident gamer is a trendsetter – or if your family is just bored with black and white – add style to your next game night with console customization. For less than $20, you can purchase skins for your favorite gaming console and accessories through custom gaming skins services offered online. From colors and textures to your own photographs, these services will use your chosen visuals and transform your drab console into a gaming masterpiece. A simple online search for “custom gaming skins” will point you to a service with the style that best suits your family.

*The gift for gamers on-the-go
Keeping kids entertained while on the go has never been easier thanks to the range of portable consoles now available, including the Nintendo DS. The new challenge: keeping track of the tiny, expensive game cartridges. At just $19.99, Memorex’s Universal Game Selector Case is the ideal solution. Compatible with all Nintendo DS consoles, it holds up to three games that can be played without being removed from the case – so games are less likely to be lost while kids are out and about. Powered by the DS console, so no batteries are required, other gamer-friendly features include LED-backlit speakers and a stylish D-pad. The Universal Game Selector Case is available at Target, Wal-Mart, Sears and Kmart.

*The gift of games, games and more games
Keeping up with the latest video games is expensive, with top new titles debuting at nearly $50 each. And nothing is worse than spending big bucks on a game that rarely gets played. This season, avoid the debate over which title to buy and give the gift of a video game subscription service. Gamers can “try before they buy” and exchange games for new titles as often as they like – a great alternative to spending hundreds of dollars on games that may collect dust. The most popular services are just $22.99 a month, with more than 7,000 titles to choose from.

*The gift for gamers in-the-know
Many gamers gobble up news about their favorite consoles and games like food on Thanksgiving – their appetites are seemingly endless. No matter which console your gamer prefers, you’re sure to find a magazine that caters to their interests. If digital news is more their style, some gaming magazines offer digital editions at a discounted rate from the print edition. Gaming magazines subscriptions are available for less than $20 per year, and most some come with bonuses like reward points or exclusive access to game demos.

For other gamer gift ideas, visit Memorex.com or the Memorex Fan Page on Facebook.

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Give the gift of U.S. Savings Bonds

(ARA) – Buying U.S. Savings Bonds for loved ones has been a holiday tradition for more than 75 years and is a unique part of our nation’s history.

Whether gift-givers are parents helping their children save for their first home, young couples celebrating their newborns’ first holiday season, or grandparents helping their grandchildren save for college, the U.S. Department of the Treasury looks forward to helping families preserve this tradition of savings bond gift-giving for generations to come.

While the 2011 holiday season will be the last for savers to purchase paper U.S. Savings Bonds through a bank, electronic savings bonds still will be available for purchase online through www.treasurydirect.gov, the Treasury Department’s safe, secure and convenient website to purchase, manage and redeem savings bonds 24/7.

Once you create a TreasuryDirect account, you can purchase savings bonds for yourself or loved ones starting at $25. The TreasuryDirect website offers a variety of themed gift certificates for the holiday season – as well as for birthdays, graduations and more – that you can fill out and print from home to commemorate the occasion.

Because recipients of gifts purchased through TreasuryDirect will require an account of their own to receive the gift bonds, encouraging family members to create a TreasuryDirect account can give people of all ages a safe and convenient way to save.

Visit www.treasurydirect.gov for a guided tour on how to open a TreasuryDirect account – or, just follow the five steps below.

1. Have your Social Security number, bank routing number, checking or savings account number and email address handy.

2. Go to www.treasurydirect.gov and complete the online application.

3. Once your account has been created, log in and use the Gift Box feature to buy gift bonds.

4. Choose the recipient for the bonds in your Gift Box by entering his or her full name, Social Security number and TreasuryDirect account number. When you deliver the bond to the recipient’s account, he or she will get an email announcing your gift.

5. If your family member or loved one doesn’t have a TreasuryDirect account, encourage them to create one so you can readily purchase savings bond gifts for them. Children under age 18 must have a minor account linked to a parent or guardian’s TreasuryDirect account.

Visit www.treasurydirect.gov today to learn more.

The preceding information has been provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt.

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Five no-tech, imagination-boosting toys every child should have

(ARA) – Every year, lists fly around the Internet and airwaves, parents line up in stores and everyone talks about what the season’s hottest toys will be. All the chatter can make it seem like everyone’s forgotten the single most enduring “toy” at the disposal of every child – imagination.

Plenty of high-tech toys encourage creativity, but to really fire up a child’s imagination it’s hard to beat the power of timeless, classic toys that rely on a child’s interaction rather than on electronics. This type of nostalgic toy can become a child’s best friend, and parents will be happy their children have something that doesn’t require batteries and doesn’t stop working just because it’s dropped a few times.

Here are five timeless, nostalgic, low-tech toys that every child should have:

1. A classic doll – Countless generations of little girls have fallen in love with a special doll. This is one toy that can serve many functions, from best friend and confidante to teacher and even role model. If some of today’s brash, in-your-face styles of dolls leave you shaking your head, never fear: you can still find dolls that offer contemporary appeal combined with more homespun values. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, the popular family restaurant/retail store found across the country, recently introduced a line of rag dolls called Butterflies. Soft and cuddly, these 15-inch dolls of relatable characters, such as a ballerina, princess, cheerleader and schoolgirl, make a wholesome, imagination-inspiring addition to a little girl’s toy box. Visit www.crackerbarrel.com/store/butterflies/ to learn more.

2. A wagon – Whether it’s an old-fashioned metal one in fire-engine red or one of the modern, SUV-sized plastic numbers available today, nothing beats a wagon for getting kids moving. It’s also a toy that can keep pace with a child’s development and changing styles of play. Very young children will enjoy riding as parents tow them along on trips to the park or walks around the neighborhood. As children grow, they begin to use the wagon themselves, employing it to transport toys or other children. Turn it over and it’s a makeshift fort or castle.

3. A building set – Whether it’s plastic, wood, or metal, a building set can fire the imagination of budding engineers. Building materials that link together have a leg up on old-fashioned blocks, allowing kids to create increasingly complex structures. With so many different construction toys available, it’s possible to find a building set for virtually any age or skill level.

4. Dress-up items – Pretend play is an important way children explore their own potential. Dressing up as a doctor, nurse, firefighter or police officer helps children learn about career choices and adult roles, and facilitates creativity through role playing. Creating a dress-up chest is simple and low-cost. Parents can fill a plastic bin with hand-me-downs, old Halloween costumes and even a few store-bought items.

5. An easel and drawing pad – Sure, coloring books are great, but there’s something about an easel that makes a child feel like a real artist. A simple wooden frame holding a large drawing pad can become the launch pad for flights of fancy rendered in crayon, watercolor and even washable magic marker. Whatever your child’s media or favorite subject, putting him or her in front of an easel will enhance enjoyment of the artistic experience – and give you a bird’s-eye view of your budding artist at work.

Imagination is truly the greatest toy – and tool – of childhood. Fortunately, you can find plenty of “no-tech” toys to nourish your child’s creativity and imagination, even in today’s high-tech world.

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Must-have digital devices for back-to-school season

(ARA) – When you were a kid, the high-tech items on your back-to-school shopping list probably consisted of nothing more exotic than a pocket calculator and the latest leading-edge running shoes. Times have changed, and back-to-school technology has kept pace. Today, technology is an integral part of school life for students from kindergarten to college.

College-age kids, especially, employ technology in virtually every aspect of their academic and personal lives. If you’re sending your youngster off to college this fall, for the first time or the fourth, here are five must-have digital devices to round out your back-to-school technology shopping list:

Tablets

Tablets are hugely popular and for college life they make sense for several reasons. They’re light-weight and their portability surpasses even that of netbooks. Their sleek, stylish design and touch-screen interface appeal to the technologically intuitive tastes of today’s college students.

Even if your college-age child already has a netbook or laptop he’ll be taking to school, a tablet can be a useful addition to his technological toolbox. Tablets like the ViewSonic ViewPad, which uses the Intel Atom processor, provide convenience, speed and the ability to integrate and communicate with other popular handheld electronics. The ViewSonic runs Windows 7 and Microsoft applications, and you can run Android on top with fun Android applications. Not sure what “Android” is? Ask your college kids!

Internet-connected TV

Long gone are the days when you could only access the Internet from a desktop over a slow, clunky telephone landline. Today’s college kids want – and need – to stay connected, and Internet access is everywhere. Internet access also takes entertainment experience to a whole new level.

Devices like Boxee Box, allow you to watch shows, films and Internet content on your TV, using an included HDMI cable and your wireless or Ethernet Internet connection. The device allows users to play on their TV virtually any media they can play on their computer, including video, music or photos.

Netbook

For times when a keyboard may be more convenient than a tablet, but you still don’t want to lug a full-size laptop, netbooks offer convenient, reliable Internet access. The hottest thing in operating systems is Google’s Chrome, and the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook, powered by a dual-core Intel Atom processor, is the leading netbook to offer Chrome. The combination of leading-edge processing speeds, the flexibility and convenience of a netbook, along with Chrome’s browsing power, gives users access to more than 10,000 online applications, including popular games and productivity apps.

Another noteworthy netbook is the Asus Eee PC X101, which includes a solid-stat drive (SSD) and a three-cell battery that make it thinner and lighter than other netbooks.

GPS

Whether they live on campus or at home and commute to school, today’s college students rely on global positioning technology to help them navigate through their academic lives. Hand-held GPS devices provide instant access to the most up-to-date maps and real-time traffic updates. A GPS can help a student get around in a new town or even on campus. You can also find GPS technology and apps for many of today’s smartphones too.

Digital camera

College is a time when young people make memories and friendships that last a lifetime. Your college student will want to record those memories and experiences, and a digital camera makes doing so easy and convenient. What’s more, a digital camera can come in handy for various school projects that require visuals and media.

While most phones now have at least a basic camera function, a good digital camera can offer more storage space and versatility than relying on a phone alone.

Technology is a must-have for today’s college students. Sending them off to school with the right mix of high-powered devices can help ensure your children get the most out of their academic experience.

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How to find the right gift for the hard-to-please teen

(ARA) – Finding the perfect gift for teenagers can be a notoriously difficult task. Their likes and dislikes can often change within seconds based on the latest trends and fads.

So how can you please even the most challenging-to-shop-for teen? Gift cards and cash work, but are also very impersonal. Here are a few gift ideas to satisfy even the pickiest teen.

Clothing
Face it, as much as you’d like to be on top of the hot styles that teens are wearing, you’re probably several steps behind what’s actually in. Give him or her a spending limit and take your teen shopping for some clothes. They will get a gift they really want and you’ll learn about what they like to wear. Plus, it gives you the ultimate veto power over questionable purchases if you’re paying for it.

Music
As with clothes, most parents probably have differing musical tastes than their kids. Instead of a gift card to a music store, get a list of the music they like and gift it to them via iTunes. Plus, it also gives you the opportunity to learn what they like – even if it isn’t what you’d listen to on your iPod.

Technology
What teen doesn’t want the latest tech toy? Whether it’s a new MP3 player, headphones, mobile device or video game system, you probably can’t go wrong. If your teen has a gaming system already, a new game is one place to turn.

Teens overwhelmingly favor action or adventure video games, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, and role-playing games have always been among the best-selling, most popular games available. Two new Marvel games from Activision fit both the action/adventure and role-playing criteria.

“Spider-Man: Edge of Time” and “X-Men Destiny” will immerse your teenage gamer into new storylines from legendary comic book writers – Peter David and Mike Carey, respectively – giving them an authentic, interactive comic book experience. You can learn more at facebook.com/herohq.

“Spider-Man: Edge of Time” lets gamers play the roles of the classic Amazing Spider-Man and futuristic Spider-Man 2099 through a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled adventure in which the heroic web-slingers must urgently work together across time to save each other and prevent a disaster that ultimately leads to the death of Peter Parker.

“X-Men Destiny” introduces gamers to three all-new mutant characters forced to choose between siding with the X-Men or Brotherhood of Mutants. Players customize the path, powers and development of their character and decide their role in the mutant cause alongside, or against Marvel characters such as Magneto, Cyclops, Wolverine and Gambit.

Makeover
For your teenage daughter, a trip to a makeup counter to get a makeover can be a great bonding experience – as well as a lot of fun. Depending on how old your daughter is, the trip can also serve as a great lesson for how much makeup to wear and how you should apply it.

Don’t believe the myth that teens are hard to shop for. With the right approach, you can find the perfect gift for the most discerning teenager.

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Five ideas for practical yet fun gifts for kids

(ARA) – The building anticipation, the frantic ripping of wrapping paper and the discovery of what those colorful packages hold – holidays and birthdays are great times to be a kid. But as any parent can attest, gifts received during holidays sometimes end up gathering cobwebs in the following months.

While it’s fun to go for novelty items that catch a child’s attention when they are opened, giving the children in your life something that will truly stand the test of time will be much appreciated by both child and parent alike. And a practical gift doesn’t have to be boring, either. Here are five things to consider as you search for a gift that will get a lot of use.

* Consult with the parents. It may be against your instinct to ask the child’s parents what their child needs, since everyone loves a good surprise. However, it won’t ruin the surprise for the child if you take the time to find something that he or she could truly use, and parents know their children best.

* Books or magazine subscriptions. If there’s one thing a child can’t get enough of, it’s stories. Books are a great gift because they are sure to be read and don’t take up a lot of room. A subscription to a magazine carries the added bonus of being a new gift every time it comes in the mail. If you get something that caters to the child’s interest, you can’t go wrong.

* Add some fun to clothing gifts. When you were a kid, you might not remember clothing as the most fun gifts you received, but the fact remains that clothing is one of the most practical gifts you can give a child. To make your gift of clothing a little more interesting, throw in a fun clothing item with something more practical. You can never go wrong with a pair of jeans for the utility aspect and then a fun T-shirt from your recipient’s favorite TV show or movie. The Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. brand offers comfortable and affordable jeans for kids for under $25, so you can pick up a pair and have room in your budget for something else to complement them.

* The gift of tickets. If you’re having trouble identifying a toy or gift that the child would really like, tickets to a kid-friendly concert or another event are a great option. You could also opt for a pass to a science museum or zoo – another gift that keeps giving throughout the year. Or personalize it by offering to take the child somewhere fun, which is a nice touch if you’re a favorite aunt, uncle or grandparent.

* Give something that’s alive. No, not a cat or dog – unless you have a parent’s permission. But a fun and unique plant can be a fascinating gift for children as they can take care of it and watch it grow. Consider pairing this with a child-friendly book about the type of plant you are giving or gardening in general. Plants are also a nice gift, because if gives children and parents a project they can work on together.

By finding a practical gift that the child in your life is sure to love, you’ll make sure that the happiness you’re hoping to give continues long after the holidays are over.

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Personalization the key to giving unique holiday baby gifts

(ARA) – Gift-buying season is just starting and will soon be in full swing. You may have a few new names on your list with newborns joining your family and friend’s families. More than any other gift-buying task, finding unique baby gifts can be a challenge.

For adults, teens or even children, you can find out what the recipient likes and tailor your gift purchase accordingly. But babies are a clean slate. So what guidelines can you follow when choosing a gift for them?

Personalized options are unique baby gifts that both delight parents, and provide kids with plenty of playtime enjoyment. Seeing their own name or image on a beloved possession helps reinforce children’s sense of self and encourages them to interact with their environment.

Here are five ideas for personalized baby gifts that you can give at any time of year:

1. Make her the star of her own story. Celebrity moms Brooke Shields, Courtney Cox and Jessica Alba have all purchased personalized books from children’s publisher ISeeMe.com. The site offers a large selection of colorful, appealing, age-appropriate books that can be personalized with a child’s name. Some books include the child’s name on the cover, others throughout the story, and still others feature rhymes and text about the spelling of the child’s name.

“Personalized books increase a child’s self esteem and celebrate their uniqueness,” says Maia Haag, author and co-founder of ISeeMe.com. “The goal is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills.”

2. Help him grow into his personality. Kids love growth charts. Being able to track their own progress helps anchor children to their past while encouraging them to look toward the future. Personalizing growth charts can be as simple as adding the child’s name to the top of a wall-mounted chart. You can also find plenty of options that elevate the level of personalization. For example, Redenvelope.com offers a growth quilt. Hung on the wall, the quilt’s tree design features 12 circles that can be personalized with the child’s handprint, allowing parents to chart every month in one year of a child’s life, or stretch the fun over 12 years.

3. Let her make her mark on the world. Craft-making has an almost universal appeal for children, and when the crafts involve personalization, kids enjoy them even more. It’s easy to find stepping stone kits that can be personalized with a child’s name, handprint or even footprint. Young children will enjoy making the kit with a parent and putting their handprint in the finished product. Parents of infants can also cherish the project when they create it themselves and press their baby’s footprint into the clay.

4. Protect his “lovey” from all challengers. It’s not unusual for babies and very young children to have a favorite stuffed animal or security blanket. A “lovey” helps them fall asleep, and can provide comfort and even companionship. Personalizing a child’s security blanket or stuffed animal with her name can help reinforce her sense of self and understanding of the concept of possession.

5. Pictures are worth a thousand words. It’s easy to find online software and photo websites that allow you to create high-quality photo books with your own images. Parents will love seeing their pride and joy featured in a photo montage. Babies love looking at pictures of faces, something that helps stimulate their brain development. Younger children also love picture books and it’s easy to tell them the tale of their young lives using pictures of themselves and loved ones.

Personalization is a great way to make unique baby gifts even more precious, for both children and their parents.

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Finding gift ideas for the impossible-to-shop-for person

(ARA) – Shopping for holiday gifts would be a lot more fun – and so much easier – if you knew exactly what you wanted to get for everyone. But there’s a good chance your list includes an impossible-to-shop-for friend or family member.

If you’ve struggled in the past to find the perfect gift for this person, you may have resorted to giving gift cards they applied to their everyday shopping, or asking them to give you a wish list.

Tackle those impossible-to-shop-for people on your list with a new approach to finding good – and unexpected – gift ideas with the following tips:

* Head to the public library and browse through magazines that cater to his special hobbies. Pay close attention to ads and products in the articles. If you see something you don’t think he has already, make a mental note to scope out his house or work area the next time you’re visiting, just to make sure. Or chat with someone else who shares his hobby and would know if you’ve discovered the perfect gift that he’ll use and appreciate.

* Go online and visit shopping sites like CouponHeaven.com, which features hundreds of niche stores. For example, CouponHeaven.com allows you to sort shopping opportunities by stores and categories, and you can browse the latest specials. You can also find great ideas from coupon codes and discounts posted for sites like Barnes and Noble for the book lover, Gardener’s Supply for the green thumb and even Joann Fabric for the crafty person.

* Take her out for a window-shopping experience, disguised as a walk through the mall for exercise, or as a trip to purchase gift ideas for other people on your list. Pay close attention to anything she takes a second look at – whether it’s clothing, beauty items, household items or even exercise equipment. Make mental notes on those items, and either schedule a trip back to the store to purchase the item she was interested in, or head home and look the store up on CouponHeaven.com to see if any coupon codes or discounts are available for that store or item. Since she’s already invested an interest in the item, you’ll know it will be enjoyed and used after she unwraps it during the holiday season.

* If the person on your hard-to-shop-for list lives far away, preventing you from looking around his house or taking him window-shopping, then start investigating his life. Call his friends and family and interview them. Check out his postings on social networking sites to see if he’s mentioned any interests you could follow up on. Paying attention is key to finding the perfect gift, so make notes whenever you can.

Don’t delay in trying these holiday gift idea finding tips, because the earlier in the year you start, the more ideas will be presented to you. And if you come across several gifts that could work, write those ideas down, so you’re prepared for next year’s holiday season.

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Santa's official list of most wanted toys this Christmas

(NC)—You’ve done it, and now your kids are doing it: spending countless hours flipping through the toy pages of the Sears Wish Book catalogue, dreaming of Christmas morning and finding the items on the pages come to life under the tree. The 2011 Wish Book has the hottest toys for all the kids, tweens and teens on your list, and you can shop the pages conveniently from the comfort of your home.

Lego This classic building toy has jumped into the 21st century, with themed playsets, like Lego Star Wars and Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. From Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu to Lego City, there are Lego playsets that will please children of all ages and have them building and imagining for hours.

Barbie is always a hit with the girls, young and old. The 2011 Holiday Barbie is glamorous in an emerald green gown with golden embroidery and is sure to please collecting enthusiasts. Sears exclusive Barbie 2011 Couture Angel doll with bonus charm bracelet is simply heavenly. Themed Barbies, like the Barbie Farrah Fawcett doll, are true to likeness. There are tons of accessories, from houses and planes to horses and chariots, to complement the doll assortment and enhance imaginative play.

Air Hogs A remote-controlled helicopter Pocket Copter has been named as the smallest remote control modeled helicopter by the Guiness Book of World Records. The innovative Hawk Eye Camera Copter is also small and offers a built-in camera for photos and small video clips. If your youngster is more a driver than a pilot, the Air Hogs Cars 2 remote-controlled real Lightning McQueen with animated eyes and mouth is sure to please. Don’t forget the batteries!

Colour On Play Places will please the little artists on your lists. Kids will love colouring on the walls and customizing their play house, castle or rocket. These child-size standup play places are made of recycled paper and feature functioning doors and windows.

KidKraft Train Town A Sears exclusive, the train town set ensemble is sure to bring a smile to their faces Christmas morning. There are 80-pieces, including vehicles, bridges, plane, working crane, little townspeople, and buildings, so your little ones will have everything they need to set up their own train town on the large matching side table.

Outdoor Play Give the gift of the outdoors. They will enjoy winter weather play in a new pair of skates, like the Disney Cars and Disney Princess switcher skates that transition from hockey skates to inline skates. Kids will look cool and have a blast in snow tubes, like the Renegade Inflatable Snow Racer, or sledding down the hill with the innovative EraPro Scooter snowboard. Keep them safe while having fun with a Toy Story or Disney Fairies themed snow helmet.

Electronic Game Systems The hottest games and gaming systems are a sure hit. Give them a console to share with their brothers, sisters and friends, like Xbox 360 4GB Kinect, PlayStation 3 or Wii. Complete the gift with the hottest games, like Gods of War 3 for the mature player, or Lego Pirates of the Caribbean games for family fun. A personal portable games station, like PSP and Nintendo 3DS, is the perfect choice to occupy your kids during holiday travels.

www.newscanada.com

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The perfect gift is at your fingertips

(NC)—Christmas is around the corner and as another day winds down and the kids are in bed, you start to really wonder when you will possibly find the time to get your Christmas shopping done. And then the answer comes to you: Your Sears Wish Book. A Canadian Christmastime tradition, the Wish Book catalogue has thousands of gift ideas to help you make everyone’s wishes come true. And you can do all your holiday shopping tonight from the comfort of your home.

Give your partner time: The Kobo Wi-Fi E-Reader with touch screen comes with 100 preloaded classic books, lets you access your local public library’s free E-books, plus you can browse and buy to build your own personal library. For a more classic gift option, a watch will forever be appreciated.

Let your children be merry: Outfit your teens and kids with trendy high tech winter gear so they can spend hours skiing or snowboarding on the slopes and look great. Alpinetek jackets and snow pants are great for cold winter play. The gear pairs perfectly with the equipment, especially when they are in the fun themes they want, like Disney Cars and Princess.

Make your BFF sparkle: They get you through everything and you want to get them a gift that is as special as they are. A beautiful pendant will be easy to buy this person since you know them so well and will make a timeless statement. A whiskey decanter with matching goblets is handsome and perfect for toasting life’s milestones.

Bring the holiday spirit to the office: Give your co-workers a token of appreciation. A decorative handbag hook is inexpensive and handy to keep your purse off the floor. Or consider an Emerson auto mug that plugs into your car outlet to keep your coffee warm on the way to the office. Another idea is an NHL novelty USB drive that brings work and play together to bring a smile to their face.

Spread the holiday cheer: Ready to serve tasty treats make gift-giving easy. A Hickory Farms gift basket is a great way to thank the host at your holiday parties. A select gift of cheeses, jams, nuts, and other tasty treats can also make your neighbour feel special.

www.newscanada.com

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