Holiday Gifts

Cultured pearls are the ideal modern gift for your spouse's twelfth or thirtieth wedding anniversary. While selection may seem simple enough there is a wide variety of pearl types, colors, and pearl necklace lengths to choose from.

There are 4 general types of strands Freshwater, Akoya, South Sea, or Tahitian's and all come in a variety of colors and overtones. Most common are white, golden, pink, and black. White and pink are primarily Akoya pearls, golden usually being South Sea pearls, Black usually Tahitian pearls, while Freshwater pearls tend to be available in near every shade imaginable.

Do you have a friend who wants to be published? A musician who can't figure out how to distribute a new CD? This article tells you how to sell a book or CD on Amazon. What a special gift! Publish your friend's book or CD for them. Here are the eight easy steps. Click on the link for more details.

In 8 easy steps, here is how to get your book, CD, or DVD listed on the long tail of Amazon:

1 Get an ISBN (for a book), or a UPC (for a CD or DVD). For one book it costs $125, for one CD, $55, for one DVD, $89.
2 Get a bar code based on the ISBN or UPC. Costs $10, or may be included in UPC.
3 Sign up with Amazon, $30 per year.
4 Duplicate your stuff; include the bar code on the outside.
5 Ship two copies to Amazon
6 Send cover scan
7 Track sales
8 Resgister it (optional)

Online sales of diamonds skyrocketed this Valentine's Day. If you forgot to give someone special a diamond gift, there will alternative holiday gift opportunities soon!

VeriSign said online purchases made from Feb 1 through Feb 14 totaled $3.9 bln, up 30% YTY. Online diamond sales posted the largest increase during that period, rising nearly 130% from a year ago to $1.6 mln. ComScore Networks said Internet sales in the Flowers, Gifts & Greetings category were $124 mln for the week ended Feb. 13, a 40% increase from the year-earlier period. Valentine's Day is one of the top three holidays for the flowers, gifts & greetings category, along Mother's Day and the December holidays.

If you're running around ordering flowers for a last minute gift, now you can check the selection on your cell phone. Holiday gift giving just got a little easier!

Online flowers service FlowersDirect.com and 0800Flowers.com have made their services available to mobile phone users. Mobile users can now view both website’s entire range of products, including full colour images, and order flowers or gifts.

To use the service customers must first download a shopping application to their mobile via the sites.

Would this be considered a private label mobile browser?

Peter Zeist, CEO of 0800Flowers said “Buying flowers is often an impulse purchase and therefore perfect for mobile shopping.

Mobile shopping will be geared to the impulse buy. Therefore it must be easy.

"People are not always at their pc when they remember special occasions like birthdays or Mother’s Day, but they do always have their mobiles with them.”

All natural basket filled with baby goodies. An easy, practical baby shower gift.

It’s what to get for the new mom who has … nothing. Especially if she’s a sucker for natural, organic things. And who doesn’t want their new baby to enter into the least toxic world possible?

Under The Nile’s basket, made with organic palm leaves, is like a baby shower in one pure package. The $99.99 gift includes two small cloth diapers, a natural receiving blanket, an array of long-sleeved onesies sized to fit the baby through 18 months, a “teething bear,” and newborn-sized hat, booties, and mittens. It would make an especially great gift if you can’t attend a friend’s baby shower. $100 too much? There’s a smaller version for $44.

Know someone who wanted to go to the Oscars, but wasn't invited. Well, invite them over to watch the Oscars and then make them a gift of all the items below that the celebrities receive. They'll be instantly trendy and star-like. Make Oscar night into a holiday gift night!

girlhacker has tossed together her yearly list of all the stuff celebs are going to be scooping up at the Academy Awards, and as usual, the people who can best afford to pay full price for stuff are getting a bunch of freebies. Here are all the slick new gadgets they’re getting:

* A year free year of VoIP phone service from Vonage.
* The black version of Motorola’s RAZR V3.
* An iXi collapsible bike.
* A Dyson DC11 vacuum.
* Sprint is offering some unreleased “multimedia” phone from Samsung, maybe the SCH-5600?
* A Krups kitchen set that includes a toaster and an electric kettle.

For a unique gift, try a special experience, something out of the ordinary. For instance, lots of people have the "need for speed," the desire to drive a car fast, fast, fast. Here's a link to a driving course in Las Vegas where you can learn to drive a race car. Most metropolitan areas have a race track nearby where you can learn to drive like a pro. This is a gift that no one will forget.

Drive the dream! Supercharge your productivity with incentive travel to the Richard Petty Driving Experience in beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada! Seating is limited, click now to Drive the Dream!

Here's a nice story. This man's wife said she didn't want anything for Valentine's Day, but he was no fool. What's nice is that he found a gift based on a previous gift she had given him. Holiday gifts that honor a shared memory or experience enhance a relationship in a unique way.

..when your beautiful wife says not to get her anything for Valentine's Day?

Hhhhhmmmm????? I think I hear Admiral Ackbar....

"It's a TRAP! (wav file)"

Dr. Phil might say that the key to a great marriage is listening to your spouse. I disagree. Sometimes, not listening is more important.

Update 7PM EST: I'm surprised at some of you people. Of course, I already had something - from me and from the kids. Are you kidding? Mrs. Blackfive is the best thing that ever happened to me. Would I ever let her down? (Of course not.)

But this also gave me the opportunity to get some really cool Tommy Bahama martini glasses for both of us (since I wasn't supposed to get her anything). The first Valentines we spent together nine years ago, she bought me Waterford Limoges glasses and a gallon of Bombay Sapphire. I'm pretty sure that I did okay. We're all different and appreciate different displays of affection, but I do know my better half. Martini glasses are always appreciated.

A romantic interlude always gets better with chocolate. There must be something in chocolate that always seems to make things more romantic.

Romantic gifts are probably the most difficult to give. Certain holidays, like Valentine’s Day always elicit the same types of ideas for gift giving. Candy or flowers are standard choices. Other times, you may want to just say "I Love You", but not want to buy an expensive piece of jewelry to do so. Yes, you could just send flowers again, but why not open your mind to a more creative idea that will be thoroughly enjoyed by your loved one and yourself?

Next time you’re in a quandary over what to give, consider a romantic gift of food or wine. What about a decedent chocolate assortment like the "Say It With Chocolate" gift basket? This sumptuous gift basket was created with the chocolate lover in mind! Filled with a variety of Ghirardelli chocolates, chocolate-covered sandwich cookies, chocolate-covered espresso beans, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate-covered grahams, this gift will put your lover into orbit!

Andy Goldsworthy is hot, hot, hot in the art world right now. He documents his environmental art through photographs and now on this DVD. Of course, there are lots of other DVDs you might give as a holiday gift, too. For a great selection of used DVDs (and CDs), check out Spun.com. Classic films are wonderful gifts, too. Either way, a DVD impress the recepient of your gift with your knowledge of art or the cinema.

Goldsworthy rules. Plain and simple. He makes amazing art out of natural materials, vision and a whole lotta patience. There are great photo books of his work but TreeHugger really recommends seeing his documentary "Rivers and Tides". Time is an important element in his work which can't really come across unless you are there while he is making the piece or you watch this most excellent doc. See if you can convince one of your rich friends to let ...

Sometimes it's really hard to know what children want for a birthday gift or holiday gift, even if you are a responsible adult who has good conversations with kids. Prepaid credit cards are a good way to avoid buying the wrong gift and give kids a way to learn to use credit cards responsibly. Here's one example.

Hello Kitty will turn more plastic than ever by staring on a MasterCard debit card.

"We think our target age group will be from 10 to 14, although it could certainly go younger," said Bruce Giuliano from Sanrio.

Since only parents (or at least anyone older than 18) can sign up for the card, Hello Kitty thinks it's a great way for adults to "help teach their children how to manage their finances." Next up, is a ...

This poem was posted as a Thanksgiving blessing, but poetry is a great holiday gift regardless of the holiday. Some families recite poetry as part of their holiday tradition. What family doesn't sing "Happy Birthday"? Writing a letter or poem to your family or a friend is one of the most touching gifts you can give. If you're not comfortable with your writing skills, make a quilt, knit a hat, bake a pie or take a photo. Handmade gifts are treasured always.

 "Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gain'd To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd, To turn, turn will be out delight 'Till by turning, turning we come round right." "Simple Gifts" by Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848 Alfred, ...

With iPod prices dropping, you can now give more iPods than ever. Know anyone who needs a birthday gift soon? Click on the link to find out new prices Apple announced yesterday.

Soon, scientists tell us, there will be more iPods than there are protons in our galaxy. Seriously. They're that popular.

Today Apple released some new iPods. Yes, yes, you get more for the same money, or the same for less money. Apple's been doing that for four years now.

Most of the time, online greeting cards are a good idea. On a major, holiday, though, you might want to have a Plan B.

Hallmark Cards yesterday apologized to its clients for screwing over last-minute electronic card senders stemming from problems they experienced trying to access the greeting cards maker's Web site on Valentine's Day.

When a nation of Internet users attempted to send (males, i.e., cheap and last-minute) or receive (females, many of whom are in relationships with cheap and last-minute males) Hallmark electronic cards on Monday, they were turned away from the company's Web site, which was offline for a ...

A great holiday gift idea when you want to shop online and want to give someone a special treat.

Restaurant.com is a website that offers $25 restaurant gift certificates for $10. You type in a zip code and it shows all of the available restaurants within a certain number of miles and then you choose which ones you would like to purchase a gift card for. Then you just print the gift certificate right on your home computer - no waiting for the gift card to arrive in 4-6 weeks! Each restaurant can place restrictions on the use ...

Wine is a great holiday gift. It's also great anytime you're invited to a meal. Here's some practical advice on finding the right wine to give.

I never go to a party empty handed, not because I feel obligated but because I love sharing wine with my friends. Wine is a great gift, whether for a small, intimate dinner party or a large holiday open house celebration.

But what wine should you take?

Wine shops can be intimidating for anyone, with so many wines and so many options. Even if you know wine fairly well, buying wine for other people that know and ...

Many people have to take prescription drugs throughout the day. This article talks about a simple SMS application that would send a reminder to your cell phone every time you needed a Paxil or a Vioxx (are you still taking that?). Unfortunately, this service isn't available yet. Until then, what to do for a friend who has lots of prescription drugs to take (and a cell phone)? Hire a programmer to email reminders to your medicated friend's cell phone.

The Growth of SMS Text Messages Capacity for Learning: Outside of the U.S., SMS is a highly and widely used feature of mobile phones. People can use their phones as network devices to be notified of restaurant reservations, pharmaceutical reminders, just in time content notifications and other elements. Watch for SMS to extend to a wider set of self-service transactions for workers and consumers. Hopefully, the U.S. will catch up.

Paper greeting cards or online greeting cards? The story below highlights the problem of knowing when paper is the right solution and when online is acceptable. Will paper always seem like the better alternative?

Our Seasons Greetings have gone out the door, thanks to Ponzi. If it weren't for her, everybody around me would have received one more "Web Card" notification. She believes that the printed Holiday Card is the only way to go. I suppose that's correct. Then again, you really can't do fun things with paper - especially when compared to Fotobay. I love playing with those googly eyes! We got a few Holiday Greeting Cards this year, although half of ...

A sweet article on how to make the workplace nicer. But flowers are good for holiday gifts and special occasions, too!

So all this absurdly long preface leads up to no more than a "tip." Or, really, two.

Tip #1: Think "Touch of Grace." What's one simple, "graceful" act you (independent contributor, boss) can contribute to your Working Ambience today/tomorrow/in the next fifteen minutes?

Tip #2: Think "Flower Power." From Vermont @ Minus 15F to Bangkok @ Plus 97F ... FLOWERS RULE! Flowers truly are a gift from the gods. Not flowers "given to someone" (fine), but GORGEOUS-LUSH-OVERWHELMING-ARRAYS-OF-FLOWERS. ...

This is a great wedding gift idea. It also would work for most holiday gifts, especially for parents and grandparents who want a nice memory.

So you have been invited to a wedding. Whether you are a friend, family member or the proud parents, one of the most important, if not stressful decisions is what to buy the new couple. This new union will require a unique gift, a gift the newlyweds can actually use and enjoy. Is there such a gift that can provide these qualities while still being original?

Well there is, and just when you thought all of the best ...

No, you cant' really give the Nobel Prize as a gift. There's a committee in Sweden that does that. But, here is a unique gift for your scientist friends: a water glass used by a Nobel Prize winner. Unfortunately, it's already been sold at eBay.

Here's the point. If it's still a couple weeks before you plan to give a holiday gift or other gifts, check out eBay for something unique that matches your lover or friend perfectly.

One small step for blogging, one giant surprise for the blogger: check out this "Unique Nobel Prize Winner 2004 Memorabilia" I'll tell you more later, but for now, please just go there to help make their click-counter go up. Of course, if you happen to feel like bidding on what would indeed make a truly unique gift for that special someone....

An extravagant, luxurious present for Valentines or any other holiday.

Our Ginger Milk bath and body package is the ultimate in soothing luxury. Featuring milk lipids, organic ginger, red clover and honey, the botanical blends in these wonderful products help to moisturize, condition, stimulate and purify the skin. Speed the well-balanced nutrition of milk straight to your skin with Ginger Milk… a gloriously pure source of comfort.

This is a silly, yet practical holiday gift: the Orca Mitt. Gadgetboy vouches for it below.

We have an ORKA and can vouch for it. They look funny but are awesome in the kitchen! Great for a unique gift too.

Here are some wild holiday gifts. Try Cooking with a Serial Killer: Recipes From Dorothea Puente by Shane Bugbee. Maybe too macabre, but there are others if you click above.

Lulu storefronts of the day for Thursday, December 16, 2004: Unique gift ideas--books you won't find anywhere else. In the interest of coming up with a little something for everyone, here are a few unique gift ideas for the booklover in your life, all fruits of the Lulu marketplace for independently published books (& such):

This is something you might not have thought of for a holiday gift, or any other kind of gift: a brewing kit. The real gift may be letting someone you love take over the kitchen to cook up a batch.

Great Gifts To Celebrate Christmas

I've been looking for a gift for a friend of mine and ran across this beauty! Every man I know wants to breww his own beer! That's right, now you can with your own, BeerMachine. Check it out, I think I'm buying one! Ten days to brew beer.

Finding great gifts online makes shopping so easy. Click on link above to see the top 5 sites. I'll give away one: it's Blue Nile, the online diamond store.

Internet Retailer's December issue cites the Top 50 Retailing Sites on the Web. Jane was pleasantly surprised to see a few names in there that she wasn't aware of previously. Since there is still plenty of time to find that special, unique, one-of-a-kind gift we know you plan on giving to your most cherished friends and relatives...via the net..., dear reader, Jane would like to highlight the Five Best Web sites, out of the 50 in IR's list, that ...

It's a little late, but it's never too late.

If you forgot to give your Jewish friends a little something for Chanukah, don't worry. The Jewish Fashion Conspiracy has some stocking stuffers you can get in time for Christmas. They claim to put the "racy" back in "conspiracy"!

10 great and easy ideas for birthday gifts.

All of us know that the greatest gifts in life don’t cost money. They do take time to think and create. Whether you are looking for ideas for a 21st birthday, 16th, 3rd, or 65th, these ideas will help you create some memorable moments and affect lives. Substitute the X for the birthday number. You can even be creative and use these same ideas for expectant mothers.

Number 4 on the list, gift certificates, is growing in popularity and is great for holiday gifts, too!

4. Gift certificate for X favors and privileges that he or she may exchange for services later. Such as cooking a special meal, teaching them to cook a family recipe, cleaning out the garage or car, a picnic in the Spring, or a foot massage. The more creative the better the gift.

Can't find the right ring setting or pendant. Maybe just a bag o' diamonds is the right holiday gift or birthday present?

Diamond Source of Virginia, Inc., a premier online diamond retailer, launches new web site to assist diamond shoppers nationwide who are searching for the best values in loose diamonds and diamond rings.

(PRWEB) February 17, 2005 -- Diamond Source of Virginia, established in 1989 and a nationwide leader in online discounted loose diamond sales, has launched a new web site with extensive shopping advice and diamond education for diamond shoppers nationwide. Discover the secrets for a safe, easy way to purchase diamonds at www.DiamondSourceVA.com

Need a unique holiday gift or birthday present? Here's a satellite antenna for your car.

Just got this press release about a mobile satellite TV antenna that you can install in your car. One of the problems with moving a satellite antenna is losing the “lock” onto the satellite. Ever tried installing DirecTV yourself? I did, and it was a pain in the ass to get it to get a continuous tone, hold onto the dish, and drill it into my deck all at the same time. The slightest angle variation and the lock was ...

This blogger has a nice story about getting a diamond ring years later when he could afford it.

When Ginny and I got married, many years ago, I could not afford to get her anything too expensive for the proposal ring, because there were too many things to pay for, like the flat, the wedding and the honeymoon. But she never complained.

So I thought this would be a good time to pick out something nice for her. It is supposed to be a surprise (so don't tell her, ok?) and I was almost caught redhanded with ...

This legal blogger has some unique suggestions for Christmas gifts for your legal beagle, one idea for each of the twelve days of Christmas. Here's the first day.

1. "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a computer built by Judge Kozinski!"

Yes, the polymathic Judge Alex Kozinski (9th Cir.) enjoys building computers in his spare time. Other Kozinski-related gift ideas include snowboarding lessons with the #1 Male Superhottie and chickens lovingly raised by The Easy Rider and his wife, Marcy Tiffany.

A great holiday gift or gift any time is a donation. Last year's tsunami is not in the news, but relief agencies still need help. Also consider local charities and arts organizations that provide great services in your community.

I believe the best holiday gift is one you give, not buy. If you’ve ever done charitable work the notion of giving should be familiar to you. If you haven’t been caught up in the frenzy of holiday shopping I have a gift idea for you: donate to the victims of south Asia tsunami. Use a support form at UNICEF and decide for yourselves how much you can donate. Crazed retailers won’t go broke if you don’t spend this money ...

Instead of fretting over what might be the perfect gift by wandering through the mall, why not follow the advice of Catherine Franz and think your way out of it. In 10 Free Gift Ideas for a Birthday, she offers ideas on the best things in life, which, of course, are free.