Features

This list will grow as I add more categories. Of course, gadgets and geeky stuff will be included!

The catalogs are pouring in and filling up my mailbox. Stores have posted holiday decorations. Some places have Christmas lights up. One question: Did we forget about Thanksgiving?

It’s the time of year when some of us suffer from shopper’s anxiety. What do I get? How much should I spend?

For my family, it’s not just the holidays, but also the birthdays and anniversaries that come immediately before and after the holidays. This year is a special year as my parents celebrate their 50th anniversary on Thanksgiving. I had something in mind from them, but the lady who makes them is not returning my calls. There is no place else to go.

2006 kicks off with a biggie. Paul celebrates his 40th birthday in January. Here are ideas and suggestions for gifts starting with Surprise, which provides gift ideas from all over the web for the foodie, those with an unusual sense of humor, a person who is always cold, the socially conscious and more.

Old-fashioned gifts (Read: no batteries required!)

Books are almost always a winner. You can check my reviews on Amazon to see what I liked and didn’t like. Or just go through the book reviews here. A little self-promotion here, but my story is only one of 100 stories in Stories of Strength — I don’t get a penny as all of the proceeds go to charity. My favorite books for this year:

• The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life: My favorite book for 2005. Great for the book lover.

• Buzzmarketing: If you know someone passionate about marketing, this should be a pleaser.

• Get Clients Now!: May be a good gift for someone who just started her own business. Don’t think it is insulting to give this book.

• The Holy Man: This would make a wonderful gift.

• Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: Giving this as a gift might insult the receiver.

• Don’t Make Me Think 2nd Edition: For those involved with any aspect of Web design even if they’re in a marketing role. I don’t think giving this would be an insult.

• Sudoku books at Amazon: So technically these aren’t book books, but they’re great for travel.

Games are responsible for many fond memories when I was a kid and they continue to make memories in adulthood. I never get tired of Scrabble, Pictionary, and plain old cards.

I like to play these occasionally or my family does: Tri-Ominos, Cribbage, and Life. We play many others. It’s unbelievable how many games are getting a make over with cartoon characters. Operation with Homer Simpson (though this needs batteries, I’d say it’s a classic), Dora the Explorer Candy Land (my son’s favorite cartoon), and Clue with Disney’s Haunted Mansion. You get the idea.

Newer games worth checking out: 20 Questions Handheld Game (Okay, so it needs batteries, but it’s an old-fashioned game that allows you to play by yourself), Carcassonne (we have this, but have yet to play it), Settlers of Catan Board Game (ditto), and Fib or Not? (we’ve played this one and it’s a blast).

Got Cranium Hullabaloo, a cross between Twister and musical chairs. My six-year-old liked it. The 2 1/2-year-old can’t follow the directions, but he played with the set. Join the kids and get some energy.

My middle child and I played Guess Who? At first, I thought this game was a blow off and too easy for an adult to win. But then we played it a few more times and I finally saw how it could go either way for either adult or child. If you ask, “Does your person have blonde hair?”, you either get to put down a lot of characters or only a couple of them depending on the answer. A good one to play with kids around 1st grade.

Original and Unique Gifts - For the person who has everything or you’re out of ideas, sometimes going the original or unique route does the trick.

Second Term Edition Bush Cards are a cross between a book and a game. They’re targeted towards Bush non-fans, but they are funny enough that even Bush fans with a sense of humor could enjoy them. Even cabinet members that are subjects on the cards buy them.

While on political satire, a great gift for political fans are CDs from Capital Steps. I’ve heard they’re a riot.

Then these funky shirts from Sharp as Toast have funny political cartoons, sayings and other non-political stuff.

Knock Knock is another story with original gift ideas.

Miss a Kit is a pocketknife style gadget that has a flashlight, keychain, needle and thread, perfume bottle, mirror, pill box, knife and more. If you’re like me and don’t like cutesy pink, they’re available in other colors. Unfortunately, they all have a cutesy heart on them. But I’d love one of these anyway. There is one with a star, but it’s for men and has different tools than the Miss a Kit.

I ordered two and the pen doesn’t work. How many women do you know don’t mind breaking their nails? It’s easy to do that when you’re trying to open some of the tools (even the instructions say to use a fingernail). I prefer my Swiss Army Knife, but it doesn’t have some of the things the Miss A Kit has.

Silver Jewelry Club has free jewelry where you only pay $5.99 per item for shipping. I’ve gotten stuff from the site and my daughter likes them. She thought they were fancy (for an 11-year-old). For me, I could get some specific colored jewelry and stones like Garnet and London Blue Topaz (no Sapphire here). I am stocking up on nice ones to give as gifts to girls. One item is on display for 15 minutes or until it’s sold out.

Know someone who is into herself or himself? Get them a mini-me from Microdwarf. The site has hundreds of themes from which to choose. Creative.

Found Objects has many creative and original gift items. For example, these push pins are a nice change from the boring thumb tacks.

Know a Howard Hughes or Adrian Monk? Perfect gift: Toothbrush Sanitizer and Storage System

Winter… love it… hate it… we don’t want to think about it, but people often get sick with a bad cold or G-d forbid, the flu. The best thing is chicken soup and you can order some from Grandma’s Chicken Soup. But of course, chicken soup is wonderful in the winter, not just when you’re sick. Have a happy and healthy year!

Barbara K 30-piece signature tool kit has all the tool basics in one case along with instructions, which have a place in the case so they don’t get lost. Toolkit includes: 7oz claw hammer, 6″ slip joint pliers, 8″ 2 in 1 level, 6 in 1 interchangeable screwdriver, 6″ adjustable wrench, 10′ measuring tape, 6 in 1 putty knife, 16 - hex key wrenches, fastener assortment, barbara k! how-to booklet, case with individual compartments embossed for placing tools exactly where they should go

Self-contained fish bowl requires no feeding, no filters and best of all, no water changes!

Know someone in college? Far away? Recovering? BeyondBookmarks has fun care and gift packages.

With Chronicles of Narnia recent movie release, what better time to try Turkish Delights?

Know a foodie? Someone who loves to watch Food Network? The Original Food Lover’s Trivia sounds like a winner.

Wishingfish.com has unusual gifts.

Alphabetsync has an assortment of classic toys from the ’50s and ’60s along with new items on the market including t-shirts, fine gifts, jewelry, wacky cards, and everything in between.

Geeky Stuff

I think the biggest thing I’d like to have is the JVC Everio GZ-MG70 2.12 MP 30 GB Microdrive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom. It comes with a built-in hard drive so it would make it easy and effortless to transfer it to the computer and burn to a CD. I could do it with my current camcorder, but I’d have to play the tape and capture it with another device. Too much time and set up.

They’re getting cheaper and bigger in capacity every minute. Flash drives a.k.a. thumb drives and USB drives make great gifts as they’re portable making it easy to move or carry files with you.

I love using a wireless mouse and keyboard as I’m not fighting with the cord that keeps pulling on the mouse. They have their problems especially if you have a wireless network and cordless phones that could interfere. I don’t have that problem with Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 2.0 or the Logitech I had in the past. The Microsoft one is wonderful. Its scroll wheels are smooth and go in different directions. I actually use its shortcuts unlike past products.

Get a second monitor and the recipient will love you for it. When I first started working with dual monitors, I found it weird and annoying. Now I can’t stand being without them! I’ll have to write up something about it in the future. All you need is a video card that can handle dual monitors like VisionTek VTKRAD7K64P Dual Monitor 7K 64MB and a second monitor.

Give Your iPod Character

Does your iPod scream for stylin’ clothes? Is she a princess or perhaps, a cowboy? Maybe she wants variety? iAttire has clothes for the iPod, Mini and Shuffle.

Prefer fur? Try Fluffpod. Not into dressing up objects? Maybe babies? Rather just have something simple like stars or lines? Sporty folks can make the iPod look sporty with a hoody.

Make it a guy, put it in tights, or removable wrappers. OK, OK, I’ll stop already.

Just about anything from ThinkGeek and lots of good stuff at Newegg.com.

Fossil Atari Watches. The games aren’t playable, but they’re animated. Perfect for the ’80s game fan. Comes with choices of Asteroids, Centipede, and Breakout.

Migo - USB thumb drive so you can take your data with you including Outlook, emails, contacts, and other stuff. Four versions available.

And what NOT to buy…

Wired News buying guide

Updated: December 8, 2005