The holidays are a magical time of year and I often find that purchasing gifts for others is more rewarding and fun than shopping for myself. Imagining the sparkle in someone's eyes when you present them with something they love is like nothing else. I personally get a great amount of joy from gift giving. However, holiday shopping can also be stressful. What to get that certain someone? Whether it be a relative, significant other, friend or business associate… you want your gift to make a distinct impression that signifies how you feel about that particular person in your life, and you find yourself running from store to store like a chicken without a head on a quest to find the "perfect gift." Ok, at least I tend to do that. Another issue that comes to mind at this time of year is your January credit card bill. Gasp! The longer the gift list, the more mindful one needs to be when making each purchase.
Here is our attempt to make this process a little
less arduous for you. Below are PR.com's "Top Picks for Holiday
Gifts" that are fun, creative and won't break the bank…
"Key to My Heart" Key Chains
Who owns the key to your heart? Let them know they've got you all locked up by gifting them with a "Key to My Heart" Sterling Silver and Swarovski Crystallized key chain for the holidays. Key to My Heart key chains allow you to create your own key chain with customized sayings like "Love," "Dream," "Smile" or any other sentiment you would like spelled out in sterling silver letters, alternating with oodles of sparkly Swarovski crystals. You can also use letters to spell out names, "Jennifer," "Pamela," etc. All key chains come with a sterling silver heart shaped key ring and one sterling silver and Swarovski crystal dangle attached to your key ring. Spell out phrases like "I Love You," "Best Friends" or anything else your heart desires. These are the hottest key chains among celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, who owns a Key to My Heart key chain that reads, "I Love Candy." Star Jones gave these little sparklers to each woman in her bridal party (all 50 of them!). Other celebrities who sport custom Key to My Heart key chains include Sophia Bush, Eva Longoria and Christina Milian. Key to My Heart key chains can have up to six dangles and one word is recommended per dangle, with up to ten characters per each dangle.
In addition to their customized series of key chains, Key to My Heart also offers their Signature Series of key chains with one chain dangle and the following words to choose from: Bloom, Dream, Adore, Laugh, Reach and Shine. Each features a semi precious or precious stone as the last bead on the dangle. Actress Lindsay Lohan got her key chain from the "I Love…" series. In addition to Lindsay's choice of "I Love Candy," you can choose to love just about anything you like! "I Love Shoes," "I Love You," "I Love Bling"… you get the idea.
Perfect for group or office gifts, for your girlfriend or wife, a best friend, as a holiday goodie bag item or the quintessential stocking stuffer! Prices range from $36 to $136 depending on the number of dangles ordered with your key chain. Visit KeyToMyHeart.net for more details and to place your order.
Earth Spirit Light Candles
Earth Spirit Light Candles were created by Teresa Welch, a woman with a love of candles and the centering effect they provide in the home, but who wanted to find clean burning candles made only of natural non-toxic ingredients. This was particularly important to her at the time, since she was pregnant with her first child and did not want to breathe in the toxins that artificial wax candles can emit. She didn't have much luck in her search for natural, safe candles. This inspired Teresa to learn the art of candle making, with the goal of creating clean burning 100% environmentally friendly candles for her home. Friends and acquaintances inquired about purchasing Teresa's clean burning candles, and orders began to come in through word of mouth. Earth Spirit Light Candles was born! Their candles are hand poured and use only natural ingredients; even wicks are made of 100% cotton. Scents are custom made by Teresa using essential oils and natural fragrances. Absolutely NO chemicals, dyes or additives! You can breathe easy when you give the gift of an Earth Spirit Light soy based, 100% clean burning candle to someone special.
Some of Earth Spirit Light's signature scents include: Sweet Patchouli, Salty Sea Air, Vanilla Bean, Jasmine and Fresh Linen… just to name a few. Soy based candles also have a longer burning life and burn more evenly, so you can enjoy each candle longer. Earth Spirit Light Candles are available in large and medium glass holders, or 3 candles in three small glass candle holders. Candles can also be purchased in decorative travel tins. Prices range from $15 to $20 per candle. To learn more about the benefits of soy based candles and for order information, please visit: Earth Spirit Light Candle Company
Fairytale Brownies
Calling all chocoholics! Ditch the fruit cake this season and make someone's holiday sweet with Fairytale Brownies…
Fairytale Brownies was started by two childhood friends, Eileen Spitalny and David Kravetz, who were feeling restless in their existing careers and were searching for a sweeter life. They shared a love of sweets and a secret 48 year old family recipe from David's grandmother for the most delicious brownies either of them had ever tasted. Together, they ventured out as entrepreneurs and founded Fairytale Brownies in the fall of 1992. Their brownies are made of the finest ingredients, like Callebaut Belgian Chocolate and are individually wrapped to seal in freshness; the wrapping is Fairytale Brownies' signature purple packaging with your personalized message. Eileen and David bake twelve mouthwatering flavors: Original, Amaretto, Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Coconut, Mint Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pecan, Raspberry Swirl, Toffee Crunch, Walnut and White Chocolate. Order a batch of one flavor or mix'em up for variety.
Fairytale Brownies have received outstanding reviews from The New York Times and USA Today, both declaring that the quality of their brownies and their customer service are outstanding! All Fairytale Brownies products are certified Kosher. They are also ideal for Christmas or Hanukkah parties. Prices start at $26 for a half dozen brownies and go up to $79 for a batch of 48 brownies. To get a holiday custom gift quote, or to choose from one of Fairytale Brownies' existing holiday gift packages, go to Brownies.com. Both Christmas and Hanukkah packaging are available.
Lefty's Corner - Products for Left-handed People
If you have a favorite southpaw in your life, make their day with products designed especially for the unique challenges that go along with being lefty in a right-handed world. Although most lefties are very well acclimated to right-handed tools, appliances and the like, products that are created to be used with the left hand certainly make things a lot more comfortable and convenient. The lefty in your life will love them and you'll get an A+ for gift creativity! If you have a left-handed child who is school age, school supplies such as left-handed scissors, smudge proof pens, and left-handed spiral notebooks (spirals are set on the right to avoid the pain of pressing your hand against the spiral) create more comfort in the classroom and aid in better academic performance. Lefty's Corner also carries a wide range of left-handed kitchen tools, everything from peelers to corkscrews to can openers. For a cute kitchen novelty, check out the left-hand print cookie cutter.
Other interesting gift ideas include: books on famous lefties; T-shirts with sayings such as "I May Be Left-handed but I'm Always Right!"; the 2006 lefty desk calendar featuring a little known fact or anecdote about lefties for each day of the year; the "Lefty's Are Beary Special" plush stuffed bear; and, the Lefty Survival Kit. Prices are reasonable and vary depending on product. For a truly memorable holiday gift, visit leftyscorner.com.
Jamie Kreitman Flip Flops
Jamie Kreitman's signature flip flops are like no other! Not since the advent of the pedicure, has anything made a woman's feet look so feminine and well dressed. Made of sugar, spice and everything nice…
Jamie's flip flops are so in demand that women across the US are walking into stores and prancing out with one pair in every color! These little foot goodies are casual enough to kick back in, and dressed up enough to wear with your favorite pair of slacks or mini skirt for a night out on the town. Some women are even requesting pairs in white to wear to their weddings; Yes…Their Weddings! And according to trendy Beverly Hills boutique, Belle Cosa, "Jamie's flip flops sell out at a rate of 80 pairs per day!"
These classy little numbers come in fun colors such as: pink, yellow, blue, orange, peach, army green, brown, black and white. You can get the same color variations in polka dot pattern as well. All flip flops are decked out with ribbon and rhinestone. Everything from rhinestone vintage style brooches to stars to hearts can twinkle in between your toes with Jamie Kreitman flip flops.
Add some va-va-voom to your pedicured tootsies for your holiday travels or put some pep in your girlfriend's step. Prices range from $40 to $48. Visit JamieKreitman.com for details.
The Leapster Multimedia Learning System by Leapfrog
We all know how much kids love getting toys for the holidays, and how much they equally hate getting hand knitted sweaters, underwear or worst of all… a book! Learning = bad, playing = good, Until Now!
Leapfrog makes an educational toy for children 4 - 10 years of age, called the Leapster Multimedia Learning System. The Leapster Multimedia Learning System lets your child learn on the go with a library of software featuring characters that are recognizable to your child and games that are action packed. With full-color, engaging animated games and nonstop action, your child will want to take this learning tool everywhere. The Leapster Multimedia Learning System includes exciting games that teach more than 60 skills in four different subjects, including reading, math, art and music. This on-the-go learning toy also covers three skill levels: preschool, kindergarten and first grade. Go to Amazon.com and type in key phrase: "leapster multimedia learning system." Retails on Amazon for $49.99. Or just go to Leapfrog.com. As of Nov. 22, 2005, Epinions.com gives this interactive learning system four and a half stars out of five.
Apple's iPod Nano
No 2005 holiday gift list would be complete without the iPod Nano. We were all impressed when Apple Computers came out with the original iPod as the walkman of the 21st Century. Now, with the iPod Nano, you can store up to 1,000 skip-free songs, audio books and podcasts. The iPod Nano is pencil thin, the size of a credit card, and has up to 14 hours of battery life. The Nano can store up to 25,000 of your favorite photos. Accessories are available for iPods to plug into your car, so you can carry your own personal jukebox with you while you drive. Use the iPod Velcro armband to take iPod Nano with you on the run at the gym or the track. You can fast forward, rewind or pause your music. The iPod Nano is available in black or white and with either 2GB of memory which holds 500 songs or 4GB of memory which stores 1,000 songs. Prices are $199 and $249 respectively. More info at, where else, Apple.com. *
* 1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less. Song capacity is based on 4 minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; photo capacity is based on iPod nano-viewable photos transferred from iTunes.
Star Wars Trilogy DVD (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Now fans of Star Wars can collect all three original Star Wars films along with a special bonus DVD that narrates the story behind the original Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes IV, V, and VI. This four disc DVD set features never before heard commentary by George Lucas as well as members of the cast and crew of this unforgettable epic tale.
Disc 1, Episode IV A New Hope: This episode, which introduced the world to the Star Wars universe, is set around the story of Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy from Tatooine. He is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance as he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Empire. We learn the force is strong with Luke as he destroys the Empire's infamous weapon, the Death Star.
Disc 2, Episode V The Empire Strikes Back: Three years later… the rebellion meets defeat on ice planet Hoth, and Luke trains with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in Bespin. In the midst of a fierce light saber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke discovers that the evil Vader is his father, Anakin Skywalker.
Disc 3, Episode VI Return of the Jedi: As the saga concludes… Luke Skywalker confronts his father, Darth Vader, in a final duel before the evil Emperor. In the eleventh hour, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, Anakin Skywalker is redeemed and freedom is restored to the galaxy.
A bonus Disc 4 includes the most comprehensive feature-length documentary ever produced on the Star Wars saga; and never-before-seen footage from the making of all three films. Priced at $49.99, this DVD package can be purchased through Amazon.com or through Shop.StarWars.com.
Happy Shopping from PR.com.