Feel Free to add on to this list as we get closer and closer to Christmas. Looking for fresh and fun ideas. Please give a specific Link. I'll add more as I come across cool ideas for Christmas...Most of us need all the help we can get. For Girls: Gifts from the Smithsonian: Millefiori Elephants and Murano Glass Swans and all kinds of neat collectible stuff http://www.smithsonianstore.com/category.asp?dptid=10001810&catid=470 Gloves that can pick up broken glass safely, good for gardening (QVC): Tuff Coat(TM) All-Purpose Kevlar Gloves http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...Q&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=garden+gloves Ultrasonic Jewelry Clearners http://www.cleanosonic.com/b200.htm Jewelry, Scarves, and Pendants from the Art Institute Of Chicago: http://www.artinstituteshop.org/subcategory.asp?catID=5&subcatID=31 Magic Knife- I've seen this thing in action. It's pretty cool. http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=Magic+knife Gourmet cooking classes at cooking schools such as: http://www.lacademie.com/ coordless, bagless, vaccum (QVC)Eureka WhirlWind Lite Upright Bagless Cyclonic Vacuum w/Tools http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...earch=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=vacuum Harry and David Cholcolate rasberries http://www.harryanddavid.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=201&cgrfnbr=26 For Guys: Antique Pocket Watches http://www.antique-watch.com/ Bushnell Golf binoculars (distance) and Night vision http://www.dealtime.com/dt-app/SE/KW-bushnell/FD-/NS-1/GS.html Illuminite jackets to protect runners/bikers at night http://www.illuminite.com/mens.asp Harley Davidson Gifts/Clothes/Jewelry http://www.harley-davidson.com/mcm/mcm_main.jsp?bmLocale=en_US Passport Radar Detectors http://www.highperformanceparts.net/Escort/ Digital Tire Gauge http://www.safetyzone.com/product.asp?pf_id=196984zz&dept_id=900 Wooden Puzzles and various puzzles http://www.dstoys.com/framecat.html Control Dot Gloves - Amazing for grip and warmth Thermolite® Base/Lycra® medium weight 3-Season glove http://www.manzella.com/ProductList...ditional&Product_Line_Code=Base&Group_Code=AP Houston Rocket Tickets: http://www.nba.com/rockets/tickets/arena.html Comfortable Slippers from hushpuppy or wherever http://comfortableshoes.com/manufacturer-view.cfm?Manufacturer=59 Drive Up Car Announcer: http://www.safetyzone.com/parent.asp?pf_id=195542x&dept_id=900 Bonzai Tree: http://www.bonsaiboy.com/ Electric Razors from Gilette: http://www.theessentials.com Car and Truck Covers http://www.performanceproducts.com/sub/coverking/ For Kids: Big Stuffed Animals from FAO Schwartz: http://www.fao.com/products/Category.cfm?subcategory=4281 Gift Certificates from Best Buy Blockbuster Dell Cheap and Homemade ideas: Personalized Stationary My favorite gift to make is stationary. On white paper, I create a design that wouldn't interfere with letter writing: borders, names, corner highlights. Then I take it to a local copy shop & have them run off copies on a paper that has matching envelopes. Some copy shops will charge you for the prices of the copies only (3-4 cents) if you supply your own paper. The paper can be bought by the ream at a bulk office supply store pretty inexpensively. I mix & match several designs or colors, bundle in groups of 20 (don't forget extra plain paper for back pages) & tie with a pretty ribbon with dried flowers. --Kat Nostalgia Baskets Last year I made "Nostalgia Baskets" for my siblings, containing three varieties of cookies our Grandmother used to bake, including copies of her cookie recipes. On the recipe sheets, I added a few of my memories about our Grandmother, the times when she served those particular cookies, etc. I gift-wrapped the cookies and recipes in attractive baskets that could be used by the recipients for other items after the holidays. The "Nostalgia Baskets" were a real hit! A Spicy Alternative Check the library for recipes for homemade spice mixes, vinegars and mustards. All are EASY to make, don't cost a lot (it might seem like they do - you buy one of this and one of that - but end up making a LOT of this and a LOT of that for lots of gifts), and people really enjoy receiving them. Either save and reuse bottles and jars at home, ask friends to save them, or find them at yard sales and thrift stores. To make these really special include a recipe for each spice mix or vinegar. Ceramics I suggest taking a ceramics class where you take something that is already cast, and paint it yourself. You don't have to invest in a lot of supplies, and it's fun to take something and personalize it for a gift. --Angela "Aren't They Cute?" My small nephews (3 and 5) get their pictures taken a lot by the grandparents and the rest of us. So, as part of their Christmas presents, I purchased two small photo albums and put several pictures of them inside (from babyhood to present). They were delighted to have their "own" albums that they can add to as they get older. You'd have thought I gave them gold. A Flavorful Gift CHOCOLATE SPOONS Get some good quality plastic spoons to start with-no flimsy cheap stuff! Try using gold or silver ones, clear is OK too. Also find some good quality chocolate and different extracts/liquors to make the spoons different flavors/colors. There is no end to the flavors you can come up with! Melt chocolate till it is liquid, watch out that it doesn't scorch...you can do this in the microwave. Add extract or liquor of choice (almond extract, Frangelica, peppermint, anise, Kaluah etc). Then just dip the spoon into the chocolate ...and lay the spoons with their handles over the edge of a wax paper lined cookie sheet till set. You can drizzle white chocolate in a design over dark or milk chocolate...or dip 1/2 of spoon in dark and 1/2 in while..best flavors mocha, mint, plain, raspberry...Don't just dip lightly you want a nice puddle in the spoon part and part way up the handle. I wrap these in clear plastic bags tied with raffia and a tag stating the flavor. These are marvelous with coffee or cocoa and make enough so each family member gets 2 spoons each. They will clamor for more!!! Other things you can dip into chocolate and put in gift baskets: salted Pringles™ (only half), chocolate chip cookies (only half) use a clean new small paint brush and paint the mixture on the back side of freshly washed, dry leaves (rose, camellia work well). after chocolate has dried gently peel off the leaf and enjoy your chocolate leaf. A home made CD with someone's favorite songs on it
There's some really great ideas on that list. The only one I'd quibble with is the vacuum. Personally, I wouldn't be too thrilled to get a cleaning appliance for Christmas ... but that may just be me.
It's not just you. In fact prior to the advent of no fault divorce in Texas I believe cleaning appliance as a gift was grounds for divorce.
