Archive for November 2007
The Best of HGTV’s Gift Show 2007
HGTV aired Gift Show 2007 on November 25, 2007, but I’m just catching up, thanks to the miracle of DVR. The program highlights hundreds of new gifts from the two big trade shows closed to the public: the Gift and Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta and the International Gift Fair in New York City.
My Top 10 Favorite Gifts from Gift Show 2007
- The Buddha Bowl ($19)
A bowl ergonomically designed to rest in your hand (pictured above). - Angel Espresso Cups ($20)
Espresso cups with silicon wings to keep your fingers cool. - Stylish Stems ($13 for a set of six)
Wrap these around stemware to keep wine glasses identified with flair. - Sticklebook Shelf ($20)
This alternative book shelf grips the cover and pages of books, making your reading appear to defy gravity. - Snake USB Hub ($16)
Twist and shape this four port USB hub to plug in access easy. Available in green, orange or white. - Candle Carver ($10)
Turn a granny smith apple into a votive candle holder with this coring gadget. - Charging Cell Phone Holder ($10)
Hang this rubber-plastic composite holder over your plugged-in charger and have a colorful, handy shelf for your cell phone. - Garden in a Bag ($8-$17)
Just mix the seed packet with water in the leak-proof bag and grow herbs, tomatoes, strawberries or flowers indoors year-round. - Metallic silver ice cream holder ($49)
Serve your quart of Edy’s ice cream in style on your dining room table. - Photoart Clock ($84)
Paint by numbers clock frame with brush and paints included.
And the Top 10 Quirky Gifts from Gift Show 2007
Post-It Notes on Toast
The name and picture says it all. Now you won’t forget to pick up bread after work.- Memory Clothes Planner ($10 for a pack of 5)
Cards that adhere to clothes hangers, so you know when and where you last wore your special outfits. Includes a pen that hangs in your closet. - Teatime Clock ($315)
Vintage teacups from Goodwill form the hours of this offbeat analog clock. - Bike Chain Bowl ($88)
A bowl formed from recycled bicycle chains for an unusual accent with heft. - Goony Accessory Tray ($26)
Bendable and poseable, this accessory tray has fingers that mold to hold jewelry, keys, watches and more. - Tattoo Bookmarks ($5)
Clip-on bookmarks that resemble classic tattoos. - Computer Key Clock ($20)
Oversized Ctrl key, Esc key, Home key and Enter key analog clocks in bright colors. - Fortune Chopstix ($10 for 6 pairs)
Colorful chopsticks topped with a hollow spot for custom fortunes. Blank fortune paper slips included. - Magic Cube of Office Tools ($10)
A 3-by-3-inch cube that packs in a stapler, scissors, pen, exacto knife, measuring tape, eraser, paperclips and adhesive tape. - Billiard Ball and Golf Ball Wine Stoppers ($29-$34)
Ideal for wine enthusiasts who love pool or golf.
Tags: candles, flowers, gadgets, gift ideas, golf, television shows, wine
Three years ago, there was no such thing as Cyber Monday, the online equivalent to the Black Friday holiday shopping rush. Then on November 21, 2005, shop.org, a branch of the National Retail Federation (NRF), sent out a press release. Shop.org announced that the first Monday after Thanksgiving was Cyber Monday. The NRF predicted a significant jump in online orders that Monday, mostly from employees tapping into workplace broadband speeds. The media picked up on the idea, and the marketing ploy worked. But Cyber Monday 2005 actually was not the busiest online shopping day of the year. According to Mastercard transactions, December 5, 2005 saw the highest online traffic.
Still, Cyber Monday online sale promotions, free shipping offers, and marketing magic made the day a self-fulfilling prophesy. The NRF estimates 72 million Americans will shop online this Cyber Monday, November 26, 2007, up from 61 million in 2006.
So, yes, Virginia, there is a Cyber Monday.
Tags: christmas, shopping
For the past five years, technology writer Uncle Mark has offered his simple guide for technology gift purchases. He does not give you a top 10 list of computers to mull over. Instead, he flat out recommends a single product in each technology category with a clear rationale (and sometimes a few exceptions). Here are some technology gift picks from Uncle Mark.
- Phone, Camera, Etc.: Apple iPhone ($400)
- Personal Computer: Apple 13-inch MacBook ($1,100 to $1,500)
- Men’s Wristwatch: Casio G-Shock Classic
($50-$90)
- Video Game Console: Nintendo Wii
($550 — Correction: $250 usually, but there has been a recent holiday price increase to $550 due to scarcity) The Wii works for most people, but hardcore gamers may want an Xbox 360 ($350) from Microsoft
- Hand-held Video Games: Nintendo DS Lite
($130)
- Kid’s Tech Gift: Radica 20 Questions Ball
($10)
- DVD Player: Panasonic DVD-S53
($90-$100)
- Video Camcorder: Panasonic PV-GS300
($425)
- Digital Video Recorder: TiVo
($250 or $600-$800 for HD)
Plus, he throws in an almanac of sound workplace habits and random useful suggestions. Trying to prevent a sneeze? Think of watermelon. The memory of the taste and texture seems to drive the sneeze away. Now that’s an almanac I can use.
Download Uncle Mark’s 2008 Gift Guide and Almanac (PDF)
Tags: dvds, for kids, gadgets, games, gift ideas, guy gifts, toys
Welcome to Black Friday, the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season. Actually, November 23 is the earliest Black Friday can occur, so retailers have more shopping days until Christmas than usual (32 days). My wife and I were not among the brave legions that marched on the big-box stores in frigid darkness. Instead, we did some online shopping today from the comfort of home.
Black Friday could be named for its frantic nature, similar to the chaotic Black Tuesday from the 1929 Stock Market crash. Or the day’s name might originate from accounting conventions: positive income entries were marked in black ink (and losses in red ink). Regardless, Black Friday is usually not the highest sales volume day or even the busiest day for most retailers. Typically, the day with highest sales and customer traffic is the last Saturday before Christmas, which is December 22, 2007. There is no name I’m aware of for this procrastinator’s crunch day, so I suggest Panic Saturday.
Tags: christmas, shopping
It’s Turkey Day. But, of course, Thanksgiving is more than the 272 million turkeys we Americans bought (or the 270,000 Tofurkeys that Turtle Island Foods sold). It’s a time to reflect on our blessings and give thanks. And I have much to be thankful for this year: my wonderful wife, good health, and meaningful work. And when Thanksgiving ends, it’s the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season. I’m not a fan of the chilly parking lot stakeout and 4 a.m. shopping mayhem called Black Friday. I prefer shopping online from my laptop, next to a roaring fireplace. Here are some of the sites I frequent for Christmas shopping.
- Amazon.com
: Still the best for reliability and selection
- Tiffany.com: My wife loves the blue box (and the surprise inside)
- Gift Ideas from CrateandBarrel.com
- The Gift Finder from eToys.com
- PajamaGram.com: comfy PJs arrive in a hatbox
- Apple.com
- RedEnvelope.com
- Restoration Hardware
- UncommonGoods.com
- Plow and Hearth
Tags: christmas, clothing, gift sites, jewelry, shopping, toys

