Gift Giving Guy - Gift Ideas & Advice

Valentine's Day 2010: Coffee Gifts

2010-02-14T22:57:00.005-06:00

This Valentine's Day, I crossed Cupid with caffeine to give several coffee gifts to my wife. If you know a coffee lover, consider these gift ideas.

		While Senseo single-serve coffee offers 15 varieties, it's missing some of our favorites. JavaPodz brings indulgent raspberry chocolate and blueberry cobbler flavors to our Senseo coffee maker.

		My wife enjoys coffee almost every morning. So these cotton "I need coffee!" PJs from PajamaGram are a perfect match for her wake-up routine.

		Nothing perks up a wrist like coffee beans. Artist Amy Pfaffman casted molds of real coffee beans for this silver bracelet from Uncommon Goods.


		According to Starbucks, "when coffee dreams, it dreams of chocolate." Their dark chocolate espresso beans rounded out Cupid's coffee theme.

Valentine's Day 2010: 10 Gifts for Him

2010-01-24T23:10:00.007-06:00

With Valentine's Day three weeks away, it's time to think outside of the chocolate box for guy gifts. Women may be tempted to give sentimental tokens on February 14, but most men prefer playful or practical gifts. (See the Seven Guidelines for Guy Gifts.) Consider these 10 guy gifts to celebrate Cupid's big day.

		Victorinox Swisscard. Arm your guy's wallet with a credit-card-sized multi-tool. The SwissCard includes a letter opener, scissors, tweezers, a magnifying glass, 3mm and 5mm flat-head screwdrivers, two Phillips screwdrivers, a LED mini light and an integrated ruler ($20 from Amazon.com).

		Mr. Beer Premium Edition Home Microbrewery System. Have your Valentine home brew and bottle his own batch of beer. With just four steps, this kit is great introduction to the craft of beer making ($40 from Amazon.com).

		6-month Netflix Gift Subscription. Introduce your guy to Netflix (or extend his current subscription). He gets DVDs in the mail or he can instantly stream movies to computers, game consoles and other devices ($54 to $102 depending on the plan, from Netflix).

		Buckyballs. Rolling Stone's 2009 Toy of the Year. This set of 216 magnetic spheres can forms countless shapes. Give your Valentine this highly addictive gadget/puzzle ($26.31 from Amazon.com).

		Popcorn Palace. Send him a Valentine's Day one-gallon tin filled with Chocolate Drizzle Caramel Corn and Gourmet White Cheddar Popcorn ($25 from Popcorn Palace).

		Gigantic Sweet Hearts Fortune Cookie. Create your personalized fortune message in a Nerf-football-sized fortune cookie. This treat is dipped in chocolate and coated with candy hearts. I loved the cookie received as an eighth wedding anniversary gift ($30 from Good Fortunes).

		Coffee Tote. Make sure he has java on his next junket. This black canvas tote holds a stainless steel vacuum flask for piping hot coffee, two insulated mugs, a small container for cream, two stainless spoons, and a napkin ($56 from Uncommon Goods).

		Cricket Laptop Stand. Make life with his laptop easier with this ergonomic stand. The Cricket props up any laptop computer nine inches for more comfortable viewing ($40 from Relax the Back).

		Slingbox PRO-HD. Set the TV free. Slingbox allows your guy to watch his DVR, cable or satellite TV on the go. This nifty device streams his favorite shows to a laptop or smart phone ($264 from Amazon.com).

		Personalized Steak Branding Iron. The mark of a real grill master. Order your guy's initials for this iron, seared into a wooden gift box ($47 from Texas Irons).

iTunes Store Streamlines Haiti Relief Donations

2010-01-16T17:51:00.008-06:00

John Hodgman audio books are no longer my favorite thing on the iTunes Store. Apple just simplified donations to the American Red Cross to help the Haiti relief effort. If you have an iTunes account, you can give $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 or $200, and Apple will charge the credit card you have on record. You'll find a contribution link on the iTunes Store Home or click here to launch iTunes and access the donation page. Your monetary gift is anonymous, and 100% goes to the American Red Cross to provide food, water, shelter and emergency services to disaster victims in Haiti. It's the best transaction I've made on the iTunes Store.

Give to Haiti Earthquake Relief

2010-01-13T20:48:00.005-06:00

Haiti needs our help. If you can, give to a reputable charity online. Or simply visit Amazon.com to make a donation for Haiti earthquake relief.

Consider the charities below that meet the Better Business Bureau's 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Resolutions Revisited: Gift Giving Guy in 2009

2010-01-11T23:06:00.006-06:00

I'm overdue on my annual bookkeeping for this blog. In 2009, I made five resolutions for Gift Giving Guy. Let's check the ledger and see whether I was on time, within grace or past due.

Resolution #1: Publish 100 posts in 2009.
Past Due. I posted 75 times in 2009, three quarters toward the goal.

Resolution #2: Introduce six new gadgets, design revisions or other blog improvements.
On Time. I started using Twitter on March 22, adding a follow link and the latest tweet to the right column. I embedded a ShareThis link on each post. Two new hub pages, Guy Gift Ideas and Gifts by Occasion, made their debut. And I included two new Blogger gadgets: recent comments and a poll.

Resolutions #3 and #4: Create an online quiz. Offer a guide on gift giving by personality traits.
Within Grace. I'm counting my post, "Selecting Gifts by Personality Quiz," toward both of these resolutions.

Resolution #5: Blog about gift giving and e-commerce insights discovered in my MBA classes.
On Time. I matched my graduate school experience with gift giving six times in 2009:

Birthday Gifts for the Entertaining Hostess

2010-01-10T23:01:00.008-06:00

In our home, my wife is the hostess-in-chief. If I were running hospitality, I'd be tempted to follow the advice of comedienne/actress Amy Sedaris: fill the medicine cabinet with marbles. ("Nothing announces a nosey guest better than an avalanche of marbles hitting a porcelain sink," Sedaris suggests.) So for my wife's birthday, I gave her gifts that affirm her as the entertaining hostess.

		Any event needs a plan. Notepad maker Knock Knock packages a menu list, a shopping list and a cooking prep list in The Chef's Planning Kit.

		Two of my wife's favorite crooners are Michael Bublé and Harry Connick, Jr. I gave her their new albums (Crazy Love and Your Songs respectively) as lively music for our party prep.

		Instead of pitchers, we'll be serving from Artland Simplicity Eight-Piece Punch Bowl Set. The bowl and set of six cups have clean lines. And my wife likes the the ladle is crafted from glass, not acrylic.

		I think her favorite is the Waring Professional Buffet Server and Warming Tray. She loves to host brunch, and now the food will stay piping hot.

100 Years of Hallmark

2010-01-10T17:25:00.006-06:00

I'd almost given up on Hallmark. Then in 2000, the greeting card giant released its Fresh Ink line. These cards are colorful, clever, odd-shaped, off-beat, even snarky at times. Fresh Ink is my first choice when seeking a greeting card. Today Hallmark celebrates 100 years of cards — still fresh after a century.

Puzzling Presents

2010-01-05T20:14:00.011-06:00

This Christmas, we only had 9.8 lords a-leaping. That is, until we moved the coffee table and found that final missing piece of our "12 Days of Christmas" jigsaw puzzle. Puzzles challenge your problem-solving and pattern-recognition skills and make a great gift for families. Consider these puzzling presents.

		German puzzle maker Ravensburger sells some of the best jigsaw puzzles available. I like the 1,000-piece puzzles, like the Celebrating Paris puzzle. Ravensburger also offers puzzles with 1,500 pieces (Van Gogh's Café Terrace at Night), 3,000 pieces (Oceanic Wonders) and a brain-scrambling 18,000 pieces (Tropical Impressions).

		Don't let that jigsaw puzzle overwhelm their dining room table. Ravenburger features a "stow and go" mat to roll up puzzles up to 1,500 pieces.

		Giving a gift card? Puzzle fans may enjoy the challenge of freeing that card from ThinkGeek's Gift Card Puzzle Vault. You lock up the gift card, and your giftee must navigate a ball bearing through a translucent plastic maze to release it.

		Upload your digital photo at PortraitPuzzles.com and create a 1,008-piece personalized jigsaw puzzle. Choose a puzzle box or puzzle tin for packaging.


		Fuel creativity with Roger von Oech's Ball of Whacks. Arrange the 30 multi-color magnetic pyramids to form hundreds of unique shapes. Couple this gift with the book A Whack on the Side of the Head.


		Puzz 3D foam-based puzzles appeal to one's inner architect. Let them build the U.S. Capitol Building in their family room.


		For my nephew's fifth birthday, I gave the Melissa & Doug 100-piece Pirate's Bounty floor puzzle. Read the blog post.


		Do your gift recipients subscribe to the New York Times? Look up their birth date or anniversary date and give them a puzzle based on that day's front page.

Mistaken Gifts

2010-01-03T19:09:00.007-06:00

I just re-digested a whole year of Reader's Digest, a gift from my in-laws. Last year, the RD editors favored stories of gifts gone wrong, as seen in these five reader anecdotes.

January 2009: Submitted by Kay Przybille
I've always wanted a beautiful shawl to wear with my winter dresses. So when I opened the present from my sister Wanda and saw that it was a white-and-silver shawl, I squealed in delight.

"I love it!" I told Wanda that evening. "I wore it all morning."

"You wore it?" she asked, smiling. "It's a skirt for the Christmas tree."

***

January 2009: Submitted by Ruth Williams
For the holidays one year, rather than send gifts, my friend decided to enclose checks in her greeting cards. Inside each card she wrote "Buy your own presents" and then sent them off.

A few months later, she discovered the checks she'd "mailed" under a pile of books.

***

March 2009: Submitted by Susanna Wolk
Dad got an iPod Nano as a gift. He thought it was a tie clip.

***

May 2009: Submitted by Jamie Carlson

The knit cap my friend sent me from England was a bit small. But it was lovely, so I wore it to church that Sunday. Afterward, I e-mailed her to say how nice it looked on me.

She shot me back a note saying how glad she was. "Especially," she wrote, "since it's a tea cozy."

***

October 2009: Submitted by Heather Boyd
Last Valentine's Day, I arrived at the doctor's office where I work as a receptionist to find a mystery man pacing up and down holding a package. As I got out of the car, he declared warmly, "I have something for you." I excitedly ripped open the bundle. It was a urine sample.

Selecting Gifts by Personality Quiz

2009-12-31T18:37:00.013-06:00

Hollywood's gift bag guru Lash Fary asks three questions to set "personality parameters" before recommending gifts.

Is your giftee young at heart or mature at any age?
Is your recipient traditional or trendy?
Is your relationship with the person that of a close friend or relative, or more of a casual, neighborly nature?

In his book, Fabulous Gifts, Fary suggests quizzes (edited excerpts below) to help you respond to these questions. Keep in mind that your personal knowledge of an individual's tastes can override these categories.

Question 1: Young at Heart vs. Mature at Any Age?

Do they usually dress up for Halloween?
Do they enjoy telling jokes, making people laugh and playing pranks from time to time?
Is the recipient likely to drop everything for a last-minute weekend trip?
Would they join you for a spur-of-the-moment dinner or movie invitation?
Do they sometimes impulsively buy items they don't need while shopping at the mall?
Are they likely to join their co-workers for happy hour after work?
Are they likely to have to search for their passport when it's time to take a trip?
Are they more likely to stop at Starbucks for a latte in the morning than to set the timer on the coffee the night before?
Are they more likely to boldly decorate the bride and groom's car at a wedding or stay behind to toss the rice or birdseed?

If you answered "yes" to five or more questions, you are shopping for someone who is young at heart, and you may want choose more playful gifts. If "no" for most questions, your giftee is mature at any age, and you will want to consider less whimsical and more practical presents.

Question 2: Traditional vs. Trendy?

Do they think about "other people's rules" when dressing (e.g., not wearing white after Labor Day or whether a particular color is appropriate for the season)?
Do they avoid tight-fitting clothes?
Do they go to church or temple on a regular basis?
Are they more likely to work around the house on the weekends than to hit the mall with a friend?
Does the recipient listen to either classical or country music?
If female, does she own more flats than stilettos? If male, does he own more neckties than pairs of jeans?
Has the recipient had the same hairstyle for at least five years?
Is the recipient often influenced by family opinions and situations?
Does the recipient own only black and/or brown shoes?

Five or more "yes" answers mean you are seeking a gift for someone traditional. Traditionals tend to like what they know and prefer something familiar. Five or more "no" answers point to a trendy recipient who often lean toward bold colors and design innovations. Gift seekers can take more risks with a trendy giftee.

Question 3: Close vs. Casual Relationship?

Would they be willing to pick you up at the airport during rush hour on a Friday evening?
Do you know their favorite movie, actor or singer?
Can you recall their birthday (or at least birth month) without referring to a calendar?
Would the recipient stop by without calling first?
Do you chat on the phone or exchange e-mail with the recipient at least twice a week?
Do you have the person's phone number programmed into your cell phone?
Do you have a picture of them somewhere in your house?
Do you socialize (outside of work) at least once a month (or at least talk about doing so)?
Would you leave them alone in your house for the day?

If you said "yes" to at least five questions, you are choosing a gift for someone close, which raises the bar to find a gift that reflects their personal interests. If you said "no" to five or more questions, you have a casual relationship with the recipient. Stick with less personal, tried-and-true presents (e.g., Moleskine travel journal, laptop bag for mobile computing fans, or maybe a coffee gift card).

Gift Profiles

From these three answers, Fary forms eight personality profiles and devotes a chapter of gift ideas for each profile:

Young/Traditional/Close
Young/Traditional/Casual
Young/Trendy/Close
Young/Trendy/Casual
Mature/Traditional/Close
Mature/Traditional/Casual
Mature/Trendy/Close
Mature/Trendy/Casual

For me, I follow the "Young at Heart/Traditional" profile. My wife fits the "Mature/Traditional/Close" profile. Which profile matches your giftees?

A Decade of Anniversary Gifts

2009-12-30T21:13:00.005-06:00

This decade is almost done. As a year 2000 bride and groom, my wife and I exchanged nearly a decade's worth of anniversary gifts. Most of the time, we followed the traditional anniversary gift themes. To round up the gift count to ten, I've included our wedding day gifts.

The Zero Anniversary (Wedding Day)

Hers: Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti Bean pendant in platinum (pictured)

His: Palm Vx personal data assistant (today, this device would be the Apple iPhone 3GS)

First Anniversary (Paper is the traditional gift)

Hers: 30 additional 8x10 black-and-white photos from our wedding
His: Framed share of Apple stock from Oneshare.com
Ours: Bed and breakfast weekend

Second Anniversary (Cotton is the traditional gift)

Hers: Victoria's Secret terry robe
His: Williams Sonoma personalized denim apron
Ours: Door County, Wisconsin getaway

Third Anniversary (Leather is the traditional gift)

Hers: "Reading in bed" theme: Barnes & Noble leather book weight, Restoration Hardware lap desk with faux leather padding, The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks, and two lapis blue chenille throws
His: Restoration Hardware leather bedroom valet and leather desk accessories
Ours: Under the Tuscan Sun at the movie theater

Fourth Anniversary (Fruit or flowers is the traditional gift)

Hers: A dozen roses sent to work
His: Floral bouquet from 1-800Flowers.com and America (The Book) by Jon Stewart
Ours: Bed and breakfast weekend

Fifth Anniversary (Wood is the traditional gift)

Hers: Wood-fired steaks at a local bistro and Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings
His: L.L. Bean Oak Mission Bookcase

Sixth Anniversary (Candy or iron is the traditional gift)

Hers: Mauna Loa chocolate-covered macadamias
His: Fireplace irons
Ours: Second honeymoon in Hawaii

Seventh Anniversary (Wool or copper is the traditional gift — read the blog post)

Hers: Burberry fringed cashmere scarf from Nordstroms.com, a mission style copper vase from Cobre Hand-Hammered Copper, and copper garden labels to mark perennials.
His: Ugg sheepskin-lined leather slippers from Zappos.com

Eighth Anniversary (Bronze or pottery is the traditional gift —read the blog post)

Hers: Handmade mixing bowl in rustic yellow from Little Bit of Bybee pottery, a set of four bronze-beaded placemats and bronze-beaded coasters from Z Gallerie, and a dozen fall-colored roses delivered to work in a pottery vase.
His: A 37-inch Samsung LCD High-definition TV and a giant gourmet fortune cookie drizzled in chocolate from Good Fortunes.

Ninth Anniversary (Pottery or willow is the traditional gift — read the blog post)

Hers: A painting of a willow tree from Etsy, a Pampered Chef baking stone and seven other gifts.

His: Filet mignon at a hibachi restaurant

Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:40:00.002-06:00

If you've been struck by Cupid's arrow, Valentine's Day means a gift to your beloved on February 14. And for some, a mini-Valentine's Day returns in the fall as Sweetest Day, the third Saturday in October. Find gift ideas from these blog posts covering both romantic holidays.

Valentine's Day 2010: Coffee Gifts (2/14/2010)
Valentine's Day 2010: 10 Gifts for Him (1/24/2010)
Happy Sweetest Day 2009 (10/17/2009)
Giving Personalized M&Ms (3/7/2009)
Happy Valentine's Day 2009 (2/14/2009)
Choice Chocolates for Valentine's Day (2/1/2009)
Love is in the Mail for Valentine's Day 2009 (2/1/2009)
Happy Sweetest Day 2008 (10/18/2008)
Sweetest Day is Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 (10/13/2008)
Valentine's Day 2008: Step by Step (2/14/2008)
Valentine's Day 2008: 12 Gifts for Him (2/2/2008)
Cupid's Crystal Ball: How Will America Spend Valentine's Day 2008? (1/30/2008)
Happy Sweetest Day 2007 (10/20/2007)
Sweetest Day is Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007 (10/15/2007)
Giving Flowers (7/14/2007)

Anniversary Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:30:00.007-06:00

It's among the biggest decisions of your life: whom to marry. Celebrate with an anniversary gift that reaffirms "I'd marry you all over again." Here are blog posts to help you select anniversary gifts.

A Decade of Anniversary Gifts (12/30/2009)
Nine Days of Gifts for the Ninth Anniversary (10/31/2009)
Give Hotel Comfort at Home (7/2/2009)
Your Home is Ready for its Close-up: Giving a Home Portrait (6/23/2009)
How to Give Surprise Travel Gifts (1/2/2009)
Eighth Anniversary Gifts: Luck, Bronze and Pottery (10/11/2008)
Traditional Seventh Anniversary Gifts (10/17/2009)
New Anniversary Gift Guide at gifts.com (8/21/2007)
Golden Tickets: Giving the Gift of a Concert (8/8/2007)
Giving Flowers (7/14/2007)
Giving Photo Books (7/13/2007)
Anniversary Gifts: Traditional and Modern (6/11/2007)
Feeling Bullish? Consider the Gift of Stock — Paper is the traditional first anniversary gift (6/10/2007)

Birthday Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:25:00.001-06:00

Birthdays are possible thanks to an idea invented 6,000 years ago: the calendar. Check out these blog posts for birthday present ideas.

Birthday Gifts for the Entertaining Hostess (1/10/2010)
Puzzling Presents (1/5/2010)
NFL Gridiron Gift Ideas (12/27/2009)
Brand-name Gifts (11/1/2009)
A Perfect Gift from Buckle (9/6/2009)
Children's Book Gifts: Find Stories with the Child's Name (8/8/2009)
College Gift Finder 2009 (7/8/2009)
I See Pirate People: Birthday Gifts for My 5-Year-Old Nephew (6/30/2009)
Gift Favors for Vintage Havana Party — Surprise birthday party (6/29/2009)
Your Home is Ready for its Close-up: Giving a Home Portrait (6/23/2009)
The Gift of Calvin and Hobbes (6/7/2009)
Flowers for Mom's Birthday (4/4/2009)
Gift Giving Guideline #5: Check With Parents on Kid Gifts — Hide & Seek Safari Toy (3/22/2009)
Giving Personalized M&Ms (3/7/2009)
Birthday Gifts, Martha Style (1/7/2009)
How to Give Surprise Travel Gifts (1/2/2009)
The Gift of Words for My Birthday (12/31/2008)
45 Classic Toy Gifts (12/15/2008)
A Gift for Monday's Child (9/29/2008)
Office Toys from Perpetual Kid (5/12/2008)
Tiffany's Blue Boxes for Her Birthday (1/6/2008)
Flowers for my Mother-in-Law (on my Wife's Birthday) (1/4/2008)
Golden Tickets: Giving the Gift of a Concert (8/8/2007)
Movie Night Gift (7/22/2007)
Giving Flowers (7/14/2007)
Giving Photo Books (7/13/2007)
Feeling Bullish? Consider the Gift of Stock (6/10/2007)

Christmas Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:20:00.003-06:00

Whether you shop for Christmas as soon as trees and tinsel show up in the stores or wait until Dec. 24, consider these blog posts for those on your Christmas list.

A Gift Deferred: The Wii for Christmas (12/25/2009)
Last-Minute Christmas Gifts That Matter: JustGive Donations (12/23/2009)
Christmas Gifts for Nieces and Nephews (12/20/2009)
Seven Holiday Gift Guides (12/19/2009)
Your Home is Ready for its Close-up: Giving a Home Portrait (6/23/2009)
Christmas Gifts for Kids (12/28/2008)
Amazon.com's Christmas Bestsellers for 2008 (12/26/2008)
The Gift of Honeybees for Christmas (12/25/2008)
43 Last-second Online Gifts for Women (12/24/2008)
Better Than Tube Socks: 21 Last-minute Online Gifts for Guys (12/22/2008)
The $5 Christmas Gift Challenge (12/20/2008)
45 Classic Toy Gifts (12/15/2008)
18 Christmas Gift Guides (12/7/2008)
Gift Baskets for Christmas (11/29/2008)
A Top Chef Christmas for 2007 (12/25/2007)
25 Last-Minute Online Gift Ideas (12/23/2007)
What College Students Want for Christmas (12/16/2007)
Gifts for TV Show Fanatics (12/16/2007)
Give the Gift of Charity (12/14/2007)
The 12 Gift Guides of Christmas (12/13/2007)
Golden Tickets: Giving the Gift of a Concert (8/8/2007)
Giving Photo Books (7/13/2007)
Feeling Bullish? Consider the Gift of Stock (6/10/2007)

Father's Day Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:15:00.000-06:00

Yes, the tie is the ultimate cliché gift for Father's Day. Try the links below to move your gift ideas beyond neckwear for Dad on the third Sunday in June.

NFL Gridiron Gift Ideas (12/27/2009)
Father's Day 2009 (6/21/2009)
The Gift of Calvin and Hobbes (6/7/2009)
7 Cool Tools for Dad from ThinkGeek (5/30/2009)
13 Father's Day Gift Guides (5/27/2009)
Better Than Tube Socks: 21 Last-minute Online Gifts for Guys (12/22/2008)
The Gift of Omaha Steaks (7/13/2008)
Father's Day 2008 (6/15/2008)
Guy Gift Guideline #6: Go with Manly Gifts (2/9/2008)
Gifts for TV Show Fanatics (12/16/2007)
Give the Gift of Charity (12/14/2007)
Golden Tickets: Giving the Gift of a Concert (8/8/2007)
Movie Night Gift (7/22/2007)
Twenty-five "1,000-Plus" Book Gifts (7/20/2007)
Giving the Gift of Food (5/19/2007)

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T23:10:00.001-06:00

Thanks, Mom! A celebration of motherhood, Mother's Day in the U.S. occurs on the second Sunday in May. Browse these blog posts for Mother's Day gift ideas.

Mother's Day 2009: The Gift of Kiva Microloan Gift Certificates (5/10/2009)
Birthday Gifts, Martha Style (1/7/2009)
43 Last-second Online Gifts for Women (12/24/2008)
Mother's Day 2008 (5/11/2008)
Flowers for my Mother-in-Law (on my Wife's Birthday) (1/4/2008)
Give the Gift of Charity (12/14/2007)
Golden Tickets: Giving the Gift of a Concert (8/8/2007)
Giving Flowers (7/14/2007)
Giving Photo Books (7/13/2007)
Giving the Gift of Food (5/19/2007)

Graduation Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T22:50:00.002-06:00

Mark the accomplishment of a high school diploma, college diploma or advanced degree with a gift for your graduate. Find gifts ideas from these blog entries.

Irreverent References: Gifts for MBA, Law and Medical Students (8/9/2009)
College Gift Finder 2009 (7/8/2009)
The Gift of Money (9/30/2008)
Survey: Cash and Gift Cards Top Graduation Gifts for the Class of 2008 (5/13/2008)
Alma Mater Pride: Giving College-themed Gifts (6/12/2007)

Going-to-College Gift Ideas

2009-12-29T22:40:00.003-06:00

Send your student to college with gear and gifts that celebrate the arrival on campus.

Irreverent References: Gifts for MBA, Law and Medical Students (8/9/2009)
College Gift Finder 2009 (7/8/2009)
24 Colleges Go Pink: New Collegiate Sleepwear from Victoria's Secret (6/22/2009)
March Madness Gifts (3/20/2009)
13 Going-to-College Gifts (8/18/2008)
Care Packages from Gift University (1/3/2008)
Ten Going-to-College Gifts (8/3/2007)
Alma Mater Pride: Giving College-themed Gifts (6/12/2007)

Gift Giving at the Movies: 7 Favorite Scenes of the Decade

2009-12-28T16:05:00.007-06:00

I picked seven memorable gift movie moments from the recent decade. Not surprisingly, several gift-themed scenes occur in romantic comedies. Please note the spoiler alerts if you haven't seen the films.

Serendipity (2001)
By chance, Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) find themselves both grabbing the last pair of black leather gloves at Bloomingdale's. She intends the gloves for her boyfriend's Christmas present; he wants the pair for his girlfriend. Jonathan will hand over the gloves, if she will have a cup of coffee with him. So begins a story about love, fate, separation and reunion.

Old School (2003)
Frank "The Tank" Ricard (Will Ferrell) gives six-year-old Max an Oster breadmaker (regifted from Frank's wedding) for Max's birthday. "What do you think, Max, huh? It's got three speeds!"

Elizabethtown (2005)
Spoiler alert: This scene occurs toward the end of the film.
Claire (Kirsten Dunst) gives Drew (Orlando Bloom) a scrapbooked map for his road trip back home — "into the deep... beautiful melancholy of everything that's happened." She times each leg of his journey with specially chosen music. "The songs, of course, were classic mix tape songs," Drew says in monologue. "About her, of course. And the rich flurry of our almost romance."

Once (2006)
Spoiler alert: This scene occurs at the end of the film.
Guy (Glen Hansard) sends Girl (Markéta Irglová) an upright piano from the music shop where they played "Falling Slowly" together. When Girl sees the piano delivery, she realizes why Guy asked for an extra 1,000 pounds on his bank loan.

Juno (2007)
Spoiler alert: This scene occurs toward the end of the film.
Directed by a chalk message on the front porch, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) opens the road-side mailbox. Scores of orange tic tac containers spill out. He smiles widely. Paulie sees Juno (Ellen Page) later that day.

Paulie: Did you put like, a hundred things of tic tacs in my mailbox?

Juno: Um, yeah, that was me.

Paulie: Why?

Juno: Well, you know, because they're your fave. And I figured you could never have enough of your favorite one-calorie breath mints.

Wall-E (2008)
Forced into the truck by a sandstorm, Wall-E (Ben Burtt) shows Eve (Elissa Knight) the knickknacks he has salvaged. He hands over an egg beater, bubble wrap, a Rubik's Cube and the Hello Dolly videotape. Later, as Eve watches the Hello Dolly characters sing "It Only Takes a Moment," Wall-E suddenly recalls his latest find. He scrambles through the junk and presents Eve with what she has been searching for: a living plant.

Seven Pounds (2008)
"Ben" (Will Smith) spends an evening fixing a 1955 Heidelberg Windmill letterpress. With the repair finished, he surprises Emily (Rosario Dawson), an ailing artist who needs the press for her livelihood. That's not the only gift Ben will give as he transforms the lives of seven people in this poignant film.

NFL Gridiron Gift Ideas

2009-12-27T22:18:00.009-06:00

The NFL playoffs picture is coming into focus. And my family's beloved Green Bay Packers have clinched a spot in the post-season — just in time for my dad's birthday. To celebrate Dad's birthday and his love of the Green and Gold, I sent him an Aaron Rodgers replica Packers jersey by Reebok.

Try these gift ideas for the football fans on your list.

Or visit an official NFL team pro shop online:

A Gift Deferred: The Wii for Christmas

2009-12-25T12:42:00.002-06:00

The Wii has landed! This Christmas, my wife and I chose a shared gift for each other: A Wii console with Wii Fit Plus and balance board. I first blogged about the Wii in November 2007 (thanks to Uncle Mark's Gift Guide and Almanac). I've admired this innovation vicariously, playing on other's Wiis. But with my MBA classes, I put the gaming console out of my mind. No time to play when case study analyses are due.

But I could not escape. As a breakthrough product, the Wii followed me to class. (Harvard Business Publishing even offers a case study.) Nintendo, now the fifth largest software company in the world, upended the gaming console market. The Japanese firm realized Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox 360 targeted gamers — a "red ocean" strategy where rivals bloody themselves in a competitive market. Nintendo launched a gaming system with broad appeal — a "blue ocean" strategy that tapped a new and uncontested market. The Wii reached casual users who never would have picked up a game controller.

With one semester to go, my wife suggested getting a Wii this Christmas. Now we have Wii! Merry Christmas!

Last-Minute Christmas Gifts That Matter: JustGive Donations

2009-12-23T23:39:00.009-06:00

My parents made themselves easy to shop for this Christmas. At Thanksgiving, Mom encouraged us to make donations, not shopping mall runs. Both of my parents volunteer, helping people who are struggling in this tough economy. In fact, a recent American Red Cross survey found that 20 percent of Americans will reduce their charitable giving for the 2009 holidays. (American Red Cross fundraising is down an average of 25 percent this year.)

So if you're still seeking last-minute holiday gifts, try what I did: JustGive.org. I found the right charity among 1.5 million organizations with a single search. I gave online and included a personal note. JustGive routes the donation in my parents' names to their favorite charity and e-mails them my personal note. You decide whether you want to include the donation amount in the e-mail. (I did.) Ten minutes later, I'm done.

Not sure which charity to choose? JustGive created 12 giving collections that reflect the passions of many donors. Each collection features four charities working to advance the cause.

JustGive also offers the GiveNow Card, which allow the recipient to choose specific charities. Best of all, you can e-mail an GiveNow card right now. (While JustGive does offer gift cards via U.S. mail, the card won't reach recipients in time for Christmas.)

I also added the suggested $5 donation to support the great work of JustGive: making charitable giving quick and simple.

Christmas Gifts for Nieces and Nephews

2009-12-20T22:10:00.006-06:00

Do you know a PANK? SavvyAuntie.com coined this acronym to describe the "Professional Aunt, No Kids" demographic. About 45% of U.S. women do not have children, and many aunts give gifts to nieces and nephews.

My wife is a PANK. So does that make me a PUNK (or at least a PUNKcle)? Whether you have kids or not, here are gifts we will give our young nieces and nephews for Christmas this year.

		One-year-old niece: Snuggle Pea Pod by Manhattan Toy ($15)
		One-year-old niece: Laugh and Learn Say Please Tea Set by Fisher-Price ($15)

		Three-year-old nephew: "Good Egg" by Personali-Tees at Garnet Hill ($29)

		Three-year-old nephew: Imaginext DC Super Friends Batwing by Fisher-Price ($18)

		Four-year-old niece: Fancy Nancy Posh Bedroom Game by Briarpatch ($8)

		Four-year-old nephew: New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS ($33)

		Seven-year-old nephew: Mario Kart for Nintendo DS ($33)

		Nine-year-old niece: Style Savvy for Nintendo DS ($30)

		Teen nieces: Wii Balance Board (with Wii Fit Plus game) ($90)

Seven Holiday Gift Guides

2009-12-19T21:10:00.004-06:00

Still shopping for the holidays? You're not alone. Nearly 55 percent of Americans are still seeking gifts, according to the National Retail Federation. That's the highest percentage of procrastinators in the last five years. If you're shopping online, express delivery is still available from most e-tailers over the next few days. See Dealhack.com for the shipping deadlines of 175 online stores.

Be sure to check out these seven Christmas gift guides below for inspiration.

The Uncle Mark 2010 Gift Guide & Almanac: Great advice for the best tech gifts.
2009 Holiday Gift Guide from Cool Mom Picks: More than 100 gift ideas, many with discount codes for 10 to 20 percent off.
The New York Times 2009 Holiday Gift Guide: Staff of The Gray Lady pick their favorite books, dining and home, DVDs, video games, electronics, music, theater, style and travel.
The JustGive Guide: Give a donation in his or her name, choosing from 1.5 million different charities.
Parents' Choice 2009 Holiday Gift Guide: Top kids gifts, for infants to twelve-year-olds.
Time's 2009 Holiday Gifts: 30 gift ideas including "books, music, DVDs, games and gifts that give back."
BlogHer's 2009 Holiday Gift Guide For Guys: Many clever guy gifts here, but I'm not so sure on the Man Can from Orvis.