tagged w/ Christmas Gifts
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Ever wished for a radio controlled rat that can flip over as it scuttles? Or an amphibious tank that has the means to carry four cans of beer across rugged terrain? Me neither, but after reading this my Christmas shopping is pretty much completed.Ever wished for a radio controlled rat that can flip over as it scuttles? Or an... more
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A Shopping Experience like no other
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Local therapists share some stress-reducing tips:
Start now. Going to stores early in the season - and early on weekday mornings - is the best way to avoid big crowds, disorganized shelves and sold-out items. On the other hand, you may tap into more savings at the end of the season.
Make a list. Jot down the names of everyone you need to buy for, along with any gift ideas you have. Once you get someone a gift, write the item next to the person's name. That will save you from having to remember what you've already bought, as well as reduce impulse buys.
Set a budget. Decide what you can comfortably spend and stick to it. Remember that "expensive" isn't the same as "thoughtful."
Consolidate shopping trips. Choose stores that are likely to have something for almost everyone on your list. Churches and schools also may have craft bazaars where you can find unique and inexpensive gifts.
Use the Internet. Shopping online always means no lines or crowds.
Embrace gift cards. They're easy to buy and send, and people are guaranteed to like and use them. Wouldn't you?
Use gift-wrapping services. They're often free, and they'll save you from one time-consuming holiday task.
Draw names. If you have a large family or group of friends, consider picking names out of a hat so you're responsible for just one or two gifts. You also can set spending limits together.Local therapists share some stress-reducing tips:
Start now. Going to stores early... more
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They won't last long with collectors picking them up, so go get yours now....
NEW YORK -- Pouty-lipped Bratz will stay on store shelves until after the holidays, but their fate after that -- and that of their parent, MGA Entertainment -- was uncertain yesterday after a federal court ruling banning MGA from making the saucy Barbie alternative.
California district judge Stephen Larson granted Mattel's motion to block MGA sales of the Bratz fashion doll, which has taken a big bite out of Barbie's worldwide market share since its launch in 2001, declaring Mattel had "exclusive rights" to the Bratz designs.
The ruling follows a jury's decision in July that MGA's dolls were infringing the Barbie manufacturer's copyright as the doll's designer, Carter Bryant, had come up with the idea for the streetwise fashion figures while working for Mattel and secretly taken the concept to MGA.
Following the judge's order, Mattel's shares rose by 6.7 percent. The ruling bars MGA from making most of its Bratz dolls and from using the Bratz name. It also demands that the California-based, family-owned company destroy the moulds used to make the figures and hand unsold Bratz merchandise over to Mattel.
The injunction, however, will not take effect until February, apparently enabling MGA to continue to sell Bratz dolls over the Christmas period.
MGA, which derives most of its profits from Bratz and had warned in court papers that a ban on sales of its top-selling product would be "lethal" for the company, said it would appeal the injunction immediately.
Mattel meanwhile welcomed the ruling. Robert Eckert, Mattel's chief executive, said the injunction underscored "what Mattel has said all along - that MGA should not be allowed to profit from its wrongdoing."
Barbie maker Mattel has won an apparently decisive victory over arch-rival MGA Entertainment, manufacturer of the pouty-lipped Bratz doll, after a judge ordered MGA to stop making or selling its popular multi-ethnic figures.
The Bratz dolls were an instant success following their launch, appealing to Barbie's core audience of young girls with sassy urban outfits and names, heavy make-up and interests such as fashion or rock music. They began eating away at their almost 50-year-old rival's market dominance, toppling Barbie from the top spot in the UK in 2004 and becoming a billion dollar-plus franchise.
Both sides poured millions of dollars into the long-running legal feud over the ownership of the dolls.
In August, the jury rejected Mattel's request for 2 billion dollars in damages and instead awarded the company 10 million dollars for copyright infringement and 90 million dollars for breach of contract.
But some observers said the injunction was a much longer lasting victory than a one-off financial pay-out.
"This is a large win for Mattel, if upheld, as it effectively removes Bratz from the competitive landscape," commented Tim Conder, Wachovia Capital Markets analyst.They won't last long with collectors picking them up, so go get yours now....
NEW... more
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A bottle of wine says so much more about the giver than a pair of socks or a tie: and it's bound to be the right size...
Joanna Simon
Wine is always a welcome gift, even more welcome in the current climate — and you don’t have to spend a fortune to find something special with a story to tell. Better still, make sure you have some of these to pour at your own celebrations.
2007 Christophe Pichon Viognier, £14, Vine Trail; 0117 921 1770
Give it to anyone who loves sensual white wine.
2006 Etienne Sauzet La Tufera Bourgogne Chardonnay, £13.80, Tanners; 01743 234500
One for devotees of fine white burgundy
2007 Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc, £17-£18, Tesco, Waitrose
It’s produced in Stellenbosch from chenin blanc and fermented and aged in French oak barrels.
1998 Alfred Gratien Millésime Champagne, £38, Berry Bros & Rudd; 0870 900 4300
If you can still afford Krug or Cristal,If you can’t, choose Alfred Gratien,
2004 Selvapiana Bucerchiale Chianti Rufina, £20, selected Marks & Spencer outlets
It will keep for up to 12 years, but maybe there’s somebody who would share it with you sooner.
2004 Château Lalande-Borie Saint-Julien, £19.99, Majestic
a more affordable price. Supple and cedary, with sweet fruit and a velvet finish.
2006 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley, £11, Sainsbury’s
Stylish, full-bodied Oz shiraz with 5% viognier to give a lift to the perfume.
2006 CarinaE Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, £9, Stone, Vine & Sun; 01962 712351
This is full-bodied and oaky, but not hefty, with a ripe blackberry and black- pepper character.
1995 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, £25 (£20 when you buy 2), MajesticRioja is one of the most popular reds, but this is grand old Rioja. It’s a gran reserva (top category) from a benchmark bodega, and full of autumnal sweetness, sandalwood and cigar-box flavours.
2005 Aurélien Verdet Gevrey Chambertin, £23.75, A&B Vintners; 01892 724977
Want to make someone feel really special? Give them good red burgundy.
learn more at site....contA bottle of wine says so much more about the giver than a pair of socks or a tie: and... more
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cool, carousel engine powered by a little candle
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by Nicole
Short on time but still want to give something worthwhile? Why not give an insta-charity gift card from Tisbest.org. The cute and colorful cards are delivered by email, and start at just $10. You can also include a personal message with your gift card. What's great about TisBest is that the recipient chooses the ultimate destination for your donation (which also makes this a great gift for those you don't know well). The organization works with a slew of charities, from Action Against Hunger and the African Wildlife Foundation to UNICEF and the Young Women's Leadership Foundation.
All proceeds go to charity minus a $3.95 transaction fee (hence this is more economical for larger donations) and a 3% credit card processing fee, and 100% of the purchase price is tax deductible (which is important with tax season approaching). The gift card must be "spent" within three years of purchase, but at TisBest unlike Best Buy, all unredeemed funds go to charity rather than cooperate coffers, which is an important consideration since it's estimated that more than 10% of gift cards go unspent.
http://www.dailymantra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedailymantraby Nicole
Short on time but still want to give something worthwhile? Why not give an... more
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Not sure what to buy your child or grandchild in this age category, check out my list for some ideas.Not sure what to buy your child or grandchild in this age category, check out my list... more
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vblake
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added this
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1 year ago
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Ok, men, only three days left to make use of the lingerie academy at John Lewis Oxford Street store.
Advisers will be on hand from noon till late to help you pick out that perfect gift for your missus.
It will not all be ?sugar and spice? though. The lingerie department has been decked out ?with chilled beer, plasmas TVs and a Wii? to help make your shopping experience more pleasurable.
But please remember why you?re there in the first place: To pick out a gift for your girl.
Ok, men, only three days left to make use of the lingerie academy at John Lewis Oxford... more
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This holiday season there is only One gift that's wanted by people of all ages races and genders together. One gift that can truly bring people together. The Nintendo Wii is the most wanted gift this holiday season. Were you lucky enough to get one? Come check out the holiday craziness that this system is creating. This holiday season there is only One gift that's wanted by people of all ages races... more
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Buy them for a friend or rent them for yourself, either way these DVDs are guaranteed to entertain, inform and enlighten.
An Inconvenient Truth
You can't argue with the Nobel committee's good taste.
Who Killed the Electric Car?
More joyously ironic to watch now Toyota has sold it's millionth hybrid, and GM has been forced to rejoin the green wagon.
The Secret
If Oprah's powers of attraction do the same for Obama as they did for this film, we'll see our first black president come 2008 (as long as all the votes are counted this time around).
The Fog of War
The point of history, is that you learn from the mistakes of the past. The problem is you need leaders who paid attention during their history lessons.
Sicko
Skip the first 10 minutes, which are too grim for words, and enjoy the pleasure and pain of the remainder of Moore's ode to national healthcare.
Idiocracy
A smart, frightening, funny, and frighteningly funny look at our coke-swilling, burger-munching, Fox "news" watching, dumbass leader-following future.
The Blue Planet - Seas of Life
When the BBC showed the first episode of this beautifully shot documentary series in the U.K. a nation was converted to the cause of ocean conservation overnight.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Don't Panic. Those looking for the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything, need look no further.
Rome - The Complete First Season
All the intrigue of Dynasty but with togas instead of shoulder pads, and more sex (the Romans knew a thing or two about how to do decent sex scenes). A BBC/HBO gem that reminds us that great empires come and go.
Gattaca
The right to privacy is something worth fighting for. Watch it and you'll get the terrifying implications of what's happening now.
http://www.dailymantra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedailymantraBuy them for a friend or rent them for yourself, either way these DVDs are guaranteed... more
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Perfect for any holiday gift.
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AROC
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added this
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1 year ago
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A book showing children how to make guns out of LEGO is climbing the list of must-have Christmas presents. The book is a big hit in the US already, but parents in England are worried about the potentially dangerous message it sends to kids. The authors of promise "you'll learn to create working models that LEGO would never endorse". Working models? I don't like guns. But working LEGO guns? That's kinda cool. As long as the bullets don't hurt. A book showing children how to make guns out of LEGO is climbing the list of must-have... more
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Got some "eco-friends?" Or maybe you're feeling "eco-generous." This blog has some cool ideas for holiday shopping- "eco-style."Got some "eco-friends?" Or maybe you're feeling "eco-generous." This blog has some... more
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Struggling to find the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list is a terrible headache. What if you could find something that's sure to please - and not just on Christmas day, but for years to come?
Give the gift of balance this year! Feng shui is synonymous with harmonious living - and it's aesthetically pleasing, too. The best part of feng shui is that you can find something for anyone, and it's a simple way to show that you care about their happiness and well-being.
Struggling to find the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list is a... more
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This sight wants your opinion on what is sexy this Christmas in the form of lingerie. Fill out the online survey. Are you turned on by seeing your partner in a Santa suit?This sight wants your opinion on what is sexy this Christmas in the form of lingerie.... more
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denae
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added this
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1 year ago
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Whether you are a woman or are simply shopping for one this Christmas, you need to know the necessities that no wardrobe can be without. Get these right, and all the rest is easier. Here's a list of 30 items that women need (and yes, gentlemen, it is a need, not a want) for everything from country weekends to cocktail parties. Whether you are a woman or are simply shopping for one this Christmas, you need to... more
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It looks like most American's are actually planning on paying of their holiday debt in a timely manner this year. In fact, three out of four are planning on paying their debt within the first three months of 2008.
The survey also finds that more than half of consumers are turning to cash or their debit cards for their holiday spending.
How are you paying for all of your holiday goodies this year?It looks like most American's are actually planning on paying of their holiday debt in... more
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Gameboy? Nintendo Wii? iPhone? Mac? Dell? Halo? Guitar Hero?
What's on the wish list this holiday season for your geek!?Gameboy? Nintendo Wii? iPhone? Mac? Dell? Halo? Guitar Hero?
What's on the wish... more
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