Best Friend Birthday Gift Ideas

Whatever your age, you want to give your best friend something really special for his or her birthday to show that you appreciate their friendship. Sometimes we feel at a loss because we think that they have everything they could possibly want or use. Not so! There's always something that will have a special meaning because you gave it. Here are some best friend birthday gift ideas that you may have never considered before.

1. For the art lover. Looking for something unusual for those folks who have everything? Instead of jumping in the car and heading for the mall, keep your computer powered up and let your fingers do the shopping at the online stores of American museums and other sites that specialize in replicas of ancient and modern art.

2.For the wine lover. A gift of wine is an excellent expression of how you feel. Now, at many wine online merchants, you can have wine bottles personalized to show how much you care. It doesn't matter whether this is your friend's first time experiencing the wonders of the fruit of the vine, or if he is a serious collector with a large wine cellar. Or, consider a personalized engraved bottle of champagne and toasting glasses.

3. For the environmentalist: Eco-friendly doesn't have to mean drab. There are many, many products that are made from recycled materials of all kind – beer cans that have been made into mugs, tumblers made from recycled glass, sets of bamboo plates, etc. There are many online sites featuring wonderful gifts made from recycled things. Just browse through them and you'll come up with some great best friend birthday gift ideas!

4. For the music lover. Here's one that will top the list of best friend birthday gift ideas: Make up a CD of #1 songs from the year they were born up to now — you can even theme it: #1 Disco Songs, #1 Heavy Metal Songs, etc. Add in a gift certificate to an online music-downloading site, and they're sure to do a little dance!

5. For the book lover. Buy a gift-card from your local bookstore (or online merchant) and make your own bookmark so your friend will never forget your thoughtfulness. Get on your computer and type up your favorite poem or memorable song lyrics, add some graphics and get it laminated at most office-supply stores. Every time your friend opens a book, he or she will remember you with a smile.

6. For the person who never has any time to herself. Create your own coupon booklet offering your services to help out the one that's always been there for you. Include "a day of gardening", "baby-sit the kids", "clean the house" and "organize the closets". Use your imagination and fit the coupons to the needs of your friend. This thoughtful gesture will be considered by the recipient as one of the best friend birthday gift ideas ever!


7. For the nurturer. Who doesn't deserve a day at the spa? Purchase a sturdy cosmetic bag and add all the fixings for a do-it-yourself spa — hand cream, body lotion, scented oils, face mask, manicure set. Make a relaxing CD to put inside and top it off with a gift certificate at the local spa for a massage on you!

8. For the sentimentalist. Look back into your photo albums and take copies of all your memories over the years. Create a "Memory Lane" scrapbook highlighting your friendship and events you've attended together. As an added touch, get other friends to write special birthday messages throughout the book.

9. For the nature-lover. Make a day of it and go for a hike at your nearest conservation area; bring along a blanket and a picnic basket and you're set an afternoon of fun and reminiscing.

10. For the golfer. Reserve a tee time at a country club that's hard to get into and make a foursome of it by inviting a couple of friends. Start the birthday off right and treat them to a special breakfast at their favorite restaurant.

11. For the movie buff. Get a year's free subscription to Netflix so they'll be able to have DVD's delivered right to their door. All they'll have to do is supply their own popcorn. Or, you can do that too by ordering (online, of course) a selection of premium gourmet popcorn.

12. For the animal lover. Forget about getting a gift designed for your friend; instead get a gift for their pet. There are many fantastic things available online for all types of pets—from jeweled dog collars to fancy bird cages and everything in between. If your friend really loves his or her pet, this could quite possibly rank at the very top of the best friend birthday gift ideas. Of course, you could get your friend a super duper pooper scooper to make the job of cleaning up after Fido much easier. This, too, you can find at the many online sites featuring pet supplies.

13. For the philanthropist. Donate to their favorite cause in their name. In this time of need for so many, this is a gift that truly will be appreciated by all those who care for humanity and/or nature.


14. For the saver. Buy a share of an up and coming stock in your friend's name. You never know—maybe in a few years you'll be getting thanks for starting someone on the road to their first million!

15. For the sports fan. Buy a pair of tickets to a local sporting event in your area (perhaps when your friend's favorite team is playing) and spend an afternoon or evening together.
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The Isis: The Most Difficult Puzzle EVER

* For more than a year, the ISIS has challenged the most accomplished puzzle experts in the United Kingdom. At last, the ISIS phenomenon - "the most difficult puzzle ever" - has come to America.
* Each ISIS is unique, with just one solution.
* The puzzle is a gleaming orb, handcrafted in England of a premier alloy of aluminum and constructed of precisely engineered, moveable bands.
* Each band is etched with hieroglyphics; the challenge is to position those bands in the right combination to unlock the ISIS. You are given 10 encrypted clues to decipher.
* Crack the ISIS code and receive access to the Award Zone, where you will have the chance to win such prizes as $1,000 cash or a massage chair worth $2,000!
* Please note: All sales of The ISIS are final due to the unique nature of this special puzzle.
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Best Selling Birthday Gadget Gifts and Novelties for Men

With 2007 now behind us I thought it would be a great idea to reflect on some of last year’s best selling gifts. Many of these will continue to be favorite gift items for birthdays, anniversary and special occasions. Here are the top 5 best sellers.

Finger Drums

These Finger Drums were a big hit among kids and adults alike. Whether you are a drummer, music lover, or musician, you will get the thrill from banging away on this set of miniature but genuinely life-like finger sized drum. The super finger-sensitive tiny drums include large and small tom-tom, bass drum with miniature foot pedal, snare and cymbal, so there's nothing missing. For something as compact as this, the drum like quality is pretty amazing. The Finger Drums make a great birthday gift for the person who simply enjoy a bit of fun and entertainment.

Duck Shooting Gallery

Duck Shooting Gallery is a replica of the beloved carnival game that provides hours of fun for people of all ages. The interactive carnival barker will guide you through the contest. It is fully automated with a conveyor carrying the targets past the cross hairs, accompanying music and sound effects and a wireless infrared pistol. A hit will knock over a duck, and register on the game's LCD display. Each duck down scores you 10 points. Play against the clock to beat your best score in one minute or select continuous play for hours of duck shooting fun. You can choose between fast and slow modes of play which makes it ideal for novices and marksmen alike. The Duck Shoot Game is ideal at social and family gatherings as it will keep your guests entertained for hours!

Racing and Boxing Grannies

These novelty wind up toys continue to amaze and amuse. The Wind Up Grannies are not only hilarious looking they are great fun to play with. Wind them up and watch them race against each other in their match stick legs. Those who are looking for more action will like the Boxing Grannies. Dressed in full boxing gear, with red gloves and silky shorts, they are not to be reckoned with! To play, simply press the button and watch these mean Granny machines throw some well-aimed punches at their opponent. The winner will be the first player to knock their Granny out for the count!

Tyvek Wallets

A fat wallet usually indicates a rich wallet, but nowadays the trend is to go with thinner and easy to carry wallets. The classic novelty Tyvek wallet is the way to go. Made of Tyvek, it feels like paper but it is actually made of thousands of long plastic fibers creating a surface that is both light weight and durable. The Tyvek wallet is also water resistant and will protect against the humidity in your pocket which destroys leather. With various stylish designs (the most popular being the Par Avion design), Tyvek wallets are trendy must have accessories for the modern guy! Being super light and thin, they can fit nicely inside a pocket or bag.

Personalized Football and Baseball Books

Football and Baseball are the Nation’s 2 most favorite sports so it is not surprising that these gifts were hugely popular. This unique New York Times personalized Football or Baseball Book holds historical news reports of your favorite team. The book is presented in Burgundy, gold embossed with your recipients's name. It contains 85 to 200 pages of wonderful insight into your favorite team: their history, the high and lows, the inside stories, the gossip. This is truly a great gift for the football or baseball fan.

Alice Duong Source

A Personalized Baby Blanket Is A Newborn

What is it with babies and their blankies? Give a personalized baby blanket as a gift and you will be associated with a treasured possession for many years to come. These coverlets have been a source of comfort and security for babies almost since the beginning of time. The beloved snuggle-source virtually becomes an extensions of the tiny human being. Many a mom has discovered that bath-time for blankie leads to major anxiety in baby and may even give rise to a tantrum.

The cuddle companion can be a silky receiving coverlet, a soft swaddle style, or a throw that has been lovingly and delicately woven. Every baby has his or her personal favorite and beware the adult who thinks she has the right to pry it away...

This is a baby nursery gift idea that will always be welcome. A vast variety of styles and textures are yours to choose from. For a newborn, a personalized baby blanket in a swaddling style may be just what is needed to recreate the familiar womb-like security. These designs make it easier for clumsy siblings to hold the new baby securely and safely. They come with a foam insert for extra neck support during the first weeks. In some instances, velcro straps are attached for easy wrapping and unwrapping. The swaddling coverlets are manufactured from the softest of flannels and can be washed in your machine. Often the label comes with clear pictures detailing how to use it correctly.

Babies love animal buddies. Per
sonalized baby blankets combined with animal antics are a sure winner. There are pups with perky ears, dainty ducks, and frogs with friendly smiles. Or opt for a safari style sporting the most lovable lavender elephant, blue bear or a mom-and-baby giraffe pair.

By opting for a little taggy blankie, you give a gift with a purpose. While still the best for snuggles, it has been designed with vivid, colorful rows of tags perfect for tactile stimulation. Watch as a delighted baby goes on a treasure hunt, using plump inquisitive fingers, teething gums and bright eyes to examine this newly discovered gem. The coverlet comes with a beautiful embroidered message and adorable applique work.

Knitted personalized baby blankets have the added benefit that the lettering has been knitted into the design. This will therefore last for as long as the item is in use. Look for machine washable lines. Another favorite is cozy, dreamy polar fleece with the name and date of birth embroidered in bright colors.

Try to be as practical as possible in your choice. Remember that this item needs to be up to serious multi-tasking over an extended period. While the main use will be at home, it also has to do duty during stroller outings, adventures in the car seat, or overnight visits in strange homes. Becoming a world traveler with the protection of a trusted blankie companion close by is simply much more tolerable.

Resilience and the ability to collect loads of frequent-washing miles are prerequisites when it comes to selecting personalized baby blankets.

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Original ledy's watch: mirror, mirror on your wrist

Looking for a cool gift for the geek who has everything? I really dig this shiny new digital watch and its dramatic styling.

Concealed behind the mirrored face of the Reflection watch dwells a bright red LED display which only shows itself when illuminated. When it’s not telling the time, it’s perfect for checking out your good looks.
The super-shiny finish is a perfect complement to the Reflection’s highly-polished gunmetal band. There’s something about the retro-modern style of LED watches that always catches my eye. I especially like the fact that the display on this one is a little different from the typical 7-segment readout, using a dot-matrix to render the current time instead.

The Reflection watch features a durable mineralite lens with a polarized mirror finish, and a sturdy stainless steel case and band. You can find it at LEDWatchStop for $159 USD.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids

Christmas is a fun time of year, but gift ideas for kids can be tough to come by if you aren't used to dealing with children. It isn't all that tough, though, if you know what you are doing. Going beyond the typical books and clothing that kids get every year; these ideas will help you get that perfect gift for the kid in your life.

The Movie Gift Basket

Get a basket or tub, pick up a liter of soda, some microwave popcorn and a gift card to a local video rental store and you have a movie gift basket! Any kid will love to get their very own movie card and all the "fixins" that are just for them. This is appropriate for a kid of any age.

Grab Bags

Get several small trinkets and one "main" gift. Put each one in its own decorated paper bag and put those bags into one large bag. Allow the child to choose one small bag at a time, discovering the treasures that are contained within each. This is a delightful surprise for the younger child, but older kids seem to like it too.

Gift Cards

Kids love to get gift cards. Depending on the age, you can get them a gift card to a toy store, the mall or get one of the major credit card gift cards so that they can spend it anywhere! They will feel just like a grown up when they go shopping and use their very own credit card to get the things that they want!

Art Sets

Purchase an art set of acrylic paints, brushes and paper, or try a different medium such as charcoal, pastels, water colors or oils. You can add in an instructional book and you have a gift that gives in so many ways. Children love to create and art allows them the gift of self expression.

Puzzles

Puzzles are a fun way for children to learn through doing. They learn logic without even realizing that it is a lesson because it is so much fun. Jigsaw puzzles are fun and you can get the mats that roll up so that the puzzle can be put away without being taken apart. Wood puzzles and brain teasers will keep kids entertained for hours as well.

Magazine Subscription

There are many great kids' magazines that are available; many are published by mainstream publications such as National Geographic and Sports Illustrated. Find out what interests the kid in your life has and get them the gift that gives all year long - a subscription to their favorite magazine.

Jewelry

Jewelry is always a hit with girls. Younger girls will love bracelets and necklaces with their names in block letters. Jewelry kits are also a big hit with girls. They can make their own jewelry and wear it.

When you are shopping for the kids in your life, don't be afraid to be creative. Have fun and steer away from the conventional. Think about the child's personality, likes and dislikes, then run with it! If all else fails, do a movie gift basket or a hot cocoa gift basket. You can't go wrong!
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Gift ideas for Men’s December birthdays

Men are often a little reticent about what they would like to receive for special occasions. While it can be frustrating, it also opens you up to a world of possibility and surprise for one of the special men in your life!

Jewelry is a great option, as in our modern world more and more men are coming to appreciate its value and claim it for their sex, not purely as a ‘girly’ thing. And a great way to help you decide what jewelry piece to get for someone born in December is by their starsign. Almost too easy!


Men born in December (and, incidentally, women born in December!) will be either Sagittarians or Capricorns. Sagittarians are typified by characteristics like extroversion, loving freedom, philosophical-ness, and sincerity. Sagittarians like things they can show off, wear out, and constantly use. For the younger Sagittarian, we have a range of key rings that are both modern and classy. Bracelets and bling should go down well with the party-animal Sagittarian, too. You can find some really unusual pieces, including ones made from leather, cord or rubber, for younger Sagittarians. There are also more traditional pieces, made just from silver or stainless steel, with subtle and classy detailing, for the older or more refined Sagittarian.


Capricorns, born at the end of December and the early part of January (Dec 22nd to Jan 20th), are generally responsible people, who like to maintain a bit of formality and are methodical and career oriented. For this reason executive style presents shouldn’t go too far astray with these guys … check out sections like our cuff links section for office-bound Capricorns.

While most men’s jewelry is not particularly highly adorned or detailed, Capricorns will probably like things even plainer – that is their bent for formality. However, jewelry can also have a purpose – and we have a great range of watches (to which we recently added several fashion ranges, from top world designers). The Fossil men’s watch pictured is not only one of our more affordable pieces, it is not too out there … great for career-oriented, formal; Capricorns. Their responsibility means they’d also appreciate that their gift wasn’t too hard on the household budget!

4 Christmas gift ideas for the much anticipated office party

Kitty here is the perfect little something for the office flyhalf marketing manager.

Wondering what to get that lazy punk that calls himself your accountant? Here's some 'hot-right-now' ideas you can throw around....

Simply stick your pencil into the cat's behind, sharpen and hear it meow! Every time your marketing maven has office meeting with the ad agency, the mere sharpening of a pencil will drive the point home that it's results that count...not Loeries


For your America counterpart, it has to be the Hillary Nutcracker. Rumour is that the company that produces this one [probably Chinese - so watch that lead count] is planning an Obama + Oprah combo-pack as well.
The South Africa version is a Jacob Zuma piggy bank. You shower it with money only to have it all disappear, but you keep it around anyway 'cause you love it.



For the guy that just can't step away from his collection A-ha cassette tapes - it has to be the Knight Rider radio control car. Baywatch cozzie and loyaly card for Serenity rehabilitation clinic not included.[from here]


...and finally, the must-have gift for every staff member that frankly needs to lift their game in '08 - it's the Pee and Poo soft toys from Sweden.
We spotted the massive success this duo were predicted to attain a couple of years ago, but have had little success with numerous written requests for the range to be stocked at local Toys 'R' Us stores.
Now available online, the pair are a perfect metaphor for the type of work you want you employees to try avoid in 2008.[get them here]

Thoughtful Christmas Gifts - 10 Cheap, Quick, Easy Ideas

Do you want to give some unique Christmas gifts this year, but don't want to spend a lot of money? You can find gifts that are both cheap and thoughtful. Here are ten easy ideas for inexpensive holiday gifts that are sure to please.


1. Fun, trendy watch. You can buy watches in all shapes and colors from around $8 to $20 at discount department stores and flea markets. Include a note in the box that says something like, "I always enjoy our time together". If giving this to a teacher, you could thank them for all the "time" they've spent teaching your child.

2. Mini recipe book of your favorite recipes. Buy a small, inexpensive photo album that holds one 4 x 6 photo per page (usually just a dollar or two at craft stores). Print, type or write your recipes onto 4 x 6 recipe cards and insert in the sleeves meant for photos. After you've made the first set, make multiple photocopies of all the recipe cards. That way you can easily make more personal recipe books for other people this year or anytime.


3. Gourmet chocolate pretzels. These sell in specialty stores for $20 for around a dozen large pretzel rods. But you can make your own homemade version for a fraction of the cost. All you need is the pretzels, chocolate melts (most craft stores have these for under $2 a bag), and optional things like chopped nuts, mini chips or sprinkles. Simply melt the chocolate, dip the pretzels rods until about half of the pretzel is covered, then roll in the toppings and let them set upside down in a cup.


4. Handmade framed name print. Research the meaning of the person's name from a baby naming website. Use your computer graphics or word processing program to type his or her name in large letters in a nice font. Put the meaning of their name in smaller letters under the name. Print it on pretty background paper, such as 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook paper from a craft store. Trim to fit a small frame purchased from a discount department store or dollar store.

5. Night at the movies. You can make this inexpensive by just picking up a $5 gift card for a movie rental and a box of microwave popcorn. Or you can make it a bigger gift by adding a large bowl for the popcorn, a gift card for multiple rentals, and perhaps some DVDs.

6. Flashlight that doesn't need batteries. This is a very practical gift that almost anyone can use. Depending on the model, you either shake the flashlight or wind it up. They really work and you never have to worry about dead batteries. The price range is between $10 and $20.

7. Photo ornament. You can find these in all kinds of stores, some are quite inexpensive and look like little holiday photo frames. Just insert a photo of your friend, their pet or children and you've got a very personalized gift.

8. Custom gift card from you. If you're short on cash, but not on sentiment, you can print a gift card that promises babysitting, a car wash, running errands, lessons, etc. If you love to bake, but don't have time around the holidays, give a gift card redeemable for your specialty in January.

9. Personalized giant candy bar. This one is so easy. Buy a big Hershey bar and replace the outer wrapper with your custom wrapper. You can print one of the many free Christmas chocolate bar wrappers found on the internet. Some of them even have places for you to put a photo and your own words. Or make it yourself by tracing the original wrapper and cutting it out from nice holiday paper. Then just tape or glue in place.

10. Personalized magnet, button, key ring or pocket mirror. For just a couple of dollars, this one of a kind little gift can't be beat. There are companies on the internet that will put any funny or inspiration quote or your own message on one of their products. Whatever the person's hobby, interest, or job, there is a saying or quotation out there that would be perfect for them.

A thoughtful Christmas gift doesn't have to cost a lot of money or require hours of searching through crowded malls. All that is needed is your big heart and imagination.
Author: Linda Kling, Source