Following on from Keith’s PS3 festive top 10 comes the Xbox 360 list. Remember these are suggestions on what to buy this Christmas so the list is mainly focused on recent-ish releases. Anyway, let’s go. In no particular order these are the Gamesblog Top 10 Xbox 360 games to buy this Christmas…

Fifa 10 / PES 2010
Ah, the great football game debate. I really couldn’t choose between them and which ever one you decide on your footy-loving 360 owner should be happy. Having said that there are some differences. Fifa is slower, more methodical and more realistic. It also has all the right teams and players, even if the likenesses are still scarily off at times. PES has better player likenesses and animations but more importantly plays a faster more fluid game on the pitch. Fifa has more online options, PES has more exciting goalmouth scrambles. I’d still go with PES if I really had to choose but this one is too close to call.

Dragon Age: Origins
Again, this was on Keith’s PS3 list but it’s too good for 360 owners to miss out on. This is an epic role-playing game that will appeal to patient gamers who want to get their teeth into something a little meatier than the normal shoot n’ sport titles. Patience is key though – Dragon Age takes an, er, age to get going. With a text overload and occasionally ugly visuals Dragon Age may not seem an instant winner on Christmas Day

. But give it a chance to get going – around 5-10 hours (!) – and you’re likely get hooked and still be playing on New Years Day and beyond.

Forza Motorsport 3
One for the dads and uncles this. Forza is a serious motor sim that lets you fiddle with engines and tweak just about everything a petrolhead would want. The action is almost RPG like at times, with upgrades aplenty and even if you don’t want to paint or tune your car there is always a reward waiting just around the corner. It looks fabulous too, while there are a host of excellent online features. Probably one for the boys this, but for the motor sport lover there is no better game on the 360.

Modern Warfare 2
The best selling game of the year and a must if you play online. Be warned though, beginners should prepare for a frustrating learning curve as better equipped foes – usually teenagers with time, and you, to kill – constantly take you down. Luckily then the advancement path is so finely honed that it isn’t long until you are gaining both ranks and respect. If this sounds like too much hard work then the single-player story is hugely entertaining – albeit relatively brief – on its own. Such a shame about the airport level though. And just when I thought gaming had got over its teenage growth pains too.

Xbox Live Subscription
Yes, it costs £40-odd pounds for a year and yes the PS3 and Wii are free to play online. But Live is streets ahead of them – although PS3 is catching up relatively quickly – and now offers Facebook, Twitter and live Sky TV content as well as a stack of downloadable games. But it is the online play elements which really make this worth the cash. Friends lists, cross-game chat, 1vs100 (see below). An offline 360 is only half a console.

Gyromancer
And if you do get online then this is one of the best new releases you can download. Like the excellent Puzzle Quest before it, Gyromancer mixes “match 3″ gameplay – think Bejeweled – with a hefty slab of role-playing (RPG) depth. This gives both context – there’s a typically hokum story – and strategy to the puzzling. As you’d expect of a game created by Popcap and Square Enix this a lovely polished game that will suck away those post-Christmas lunch hours.

Assassins Creed 2
The setting – renaissance Italy – makes this worth a look alone. Luckily the game lives up to the premise. It takes a while to get going though. The controls – especially the combat – are occasionally clunky. But give it an hour and you’re be sucked in by the roof leaping action and glorious visuals. Again, probably not one for all the family but if you can wrest the TV free from kids/grans/Only Fools reruns then you’ll be hooked.

Left for Dead 2
Not one for the kids but this is an hilariously over-the-top online zombie-fest. Again, like most 360 games, it really comes alive online as you team up with friends to chainsaw your undead – or living, depending on which side you take – assailants. This sequel adds new weapons and levels but is not a huge advance on the original. That aside any 360 owner will appreciate the surprisingly deep action and probably bore you senseless with their war stories after.

Borderlands
Again online online play is key here. Grab some friends, create your character – disappointingly restricted to 4 preset templates – and hit the borderlands. The action goes like this. Get quest, shoot stuff, get new gun, cash in quest and repeat. Tedious in singleplayer Borderlands comes alive with friends. A confusing interface and repetitive action let things down but in short bursts this is fantastic.

1 vs 100
It’s a live quiz show on your Xbox that lets you compete against thousands of other players at the same time. What could go wrong? Nothing really. Ok, to actually win a prize involves luck, guesswork and worryingly quick reflexes. But 1vs100 cleverly lets you compete against your friends too, which gives you an incentive to play on even if the prizes are seemingly unobtainable. Again, you’ll need a Xbox Live subscription but this is perfect for all the family on Christmas Day.

What do you think then? Any other recent 360 game that deserves a mention or need adding to the Christmas list?

Combining bits of papers lends a personal artistic touch with surprisingly incredible results. Anything goes — from pieces of foam rubber to paper bags and even fake credit cards!

All you need are fragments of paper, tape, glue sticks, hot glue or double sided tape. For added interest, try making use of unusual materials not typically used for wrapping such as twigs. Go ‘green’ by using colored paper shopping bags that you receive while buying gifts and recycling pieces of ribbon.

The center of attention is the front of the package, so don’t worry about the back which only plays backstage — it’s perfectly OK for the back to be a little untidy. The wrapping usually gets ripped off in a frenzy anyway!

Add some dimension with contrast of colors, light and dark, texture or material, or contrast of line by using angled paper on rectangular boxes.

The examples provided here are merely the tip of the iceberg for the plethora of ideas that Wrap Art provides on their website.

Tissue Rectangles with Cutaway Label Reveal (above)

Either use a white gift box or wrap one first in white paper. Mount a computer printed label on center, and add tissue wrap. Place 2 bands of red and gold tissue ‘ribbon’ horizontally, created by folding a wider piece of tissue in thirds so the edges are folds, not cuts. Next add 2 strips of pale green ribbon. Make 2 cuts in an ‘X’ shape with scissors in the tissue wrap to reveal the label beneath. Lastly, apply a ribbon around the edge of the box, and create a ‘ribbon candy’ layered bow for the top edge.

Brown Wrap with Gauze Contrast

The contrast of rough brown industrial paper with white gauze ribbon creates an interesting balance of materials. Add a paper computer label with your favorite Christmas image and voila!

Shopping Bag Collage

A gray shopping bag was used for this package. The bag had a white label imprinted with the retailer’s logo which was concealed with a 3-piece collage with the recipient’s initials over the image. Next a piece of gauze ribbon was draped in a spiral around the package.

Banded Tissue-Ribbon Wrap with Triangular Neck Label

Wrap a bunch of tissue folded into puffy ‘ribbons’ around a small package and tape to the back. Add a red triangular label for interest and contrast.

Foreign Newsprint and Sculptural ‘Bow’ of Natural Objects

Using a foreign newspaper for wrap, add gold and red ribbon topped with a glued on carved twig and acorn to make for a unique wholesome appeal.

The Ribbon Sash

A white wrap of ribbon, scarf or scrap of fabric around the sides of a white package covers up the folded ends. The wrinkly gold ribbon adds a delicate contrast. The top is left bare for the tag.

Credit Card Wrap

Why not put to use all those fake cards that arrive in the mail from marketers hounding you to apply for credit? Glue flat at first, then cut and make an angular sculptural ‘bow’ of cards. The outer edge of the gift is a tissue frame with a red ribbon. The red bow is made by layering ribbon back and forth, adding a spot of glue on each pass.

Collage: Innovation

Beginning with a brown wrap, attach black paper panels on the front and sides, allowing the brown paper to peek through. Next add a veil of plastic sleeving, first with yellow to form the vertical band on the right, then a second horizontal band in red. Add a bright red label with gold paint marker.

Foam Wrap

First wrap the gift in red tissue, then green packing foam, holding it together with red tinsel-trimmed ribbon. Make a quickly glued bow of the same material and finish with a small wooden disk.

Tissue Burrito

Roll the gift up in tissue and cut the ends with scissors to create a fringe. Frilly gold ribbon brightens up and completes the wrap.

Ribbon Weave Two-board ‘Box’

Two boards were used for this parcel, but you can use cardboard, picture framer’s matt board, or anything decorative but flat. Your gift must be flat to do this, or use a small flat gift box. The hidden gift is wrapped around its edge in red ribbon or use a tissue ribbon. Tape the red and black ribbons onto the back board, then began winding and weaving the ribbons and tape the ends onto the back board. Make a large label and use double-sided tape to the back side of the package to cover up the ends.

Band Collage

With a silvery shopping bag for wrap, attach a ribbon band collage with angled placement of the bands, using both overlays and open space, revealing more of the under-wrap.

Bottle Wrap

Clear plastic labels can be removed from facial cream bottles for a unique wrap to keep those out that can’t help themselves from sneaking peeks before Xmas. Remove the neck from the bottle and cut almost in half to make a hinged container. The short ribbon hides the cut, and the gold ribbon is stuffed into the neck hole.

Two Fragments Contrast Cap

Using scraps of paper, take a smaller piece and wrap one end of the box, then wrap the remaining part of the box. The larger piece depicted here has a torn edge. Finish with ribbon and a bow.

Two Fragments Ribbon Join

Using 2 pieces of wrapping paper apply the striped piece first, then the 2nd piece along the angled edge of the stripes. Apply a ribbon along the edge where the two papers join, thus eliminating the need for perfect cut edges. If necessary you can use rolled-tape strips or glue gun to conquer challenges of ribbon placement.

Visit Wrap Art for an overabundance of further gift wrapping ideas — not just for Christmas alone — on their website. You can even purchase the Wrap Art book by John Boak of Denver, Colorado, filled with 40 pages of full color in hardcover or paperback. All images and ideas are property of Wrap Art.

Don’t fear, you can use this opportunity to your advantage. All it takes is a little creativity and some fore-thought. Think about what you would give to someone you care for, and then do the exact opposite. Focus on what they love – to hate.

1) For repeated pleasure, the gift that keeps on giving is the magazine subscription to whatever they hate the most. If your father-in-law’s favorite holiday rant is about how all those g*d-damn [insert racial category here]‘s are ruining the g*d-damned neighborhood, make sure he’s on the mailing list for whatever group supports them wholeheartedly.

Donations in his name to The American Association for Affirmative Action would go over well, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) instead of NASCAR could do the trick. Don’t forget the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), not to be confused with the ALCS.

2) Know-it-all right-wing push-their-religion-in-your-face every-chance-they-get fanatics would love a weekly subscription to American Atheist or a slew of porn mags sent straight to the office. Nothing says ‘Loosen Up A$$h*le’ like porn.

3) What about giving a single ticket to any sports, concert or theater event no one would ever want to go to solo. This can have multiple desired effects. It either forces the gift-ee to shell out their own money to bring someone along, or alternatively they will be left crying in their seat when no one talks to the LOSER who came ALONE because they have no FRIENDS. Adding a camera as a stocking stuffer would complete the humiliation, and plus you’d get more of a return.

4) PETA members would especially appreciate the irony of a lifetime National Rifle Association (NRA) membership. Be sure to get the email address of the hated one, you can do a heck of a spam job if you hit all the sites that will piss them off the most. The Fur Commission even has a great holiday list. Also, consider making a donation in their name to some such dead-animal supporting organization.

5) And for the tree-hugging hippy in your life, deodorant is too obvious. You don’t want to seem cheap. Toss the vegans a nice steakhouse gift certificate. It’s normally quite a thoughtful gift, but under these circumstances it becomes a nice, passive-aggressive way to tell them to shut the f*ck up.

6) And for the truly uptight couple whose marriage is on the rocks, a gift-certificate to the local sex shop is a home-run in the ‘let’s make someone uncomfortable’ department. As long as it can’t be used online. Also, be sure to include a note that outlines how you figured they could use this; after all those lengthy conversations you’ve had about how terrible their sex life is.

7) Do you and your mother-in-law share nothing but a strongly silent hatred for each other? What better gift than a tastefully framed picture of yourself to adorn her mantle? She’ll have to put it up – you’re family.

8) And if she is always complaining about her weight, (this goes for any female on your list) pick the most aggressive Weight-Watchers plan you can find and sign her up. Or gift her with a copy of ‘Eat Fat, Lose Weight’ or ‘The Cooking Light Way to Lose Weight.’ Just in case she doesn’t get the message, it’s right there in the title. Too bad there aren’t any ‘Why Don’t You Shut Up, Get off Your Fat Ass and Do Something About It?’ cookbooks.

9) For that obligatory gift for the child of abhorrent parents, any loud, annoying toy will do. A percussion set (drums, tambourines, bells) is a great way to get right to the core of their frustration. A couple of months of ‘practice’ with those puppies and your investment is sure to pay off. Same goes for a karaoke microphone with a horrible learning sing-a-long CD, maybe of AC/DC. And beebee guns and roses. Those pushable corn poppers are always a hit. Typically, any toys marketed by Nikelodeon tend to have a low parent/child approval ratio. Just make sure that it eats the hell out of batteries.

10) Nothing says apathy like those pre-packaged Pepperidge Farm gift baskets. Same goes for socks (itchy, obviously) and especially the old-standby, the fruitcake. Only if it’s re-gifted of course. Christmas-themed clothing works. Big Mouth Billy Joel Bass is perfect for this category. Plus it’s annoying as hell.

Show them you don’t care. Go out there and do your best, turn this situation around and give yourself a gift in the process … the joy of causing others’ unhappiness.

If you’re faced with shopping just before Christmas, you might want to use some of these ideas:

Plan a day to get out early or stay out late. Crowds are smaller just when stores open in the morning. During the last week of the shopping season, many mall stores open at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. You can get a jump on the crowds and get a lot done before things get busy.

If you’re a night owl like me, plan to head to the mall with your shopping list after 9 p.m. for some last-minute shopping. Clerks are more available to help you and you won’t have to wait in line so long.

Patronize Neighborhood Shops

Avoid the hectic malls and visit a neighborhood boutique. Often the sales help is much more knowledgeable and the shops are less crowded.

Think Office, Entertainment, and Tech

You can usually find computer stores, office supply stores, or a stationery store free-standing, outside of a mall.

Think about special software, CD’s, daily planners for the year ahead, a personalized calendar, beautiful and collectible pen, or a photo album. You’ll avoid the crowds and find something really personal.

For the Tool Guy or Gal

Believe it or not, some people yearn for the newest cordless, variable-speed, reversible drill, but just can’t seem to splurge on one for themselves! A local hardware store or big building center often has knowledgeable staff to direct you to the latest tool or work-saving device. You’ll be thought of every time your recipient uses the tool!

The “Hostess With the Mostest”

Invite an individual or your group of friends to meet you at a favorite local restaurant. Advise your server that you’re picking up the bill for everyone, and let your friends know that your time together is your Christmas gift to them.

Bon Voyage!

If you know someone who has a trip planned or just loves to travel, find some handy travel supplies. (A suitcase is a very personal item, so I wouldn’t recommend buying one for another person. Think of a gift certificate for this.) You might find a perfect travel guide, maps, tote bag or backpack, flashlight, suitcase strap or lock, leather passport cover, or packing cases. You’ll be with them on their adventures, in spirit, at least!

Basket of Goodies

Retrieve a basket from your basement or garage or buy a new one. If you like, spray paint it in holiday colors. Then visit your produce store or grocery store and select some of their finest goodies. Create a basket of beautiful fruits, an assortment of yummy chocolates, coffee or teas and a mug, or ingredients and supplies for a gourmet Thai, Chinese, Italian, or Mexican dinner. Place the items on raffia or a bed of moss, cover with colored or clear cellophane, and top with a seasonal ribbon.

Plants and Flowers

Visit a local nursery or flower shop and purchase a beautiful living plant, a fresh miniature tree or wreath, or a display of holiday flowers. Add a pretty bow, a personal note, and a keepsake ornament, and hand-deliver the gift to your friend.

A Gift Everyone Loves

I love to receive gift certificates, though I don’t often think to give them. You too? Think of a gourmet grocery store, building center, department store, spa, hotel, restaurant, specialty apparel shop, gas station, theater, movie rental store, or flower shop. You can often order your gift certificates over the phone and ask them to be sent to the recipient. Or you can deliver them yourself or send them in your annual Christmas card. Confirm that the gift certificate has no expiration date and will be honored whenever it is presented. Many people tuck gift certificates away in a wallet, only to discover them months later. What a lovely surprise!

With so many ideas, what are you waiting for? Get out there, do your Christmas shopping, and rest assured that your friends will love their gifts, and you!

Source: about.com

Buy the wife a Black & Decker Workmate by all means. It’s a sensible gift from which she will derive years of pleasure while hopefully adding substantially to the value of the house. And, crucially, it’s an item comprehensible to the male mind. But bras and knickers? You’re just asking for trouble.

The thing is that men can only ever get it wrong.

Choose one of those catapult things, a thong or whatever it’s called, and you will in all probability be told a) you have no taste, b) you’re just a shaven-ape sleazeball with a typical one-dimensional male mind, or asked c) how you would feel having to wear a cheese slicer under your trousers for the entirety of a drinks party?

But if you play safe and buy a more generous knicker, opting for the bigger of two sizes to ensure a comfortable fit, it will be: “So I’m fat, then! You think I’m fat, don’t you? You could hold a bloody wedding reception in those!”

So, gentlemen, don’t do it. Even now, at Christmas, when concern about finding a suitable gift is turning to desperation, combined with an aching desire to get the whole awful business of present-buying out of the way. Take a trip down to the hardware shop and choose a nice ironing board instead.

But if you have to – if you really, really have to – go knicker-hunting, then at least join one of the two one-day Christmas Lingerie Academies at John Lewis in London’s Oxford Street.

There the frazzled husband or boyfriend will be offered sensible female advice on how to make an appropriate festive purchase while surrounded by reassuringly laddish paraphernalia: a comfy sofa, a fridge full of beer and, for the really mature, plasma screens on which to play a selection of computer games.

Trainees can even bring their loved ones along if they want to, but that’s not really the point.

Mistress of the academy is Maria Walker, the store’s head of lingerie. Maria is 38, a mother of three and has spent 14 years down among the undies. What she doesn’t know about them can be written on one half of one cup of a 30 AAA, whatever that is.

“A lot of men worry that they are going to be thought of as a bit pervy by coming into a lingerie department,” she says.

“Or that they are going to be leapt upon by some hyper shop assistant who will embarrass them to death with intimate questions about their partner’s likes and dislikes. Have you been in one before?”

Nope. Well, maybe when I was six, in Marks & Spencer with my mum. But lingerie departments weren’t lingerie departments then, in the late Sixties. They were more like the quartermaster’s stores at Catterick.

Everything was white or navy and passion-killingly functional; and there were huge white Playtex girdles capable of stopping a 45 calibre slug at 50 yards. Or so it seemed to my schoolboy eyes.

No, lingerie departments were, like the dentist, things to be avoided. Maria understands.

“Bra size is the key to getting it right. It happens all the time: the man comes in and you ask for his partner’s size and he looks dumbfounded and starts trying to represent it with his hands, saying ‘It’s about a handful’ or something like that. All he has to do is have a quick look in the drawer.

“There was one man in quite recently who gave up describing his girlfriend and simply showed me a picture of her topless that he kept on his mobile telephone.

It helped.”

And the bottom half?

“It’s a straightforward matter of observation to find out whether your partner likes thongs or bikini bottoms or shorts. The one absolute rule is: if in doubt about size, go for the smaller one.

It’s better to do that and be a little bit wrong than to present her with a pair that’s too big. There’s nothing more upsetting than receiving knickers that hang off you.

It’s basically saying ‘I think you’re big’. It’s not going to go down well. If they really are too small, she can always bring them back.”

In fact, Maria says that about one in five lingerie gifts sold in her department to men is returned by their partners in the New Year.

“It’s often the wrong size, but also the wrong choice. A lot of men go for what they want, which mostly seems to be all black or all red and as little of it as possible. Sometimes you get young men coming in in pairs and one is buying.

He starts acting up for the benefit of the other, making out it’s a big joke. He’s just trying to make himself look like a lad and not thinking of what his partner would actually like.”

Each person in Britain will spend an average of £700 celebrating Christmas this year, and a fair amount will go on underwear. John Lewis’s past experience shows that in the six weeks before Christmas the weekly spend on lingerie and women’s nightwear increases by more than 70 per cent.

Most of the increase is due to spending by men – the number of male customers rises by two thirds in the same period.

And the British male is nothing if not predictable. The store’s returns show that most men buy red and black lingerie in silk, often with, you guessed it, suspenders.

Any other trends?

“Padded bras are becoming more popular,” says Maria. “Not so much to give the appearance of size, but to shape. Shapewear in general is on the rise, to mould the figure and produce a smoother line.

“In terms of bottoms, shorts have taken over from thongs. When you actually ask men what they like, a lot say they prefer briefs to thongs.”

But does it matter in the end? After all, underwear spends most of its time being just that.

“If you feel good on the inside, you feel good on the outside,” admonishes Maria. “What is the point of wearing a dress costing hundreds and hundreds of pounds if the line is spoilt by cheap, poorly fitting lingerie?”

And with that we dive into a dazzling jungle of glitter and gauze, of Freya and Gossard and Elle Macpherson’s Intimates. All very pretty, but Mrs T would, I am sure, much prefer a new kettle.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Whether you’re shopping ahead of time or doing some last-minute shopping for Christmas, you’ll find some of our ideas helpful. Avoid the crowds, spend less money, and find gifts that everyone will really appreciate.

Try some of these ideas if you like to get your shopping done early, but want to be sure to get it right:

Shop Online

Almost every major retailer and specialty store has a website and offers online shopping. If you’re familiar with the quality of the products of the company, go for it. You can take care of all your shopping on one or two sites and find something for everyone. Books, plants, small appliances, toys, and clothing are easy to find.

Most companies will gift wrap your purchase, add a card with your personal greeting, and send it in time for Christmas. Be sure to confirm shipping times and options. If you need specific information about items, use the store’s customer service department and call.

Buy in Bulk

For work colleagues, teachers, neighbors, or a group of friends that you give gifts to, consider giving everyone the same item. It can be a yummy food gift, a seasonal decoration, a favorite book you’ve just read, or some piece of apparel. You may feel awkward doing this. If so, get several things and give one to an individual in each group. Then they won’t know that you’ve bought several of the same gift.I like to do this sort of shopping just after Christmas, when bargains are everywhere. I find something I really like, count my numbers, and buy one for everyone. If the items come wrapped, be sure to mark the packages so you don’t forget what’s in them and who they’re for. Store the gifts in a safe, weather-proof closet until the next Christmas.

Add to Someone’s Collection

Christmas is a wonderful time to add to a newly-wed’s set of dishes or a collector of memorabilia’s menagerie. You can buy the gift any time of year, pack it up, and have it ready when Christmas comes. If you’re looking for something unique or hard-to-find, contact antique dealers or retailers in your community and ask them to call you throughout the year when they get the item.

An Evening Out

Visit your local movie theater or concert hall and purchase a pair of tickets to an upcoming big event. If you have a group of friends you socialize with, consider buying a ticket for each one and yourself. You’ll be able to spend time together and you’ll be giving everyone a gift at one time.

Personalized Paper

Everyone loves to see their name on things, even if it’s just paper. Experiment and play on your computer to create a personalized letterhead for people on your list. (My name, Coral, is hard to find anywhere, so a personalized gift is really special!) Print out your work and have it copied onto notepads, envelopes, beautiful stationery, or business papers.

One-of-a-Kind Gift Certificates

For a gift that lasts long past Christmas, plan to share a lunch, tea, afternoon, shopping spree, day skiing, lesson on knitting, day of decorating, drive to the beach or mountains, or walk in the park with someone you love to be with. Create a personal and unique gift card that they can redeem with you for the occasion.+

Source: about.com

These days we often seem to get caught up in a rush to spend as much as possible on commercialized products when in fact we could save money and give much better presents if only we applied ourselves to hand-making them or something which will be of use to the person whom we are gifting.

The association of Gifts with the celebration of Christmas has almost become indispensable.

It is said also that gifts speaks more than emotions. This is the season of loving and caring your near and dear ones. So to choose the perfect gifts for your loved ones it is important to know whom you will gift and what are his or her likes and dislikes. It is not necessary that your gift has to be expensive it can be simple and sweet.

It is important that your gift should convey the message you want to send to the person whom you are gifting it is the emotion attached with the gift, which makes it special. Your gifts can range from clothes to accessories, to perfumes, to electronic goods and hand made cookies, cakes and other items

Gifts can be categorized according to its nature and to whom you are gifting. Like gifts for brothers, sisters, parents, kids, friends and spouses. So accordingly you have to choose your gifts it is also advisable to give hand make gifts because it has a special emotion and feeling attached to it.

So here’s a selection of gifts which are easy to make and will certainly not break the bank. The recipients will love the fact that you have put your own time and effort into making the gifts and will treasure them.

* Personalized Recipe Book
* Homemade Stationary
* Dress Up Box For Kids
* Decorated Coffee Jar
* Personalized Photo Album
* Hand made Flower Vas
* Jewellery Box
* Hand made Artifacts

Thousands of people storming around in a fit of shopping rage, fighting for the last iPod on the shelf, dragging screaming kids along for hour after hour of mind-numbing browsing, all to the tune of revamped, remixed Christmas songs that somehow make that Boney M Christmas CD collecting dust on your shelf seem manageable.

Yep. Sure sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Thankfully, there’s a solution to your holiday shopping problems, and you’re looking right at it.

The following is a list of great Christmas gifts for guys, both ludicrously expensive and surprisingly cheap, that I hope will contain at least a couple of perfect gifts for the guys on your list.

All of the products listed here can be found on the Internet, ready for your browse-and-click buying pleasure. No parking lot traffic jams. No screaming babies. Just simple, easy Internet shopping.

But heck, if you really want to, I guess you can at least put on the Boney M.

	Top 25 Christmas Gifts For Men
	25. Nomad Flash Drive & MP3 Player Floppy disks are incredibly outdated. This USB flash drive is a great way to take important documents home, bring Powerpoint presentations to meetings, and transfer files between your desktop and your laptop with a minimum amount of fuss and/or cables. As an added bonus, it comes with an MP3 player.Perfect gift for: Son, employee, or that co-worker who keeps borrowing your disks.Get it here.
	24. Video & MP3 Jukebox Recorder If you’re sick of waiting for Apple to finally get around to inventing a stylish video iPod, you might want to take a look at Archos’ kick at the can. While it doesn’t have the appealing looks of an iPod, it can record 40 hours of video, store photos, and play music.Perfect gift for: A son who doesn’t already watch enough TV as it is.Get it here.
	23. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Already one of the smash hits (literally) of the season, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the most recent installment in this extremely popular series of games. It has more realistic role-playing, a larger area to explore (L.A., Vegas) and, most importantly, a bunch of new people/things to run over/into while grooving to the killer soundtrack.Perfect gift for: Any buddy who owns a PlayStation2.Get it here.
	22. Panasonic Portable DVD Player An ideal companion for plane rides, long commutes, and other places where you just don’t feel like lugging along your laptop, mobile professionals who travel a lot will love the size and weight of this extremely portable DVD player, and gadget-freaks will love the coolness factor.Perfect gift for: Your road-warrior boss, or an employee that does a lot of traveling for the company.Get it here.
	21. PalmerCash Vintage T-Shirts Perfect for the hipster on your list, these vintage T-shirts from Palmer Cash are so hopelessly tacky, they’re cool. There are lots of styles for both guys and girls, and prices are student-budget friendly. Why wear a shirt that says “Nike,” when you can wear one that says “Nixon In 78′”?Perfect gift for: Your artsy, college-going cousin.Get it here.

	20. RIM BlackBerry 7750 Wireless e-mail, voice, and data communications are done right with this sexy tech toy that any and every tech-savvy executive needs. Surf the Web wirelessly. Send e-mail effortlessly with the functional QWERTY keyboard. Keep track of meetings with the included organizer. This little gadget can do virtually everything.Perfect gift for: Your brother, who is just starting out in the corporate world.Get it here.
	19. MSN Smart Watch With an MSN Smart Watch and a subscription to the accompanying MSN Direct service (not yet available worldwide; check the MSN Direct site for details), you can gain access to stock quotes, weather, news, and text messages, all with the flick of a wrist. Oh, and it tells time, too.Perfect gift for: Your gadget-head brother (who shows up late for everything).Get it here.
	18. 300-Piece Poker Chip Set For both discerning, veteran players and beginners alike, this 300-piece poker chip set comes with a tough, felt-lined metal case, two sets of cards (with jokers), and a guide to the game for novices. You might not win any more than usual, but you’ll feel like a million bucks.Perfect gift for: Your poker buddy who uses pretzels as chips.Get it here.
	17. One For All Remote Control If you know the pain and suffering caused by constantly digging around through a pile of remote controls to find the right one, why not consolidate them all with a single, decent universal remote? Control your DVD player, CD player, VCR, satellite, amplifier, and TV without constantly digging under the sofa cushions.Perfect gift for: Your disorganized, hi-fi loving friend.Get it here.
	16. justMetal Venetian Necklace The people at justMetal produce a lot of slick jewelry, but this necklace is probably one of the sharpest designs in their catalogue. This polished, titanium chain will draw plenty of attention, but it won’t look out of place at any event.Perfect gift for: The guy who likes the spotlight.Get it here.

	15. Apple Airport Express Player This feature-packed wireless router from Apple comes with a USB printer port and a jack for connecting a stereo (to wirelessly stream music from an iTunes library), and allows users to surf the Net on a WiFi-equipped Mac or PC in no time. Happiness is being able to surf AskMen.com on the sofa.Perfect gift for: Your cyber-savvy (geekiest) friend with a broadband connection.Get it here.
	14. Wilson Golf Clubs For the guy who likes to spend a day out on the course, a set of clubs is always a decent gift option. If he’s looking for new ones, this complete golf set includes Titanium Matrix woods, stainless-steel irons, and a face-balanced putter. The set comes complete with a deluxe stand bag and three headcovers.Perfect gift for: Your dad, who you’ve been asking to play a round with you.Get it here.
	13. CD Player & Sound Soother 20 This neat little portable stereo has an alarm clock, AM/FM radio and TV-band tuner, CD player, and several soothing soundscapes, plus a ton of extra features all packed into a compact, travel-friendly device. Listen to music in your hotel room or at your desk, or let the sounds of “white noise” put you to sleep.Perfect gift for: Your globetrotting cousin.Get it here.
	12. Rancilio Silvia Espresso MachineYou might not be able to afford a luxury vacation in Italy, but at least you can spoil yourself with a first-rate espresso machine. This rugged, stainless-steel-clad unit is impressive enough to look at, though the quality of the rich, delicate espresso that it produces is the real reason to consider the Silvia.Perfect gift for: Any bachelor friend or family member who loves coffee and entertaining the ladies.Get it here.
	11. Canon Digital Camera This 8.2 megapixel digital SLR camera from Canon should be enough to make any serious amateur photographer smile with childlike glee on Christmas morning. The EOS 20D is compatible with the rest of Canon’s EOS series of lenses, so you won’t have to write off your expensive, existing collection.Perfect gift for: Your serious photographer friend who still uses film.Get it here.

	10. Artland Elegance Vodka Set These awesome little shot glasses are all style. Complete with a small glass bucket for chilling with crushed ice, this set of six funky little glasses will add a touch of class to your social gatherings with their functional design.Perfect gift for: Your swinging, single pal with exceptional taste.Get it here.
	9. Noise Cancelling Headphones For those who do a lot of traveling, Bose’s noise cancelling headphones are a great way to block out the incessant drone of aircraft engines on long, sleepless flights. When you just want to get away from the loud, bothersome world, you’ll be glad you brought them in your carry-on.Perfect gift for: Your company’s traveling sales rep.Get it here.
	8. Vialta Phone Video Station Finally, an easy-to-operate videophone that doesn’t require a computer, a digital video camera, and a Net connection. This two-unit set from Vialta works with your regular analog phone line, displaying the live video image transmitted from the other unit on its 3.5-inch LCD display. Cool? Oh, yeah.Perfect gift for: Your technophobe father/grandfather, who still can’t figure out how to work a webcam.Get it here.
	7. Luxury Vacation If you’ve got a few extra hundred thousand dollars lying around, a membership to the Exclusive Resorts travel club might well be the solution to your luxury holiday needs. Sure, the $375,000 membership fee is a bit steep, but think of the romantic possibilities of spending your vacations in posh, luxury accommodations. Sometimes, five stars just isn’t enough.Perfect gift for: You (good luck).Get it here.
	6. Sony MiniDV Video Camera With a DV video camera like this one from Sony, it’s easy to import your home movies to a computer for editing, titling and burning to DVD. The compact size of the DCR-HC40 means you’ll have it on hand to capture those perfect moments, and the extensive feature set will make it useful for years to come.Perfect gift for: Your soon-to-be-a-father son.Get it here.

	5. Cyclone II Foosball Table The Tornado series of foosball tables is widely considered to be the Cadillac of table soccer, and they’re certainly built to last. The rods glide beautifully, and the unit as a whole is made to withstand even the toughest, most vigorous foosball play. It may be expensive, but you’ll never outgrow it.Perfect gift for: The college-grad son who misses his frat house foosball table. Get it here.
	4. Flat panel monitor/LCD Screen Flat panel monitors have gone from computing-oddity to must-have in a surprisingly short amount of time, and consumer flat-panel quality is still all over the map. If you plan on doing serious work with graphics and digital photography, you’ll want to opt for a nicer model, like this one from LaCie.Perfect gift for: A style-conscious son who’s into digital graphics, design and photography. Get it here.
	3. LCD Digital Camera Binoculars Equally valuable on bird-watching expeditions and operations of international espionage, these digital camera binoculars let you go in for a closer look, and then record the evidence. With 8x magnification and a 2.1 megapixel digital camera (with a 1.5-inch LCD display), you can even produce decent prints when you return from the field.Perfect gift for: Your bird-watching uncle, or your “bird”-watching buddy. Get it here.
	2. Sony Ericsson P910i The latest, greatest smart-phone from Sony Ericsson features a touch-sensitive screen, a tiny keyboard for text entry, a video camera, and a ton of other nifty bells and whistles. It’s an organizer, a phone, a digital camera, and a conversation piece, all in one. It doesn’t come cheap, but it’s ultra cool.Perfect gift for: A trendy boss who wants to stay 10 steps ahead of the Joneses. Get it here.
	1. Portable Satellite Radio Receiver Satellite radio fans finally have a great little handheld, portable XM satellite radio receiver, complete with five hours worth of recording time, and a bunch of useful accessories. Plug the unit into an antenna at home for optimal reception, play it through your car stereo via the internal FM transmitter, or tune in while out and about.Perfect gift for: You. Hey, you have to treat yourself once in a while.Get it here.

Shopping online for Christmas gifts might seem like a perfect solution to the mall madness problem, but remember: You can’t buy things at the last minute, frantically wrap them on Christmas eve, and stuff them under the tree with minutes to spare.

Online shopping means shipping a package to your door. So get a move on if you want your gifts to arrive before Christmas. While expedited delivery is often available at a premium price, why not save money by shopping early enough to take advantage of the free-shipping deals that many sites offer?

With the cash you save by planning ahead, you could maybe even justify buying a little extra something for yourself. Happy holiday shopping.

Source: askmen.com

Santa Claus didn’t forget us, though; Ponzi’s been picking up items from my wish list, and I’ve been planning a stocking to end all stockings for her. It’s almost three in the morning here, and I’m wondering if I’ll even have time to pick up a screw for my glasses tomorrow (it fell out at some point this evening).

That would be a wonderful gift: time.

Ponzi says she only wants one thing this year for Christmas: a completely new wardrobe. Apparently, clothes go out of style after you wear them twice – and it’s only fashionable to wear 1/10th of the outfits 90% of the time ?

Well, that kind of gift is unrealistic. She thinks I’ve already seen my presents (as they’ve been coming in all sorts of boxes, mixed in with wedding registry gifts).

In my mind, the best Christmas present for her at this point is to match the amount she spent on me – letting her spend the same amount on her wardrobe, “guilt free.”

The holidays are just around the corner and who can resist the brightly colored blooms on the holiday cactus? Flowers in shades of red, purple, pink, white and yellow seem to glisten as they dangle, first as tightly closed buds, then as fully opened flowers, from the end of the green segments of stem.

Schlumbergera truncata, the Thanksgiving cactus, is aptly named because it begins to flower in November, which is a month before Schulmbergera bridgesii, the Christmas Cactus begins to flower.

When you first purchase your plant, look for ones that are already in bloom or at least have little buds forming. To convince your plant to bloom in consecutive years you will need to make sure nighttime temperatures are below 68 degrees F but above 60 degrees F. If the temperature is too low the flower buds may fall off. Temperatures that are too high at night will cause a delay in flowering.

Schlumbergera prefer full sun in the winter months. In the summer, move your plant to an area where it will be shaded. The hot summer sun can scorch the leaves of these plants.

Holiday cactus are epiphytic plants which means they typically grow in decaying matter in their native environment. When they are grown in container culture they need a potting mix that drains well. The ideal potting mix would be a combination of perlite, vermiculite and peat moss in equal amounts.

Proper watering of your holiday cactus is important. Improper watering, too much or too little, is one of the main reasons why most houseplants die. Water your holiday cactus early in the day so the foliage will dry before the night temperatures begin to fall. Try to keep the soil evenly moist. Make sure the container you use has drainage holes and if not, put some in the container. Allow water to sit in the saucer for a couple of hours after you have watered the plant, then dump any remaining water out of the saucer. The temperatures that your plant is subjected to will determine how often you will need to water. Touch the soil, if it feels moist, you are okay. If it is soggy or dry, you need to correct that problem immediately.

Finally, once your plant is done flowering, you can share your plant with friends and family. Simply cut off a leaf segment that has four joints, allow it to lay and dry for a day or so, then dip it in rooting hormone and place it in a well draining potting medium, out of direct sunlight and wait. Within three to four weeks your cutting should begin to root.

Holiday cacti are very easy to care for plants that require very little time. By applying these basic techniques your plant will continue to bloom year after year. You will also end up with lots of small plants to share with others or decorate your home with from your original plant.