Friends
Girlfriend
This year, get personal with your holiday gifts. That doesn't mean you should stamp the recipient's monogram on everything you buy, but a gift that's uniquely suited to the receiver, shows extra thought. This season, Juicy Couture and Tiffany & Co. are pushing their own charm collections. Juicy charms are cute and interactive (the lipstick twists, the cupcake open). Tiffany & Co. charms are lasting, but they are also significantly more expensive, ranging from $50 to a bank-breaking $7,200. Whether your female beneficiary is just starting her collection or she's been collecting charms since birth, these modern charms will make a personal (and fashionable) statement.
Boyfriend
If you can't pick just one movie to give your beau, Netflix offers subscription plans to fit different price ranges. The extra perk with Netflix is the "Watch Instantly" option that lets subscribers watch select movies on their computers, TVs or XBox 360, and PlayStation 3 game systems. If you're not ready for a long-term commitment, Netflix lets you choose how many months you want to buy. So if he likes it, you can renew it for Valentine's Day.
Friend (girl)
With scents like Pumpkin Spice Muffin and Double Rich Hot Cocoa, Philosophy's Holiday Cookbook set smells like it belongs in the kitchen, but the only heat these sweets require is the steam from a bathtub. The set ($35 at Philosophy, Sephora and other retailers) includes six cleansers that act as shampoo, body wash and bubble bath.
Friend (boy)
Following that musical theme, headphones make a good gift for audiophiles and frequent flyers. Anyone who has ever owned an iPod has a pair of white earbuds lying around somewhere, but Bose and Sennheiser offer high-quality headphones in a range of types and styles. For the guy who uses music to pump up his workout, look for active styles that wrap behind the head. For the major gamer or home-theater junkie, choose a wireless, around-the-ear model that cancels background noise. If he's always on the go, headphones with active noise cancellation will block out the whirring of engines, but they might take up extra space. For the guy who travels light, find a medium-sized, over-the-ear model for the optimum combination of sound quality and portability.
Safe choices for anyone
Family Games
The idea that "a family that plays together stays together" might sound hokey and outdated, but every family member can find some enjoyment in family games. Apples to Apples, the game that asks players to make crazy comparisons, has been a popular choice for so long that it's hard to believe there'd be anyone left to buy it for. Fortunately, alternate sets like the Yiddish, Jewish and Bible editions let Apple lovers grow their collection so that their favorite game will never spoil.
Additionally, other games expanded their horizons this year. Scrabble branched out into card games with Scrabble Slam!, one of Amazon.com's top sellers. This stocking-stuffer- sized gift contains commonly used letters printed on playing cards made to resemble Scrabble tiles. Players throw down cards to change a four-letter word (like "chat") into something totally different (like "that"). It's a rapid-fire race to the finish, as players try to finish their decks and win the game.
Snuggie
It's a Snuggie, who doesn't want one?
Sister
Buying shoes may sound a little too practical to be festive, but Reebok EasyTone sneakers have been touted as beyond practical. These kicks claim to have the ability to boost your workout and tighten your buns. With prices ranging from $100 to $125, they're still an expensive gift, but an excellent workout companion for the active woman.
Brother
Video games are great because they fit into just about any budget. PlayStation (PS3) and Wii games can run anywhere from $20 to $120. PSP and Nintendo DS games tend to stay in the $20 to $40 range since they don't require the same accessories. According to ign.com, games to look for this season include the latest "Super Mario Bros." game for the Wii and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" for PS3 and Xbox 360. The popular cross-platform games this season will focus on music rather than fighting. "Beatles Rock Band," "Guitar Hero 5" and "DJ Hero" were released earlier this year, but they are still on the radar as in-demand holiday gifts.
Youngings
Finally, you can buy a pet for the kids on your holiday list without giving their parents a reason to hate you. The Zhu Zhu Pets by Cepia LLC are four lovable, toy hamsters with minds of their own. Chunk, Pipsqueak, Mr. Squiggles and Num Nums live longer, smell better and cost less over time than real hamsters. Plus, with artificial intelligence that lets them react to what they "see" and "feel" with more than 40 sound effects, they might be the smartest hamsters you'll ever meet. In "Loving Mode," they chatter and squeak whenever someone pets their noses. In Explore Mode, they'll test out their environment, roaming around like real rodents but stopping before they knock into anything. Kids can even buy accessories like hamster wheels and tunnels. To top it off, the hamsters cost less than $10 apiece.
Mom
"The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition"
If you're looking for a family gift, founding a new tradition is the gift that lasts from year to year, and people cannot get enough of tradition during the holidays. The Elf on the Shelf gift set comes with an elf who sits up on his own with a hardcover book telling his story and a keepsake box to store him in until next Thanksgiving. Besides being a festive decoration, this Elf has a very important mission: He keeps an eye on children during the holiday season and reports back to Santa when it's time to make the naughty/nice list. $29.95 for holiday cheer and a quiet house? What a deal.
If your mom takes the brunt of the holiday hubbub, a night on the town might be just the escape she needs. The Rockettes will perform their annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular in 37 cities around the country between now and Jan 3. See radiocitychristmas.com for showtimes and tickets. If the Rockettes happen to miss your town this year, check local listings for the "Nutcracker" ballet and other holiday shows that are performed locally.
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