XO Gifts

Ride Their Way to Learning Fun

2009-11-07T16:27:00.003-06:00

This is a great toy to get kids moving. What I especially love about it is that it allows kids to burn energy in a small, indoor space during the winter months. We live in a Chicago condo and I can tell you this toy is at the top of the list for this Christmas!

The other great thing about the Vtech Jungle Gym Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike is that it combines learning with both physical activity and music. Little ones are full of energy - that's what makes them so much fun! It also means that they have a hard time focusing for more than a few minutes. By incorporating learning with physical play you'll be amazed how long you little one stays actively engaged.

Don't take my word for it. The Vtech Jungle Gym Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike was featured in the November 2009 issue of Working Mother magazine!

Price starts at $39.99.

Find it Online:

Vteck Jungle Gym Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike (ages 18 months - 3 years)- toysrus.com

Knitting Totes

2009-11-07T16:07:00.005-06:00

If you know someone who knits, this is a gift that will suprise and impress them! Knitting totes are all the rage right now and serious knitters are dying to get their hands on one. With the cute styles out, even novice knitters will love being able to organize their needles and go.

Added benefit: purchasing a tote from the BCA Pink line (shown) by Della Q also supports Breast Cancer awareness!

Prices start at $8.00.

Find it Online:

Silk Project Bag: fabulousyarns.com

Chloe Sea Grass Tote: fabulousyarns.com

QUE Interchangable Needle Case: fabulousyarns.com

Lena Knitting Tote: fabulousyarns.com

Giftbaskets for Knitters

2009-11-07T15:32:00.009-06:00

Knitters of all ages will love these adorable giftbaskets and you'll love the price. FabulousYarn builds custom giftbaskets and provides enough guidance to help even a teenage boy assemble a great gift! You select the theme, basket size, and yarn colors. You can even select knitting patterns, needles, and stitch markers to round out the gift! Your gift will be beautifully arranged in a quality basket and will arrive already wrapped with a custom card attached! FabulousYarns provides a wide variety of high end, top quality yarns that knitters of all skill sets will appreciate.

Know someone who's expecting? This would be a great gift for expectant mothers, especially if they have been ordered to bed rest!

Prices start at $22 for the sock giftbasket.

Find it Online:
Organic Cotton Yarn Giftbasket (shown with yarns in Willow and Bone) - fabulousyarns.com
Build Your Own Giftbasket - fabulousyarns.com

Do it Yourself:
This is an easy idea to replicate yourself. For high end yarns a quick google search will tell you if there is a yarn specialty shop in your area. If not, crafting stores like Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabrics, and even many Walmarts, carry large selections of yarn, patterns, and needles. If you're not sure what to get just ask someone in the store. They'll be glad to help. (To save money keep an eye on the local sales. Every now and then Jo-Ann Fabrics has a buy 1-get 1 free sale on yarn!)

Slippers Again?

2009-11-04T22:29:00.009-06:00

I'm actually not going to tell you that slippers are a bad gift idea - they're cheap, everyone's feet get cold in winter, and they need replaced annually.

However, if you are going to go the slipper route this year please, please, please take the time to find slippers that will be FUN to receive.

Prices start at $5.99!

Find it online:

For Her

Xhilaration Sparkle Pom Slippers ($5.99) - target.com

Xhilaraton Polka Dot Loafer Slipper ($6.00) - target.com

Women's Chasity Sweater Bootie Slippers ($18.00) - target.com

For Him
Men's Cayden Canvas Slippers ($14.99) - target.com
Acorn Slipper Sock - zappos.com
Sierra Designs Down Moccasins (shown) - zappos.com

For Kids
Disney Cars Slippers ($7.99) - target.com
Kids' Soft Ones Sock Monkey Slippers ($14.99) - target.com
Toddler Girls' Fancy Nancy Scuff Slippers ($7.99) - target.com

Nike Trash Talk

2009-10-02T16:51:00.010-05:00

This crazy new footwear is the brain child of Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Steve Nash. It's a performance grade basketball shoe meant to improve not only your game, but the environment too!

Anatomy of the Nike Trash Talk:

The upper is pieced together from leather and synthetic leather waste from the factory floor using zig-zag stitching.

The mid-sole uses scrap-ground foam from factory production

The outsole uses environmentally-preferred rubber that reduces toxics and incorporates Nike Grind* material from footwear outsole manufacturing waste.

The Phoenix Suns’ colorways will have shoe laces and sockliners which use environmentally-preferred materials and will be packaged in a fully recycled cardboard shoe box.

A great gift idea for athletes, teens, or anyone interested in going green.

Prices start at $79.99.

Find it Online: (not easy!)
Nike BB II Low Trash Talk - SneaKersin.com

World Market - World of Teas Gift Set

2009-09-14T23:15:00.006-05:00

Tea lovers will rave about this gift! World Market is offering hand-carved wooden tea boxes with an assortment of quality, plantation-grown loose leaf teas from around the world. This is a great gift idea for Christmas, a hostess gift, your boss, your mom, your mother-in-law, just to name a few!

Set includes:

- hand-carved box

- wooden spoon

- tea strainer

- assortment of 3 loose leaf teas

Prices start at $14.99.

Find it online:

China Set (pictured) - worldmarket.com

India Set - worldmarket.com

England Set - worldmarket.com

Custom Nikes

2009-09-07T20:53:00.008-05:00

Nike is the leading name in athletic shoes and now you can get a pair made to order. The Nike iD line can be custom designed and personalized making them a great gift idea for die hard fans everywhere.

Custom Nikes are a great gift for sports fans, athletes, college students or teenagers looking to sport their school pride.

Prices start around $110.

Find the Online
Nike Air Max +2009 iD - nikeid.nike.com

Peeka Stories: Give a Little of Yourself

2009-08-31T21:29:00.004-05:00

Imagine reading a story to your child during the middle of a power lunch. I'm not talking about working from home, I'm talking about being in two places at once! Thanks to Peeka Productions you can be.

From the comfort of Peeka's filming studio, they can help you create custom videos where you narrate your child's favorite classic stories - enabling you to be there, even when you can't be. Peeka Stories packages include your custom DVD and a corresponding hardcover book with your child's name and a personalized carton character resembling him or her.

Peeka Stories is a great gift idea for first time parents to help ease the anxiety they feel when returning to work. It's also a great gift idea for grandparents and parents that travel for work (consulting, military, sales, etc.).

Prices start around $139.

Find it online:
Peeka Stories Sample Video - peekaproductions.com

Don't want to spend that much?
You can replicate the same idea by picking out a few of your child's favorite stories and using a digital camcorder or webcam to record your narration. Basic video editing software is all you'll need to create a finished DVD. If you're not comfortable with the technology then offer a local teen $20 to help you out. Chances are you know a few that have already mastered the YouTube video production process!

Related Links: Top 5 Free Video Editing Software Programs

Baby's First Chocolate

2009-08-26T15:36:00.013-05:00

Ok, this is one of my FAVORITE gift ideas ever! I went on the fabulous Chicago Chocolate Tours last weekend for my close friend's batchelorette party. On the tour, we stopped by the famous Swiss chocolate shop, Teuscher, located at 900 N. Michigan Avenue. There, we discovered not only the most mouth watering milk chocolate that I have ever experienced, but these adorable little paper mache gift boxes.

I have a good friend whose daughter is turning 1 this month. Now, there are all sorts of reasons why this is a milestone birthday for her daughter but perhaps the BIGGEST reason is that she's now old enough to have chocolate!!! (Doctors recommend waiting until children turn 1 before allowing them to have chocolate as some studies suggest serving chocolate at a younger age increases a child's chance of developing a chocolate alergy.)

Needless to say, I picked up this adorable giraffe gift box which holds 2 soft truffles. For an added touch, I tied a tag around it's neck that says, "Baby's First Chocolate."

Prices start at $10.95 (including chocolate).

Don't live near a Teuscher? Find it online:
Frog Gift Box - Teuscher.com
Lady Bug Gift Box - Teuscher.com
Zebra Gift Box - Teuscher.com

The Dangerous Book for Boys

2009-08-20T21:31:00.006-05:00

You should definately judge this book by its cover. The Dangerous Book for Boys is a great gift for energetic, hands-on fathers everywhere.

I'd love to convince you that this is the best book you will ever give your husband, son, nephew, or the boy next door, but I think the video does a better job than I ever could.

Watch and learn.

Side note: As a mom, I've got to say I would totally be down for this stuff! To all you single moms out there - this book could, quite possibly, make you a hero in your little boy's eyes. (Not that you shouldn't be already, but they are boys after all!)

Oh and ladies, if you give this to your hubby as a Father's Day gift you'll want to make sure and bookmark the chapter on romance. This could be a gift that keeps on giving...wink.*

Price starts at $18.00.

Find it Online:
The Dangerous Book for Boys - Amazon
The Dangerous Book for Boys Official Site - http://www.dangerousbookforboys.com/

Now That's Smart!

2009-08-19T20:03:00.011-05:00

Being a scrabble playing, book loving, technologically inclined geek myself -I am in LOVE with these baby tees. Not only are these bodysuits organic (jump on the bandwagon already!) but they remind everyone that the adorable bundle of joy you're toting around is, indeed, your offspring.

Perfect for pint-sized teachers, network engineers, scrabble lovers, techies, academics, CPAs, economists, architects, musicians, software developers, the list goes on.

Price: $22.

Find it Online:
Nerdling Baby Tees (shown) - WilloToons

Other Great Baby Tees:
eat.sleep.rock.repeat Bodysuits- WilloToons
I'm Swirled Baby Tee (for multi-cultural cuties) - Swirl Syndicate
Good Seed. Better World. (purchase benefits African orphans) - Common Threadz

Twinkle Toes

2009-08-13T22:56:00.010-05:00

The great thing about buying for baby is that baby stuff is so friggin' cute! The terrible thing about buying for baby is that baby stuff is so friggin' cute. So cute, that parents will be inundated with adorable toys and clothing but find themselves constantly short on basics ... like socks.

That's why baby sock gift sets are such a great gift. Baby socks are one of those essential items that you can never have too many of - afterall, they do have a tendency to disappear in the wash! To give a gift that's practical, but still cute enough to stack up against all the others, think stripes ... or polkadots ... or ballet slippers ... or argile ... or ...

Prices start at $25.00 for 12 socks.

Find it Online:
Infant Socks: Boys Set#2 - RonRobinson.com
Trumpette "Perfect Little Dozen" Socks - RoyalBabyBoutique.com
Baby Loopies Musical Toes (shown) - FantazticLearning.com
Trumpette "Cowboy" Bright Colored Socks - RoyalBabyBoutique.com

A Classic Wedding Gift

2009-08-12T18:57:00.010-05:00

Where this idea originated is probably one of those Six Degrees from Kevin type things but no one can dispute that it is filled with style and class.

Wedding registries are great at pointing you in the right direction. After all, what the registry lacks in suprise it more than makes up for with the 100% satisfaction guarantee.

But, if you're looking for a gift that inspires love and devotion consider a door knocker. Door knockers signify the new home the couple will build for themselves. A personlized door knocker reminds the couple that the foundation of any home is love.

With a wide variety of styles available, you're sure to find one that suits the couple's tastes. To keep your gift modern, have the couple's monogram engraved on it instead of a full last name.

Also makes a great housewarming gift!

Find it Online:
Baldwin Satin Nickel Door Knocker (personalize!) - Things Remembered
Antique Nickel (Pewter) Door Knocker (personalize!) - Your Door Knocker
Celtic Heart Door Knocker (middle) - Cap Code Weathervane Company
Art Deco Door Knocker (left) - Black Country Metalworks
Khanda Door Knocker - Lumley Designs
Louis XV Door Knocker - PE Guerin
Baldwin Tahoe Door Knocker - Door Hardware Plus

Picky About Their Java?

2009-08-10T22:26:00.004-05:00

Need the perfect gift for those hard at work?

Anyone who has a particular palate when it comes to Java is left with two options at work: (1) choke down the terrible office brew or (2) get to know the local barista on a first name basis. As appealing as the local barista may be, developing a coffee habit is expensive.

A French Press provides an easy way to brew your favorite coffee at the office, particularly if the office coffee pot dispenses hot water for brewing tea. Just pour boiling water over java, let steep, and plunge grinds to the bottom of the carafe.

Prices start around $10 for a travel mug press.

Some things to consider when purchasing a French Press...

Glass or plastic? Plastic isn't going to break like the traditional glass may but the plastic versions are more limited when it comes to filter style. Ultimately, consider how you think the receipient will use the gift and purchase accordingly.

If you opt for glass, look for one with a double walled glass construction -remember chemistry class, pouring boiling water into a glass container could crack the glass. The double walled construction will help retain heat and hopefully prevent a cracked cylinder from gushing coffee everywhere.
French press coffee is meant to be consumed immediately. Buy the size pot that you think will the recipient will drink in 10 minutes or so. (If you really want to get a larger size pot, you may want to throw in an additional carafe that they can decant the brewed coffee into until they drink it all.)

Altough all french presses require coffee to be ground more coarsely than drip machines, the filter makes a difference. If you think they will pay less attention to the quality of the grind then consider a nylon filter - it will handle a finer grind than metal filters.

Want to make it an even better gift? Throw in a high quality grinder and a selection of gourmet beans!

Also brews loose tea!

Find it Online:
Travel Press (shown left) - http://www.starbucks.com/
Bodum Press (shown above) - http://www.target.com/

FYI Reads:
How to Use a Press Pot - CoffeeGeek.com
How to Use a French Press/Coffee Press - WhatsCookingAmerica.net

Books More Precious than Gold?

2009-08-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

So your favorite book lover ops for hard cover over paperback, owns more books than anyone could possibly hope to read, and regularly drops $100 at Barnes & Nobles (or better yet, a neighborhood bookstore). Why not get them a personalized seal to make their library a little more official!

Personalized libarary seals emboss the title page and provide a sophisticated and elegant method for identifying a book's owner. The most common seals are personalized to read "From the Library of..." but online vendors such as A-Plus will customize all text and artwork. Prices start around $25.

Find it Online:
A-Plus (shown)
Bloomberg Excelsior (choice of black, chrome, or gold finish)