Top 5 Gifts for the Family
Although it's fun for everyone to get their own gifts at Christmas, some gifts have a unique way of bringing the family together in the true Christmas spirit. Here are a few unique family gifts that could do just that for you and your loved ones.
Sponsor a Child, Animal or Cause
Instead of buying gifts for each other this Christmas season, as a family you can give a gift to help others in need. You can sponsor children in many different countries by sending in a one time donation or agreeing to sponsor them on a long term benefit. If you'd like to help out more locally, donate to toy drives, animal shelters or any other non-profit organization.
Take a Vacation or Stay in a Hotel
Taking a vacation is always exciting. While toys and clothes may get lost over time, memories never do. If taking a long vacation is not in your budget, you can visit a nearby town or even stay in your own town, but at a hotel. Your family can check out the pool, or even order room service and watch movies. A change of environment is sometimes all the vacation you need.
Take a Tour
Take a train, bus or boat tour of your area. You do not have to travel far from home but you can see your city in a whole new way. If you are willing to brave the weather, go for a hike and have a Christmas day picnic. For a more economic option, go to your local museums or historic sites and ask for guided tours.
Family Coupons
Have each family member write up 5 things they would like someone to do for them such as washing dishes, room cleaning, back rub, a one hour nap with no interruptions or washing the car. Each person puts their coupons into a hat and each family member pulls out 5 different ones. Instead of gifts, each person will have to do what the coupons says.
Language Class
Sign up for a language class as a family. Not only will you learn together, but you will also have built in study buddies ready to help and someone to practice with. If languages aren't your thing, you can try boxing, swim lessons, art classes or anything else that interests you as a family.
Not all family gifts have to be something you buy or something that can be held in a box. There are many gifts that will last a lifetime and don't cost a thing. Making family memories is one gift you know that no one else will have.
Top 5 Gadget Gifts
If you know someone who’s really into gadgets, and are totally stuck for ideas this Christmas, then take a look at the following few gift ideas for gadget fans. Although none of these gadgets are cheap, they’ll put a big smile on a face and be used for a long time to come.
iPad: Tablets are getting increasingly popular, and none more so than Apple’s iPad. Apple recently released the iPad 3, which is the reigning champion of tablets right now. It’s sleek and snazzy, ultra-fast and trendy too. However, if the iPad 3 is a bit too expensive, the iPad 2 is still a great product that really delivers and won’t leave anyone disappointed.
Kindle Fire: The Kindle Fire is Amazon’s own tablet – or range of tablets. Just recently Amazon released a new range of Kindle Fire HDs, which come in two sizes to meet the demands of various users.
If you’re looking for something portable and effective, then the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is a great option. If you think that’s too small, then the 8.9-inch device might work better. And, although none of the products in the Kindle Fire range are that powerful, they’re the cheapest tablets on the market right now which makes them almost irresistible. Great design, great usability and at a budget price. There’s no doubt that this is a hit product.
Kinect: One of the biggest developments in video game technology over the last couple of years has been motion control. Once, this was the sole territory of Nintendo’s Wii, but it’s hard to top the unique Kinect motion control on the Xbox 360. This is the only device that lets you interact with games without any hand-held controller whatsoever. Instead, it detects full-body movement which lets you interact with games in totally unique ways. This is the most popular motion control device on the market right now, and is sure to please both serious and causal gamers!
Sonos PLAY: 5: An increasingly popular technology for both music and gadget lovers is wireless speaker systems. The Sonos PLAY:5 is probably the king of consumer wireless speaker systems right now (without spending many thousands of dollars) and it’s easy to see why.
Not only can this system eliminate ugly wires from your living room speaker system, but it can be used to control streaming media services connected to your TV, and can also link up with other Sonos wireless speaker systems around the house to control music in each and every room! This is a serious piece of kit, and will definitely go down a storm on Christmas day!
Apple TV: A great choice for any gadget fan, and a top choice especially for fans of Apple’s products, the newest Apple TV box is a fantastic bit of kit. It includes full iTunes music, movies and TV shows integration, as well as Netflix, Vimeo and more, all in HD. It can also stream content stored on other Apple devices, like iPads and iPods, direct to your TV, and can be controlled using an iPad, iPod touch, iPhone or the included remote. This is a fantastic product that delivers one of the best end-user experiences of any streaming media home setup. A truly excellent gift for any gadget buff!
Top 5 Gifts For Babies and Toddlers This Christmas
Buying gifts for small children doesn't have to be hard, and most of the time they'll just want to play with the box anyway. To keep their attention on the toy and not the package, try these top 5 gifts for babies and toddlers this Christmas.
Newborn to 3 Months - Fisher-Price Discover 'n Grow Kick and Play Piano Gym
This toy is a combination of a tummy time mat, hanging mobile and music maker. The colors and sounds help new babies to develop motor skills and also refine their five senses. Infants can kick soft piano keys to produce lights and music or grab at hanging toys like mirrors, rattles and teething toys. Parents can also set the music to play for up to 15 minutes.
4 to 9 Months - Peek-a-Blocks and Look-a-Rounds
Both have the same general idea, but one being round and one being square. These plastic toys have objects inside that the infants cannot remove. There are alphabet versions, barn yard animals, some that make sounds and other that have different textures on the exterior. There are also accessories that sort the blocks or use them as moving parts, such as trains and activity centers.
9 to 18 Months - Vtech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
For infants that sit, crawl or are beginning to walk, this is the perfect toy. The main face of the toy has sounds, lights, a small telephone, shapes, numbers, sorters and rattles. Once your child starts to walk, you can mount the toy to its wheeled base and let your child take the toy on the go. The cart also works as a support system for new walkers, helping them to build confidence while taking their new steps.
18 to 24 Months - Little Tikes Cozy Coupe
These Little Tikes cars come in three colors: Princess Pink, bright red and there is also a police patrol car version. Not only have these cars been around for 30 years, they are still popular, kid tough and allow toddlers to entertain themselves.
24 to 36 Months - Little Tikes Barbeque Grill and Kitchen Sets
At this age, toddler love to copy their parents and play “pretend”. Any toy that mimics adult activities are bound to be a hit. Other ideas include grocery stores, tea sets, dress up clothes, face paints or even costumes. This is the perfect age for kids to start using their imagination.
