Holiday Gifts

Top 8 Expedited Delivery Offers for Last-minute Shopping

How does Christmas creep up so quickly? It seems like just yesterday our shopping concerns were stocking up on stuffing and turkey for a Thanksgiving feast. Now parking lots are full and checkout lines stretch around the store. Many online merchants have already ceased their holiday shipping, leaving shoppers to fight through the last-minute masses.

Luckily, there are still a few stores that can help alleviate your stress. FreeShipping.org has compiled a comprehensive list of holiday delivery deadlines for over 100 stores, and the following merchants offer expedited shipping for free or with a minimum order.

1. Apple Store
Place your order by Dec. 21 to receive free Next Day Shipping on most items, excluding custom or engraved products.

2. Roxy
Any orders received by 10 pm EST on Dec. 21 will include free 2-Day Shipping.

3. Neiman Marcus
To get free rush delivery on orders of any amount, use code NMQUICK and choose "promotional shipping" as your shipping method. This offer is valid until 11:59 am CST on Dec. 22.

4. Under Armour
Enjoy free two-day shipping on any order using promo code FREESHIP.Read more

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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Stocking Stuffers

by jessica on Tue, 2011-12-20 10:23

By now you've (hopefully) taken care of the big-ticket items on your holiday shopping list. But don't forget the stocking stuffers! We've put together a list of some great, yet inexpensive stocking stuffers, along with a few $5 toys you can sneak into your kids stockings - or even under the tree!

NewerTech NuTouch Gloves
NewerTech's NuTouch Gloves are the stylish and functional solution to keeping hands warm while using an iPhone, iPad, or other touch screen device in cold weather. Unlike other brands of gloves that limit finger use and touch capability, NuTouch Gloves have a special conductive fiber woven into all 10 fingertips so users can enjoy the fastest typing input on full-sized touch keyboards.

Made from a soft cotton mix and available in four hand sizes - S/M/L/XL, they come in a classic charcoal color and can be worn by themselves, or as liners with heavier cold weather gloves.Read more

Best Buy's Hot Deals Under $100

by jessica on Fri, 2011-12-16 05:00

Still looking for that perfect holiday gift? Best Buy just announced some special deals in every category for under $100. Also, beginning this Sunday, Dec. 18, Best Buy kicks off the week with more discounts in-store and online on a variety of entertainment, mobile, home theater and computing must-have gifts.

Best Buy's list of hot deals for under $100:

Apple TV - $99.99
Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer - $99.99
Insignia - 8" LCD Digital Photo Frame - $59.99 after a $20 savings (through Dec. 17)
Shutterfly Prepaid Card to create an 8x8 Photo Book - $29.99
Memorex - PurePlay Portable Speaker for Apple iPod and iPhone - Black - $69.99
Paper Jamz Guitars - $39.99
Protocol Remote Control Helicopter - $39.99
Dynex Class 19" LCD 720p 60hz HDTV for 99.99 after $30 savings (through Dec. 17)
Panasonic DMP-BD75 Blu-ray Disc Player for 79.99 after $20 savings (through Dec. 17)
Harmony 700 Universal Remote for 79.99 after $40 savings (through Dec. 17)
Roku Streaming Media Player for 79.99

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Great Gifts for Home Entertainment

by jessica on Thu, 2011-12-15 15:53

From HDTVs to great sounding table top radios and more, here are some of the best gadgets to keep you and your guests entertained this holiday season.

Epson MegaPlex MG-50
This holiday season set all of the content on your phone free by sharing it on a big screen indoors or out with the MegaPlex MG-50 combo projector. Equipped with a high-quality projector, stereo speakers and a built-in dock for iPod, iPhone and iPad, the MegaPlex makes it easy to project baby's first steps, family photo memories and even your favorite videos on a big wall, making for an unforgettable holiday occasion and "mega" memories that will last a lifetime. Catering to the new digital lifestyle, the MegaPlex is changing the way movies, gaming, slideshows, presentations, music, and more are shared – whether inside for a movie-like setting or even outdoors! Read more

9 Ways to Save on Electronics During the Holidays

We've all gone gaga for a pair of socks or gushed over the bath towel Aunt Cindy brought back from her trip, but let's be honest; electronics are the gift everyone wants. According to the National Retail Federation, these coveted items are so in-demand they showed up on more than 35 percent of wish lists. In all likelihood, those who already have an Xbox or iPad wouldn't be disappointed to find another wrapped under the tree.

Though it's nearly impossible to go wrong handing out tablets and Blu-ray players, high prices will blow your budget to bits. To ease the impact this holiday season, try some of these tips for saving on electronics.

1. Haggling Helps
One of the most powerful tactics to use use as a consumer is walking away. It's amazing how quickly a steadfast salesperson discounts prices that can't possibly get any lower when you call their bluff. A recent study by Consumer Reports shows shoppers who haggled saved an average of $82, so clearly there's little to lose by at least asking. Read more

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Avoid These Stores to Ensure Timely Gift Delivery

The holidays are almost here. Shopping online can make holiday gift buying much easier, but it also requires advance planning to account for order processing and shipping times.

The editor's over at dealnews prepared a list of stores to avoid to ensure a risk-free holiday purchase.

Doing last-minute Christmas shopping? Click clear of these online stores:

Flash Sale Sites: Fab.com
Many of these sites don't actually possess the items they're selling, often contributes to a lengthy processing time and slow delivery.

Stores that Specialize in Personalization: RedEnvelope & Pottery Barn
But not only does their gift-friendly personalization add an extra time-consuming step, it introduces a significant chance of encountering an error that cannot be fixed in time for the holiday.Read more

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10 Great Gifts for Kids

by jessica on Tue, 2011-12-13 16:55

Are you shopping for a child this holiday season (or an adult who sometimes acts like one)? We've hand-picked a variety of gifts for kids – everything from a laptop designed specifically with children in mind to great family games and even a t-shirt that's a fully playable drum machine (and that's just naming a few). Read on…

Toshiba Satellite L735D Kids' PC
Available exclusively at Best Buy, the Satellite L735D Kids' PC is a full-size laptop made specifically for children. Complete with features that help parents feel better about leaving kids to compute on their own, the laptop includes built-in parent-friendly apps like The Internet for Kids, Kidzui and LEGO Harry Potter: The Video Game.

The laptop features a unique wipeable keyboard, allowing for easy cleaning of smudges left by messy hands and a no-gloss Neo X textured finish that helps resist fingerprints. Even though it’s kid-ready, the laptop still has the power of a standard PC with a 13.3-inch diagonal HD display, 320GB hard drive with a Hard Drive Impact Sensor, built-in webcam, DVD drive and an AMD E-Series processor.Read more

Great Gifts Under $100

by jessica on Mon, 2011-12-12 13:02

Still looking for that perfect gift? Here are our picks of some of the best gifts under $100:

Edifier Tick Tock Alarm Clocks

Edifier's new Tick Tock Dock, Tick Tock Bluetooth and Tick Tock SD/USB/FM Radio speaker systems are so cool-looking, we couldn't just pick one to include in our gift guide!

Available in black, white and beige, Edifier's Tick Tock Alarm clocks have a retro style reminiscent of the classic alarm clocks of the 60's – but the "bells" on either side are actually 1-1/2-inch omni-directional stereo speakers that deliver expansive 360-degree sound from Tick Tock's 7-watt speaker drivers.

Each Tick Tock model features a large, bright, round LCD display that shows the time and date, along with alarm input selection. The alarm will either emit an alarm tone or play music from the FM, Dock, Bluetooth or AUX input, and offers a choice of 5 alarms and a sleep functions that let users wake up or fall asleep to their favorite music. Read more

Great Gifts for Gadget Lovers

by jessica on Sun, 2011-12-11 05:00

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the gadget lover on your holiday shopping list? Sure, everyone knows that Tablets like the Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet from Barnes & Noble are hot items this year but we were looking for something different. Read on to see some of our picks for the gadget lover on your list.

Opena: Opena iPhone 4 Case
Opena Case is the world's first iPhone 4/4S case and bottle opener in one. The company was started by two buddies in Australia who needed a bottle opener but only had their phone with them. "The Opena" solves this common problem while providing protection for your device.

Features:

Durable and Protective Polycarbonate Hard Case
Integrated slide out stainless steel bottle opener
Works with all iPhone 4 models
Colors include Black and White
Perfect companion for parties, BBQ's and pretty much anytime you need a bottle opener
1 year Warranty

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How to Help Your Child Gift Shop for Others

One of the great privileges we have as parents is giving to our children. Seeing the elated look on our children's faces when they open a present gives us a rush. But an even bigger thrill comes when our children get that same rush watching others enjoy gifts, especially ones they gave.

Maybe this is the Christmas your family decides that it truly is more rewarding to give than to get, and you put your money where your mouth is. Just how will you do that when it hasn't been a priority in the past? According to Dr. Marilynn Price-Mitchell Ph. D. of Psychology Today, "It is the act of thinking about and choosing gifts that is of high value to the giver." Kids, she says, "can prepare for gift giving, some with needed parental help."

You don't want to raise a crop of bratty I-deserve-it children. This Christmas is a great time to steer your family in the right direction, and here are a few tips to help you along the way.

1. Prepare your child for the experience.
Dragging your kid through Toys 'R Us without buying him something is like parading a starving man through the buffet line and telling him not to eat. The first step to shopping for others with your children is talking about it. Start the dialogue with, "Isn't it great you have so many toys to play with? I wonder if there are other kids who don't have any toys." When the time comes to go shopping, first remind your child of the reason for going to the store--it's not about them this time! Read more