Another Christmas season is upon us.   And while there are some of us who get our Christmas shopping done before the end of summer, most of us tend to start thinking and shopping later than sooner.

It can be the thrill of the last minute hunt.  Trying to find the best deals may be our favorite sport.  Some of us just are gluttons for punishment.

There’s nothing like standing at 5:30 pm on Christmas eve getting those few last gifts.  The merchandise is out of order; you are hot, and achy.  There’s a child screaming in the background.  But it’s all worth it Christmas morning when they unwrap their gifts.   Hearing their laughter and seeing their laughter makes it all worthwhile.

Let’s start off  with a gift for children:  a toy but not just a toy, the EyeClops Mini Projector by Jakks.

And what girl has not dreamed of being a princess at one time or another.    Here’s a special princess, soon to come into her own:  African American Disney Princess, Princess Tiana with the “Just One Kiss Doll”

Are action figures just dolls for boys?  Don’t tell them that!  Here’s a new Bakugan Battle Monster, Maxus Dragonoid 7n1!

What about a little sweet little treat.  And a little different type of treat.  Here’s Anthon Berg liquor filled chocolates.  Enjoy these gourmet quality European liquor filled chocolates.

Can a netbook fit in a Christmas stocking?  Try this one, The Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 netbook.

Do you know someone who craves summer’s fresh vegetables and herbs?  An Aerogrow Aerogarden indoor hydroponics kit can keep that person very happy over the winter months.

No Christmas themed blog this year can neglect to mention the Zhu Zhu Pets, and particularly the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamster, Mr. Squiggles!

Your Children Will Love Mr. Squiggles -- Zhu Zhu Pet Hamster

At this point, you have probably heard a lot about the four Zhu Zhu Pets.  Everyone has their favorite, but the Zhu Zhu hamster, Mr. Squiggles is the most popular.  One of the most popular toys of the current Christmas season, you must know at least one child who would love to have one of these pets.  These adorable toys have a growing fan base consisting of children upwards of four years old (note: small parts choking hazard for younger children).

Mr. Squiggles is the premier explorer of the Zhu Zhu pets.  This little life-like hamster charms children with his handsome light brown coat, inquisitive black eyes, and cute pink nose.  Let him go and he will soon start doing what comes naturally:  darting around to investigate his environment.

Given artificial intelligence, he appears aware of what room he is in.  To the delight of all, he makes different sounds depending on the room he is in.  In this respect, he is way ahead of living hamsters. For example in the bedroom he can make sleeping noises or alarm clock sounds. Whenever he meets an obstacle on his scouting missions, he makes his own distinctive sounds.

Like many real mammals, these Zhu Zhu pets seem to enjoy being petted.  They coo in response to being stroked.  In many ways, the Zhu Zhu pets and Mr. Squiggles really seem like real hamsters.  However, you don’t have to feed them or clean them!  You get all the benefits without the mess!  And your child gets a pet he or she will love.

AeroGrow AeroGarden - Indoor Hydroponics Kits For All Experience Levels

More complete than most indoor hydroponics kits, Aerogrow Aerogarden models come as beautiful all in one units.  You can set up a little garden right in your kitchen, or anywhere else you find convenient.

Anyone, with or without gardening experience, can succeed in growing lush, beautiful gardens. Simply add water, drop in the pre-seeded grow plugs, turn it on and watch it grow. The system automatically turns the grow lights on and off and reminds when to add water and nutrients. Nutrient packages are available.

Grow Flowers, Grow Herbs, and Grow Salad Greens

You will easily be able to grow flower, herb or salad green gardens. There are multiple seed packets available for each type of plant.

Imagine in the middle of winter tasting a bright red ripe cherry tomato. Not like the kind you get in supermarkets. It’s hard to find a decent tomato of any kind, at any time of year in most American supermarkets.

Miss the salad days of summer and the farmer’s markets? You can grow your own salad greens during the fall and winter. You don’t have to worry about wasting.   Just harvest when you need them.   It’s possible though, you might grow so many you will have to give some away.

Always liked the idea of an herb garden in the kitchen? An Aerogarden will give you a push-button herb garden. You won’t have to buy whole packs of herbs that often discolor and go to waste, You won’t have to worry about storage. Snip what you need and start cooking!

Aerogrow Aerogarden Makes a Great Christmas Gift

An Aerogrow Aerogarden indoor hydroponics kit would be great for any of the following:

* The gardener in your life.
* The cook keen on preparing tasty, fresh and healthy meals.
* The salad lover, who needs a variety of fresh vegetables readily available.
* The person who is a little intimidated by gardening. And just needs a little push in that direction.
* Children nowadays seem to think food comes wrapped in plastic. Comes. Teach them how plants grow.

Aerogrow Aerogarden units come in a variety of colors, and sizes, and designs.  There is an Aerogrow Aerogarden unit just right for you,

Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 - With Windows 7 Starter OS: True Portability and Easy Connectivity

The Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 now comes with Windows 7 Starter OS.  Tech moves relentlessly ever onward.  Do you go with the new version of the Toshiba Mini NB205 with the Starter OS or do you stick with an XP model?

In either case you will have all the wonderful benefits from the Toshiba Mini NB200 series.  The spectacularly long battery life, up to 9 hrs. and the 10.1 inch screen.  Weighing a bit less than 3 lbs.,  you can just get up and go without being burdened by a bulky computer.  Plus there is a full sized keyboard and touchpad.

There’s a lot of hard drive space for a netbook: 250GB.   Enough to store lots of photos, and music.   It comes with 1GB of RAM, for dealing with current software needs.  Maximum RAM for this Toshiba netbook is 2GB.

Connecting to the net is not an issue, as Wi-Fi is integrated.  Three USB ports (one of which also charges cell phones), and a memory card reader (for Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity and MultiMediaCard) connect to your peripherals.

There are some problems with the Windows 7 Starter Os.  It is not a complete OS.  Some find it puzzling, that they cannot personalize their computer.  Also there is no XP mode.  The maximum number of programs which can run at the same time is three.  However, there are exceptions to this rule, such as internet security programs.

On the other hand, starting and shutting down is faster.  As well as increased ease connecting to the internet.

Windows 7 Starter OS does have Microsoft Works for word processing and spreadsheet tasks.   No netbook can substitute (yet) for a desktop replacement laptop.   But with the full spectrum keyboard and full sized touchpad, you will be able to get those tasks done smoothly with minimum distractions.

If you are looking for an easy to carry laptop, with great staying power, plus the ability to comfortably use the keyboard/touchpad, the Toshiba Mini NB205-N230 netbook is for you.

Nearly everyone loves a delicious piece of chocolate candy.  How about liquor filled chocolates from Anthon Berg, “Purveyors to the Royal Danish Court”?

Anthon Berg Liquor (Liqueur) Filled Chocolates 64 pc Best Buy

Let’s face it.  Candy often becomes one of those standby gifts.  You know the recipient enjoys chocolate.  You know it will get eaten, right?  You really don’t have to give it a lot of thought.

On the other hand,  after you give the same gift over many years, there’s no element of surprise.  And with that a reduced  sense of appreciation and anticipation.  Shouldn’t it be fun to give a gift as well as receive it?

These Anthon Berg Liquor Filled Chocolates solve that problem.  It’s the perfect balance between an ordinary,  ho-hum gift and one zinging with excitement.   And not just from the liqueur inside the bottled shaped candies.  The dark chocolate has complex flavors which linger on the tongue, after tastebuds are kick-started by quality name liqueurs.

Now just why would you give someone such a large box (64 ct) of chocolate?  Wouldn’t it seem to be just a little too much?  Not at all.  Your friend or family member will also be celebrating.  Bringing out this box of chocolates gives the occasion a festive touch.

In addition, after several weeks of partying and heavy dining, some guests will deny themselves one more rich dessert, yet still yearn for a little sweet sensation.  One (or two) of these chocolates will give a nice sweet finish to a meal.

Hmmm, now wouldn’t  this be a great gift for yourself?  You too deserve a nice Christmas treat for the holidays.  These European gourmet quality liquor filled chocolates will hit the spot.

Maxus Dragonoid 7 in 1 – 1 Bakugan (Neo Dragonoid)  and 6 Traps

NEWEST DISNEY PRINCESS, PRINCESS TIANA  “JUST ONE KISS DOLL”

Disney Princess, Princess Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog"

The excitement is building about the new Disney movie, “The Princess and the Frog”.  The beloved Disney princess in this movie is an African American Princess named Tiana.  Young girls just love Disney princesses.  Now young African American girls will have a princess doll to which they can relate easily.

The last Disney princess made her entrance onto the world stage more than 12 years ago.    “The Princess and the Frog” creates a fresh retelling of the well known Grimms fairy tale,  “The Frog Prince”.  Of course there is a twist to the plot of this old tale.  It takes place in the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans.  And this princess becomes a frog too!  Just how do young Tiana and Prince Naveen navigate the dangerous bayous and find the right voodoo priestess to reverse the malevolent spell?

THE DISNEY JUST ONE KISS PRINCESS TIANA DOLL

Adorned with her tiara, Tiana is every inch the princess. This beautiful doll stands regally, resplendent in her sparkling blue gown. She holds Prince Naveen as the frog, in her hand. Together, both you and your child can reenact a favorite scene from the movie, “The Princess and the Frog”.

Your child will enjoy playing with the beautiful Princess Tiana.  It’s not all about looks. Princess Tiana embodies all the wonderful qualities young girls have: gentleness and compassion;  elegance, beauty and refinement; intelligence and wit.

Your daughter will be enraptured by the new African American Disney Princess, Princess Tiana.  What a wonderful gift to find under the Christmas tree for your young daughter.

Have Fun When Sharing All Your Media with Family and Friends

With the 60 inch image, your children can use it as a movie projector.  All that is needed is a smooth surface upon which to project an image and a darkened room.  They can use a wall or the ceiling.  All you need is a DVD, some popcorn, and you have a nice night of entertainment at home.

While it is a toy, and is priced appropriately, it enables children to  share their media in real time.  They no longer have to all crowd around a small screen to participate.   The age range is 8 y.o. to 15 y.o.   And it’s safe – with Super L.E.D. illumination it never gets hot.

Take the EyeClops with you on all kinds of trips.  You can have fun using it as a movie projector on camping trips.  Just project it on a hanging sheet or on the side of a tent.  Of course you can do the same right at home.  Just invite your children friends over and have a party.

All you need to power the Eyeclops Mini Projector on the go is 4 “D” batteries, which can last up to 10 hours.   Otherwise, you can just plug in the adaptor.  The battery pack doubles as a projection stand.  There is also a swivel arm to adjust the projection angle.  RCA cables and other connection cables are required to connect to peripherals.