Holiday Gift suggestions/sales

[Xairbusdriver]

Of course, Christmas is coming along. But I'd like a small thread with suggestions for children (tots to young adults). Some of you actually live with these types of humans, many of the rest of us only get to visit them! Anyway, how about listing items that you've given, received or think would make interesting, useful, even educational and/or entertaining? I'll start it off with the next post...The first one that comes to mind (because I just finished reading the 'adult' book) is the young adult or children's version of "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Relin. If you go to Amazon through the <author's site>, they'll get 7% of the price back for their work. More bang for the buck! :clap:Next?


(Krissel butting in here to add to Jim's request... If you see an interesting item or a great sale on something you think might appeal to a TSer or their family, post a link here or describe the item.)

         

 

[RNKIII]

My suggestion is "The Secret Lives of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd.  Preferably the audio book version as the 'story teller' does such a wonderful job of reading / telling the story.   (think "to Kill a Mockingbird")

I know that the book is currently out as a movie by the same name, have not seen it... don't know if I will, as I don't want to have my 'vision' of the story mis-interpreted by some one else...

my $.02


Bob K.   rnkiii

[kimmer]

QUOTE

I know that the book is currently out as a movie by the same name, have not seen it... don't know if I will, as I don't want to have my 'vision' of the story mis-interpreted by some one else...

my $.02

Bob, add my 2-cents to that sentiment as well. If I've read the book, I seldom like the movie.

Now for the topical stuff ... hehehe

For ages 9-12: Inkheart (2003) · Inkspell (2005) · Inkdeath (2008) by Cornelia Funke. Delightful books.

For everyone: Pop-Up books! I think Robert Sabuda is tops, but there are others that are good.

Robert Sabuda at Amazon

Also at Amazon:

The Amazing Pop-Up Geography Book

The Pop-Up Book of Phobias

Sea Creatures: A Squirmy, Scary, Prickly Pop-Up

Lots more at Amazon (9902 and counting).

[Frances144]

Games!!

Tantrix
Trax
Continuo

We  have the first two and they are great.

Also Traffic Jam
Janga


Highly recommended and very entertaining!

Great games for everyone

[kimmer]

QUOTE(krissel @ Nov 9 2008, 01:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jim, I had planned on starting a thread with ideas for holiday gifts, great sale prices, etc. but you beat me to it, except yours is for the little ones.

Hope you don't mind if I start another more generic thead and link to this one.

Yes, a thread for shopping for the adults on our lists. Please.

And maybe we could pin both of them for now?

[Gregg]

How about one that's in the Toy Hall of Fame?

.... a stick

[krissel]

I remember a thread way back that talked about remote controlled aircraft.


This looks reasonable and fun.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=...amp;dcaid=17653

[krissel]

If you are looking for some CafePress type items as gifts check out Dreambird's site. She has some really attractive images on all kinds of products.  

http://www.cafepress.com/d_21k_57

[Paddy]

My boys always loved Playmobil and Lego. My 13-year-old still plays with it occasionally. Both encourage imaginative play. Not for the under 3 set though - too many small pieces. There is Duplo for the little ones (really big Lego) and there are a few less detailed Playmobil sets designed for toddlers.

You can find some good deals on Playmobil in their discontinued section. Target also has some great deals.

Lego, of course can be found just about everywhere.

I agree with the choice of the Cornelia Funke books. Another wonderful series for slightly older kids - say 10 and up, depending on their reading abilities, is the Philip Pullman His Dark Materials series (there are a number of ways of buying this series - this is just one of them) And don't watch the movie of the Golden Compass - it's just not the same.

If you have a preteen/young teenager who enjoys really imaginative, funny and somewhat absurd tales, Terry Pratchett's books are good. There are a lot of them to choose from!

[krissel]

After listing the remote controlled helicopters I came across this warning about the batteries used in them:

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/20...?EXTKEY=I5B0A18

[Xairbusdriver]

And I heard, today, that Hyundai is planning on offering a lithium polymer powered vehicle in two years. Of course, most of the car will be made of metal, so you should have much of it left after the fire...

What scares me about those helicopters is the spinning blades and the possibility of them hitting an eye of anyone in the room or house! "You know you'll just shoot your eye out [with a BB-gun]!"

[Xairbusdriver]

Haven't tried to verify any of these, just a word to be careful buying gift cards. If the store/company goes out of business or closes the stores in the vicinity of the recipient, they may well be 'out-of-luck.' Just be sure any cards you buy are from companies that will be around for at least the next year. How you determine that is your problem!

QUOTE

Subject: Holiday Gift Cards

I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you tend to give gift cards around the holidays, you need to be careful that the cards will be honored after the holidays. Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as bankruptcy Planning. Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

I know some of these are true.  I can't say all are checked, but you can look on www.snopes.com to check BEFORE you buy a gift card.

1. Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
2. Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing
3. Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide
4. Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
5. Cache will close all stores
6. Talbots closing down specialty stores
7. J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
8. Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
9. GAP closing 85 stores
10. Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
11. Wickes Furniture closing down
12. Levitz closing down remaining stores
13. Bombay closing remaining stores
14. Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
15. Whitehall closing all stores
16. Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
17. Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
18. Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )
19. Macys to close 9 stores after January
20. Linens and Things closing all stores
21. Movie Galley Closing all stores
22. Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
23. Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
24. JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
25. Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
26. Wilson Leather closing down all stores
27. Sharper Image closing down all stores
28. K B Toys closing 356 stores
29. Loews to close down some stores
30. Dillard's to close some stores

If you take the time to find that any of these are incorrect, please let me know and I'll edit the list.

[kimmer]

Here's the page at Snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/storeclosings.asp

Here's the disclaimers/adjustments that I saw:
2. Ann Taylor- 117 stores are being closed (out of 966 locations. Restructuring announced in 1/08)

4. Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January (closed 29 out of 376 stores and opened 10 new ones between Jan-Sept 08)

5. Cache will close all stores (closed 14, still has 295 stores and opening more)

6. Talbots closing down specialty stores
7. J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
6 & 7 combined: (already dumped Talbots Kids, Talbots Mens and U.K. stores and has closed an additional 28 Talbots stores out of 1400 total stores. Talbots just announced that they are trying to sell off the J. Jill stores. No announcement that they are closing the J. Jill stores and the they are still opening new stores and selling and redeeming gift cards.)

8. Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots) (Is it owned by Talbots? I didn't find any mention of this. It did close all it's d.e.m.o. stores and has not announced plans to close any of its core Pacific Sunware outlets).

9. GAP closing 85 stores (closed 17, opened 37 during 3rd quarter of 08; will close 115 stores and open 100 more locations in balance of year)


13. Bombay closing remaining stores (all stores were closed and liquidated in 1/08, but new ownership still operates stores in Canada)

14. Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January (closed approx. 105 out of 2130 retail outlets in 2008 -- half of them kiosks and half stores. Also opened approx 100 new outlets in 2008.)

17. Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January. (reacquired by Disney in 3/08 and closed 98 out of approx 335 stores)

19. Macys to close 9 stores after January (closed 11 out of approx 850 stores in 2008)

21. Movie Galley Closing all stores (Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video: emerged from bankruptcy reorganization in 5/08 and currently operates approx 3500 stores)

22. Pep Boys Closing 33 stores (closed 31 stores in 2007, still has approx 570 stores)

23. Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores (announced in 1/08 that it would close 125 out of 1400 stores).

26. Wilson Leather closing down all stores (mall-based stores closed. Outlet stores and e-commerce acquired by AM Retail (subsidiary of G-III Apparel Group) which operates 119 Wilsons outlets in the US. They will honor gift cards at the outlet stores and web site)

28. K B Toys closing 356 stores (emerged from Chap 11 reorganization in 8/05)

29. Loews to close down some stores (Lowe's still expects to open between 115-120 new stores in 2008, with more planned for 2009. No further closures are planned.)


Personally, I detest giving gift cards and/or cash. It's cold and impersonal and when family "demands" it -- it shouts greed. This year I bought pop-up books and some other things and will be mailing off packages. Too bad if they want cash.

[krissel]

Personal experience for your perusal:

When I retired a number of years ago, the teacher's group gave us each some gifts and one of mine was a $200 git certificate to Comp USA.  I kept waiting til there was something I needed that I couldn't get online cheaper and over time I misplaced the actual card. I did have the number written down but that wasn't enough to use it, the physical card was necessary.

Then Comp USA went out of business. I could not find the card in time to use it at the store in my area before it shut so I thought, oh well, lesson learned.

Then, while cleaning last year I found the card. Just on a lark I went to the newly reopened Comp USA website which represents some stores in Florida and Texas only. Believe it or not they had a form to fill out to return unused gift cards. I sent it in to them and amazingly I received a check a few weeks later for $200.

[kimmer]

Hope you cashed the check right quick.

When we moved we had over $300 in gift cards to places that were only in CA. They wouldn't give us money for them, so ... we made up farewell gift packages to our dentist, eye doc and a few others and gave away our "presents". They all had a blast and we got some wonderful notes from them all thanking us and telling what they ate and how much fun they had. At least the gift cards weren't wasted.