Ack!

Can you forgive no post today? There are about 70 people arriving at my house in 1 hour and 55 minutes!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

JoCo Looks Back CD

If you don't already know Jonathan Coulton's music, you're missing something fun! I was first introduced to his song "Code Monkey" by a friend, and that jogged my memory -- I remembered reading in the NY Times online about this singer who put a new song up every week for a year, allowing people to listen, download, and (most fun of all) make their own videos or artwork. My friend also showed me a YouTube video that someone made of his "Skullcrusher Mountain" song using footage from the sci-fi show Firefly.

Needless to say, I was hooked.

About six months ago, Jonathan Coulton, or JoCo to his fans, came to Houston and we went to go see him. I decided to get a CD and listen up ahead of time so I would enjoy the concert that much more. I chose the CD "JoCo Looks Back" because it seemed to have the best of the many songs he produced during his "Thing a Week" project.

What does this have to do with stocking stuffers? If you have a sci-fi geek or computer geek in your life who doesn't already know Jonathan Coulton, he or she will LOVE you if you get them this CD. The songs include (but are not limited to):

• Code Monkey (about the life of a computer programmer in the cubicle fields)
  
• I Feel Fantastic (hinting that we may overmedicate ourselves at times....)
  
• Mandelbrot Set (about the fractal and the mathematician who discovered it)
  
• Tom Cruise Crazy (making a LOT of fun of you-know-who)
  
• Chiron Beta Prime (a funny Christmas "card" from a family sentenced to a mining asteroid run by robots)
  
• I'm Your Moon (Charon singing a song to poor no-longer-a-planet Pluto)
  
• Skullcrusher Mountain (a mad scientist/supervillain sings to the girl he's captured trying to woo)
  
• I Crush Everything (a sad sea monster laments the fact that he accidentally crushes the pretty boats he loves so much)
  
• You Ruined Everything (a love song to his newborn baby)
  
• Re: Your Brains (an office memo from a zombie to a former co-worker)
  
• The Future Soon (a geek looks forward to the future in which he'll take over the world)
  
• The First of May (warning! this song is very adult in nature -- about something we might want to do outdoors instead of indoors at the beginning of spring....)

Anyhow, my absolute favorites are Code Monkey, Skullcrusher Mountain, Chiron Beta Prime, and Re: Your Brains. (And I love the "code monkey dance" video -- you can find it on YouTube.)

What: JoCo Looks Back CD
Where: CDBaby.com or Amazon
How much (as of today's post): $13.99-$15.00 (plus shipping)

Rockstar Drink Charms from Vinyl Records

I would normally post these on a luxury Friday due to the price ($28.00 for set of six), but I really really wanted to post an eco-friendly stocking stuffer today because I'm feeling eco-minded right now. These lovely wine charms -- one each of blue, red, black, pink, green, purple, and pink -- are handmade from old vinyl records with stainless steel charm hoops. I love that they're simply made, and don't consist of some cheap metal or plastic charm with a few colored beads, which is what most wine charms consist of these days.

And why am I feeling eco-minded? Because today my husband and I filled two cars worth of paper for recycling, and drove it to a major recycling center across town. You should have seen our two little cars sandwiched between the semi-trailers full of scrap paper! We recycled a total of 380 pounds of paper on this trip. We do this once or twice a year, taking our newspaper, office paper, junk mail, cereal box cardboard, and so on. Whew! You should see how much roomier our garage looks now!

What: Rockstar Drink Charms from Vinyl Records
Where: BTC Elements
How much (as of today's post): $28.00/set of six (plus shipping)

Ninja Star Pushpins

These are definitely on the pricey side, but I do know a couple of guys (of various ages -- they're all really just boys, aren't they?) who would love these ninja push pins as a stocking stuffer. They're 2.75 inches from tip to tip, and made of "injection molded ABS" (whatever that is!) with a chrome plated finish. They come three to a set for $9.99, which is why I said they're pricey, but they look so cool sticking out of a bulletin board, as if a ninja assassin just missed his target....

(Ages ago I posted about the ninja star coat hook, which would go nicely with the pushpins....)

What: Ninja Star Pushpins
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $9.99 for set of 3 (plus shipping)

Handerpants

These definitely fall into the gag gift stocking stuffer category: Handerpants, otherwise known as underwear for your hands! These fingerless gloves are designed to look like men's briefs, and are just the kind of silly thing that teens or college students might find amusing. They're available on several websites including Archie McPhee and Perpetual Kid. They're 95% cotton and 5% spandex.

What: Handerpants
Where: Archie McPhee or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $11.95 (plus shipping)

Free Sheet Music from The Mutopia Project

The day after Christmas is probably the hardest day of the year to come up with an appropriate stocking stuffer post! Presumably we're still so stuffed with turkey and ham and cookies and other Christmas goodies that a post about a food stocking stuffer is right out! And the last thing I want to do is think about shopping today!

In any case, here is something that I've wanted to post about as a possible last minute stocking stuffer, but I hesitated because I haven't quite figured out the file formats that you receive. But now that it's not "last minute", for this year, anyway, you have some time to explore this site and file it away for future reference if you would like. This is The Mutopia Project website, which provides free downloads of sheet music, mostly classical music that is in the public domain, but also some modern and contemporary music that the rights owners have chosen to make available. As of today, The Mutopia Project has 1,628 pieces of music available.

As with other "downloaded" stocking stuffers (digital stamps, free coloring pages, PDF patterns for crafters purchased from Etsy, etc.), you can either print these out and roll them up like a scroll for your recipient's stocking, or load them onto a flash drive for a stocking stuffer that does double duty. As I mentioned, the site takes a little getting used to; pieces may be arranged for voice, piano, string quartet, etc., and there are several file types, many of them zipped. But I still think it's a nice idea for the musician in your life.

What: Free Downloadable Sheet Music
Where: The Mutopia Project
How much (as of today's post): free!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

What Santa Brought Me in My Stocking Today:

• A Harry Potter Time Turner Sticker Kit
  
• Three Lego Star Wars magnets, including Princess Leia, Boba Fett, and (my personal favorite) an Imperial Guard
  
• Two Williams Sonoma paring knives
  
• A miniature box of Godiva orange creams
  
• A Barnes & Noble gift card
  
• A Williams Sonoma miniature spoon/spatula set on a ring
  
• A Golden Compass bookmark
  
• Vouchers for six Houston Aeros hockey tickets

Until tomorrow, Merry Christmas!

E-Books that Don't Need Readers

There's lots in the news about e-book readers these days -- Barnes & Noble is having trouble delivering their Nook on time, Amazon has had some problems with Kindle content, and so on. But if you're caught today without a stocking stuffer for someone, how about some e-books that don't need readers? Several e-book suppliers offer PDF formatted e-books, which can be read on any computer with the free Acrobat reader -- which means they can be read on almost any computer. Here are two sources for e-books that you can load onto a flash drive for one last stocking stuffers:

• Fictionwise has a handy advanced search screen that lets you limit by format, including PDF. Plus you can use the pull-down menus to limit by genre/category and publisher, and you can even fill in a price range. There are even issues of fiction magazines such as Asimov's, Analog, and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Prices vary, but many are cheaper than buying a paperback.
  
  
• I've mentioned Girlebooks once before -- this is a wonderful website that both sells e-books, and offers many for free, including lots of classics by women writers (think Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and so on). And it's a little thing, but I love that they give each e-book it's own unique "cover". I have gotten tons of free e-books from this site and I've even bought one or two. They're available in many format, including PDF.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!



What: E-Books that Don't Need Readers
Where: various websites
How much (as of today's post): some free, other prices vary

Sleep Shorts in a Tin

I hinted at these in my giveaway of stocking stuffers for men: sleep shorts in a tin. I purchased the giveaway pair -- G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra -- at Target, where I also bought a Christmas Story pair for my brother-in-law and a Transformers pair for a friend. Later at Kohl's I saw many of the same selections plus some new ones, including Guitar Hero, Budweiser, and Bud Light. (I bought the Budweiser ones for my husband's stocking because he just became an American citizen in November and I tease him that he has to drink Budweiser now!)

What I like about these sleep shorts is that there's a large selection to choose from (AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Tabasco sauce, South Park, Halo, and more); they come in a tin shaped to match the logo or product; they're fairly inexpensive; they're practical as well as fun; and they fit in a stocking.

What more could you want in a last minute stocking stuffer for men?

(P.S. The Tabasco ones would be cute for Valentine's Day, too.)

What: Sleep Shorts in a Tin
Where: Target, Kohl's, etc.
How much (as of today's post): $7-$15

Pier 1 Imports for Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

I'm calling these last minute stocking stuffers, because unless you're in a really small town, chances are you have a Pier 1 store close enough to get to in person. I got an e-mail from them today about last minute stocking stuffers, and I admit, there were several that I thought were quite nice, like the $2 sponge soap pouches, in which you put those little slivers of soap that otherwise are too small to be useful; the $5.99 octopus dish scrubbers, just because they're cute and funny; and the ocean swizzle sticks (on clearance for $3.88), perfect for a fruity drink so you can dream of the tropics as you're sitting at home during a blizzard!

The link below goes to their gifts under $10, which also includes cute fish soaps, assorted veggie dishes, and funny memo pads, including a "To Don't" list -- I like that one!

What: Last Minute Stocking Stuffers at Pier 1 Stores
Where: Pier 1 Stores
How much (as of today's post): under $10

Personalized Alphabet Flashcards

(My husband valiantly spent many hours yesterday and today trying to clean up the virus that had infected my computer, and we think it's mostly gone -- please excuse the lateness of this posting!)

JHill from the Mad in Crafts blog posted one of the best do it yourself stocking stuffers I've ever seen: personalized alphabet flashcards, using digital photos you've taken yourself. Apart from being warm, fun, and personal, these have the advantage of being able to featuring photos of people and pets your child already knows, giving them something familiar to attach to those mysterious letters! JHill gives detailed instructions here using picnik.com, a free photo editing software. I was able to whip up the above cat flashcard in about two minutes using Publisher and then SnagIt to grab the image and change it to a jpg, although I haven't tested it for printing yet.

So, putting together a whole set would take a little time, but if you can steal a few minutes here and there over the next two days and get them printed at Walgreens on the 24th, you could a very impressive last minute stocking stuffer! My only concern is that photo paper is a bit flimsy, so you might want to mount them on something a little sturdier, and of course that would take more time and more supplies. (JHill also points out that you could have fun putting together something for a bachelorette party or some other event.)

What: Personalized Alphabet Flashcards
Where: Mad in Crafts blog
How much (as of today's post): maximum $5.20 for photo printing at a drugstore, plus supplies for mounting if desired

DIY Hot Chocolate Kits

Yesterday I was rather alarmed when my computer started flashing a red and yellow warning at me, saying that it had been infected and all my accounts could be hacked and I should "click here" to fix it. Luckily I knew better than to "click here", but my husband and I are still determining how best to get rid of the virus pretending to be a cure for a virus. So I'm using my husband's laptop for this post. It has a tiny keyboard with no mouse, which I find very hard to use for any length of time, so today's post will be short, and (it feels like to me) a bit of a cheat since it will only be pointing to someone else's stocking stuffer idea. No pictures, even. :-( I feel like I've been electronically crippled!

Anyway, today's post is about Hot Chocolate Kits, which Heidi from the My Paper Crane blog made up for her child's classroom party favors. They're the perfect size for stocking stuffers, and would look lovely sticking up out of the top of the stocking. Basically Heidi used the plastic cone "bags" you use to pipe frosting, and filled them with one serving of hot chocolate mix, plus chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Then she tied them up with some festive ribbon, and presto! Click here to see the result (scroll down past the little gnomes, which are also adorable). Aren't these hot chocolate kits a perfect last minute stocking stuffer?

What: DIY Hot Chocolate Kits
Where: My Paper Crane blog
How much (as of today's post): (depends how many you make -- they should each be fairly inexpensive when you divide up the cost of the supplies)

Suncatcher Kits

This week, I'm going to try and feature only those stocking stuffers that you can either make yourself or buy locally, since rush shipping for internet orders would probably cost a fortune by now. Today's stocking stuffer is a general suggestion rather than a particular product: make-and-bake suncatcher kits, which come with a metal or plastic frame that you put little coloring crystals in, that will melt and form a smooth suncatcher surface. I had one of these when I was a child, of a graceful figure skater, and I loved that thing for years. I wish I knew what happened to it!

In any case, these kits should be available in most craft stores. I know I saw them in Michael's the last time I looked. They make a fun rainy day (or snowy day!) project for kids, as long as they're supervised since it involves using the oven. They also come in all sorts of shapes to cater to different interests: butterflies, unicorns, dolphins, and so on. I even saw a Star Wars Jabba the Hutt suncatcher kit, although that was a little more expensive. If you really don't want to brave the shopping crowds and you have Amazon Prime shipping, you can find some on Amazon that you can still get in time for Christmas with free shipping, although theirs isn't the best selection.

I hope everyone's Christmas prep is going smoothly! Those of you in the snow zones, stay warm and safe!

What: Suncatcher Kits
Where: Craft stores such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, etc.
How much (as of today's post): approximately $3.00-$7.00

Magnetic Steel Vases

To me it seems odd to sell vases, even bud vases, in sets of five, but so be it. These magnetic steel vases from ThinkGeek.com are very striking, don't you think? They look as though they couldn't possibly remain upright, but the secret is a thin steel plate/base that you can hide under your tablecloth if you wish. I rarely use a tablecloth myself, but I think it looks just as striking with the steel plate visible since the plate is fairly small itself. And I always find single blooms in bud vases to be particularly elegant.

At $39.99 for a set of five, this qualifies as a Friday luxury stocking stuffer, but when you think about it, the five are only about $8 apiece before shipping. And since I have a mother, a mother-in-law, two sisters, and three sisters-in-law, it really wouldn't be too difficult to split these up among recipients for fairly inexpensive stocking stuffers. I also think a set would be a wonderful gift for someone who likes to entertain. Can you imagine how gorgeous a table would look with one of these at each place setting? (Again, five is such an odd number, though! Oh well....)

What: Magnetic Steel Vases
Where: ThinkGeek website
How much (as of today's post): $39.99 for five (about $8 apiece)

Skein of Yarn (with book as Paired Gift)

Every time I go into Michael's or another craft store, I drool over the pretty yarns, but I've so far restrained myself because I don't know how to knit! I will learn someday, but right now I'm concentrating on inkstamping and making greeting cards and art trading cards.

But if you know a knitter, a terrific stocking stuffer would be a single skein of pretty yarn -- with a book of one-skein products under the tree as a paired gift! A search on Amazon for the phrase "one skein" or "one-skein" brings up several books to choose from, all full of projects that need only a single skein of yarn. The one that really caught my eye was 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant, but there are books ranging from simple projects to glamour knits.

You should be able to get a gorgeous skein of yarn for under $5, and a book for less than $15, which means the total gift would be less than $20. Or, if your knitter already has a one-skein book, you can just go with the skein and have a stocking stuffer that's less than $5. Sometimes craft stores have $1 clearance skeins, so you could get a couple if you wanted!

What: Skein of Yarn (with book as Paired Gift)
Where: Yarn - any craft or fabric store; Book - Amazon or any bookstore
How much (as of today's post): $1-$5 for yarn; $12.32 for book (on Amazon)

M&Ms Sports Team Candies

I've known for quite awhile that it's possible to get personalized M&Ms, but I think the one time I checked out the price it was fairly prohibitive. So I was happy to see an ad in the Sunday coupons for M&Ms sports team candies. You can choose from basketball, football, and baseball, and use the drop-down menu to choose your team. It's actually fun to use the drop-downs for teams you aren't buying, just to see the colors they're using for them -- and the designs look so sharp! Some color choices, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, are self-evident, but I can't say I understand where that strange blue they're using for the Philadelphia Phillies comes from!

A 7 oz. bag is $10.99, by the way, although of course that doesn't include shipping. Here's another of those cases where going in with a friend to save on shipping might be helpful.

Now if only they had ice hockey -- I'm married to a Canadian, after all, and he has a lot of brothers!

What: M&Ms Sports Team Candies
Where: mymms.com
How much (as of today's post): $10.99 (plus shipping)

Stainless Steel Recipe Divider Magnet

This is another of the stocking stuffers I found on my trip to the Container Store a few weeks ago: a stainless steel recipe divider magnet. This handy device gives you the measurements to divide a recipe into halves or thirds, or double it -- you just turn the wheel to get the conversion you want. I think this would be useful for those awkward amounts, such as dividing 1/3 of a cup in half. The Container Store website doesn't list the dimensions, but I did see it in person and it should fit in a reasonable-sized stocking.

(Hmm, you know what the main problem of this blog is? I want the things I post about for myself -- sometimes I forget they're meant to give to other people!)

What: Stainless Steel Recipe Divider Magnet
Where: The Container Store
How much (as of today's post): $9.99

MatryoshKeys - Russian Doll Key Covers

Every time I turn around, there's a cute new design in key covers out there on the internet. I haven't seen a lot of key covers in actual stores this holiday season, which surprises me because they're the perfect size and price for stocking stuffers. I think the only ones I've seen have been the monkey and skull key covers at Borders, and they've been carrying them for at least a few years.

In any case, these Russian Matryoshka doll key covers are adorable (and would be great in the same stocking as the Russian Nesting Doll Measuring Cups that I posted about back on November 12). Sweet and colorful, these key covers would brighten up any stocking.

What: MatryoshKeys - Russian Doll Key Covers
Where: WishingFish.com
How much (as of today's post): $4.99 (plus shipping)

Do It Yourself Stocking Stuffers, Part the Third

Here's another round-up of do-it-yourself stocking stuffers:

• Chocolate-dipped spoon coffee stirrers. I can't remember exactly when/where I first saw this idea (I've seen it more than once), but the Healthy Lifestyle Blog on the Daily Spark website has directions here. You can pick up spoons at the dollar store or at a thrift shop for a very inexpensive DIY stocking stuffer. You can gussie them up by sprinkling the chocolate-dipped spoons with crushed peppermint candy, sprinkles, or other sugary goodness before wrapping them in cellophane and tying them with a festive bow.
  
  
• Hand-stamped tea light candles, as shown on the Primitive Paper blog. These are very pretty and elegant.
  
  
• The Matsutake blog has a step-by-step tutorial for making a cute fruitcake pendant using an empty tea light shell, polymer clay, and some little jeweled beads.
  
  
• The Zakka Life blog has an adorable snow baby ornament made out of little yarn pom poms and a bit of felt. It is too precious for words!
  
  
• Tipnut.com has directions for making five different homemade bath salts and soaks. I save jars all the time, so I have plenty of small, pretty containers that would work for these.

And now it's off to buy some scotch tape for Christmas wrapping! I'm sure I have little tape dispensers hiding everywhere, but I can never find them when it's time to wrap presents. One of my New Year's resolutions will definitely be becoming more organized!

Rocketship Safety Reflector

I'm finding it ironic, but I've been posting stocking stuffers all year, and now that we're getting close to the most important time for stocking stuffers, I'm finding I have to rush through my posts because I'm so busy with everything else! So today's post is a little quickie stocking stuffer, under $5, from the Spoon Sisters website: a rocketship safety reflector. It is supposed to make the wearer visible to drivers up to 400 feet away.

If rocketships aren't quite right, a peace sign reflector and a heart reflector are also available. The rocketship is 2.75 inches high and 1.5 inches wide. These are the best kind of stocking stuffers -- practical yet fun!

What: Rocketship Safety Reflector
Where: Spoon Sisters website
How much (as of today's post): $5.00 (plus shipping)

Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer

OK, this is way too expensive, but I've designated Friday posts for luxury stocking stuffers, so here goes: look at this Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer! It's new on the ThinkGeek website, and I think it's hilarious. Plus it's one of those gifts that works for kids, teens, college students, and even geeky adults, especially the men.

Instead of just raving about it, I suppose I should mention the particulars. It requires 3 AA batteries (too bad, I would prefer a plug), it uses ultraviolet light to eliminate bacterial growth, and it eliminates 99.9% of viruses. So it's both funny and practical.

What: Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer
Where: ThinkGeek website
How much (as of today's post): $36.99 (plus shipping)

Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks

I'd heard about these and was hoping they'd be available in time for this Christmas -- Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks! These are Japanese imports, and come in blue (Luke Skywalker), red (Darth Vader), and green (Yoda). These are the perfect stocking stuffer for any science fiction fan, young or old. (Droid not included!)

What: Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks
Where: ThinkGeek website
How much (as of today's post): $12.99 (plus shipping)

Coal Bubble Gum

We've all seen the gag gifts of little lumps of coal in the catalogs, or the do-it-yourself snowman poop gag gift stocking stuffers, but I much prefer this box of individually wrapped flavored black gumballs disguised as coal -- you still have your joke, but the recipient gets the real gum too, which is much nicer than an actual lump of coal that will get tossed into the junk drawer or gather dust on a shelf. There are 2.5 oz of gumballs in each box, and the outside of the box has appropriate phrases such as "because you've been very bad." Cute, don't you think?

What: Coal Bubble Gum
Where: WishingFish.com
How much (as of today's post): $5.00 (plus shipping)

Murder Ink Sticky Notes

I've seen the "Dead Fred" pen holder before, but this Murder Ink Sticky Notes set from the Perpetual Kids website is new to me. The 300-pages of sticky notes double as a holder for the "blood-spattered" pen. It reminds me of the opening credits for the TV show Castle! (In fact, it would make a cute paired gift if you happen to be getting the Season 1 DVDs of Castle for anyone.) This is a great stocking stuffer for a mystery buff, or for someone with a home office -- hmm, not sure I'd take it into a corporate office unless I know everyone has a good sense of humor!

What: Murder Ink Sticky Notes
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

Faux Chocolate Calculator

I was actually about to list this as a food gift when I realized it actually is a calculator that looks like chocolate, not chocolate that looks like a calculator (although I imagine those exist somewhere out there too!). This working calculator takes the illusion to an amazing degree -- it has a candy bar wrapping and even smells like chocolate. This would make a really cute stocking stuffer for kids, teens, college students, or any chocoholic.

What: Faux Chocolate Calculator
Where: WishingFish.com
How much (as of today's post): $6.00 (plus shipping)

Cable Monkey Organizer

I'm all disorganized with my posting this weekend -- I'm still finishing up my end-of-the-semester assignments, so please bear with me. Normally on Sundays I post about Etsy stocking stuffers, but for today I just have enough time to pop in here and show this cute little monkey cable organizer from the ThinkGeek website. Much cuter than using a twist tie to bind all those computer and printer cables together, don't you think? The little monkey's arm span is 8.5 inches, and his monkey body is 1.25 inches high.

What: Cable Monkey Organizer
Where: ThinkGeek website
How much (as of today's post): $4.99 (plus shipping)

Winner - Week 5 of the Stocking Stuffer Giveaways!

Congratulations to Brandy, the winner of my week 5 stocking stuffer giveaway, which was stocking stuffers for little ones! She was entry number 25 out of a total 47 entries. Brandy, I've sent you an e-mail to get your address.

Thanks so much to everyone for stopping by my blog and taking time to enter the giveaway contest!

Recycle Battery Box

[Today is the last day to enter my ongoing giveaway of stocking stuffers for little ones, which ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (based on the comment timestamp). Enter here. Apologies, but U.S. residents only.]

Normally on Saturdays I do a more general post instead of just listing one stocking stuffer, but my normal blog routine has been messed up by end-of-the-semester papers, so today it's just a normal post. This is another stocking stuffer I found at my recent visit to The Container Store: a Recycle Battery Box, which provides a cute way to store dead batteries until you can get them to the proper recycling place (since you should never throw batteries in the garbage!). I myself use an old tea tin for the same purpose, but if you don't already have one, this little $9.99 tin is a cute solution and would fit nicely in a stocking at 3 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches high. It's also masculine enough to make a decent stocking stuffer for men.

What: Recycle Battery Box
Where: The Container Store
How much (as of today's post): $9.99 (plus shipping)

Rocket Salt and Pepper Shakers

[Click here to enter my ongoing giveaway of stocking stuffers for little ones! Giveaway ends Saturday December 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Apologies, but U.S. residents only.]

For an out-of-this-world luxury stocking stuffer, check out this set of rocket salt and pepper shakers! Measuring 5 inches high, they are handmade in the Philippines from natural and blond acacia wood, and the fins are made from stainless steel. The Uncommon Goods product page says that they were designed by Richard and Vicki Kung for the Museum of Robots. I love the retro look!

My husband and I actually have a pair of handmade metal salt and pepper "zoomie" shakers, shaped like flying saucers, which unfortunately don't seem to be available anymore, but these wooden rockets certainly capture the same spirit. And they would also make a terrific wedding present for a sci-fi minded couple.

What: Rocket Salt and Pepper Shakers
Where: Uncommon Goods website
How much (as of today's post): $48.00 (plus shipping)

Cafe Bingo Pad

[Click here to enter my ongoing giveaway of stocking stuffers for little ones! Giveaway ends Saturday December 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Apologies, but U.S. residents only.]

I don't often get to the Container Store because it's all the way across the city, but I do love it when I go there! It's a veritable treasure trove of stocking stuffers, that's for sure. Recently I saw this Cafe Bingo Pad and thought it was pretty humorous. The pad has 12 different re-usable cards, and you mark off various cafe cliches that you see, such as a goatee, a student, a spilled drink, a political debate, and so on. I think this would be a cute stocking stuffer for your favorite Starbucks addict! The pad has the traditional five rows across and five down (I cut off the picture above to make it fit better), with a "barista" as the free space.

The Container Store also has an airplane bingo pad and a road trip bingo pad. But I think the cafe bingo pad is the funniest! The pads are just big enough that they would need a fairly wide-mouthed stocking, but I think they're still within the size range for stocking stuffers.

What: Cafe Bingo Pad
Where: The Container Store
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

Edible Candy Cane Shot Glasses

[Click here to enter my ongoing giveaway of stocking stuffers for little ones! Giveaway ends Saturday December 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Apologies, but U.S. residents only.]

In general I like to look at candy canes more than I like to eat them, but I am intrigued by these candy cane shot glasses, which I think would make a fun stocking stuffer. They come in a set of two and can be filled with liquids (think schnapps, vodka, or coffee and chocolate liquors) or even ice cream, sorbet, or candy! Each "glass" is about 2.5 inches high and 1.5 inches wide. You can't get much more Christmas-y than this!

What: Edible Candy Cane Shot Glasses
Where: WowCoolStuff.com
How much (as of today's post): $4.45 (sale price) (plus shipping)

Got Little Ones? Week 5/Final Week of the Stocking Stuffers Giveaways!

Welcome to Week 5 of my blogaversary stocking stuffer giveaways! This is my final stocking stuffer giveaway, consisting of stocking stuffers for the little ones, including:

• Crayola Beginnings TaDoodles Washable Crayo Buddies 3-pack, shaped for a toddler's hand (ages 18 months+)
  
  
• Gerber Graduates Soft-bite Spoons for Toddlers, 4-pack (ages 10 months+)
  
  
• Huckle's Opposites board book, by Richard Scarry
  
  
• Back in My Arms board book, by Lesley Summers
  
  
• Chefmate Alphabet Magnets (NOTE: not for children under 3 years old)

As with my last giveaway, all items are new and unopened! Also as with my last giveaway, due to shipping and customs issues, this giveaway is for U.S. residents only. (My apologies to readers outside the U.S.)

To enter this week's giveaway, please leave a comment on this post telling me how far you are along in your holiday preparations.

Additional optional entries are available by: 1) becoming a follower OR already being a follower; 2) subscribing via an RSS Reader (such as Google Reader) OR already being a subscriber; and 3) posting a note anywhere on your blog (including sidebar) about this giveaway. If any of these options apply to you, please leave me another comment letting me know.

The entry period will run until Saturday December 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. based on the timestamp shown by the comments. I will draw a random winner on Sunday and get in touch with the winner for his or her address. Good luck!