INSIDE: What was the best holiday toy in history? INSIDE: Help new parents make Christmas special INSIDE: Establish gift spending limits ahead of time INSIDE: Great gifts for the readers on your long lists gift guide www.dailyitem.com November 7, 2014 Your Shopping Guide for 2014 Holiday season The best holiday gifts are often those that en- courage their recipients to pursue a passion or favorite hobby. Tickets to a ballgame might be right up a sports fan’s alley while the family globetrotter would no doubt love a contribution to his or her travel fund. When gifting the fam- ily foodie, that one per- son who loves to cook or simply can’t get enough of his or her favorite cuisines, shoppers have a host of options at their disposal to ensure this holiday season brings a smile to their favorite foodie’s face. ■ Spice rack: Few home cooks can get by without a vast selection of spices, so a spice rack that includes all the essential spices makes perfect sense for the family foodie. Some spice racks even come with several years’ worth of free spice refills, so do your homework and find one that will have your friend or family member spicing things up for years to come. ■ Cooking lessons: Cooking lessons can be a great way for men, women and even chil- dren to cultivate their love for food. If your friend or family member prefers a specific type of cuisine, then find him or her cooking lessons where he or she can learn how to prepare and not just eat some favorite dishes. Cook- ing lessons also make a great opportunity to bond with a loved one. ■ A night out: If your favorite foodie prefers his or her meals made by someone else, treat that friend or family member to a night out at his or her favorite restaurant. You can give a gift card to the restaurant or take this special someone out yourself and enjoy a great meal and great company to boot. ■ Serving dishes: Many foodies not only love to eat but also love to serve up their favor- ite foods to family and friends. If your friend or family member has played host to guests many times in the past, surprise him or her with some new serving dishes. ■ Wine rack: A great bottle of wine completes a great meal, so why not buy your family foodie a place to store all of his or her bottles of wine? Wine racks can range from the simple, inexpensive standup models to more complex or expensive models that need to be installed. If the eventual recipient of your thought- ful gift rents rather than owns his or her home, avoid buying a wine rack that needs to be installed, as that might cause dam- age that will cost them some money when the time comes to move out. Great gifts for the foodie Giving eco-friendly gifts is now easier than ever before. As more and more people are con- scious of reducing their impact on the planet, the demand for environmen- tally conscious products and services has grown. Choosing earth- friendly gifts is not only generous, but gift-givers also can rest assured they’re doing their part to safeguard natural resources for future gen- erations. The following are some gift ideas for the eco-conscious people on your holiday shop- ping list. Locally made products Locally made prod- ucts make great holiday gifts. Such gifts are not produced halfway around the world, mean- ing they don’t contrib- ute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming like products that need to be flown or driven across the globe. Craft fairs and artisan shops are good sources for locally made gifts, which also are a great way to support busi- nesses in your commu- nity. Gifts of service A massage or music or tutoring sessions are examples of gifts of service. These gifts do not require much use of natural resources, and recipients find their personal nature very thoughtful. Gifts of service also can include tasks you do yourself for the gift recipient, rather than paying another person to handle. Recycled goods When many people think of recycling, they tend to picture piles of discarded plastic bottles, glass jars and aluminum cans. While the end product of many of these recycled pieces is new cans, bottles and jars, recycled materials also can be turned into new and unique pieces. Triv- ets and spoon rests made from recycled and melted wine bottles make for clever and attractive gifts. Recycled fire extinguish- ers have been turned into vases, and you can even find bike parts that have been used to make wind chimes and belts if you know where to shop. Natural gifts Natural gifts are among the most environ- mentally friendly ones you can give. Foodies may appreciate an herb- growing kit that enables them to experiment with freshly picked basil or thyme in the kitchen, while tree-growing kits and flower seed packets are nice stocking stuffers for budding gardeners. Offer to purchase a liv- ing Christmas tree for a relative, so that he or she can plant the evergreen after the holidays have come and gone. Best ‘green’ giving gifts By Spencer Soper Bloomberg News SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon. com’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos has a knack for harnessing product reviews to get customers to buy online. His latest move: Web- savvy moms whose opinions are coveted by peers who want to know what’s hot this holiday season. Lisa Diaz unknowingly became part of that marketing push last month after posting a comment on how much her son would like a train set shown on an Amazon social-me- dia page. The company took her feed- back — along with that from 400,000 other moms who post on one of the company’s Facebook pages — and distilled it into a “Mom Picks 2014” list of 50 top toys and games for the end-of-year period. Amazon is now prominently displaying the list, which features a web-slinging Spider-Man and a “Frozen” ice-skating Elsa doll, on the toy guide section of its website. “It means that other moms and ev- erybody can have a voice,” said Diaz, 34, of Belton, South Carolina, who added that she didn’t realize the full extent of what she was doing by post- ing her comment. “I think it’s neat.” Diaz and others are part of an ad hoc focus group called “Amazon Mom” that the largest U.S. online retailer is increasingly tapping to push products in its most lucrative period. Started last year, when fourth-quarter sales made up more than one-third of Amazon’s annual revenue, “Mom Picks” was rolled out as one of many holiday shopping tools — and it ended up being one of the most popular as people looked to sift through gift ideas. It was used more frequently than price and discount filters, the company said. Moms enlisted to rank toys for shoppers Mothers know best HOLIDAY RECOMMENDATIONS Metro Images Library Amazon created a page on its website called “Mom Picks 2014” that has a photo gallery of the most popular toys selected by parents. Cultivating the list gives Amazon insights into items that people are likely to pur- chase so it can stock appropriate inventory. Lego Batman 3, Xbox 360 video game $49.99 Twister, the boardgame $19.02 Goodnight Baseball, children’s book $10.88 Lincoln Logs, Redwood Junction $62.06 Web-slinging Spider-Man figure $19.96 Blast Zone Magic Castle Inflatable $234.56 Disney’s Karaoke Series: “Frozen” $8.00 Nerf Rebelle Agent Bow Blaster $24.99 SOME TOP CHOICES FOR 2014 Toys will once again be high on kids’ wish lists this holiday season, when adver- tisements will highlight this year’s most coveted gifts. But just because a particular toy is this year’s must-have item does not mean it’s the safest gift for kids of all ages. According to the Con- sumer Product Safety Com- mission, there were an esti- mated 265,000 toy-related injuries treated at hospitals in the United States in 2012. Of those injuries, an estimated 72 percent hap- pened to children younger than 15 years of age while 69 percent affected kids 12 years of age or younger. In addition, an estimated 34 percent of those inju- ries happened to children younger than five years of age. Many toy-related deaths were the result of drowning and asphyxiation. No one wants to think about injuries or deaths involving kids, but holiday shoppers must keep safety in mind when purchasing children’s gifts to safeguard youngsters from injury. Balloons The CPSC notes that balloons are the leading cause of suffocation death in children. Children may swallow broken or unin- flated balloons, which can then stick to the throat and airway, making it impos- sible to breathe. Holiday shoppers should avoid giv- ing balloons to children age eight or younger. In addi- tion, dispose of balloons if or when they deflate. Painted toys Lead paints and toys containing lead are not legal in North America, but that doesn’t mean that imported toys are made in adherence to stringent safety guidelines. Before buying a toy, confirm that it is lead-free, as expo- sure to lead can cause seri- ous neurological problems, especially in young children. Button batteries Button batteries, or the small-sized batteries found in some toys, watches and hearing aids, can be hazardous. Batteries can become stuck and cause chemical burns. Adults should always ver- ify that the battery compart- ments on children’s toys are secured with screws. Other products that have remote controls may contain batter- ies that are not adequately secured. Magnets Small magnets can be swallowed and become lodged in the digestive system of a child. If two or more magnets or a magnet and metal component are swallowed, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls. This can cause blockages, perfora- tions and infections. Safety key with children’s gifts Read the packaging to ensure that toys are age-appropriate. Avoid projectile toys or those with sharp points. Store toys that be- long to older children out of reach of younger kids. Don’t buy toys with removable parts that can be swallowed. Only buy toys made from nontoxic materials. Only buy fabric toys that are labeled as flame-resistant or flame- retardant. Only buy stuffed toys that are washable. Toy Safety Tips Please see MOMS, F2
Transcript
$XXX IN COUPONS!XXX JOBS!INSIDE TODAY!
INSIDE: What was the best holiday toy in history? INSIDE: Help new parents make Christmas special INSIDE: Establish gift spending limits ahead of time INSIDE: Great gifts for the readers on your long lists
gift guidewww.dailyitem.com November 7, 2014 Your Shopping Guide for 2014 Holiday season
CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK
The best holiday gifts are often those that en-courage their recipients to pursue a passion or favorite hobby. Tickets to a ballgame might be right up a sports fan’s alley while the family globetrotter would no doubt love a contribution to his or her travel fund.
When gifting the fam-ily foodie, that one per-son who loves to cook or simply can’t get enough of his or her favorite cuisines, shoppers have a host of options at their disposal to ensure this holiday season brings a smile to their favorite foodie’s face.
■ Spice rack: Few home cooks can get by without a vast selection of spices, so a spice rack that includes all the essential spices makes perfect sense for the family foodie. Some spice racks even come with several years’ worth of free spice refills, so do your homework and find one that will have your friend or family member spicing things up for years to come.
■ Cooking lessons: Cooking lessons can be a great way for men, women and even chil-dren to cultivate their love for food. If your friend or family member prefers a specific type of cuisine, then find him or her cooking lessons where he or she can learn how to prepare and not just eat some favorite dishes. Cook-ing lessons also make a great opportunity to bond with a loved one.
■ A night out: If your favorite foodie prefers his or her meals made by someone else, treat that friend or family member to a night out at his or her favorite restaurant. You can give a gift card to the restaurant or take this special someone out yourself and enjoy a great meal and great company to boot.
■ Serving dishes: Many foodies not only love to eat but also love to serve up their favor-ite foods to family and friends. If your friend or family member has played host to guests many times in the past, surprise him or her with some new serving dishes.
■ Wine rack: A great bottle of wine completes a great meal, so why not buy your family foodie a place to store all of his or her bottles of wine? Wine racks can range from the simple, inexpensive standup models to more complex or expensive models that need to be installed. If the eventual recipient of your thought-ful gift rents rather than owns his or her home, avoid buying a wine rack that needs to be installed, as that might cause dam-age that will cost them some money when the time comes to move out.
Great gifts for the foodie
Giving eco-friendly gifts is now easier than ever before. As more and more people are con-scious of reducing their impact on the planet, the demand for environmen-tally conscious products and services has grown.
Choosing earth-friendly gifts is not only generous, but gift-givers also can rest assured they’re doing their part to safeguard natural resources for future gen-erations. The following are some gift ideas for the eco-conscious people on your holiday shop-ping list.Locally made products
Locally made prod-ucts make great holiday gifts. Such gifts are not produced halfway around the world, mean-ing they don’t contrib-ute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming like products that need to be flown or driven across the globe. Craft fairs and artisan shops are good sources for locally made gifts, which also are a great way to support busi-nesses in your commu-nity.Gifts of service
A massage or music or tutoring sessions are examples of gifts of service. These gifts do not require much use of natural resources, and recipients find their personal nature very thoughtful. Gifts of service also can include tasks you do yourself for the gift recipient, rather than paying another person to handle. Recycled goods
When many people think of recycling, they tend to picture piles of discarded plastic bottles, glass jars and aluminum cans. While the end product of many of these recycled pieces is new cans, bottles and jars, recycled materials also can be turned into new and unique pieces. Triv-ets and spoon rests made from recycled and melted wine bottles make for clever and attractive gifts. Recycled fire extinguish-ers have been turned into vases, and you can even find bike parts that have been used to make wind chimes and belts if you know where to shop.Natural gifts
Natural gifts are among the most environ-mentally friendly ones you can give. Foodies may appreciate an herb-growing kit that enables them to experiment with freshly picked basil or thyme in the kitchen, while tree-growing kits and flower seed packets are nice stocking stuffers for budding gardeners. Offer to purchase a liv-ing Christmas tree for a relative, so that he or she can plant the evergreen after the holidays have come and gone.
Best ‘green’ giving gifts
By Spencer SoperBloomberg News
SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon.com’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos has a knack for harnessing product reviews to get customers to buy online. His latest move: Web-savvy moms whose opinions are coveted by peers who want to know what’s hot this holiday season.
Lisa Diaz unknowingly became part of that marketing push last month after posting a comment on how much her son would like a train set shown on an Amazon social-me-dia page. The company took her feed-back — along with that from 400,000 other moms who post on one of the company’s Facebook pages — and distilled it into a “Mom Picks 2014” list of 50 top toys and games for the end-of-year period. Amazon is now prominently displaying the list, which features a web-slinging Spider-Man and a “Frozen” ice-skating Elsa doll, on the toy guide section of its website.
“It means that other moms and ev-erybody can have a voice,” said Diaz, 34, of Belton, South Carolina, who added that she didn’t realize the full extent of what she was doing by post-ing her comment. “I think it’s neat.”
Diaz and others are part of an ad hoc focus group called “Amazon Mom” that the largest U.S. online retailer is increasingly tapping to push products in its most lucrative period. Started last year, when fourth-quarter
sales made up more than one-third of Amazon’s annual revenue, “Mom Picks” was rolled out as one of many holiday shopping tools — and it ended up being one of the most popular as people looked to sift through gift ideas. It was used more frequently than price and discount filters, the company said.
Moms enlisted to rank toys for shoppers
Mothers know bestHOLIDAY RECOMMENDATIONS
Metro Images Library
Amazon created a page on its website called “Mom Picks 2014” that has a photo gallery of the most popular toys selected by parents. Cultivating the list gives Amazon insights into items that people are likely to pur-chase so it can stock appropriate inventory.
Lego Batman 3, Xbox 360 video game $49.99Twister, the boardgame $19.02Goodnight Baseball, children’s book $10.88Lincoln Logs, Redwood Junction $62.06Web-slinging Spider-Man figure $19.96Blast Zone Magic Castle Inflatable $234.56Disney’s Karaoke Series: “Frozen” $8.00Nerf Rebelle Agent Bow Blaster $24.99
SOME TOP CHOICES FOR 2014
Toys will once again be high on kids’ wish lists this holiday season, when adver-tisements will highlight this year’s most coveted gifts. But just because a particular toy is this year’s must-have item does not mean it’s the safest gift for kids of all ages.
According to the Con-sumer Product Safety Com-mission, there were an esti-mated 265,000 toy-related injuries treated at hospitals in the United States in 2012. Of those injuries, an estimated 72 percent hap-pened to children younger than 15 years of age while 69 percent affected kids 12 years of age or younger. In addition, an estimated 34 percent of those inju-ries happened to children younger than five years of age. Many toy-related deaths were the result of drowning and asphyxiation.
No one wants to think about injuries or deaths involving kids, but holiday
shoppers must keep safety in mind when purchasing children’s gifts to safeguard youngsters from injury.
BalloonsThe CPSC notes that
balloons are the leading cause of suffocation death in children. Children may swallow broken or unin-flated balloons, which can then stick to the throat and airway, making it impos-sible to breathe. Holiday shoppers should avoid giv-
ing balloons to children age eight or younger. In addi-tion, dispose of balloons if or when they deflate.
Painted toysLead paints and toys
containing lead are not legal in North America, but that doesn’t mean that imported toys are made in adherence to stringent safety guidelines. Before buying a toy, confirm that it is lead-free, as expo-sure to lead can cause seri-ous neurological problems,
especially in young children.
Button batteriesButton batteries, or the
small-sized batteries found in some toys, watches and hearing aids, can be hazardous. Batteries can become stuck and cause chemical burns.
Adults should always ver-ify that the battery compart-ments on children’s toys are secured with screws. Other products that have remote controls may contain batter-ies that are not adequately secured.
MagnetsSmall magnets can be
swallowed and become lodged in the digestive system of a child. If two or more magnets or a magnet and metal component are swallowed, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls. This can cause blockages, perfora-tions and infections.
Safety key with children’s gifts
Read the packaging to ensure that toys are age-appropriate.
Avoid projectile toys or those with sharp points.
Store toys that be-long to older children out of reach of younger kids.
Don’t buy toys with
removable parts that can be swallowed.
Only buy toys made from nontoxic materials.
Only buy fabric toys that are labeled as flame-resistant or flame-retardant.
Only buy stuffed toys that are washable.
Toy Safety Tips
Please see MOMS, F2
CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK
Spruce up your kitchen for your Spruce up your kitchen for your holiday entertaining. holiday entertaining.
Page F2 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
As a result, Amazon this year broke out the feature, creating a page on its website called “Mom Picks 2014” that has a photo gallery of the most popular toys selected by parents. Cultivating the list gives Amazon insights into items that people are likely to purchase so it can stock appropri-ate inventory. Then the company promotes those same products to other shoppers as mom-to-mom recommendations.
“We are certainly stocking up on all items featured on the holiday toy list to ensure they are ready to ship to custom-ers,” said Lori Richter, a spokeswoman at Seattle-based Amazon.
It’s all part of the marketing ploys that e-commerce companies are using to gain an edge this holiday season, when U.S. online sales are projected to reach $82 billion, up 15 percent from a year ago, according to the National Retail Federation. Ama-zon is latching onto a par-ticularly influential online group — mothers — who are already a key force in spreading the word in online markets such as the digital-coupons industry.
“Word-of-mouth mar-keting — ‘people like you bought this’ — creates a strong urge to buy,” said Rebecca Lieb, a social- media marketing analyst at Altimeter Group in San Mateo, California. “It’s not Amazon or the toy company saying we think you should buy this. It’s moms to moms.”
Toys are also an impor-tant e-commerce cat-egory. Amazon increased its inventory to 1,000 toys and games this year, up from several hundred last year, said Eva Lorenz, Amazon’s toys and games category leader. Online sales of toys and hobby supplies in the U.S. will hit $12.1 billion this year, up 15 percent from 2013, according to EMarketer.
Toys, along with video
games and books, are also among the few products that holiday shoppers prefer to purchase online as opposed to brick-and-mortar stores, according to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by research firm Market Track in Chicago.
“Parents buying toys are trying to do it on the sly,” said Traci Gregorski, vice president of marketing at Market Track. “They don’t have to touch and feel the product and they want to get it to the house without the kids knowing.”
Amazon started a Facebook page for parents and caregivers in 2010 to promote its site as a convenient shopping destination for parents. To become a member of the Amazon Mom Facebook group, people simply like the page on the social net-work. Dads can join too and some have, though the page is just called Amazon Mom.
The page then steers people to a free 30-day trial of Amazon Mom membership, which even-tually costs $99 a year. The program is the same as Amazon’s $99 Prime fast-shipping program, except it also includes a 20 percent discount on diapers and members earn a $10 Amazon credit for each friend they refer. In exchange, consum-ers provide information about themselves to the company. Amazon uses the insights for targeted marketing.
Moms enlisted to rank top toysMOMS, from Page F1
By Alexia Elejalde-RuizChicago Tribune
Halloween who?As the coffin slams shut
on Halloween, Wal-Mart and other retailers are launching their holiday shopping deals almost a month before Black Friday, promising to be cheaper, earlier, easier and faster to cater to the ever more value- and convenience-focused customer.
Wal-Mart plans to launch 90-day price rollbacks on more than 20,000 items, double the number of rollbacks it offers on any given day and a greater assortment than last year, the world’s largest retailer announced Friday.
It will also bring back its 24-hour “cyber savers” event, offering 15 online deals normally reserved for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the traditional kickoffs to holiday shopping, such as $348 for a 48-inch Sony LED HDTV, $100 off regular price. For the first time, it will offer same-day store pickup on those deals.
Wal-Mart also plans to offer free shipping on its top 100 gifts, which are labeled on its website. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail behemoth, which has added more than 1 million items to its site since last year’s holiday season, bringing its prod-uct selection to 7 million, will continue its regular policy of offering free ship-ping on orders of $50 or more. Customers can have any item shipped to a store for free.
Steve Bratspies, executive vice president of general merchandise for Wal-Mart U.S., said he expects the shopping season to be at least as competitive as last year.
“We’re going to lead on price through the holiday season,” he said.
It is in for competition. Minneapolis-based Target last week announced free shipping on all Target.com orders starting immediately through Dec. 20, and noted that 65,000 online items are available for store pickup, most fulfilled within an hour.
It also planned to launch a Wish List app Friday that lets users save 10 percent on their wish list on one day of their choosing before Nov. 26.
Members of Target’s Cart-wheel coupon app, which has swelled to 11 million users from 3 million last holiday season, will find 50 percent off a different toy every day. And for the third year, Target is extending its price match policy, this time adding three extra days to last from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24.
Wal-Mart, which does price match for printed ads and lets store associates use their discretion for online price matching, said it is considering making online
price match a broader policy but has not made any final decisions.
Meanwhile, Amazon kicks off its Countdown to Black Friday with two “Deals of the Day” every day through Dec. 22, plus 15,000 limited-time “Light-ning Deals.” For the first time, members of Amazon Prime, its membership pro-gram, will have 30-minute early access to select deals.
Seattle-based Amazon also has launched a new capability that lets custom-ers add items they discover on Twitter directly to their shopping cart or wish list without leaving their Twit-ter feed, by adding #ama-zoncart or #amazonwishlist to their Twitter reply.
Same-day delivery is another service catching on for the holidays.
Amazon’s same-day service includes a search filter to find items avail-able for same-day delivery and a noon cut-off time for placing orders, seven days a week. The service is avail-
able in 12 cities.Kohl’s is testing Google
Express in select delivery areas, allowing shoppers to shop local stores online and get items delivered on the same day or overnight.
Kohl’s, which is based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., also for the first time is giving holiday shoppers the option to buy online and pick up in store at more than 100 locations, a feature that is becoming an industry standard.
Kohl’s, which has suf-fered several years of flat or declining sales, announced at its investors conference this week that would invest about $4 billion over the next four years to improve technology and in-store experience.
It is putting a lot of stock in its new Yes2You Rewards program, the members of which will find extra savings through the holidays.
Kohl’s also announced it will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
n thAnksgiving shoPPing
Retailers push sales earlier
Amanda August/The Daily Item
More than 300 people waited outside of Best Buy at the Monroe Marketplace, in shamokin Dam, for the 6 p.m. opening last thanksgiving. More stores will open on thanksgiving this season.
Invision for Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart associate shvan omar stocks the shelves for holiday shoppers with the season’s top products and gifts at the Wal-Mart holiday kick-off at Wal-Mart supercenter.
n
“Word-of-mouth marketing
creates a strong urge to buy. It’s not Amazon or
the toy company saying we think you should buy
this. It’s moms to moms.”
— Rebecca Lieb, social-media marketing analyst
Bloomberg News
NEW YORK — Laura Pettee, 45, a mother of four, would seem like an ideal cus-tomer for retail chains this holiday season.
She dropped $4,000 on Christmas gifts last year and plans to increase her spending this time around. But chasing Pettee’s money comes with a catch: She won’t
buy anything at full price. The stay-at-home mom, who lives in Bronxville, N.Y., also skips Black Friday and won’t spend much time browsing in stores. She researches items online before she buys and expects to do about half her shopping on the Web.
Pettee represents the in-creasingly harsh reality for U.S. retailers. Though holi-day spending is forecast to rise 4.1 percent this season,
more of those dollars are shifting online and shoppers are demanding additional perks from brick-and- mor-tar chains.
The trends — years in the making — have made it harder for retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart Stores to shake off a sales slump.
Consumers frequently look for deep discounts before making a purchase, and they already know what they want
ahead of time. That means they’re not as easily swayed by time-honored retailer tactics, such as luring customers with store displays and encouraging impulse buys.
“I rarely pay retail, espe-cially for Christmas things,” said Pettee, who keeps track of her spending for about 40 people on a spreadsheet. “And when you’re starting this far in advance, there’s no need to.”
C ANDLELIGHT P REVIEW Special Discounts & Refreshments S ATURDAY , N OVEMBER 22 ND • 5-9 PM
A NNUAL H OLIDAY O PEN H OUSE
S UNDAY , N OVEMBER 23 RD • N OON -5 PM
7 TH A NNUAL L ATE S HOPPER ’ S N IGHT
F RIDAY , D ECEMBER 12 TH • 7-11 PM
I RON H ERITAGE H OLIDAY H OUSE T OUR
S AT ., D EC . 13 TH • 12-5 PM & S UN ., D EC . 14 TH • 12-5 PM
V ISIT WITH S ANTA ’ S R EINDEER
S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 13 TH 12 N OON -3 PM
V ISIT S ANTA ’ S H OUSE F RI . E VENINGS 5-7 PM &
S AT . A FTERNOONS 12-3 PM D EC . 6 TH -20 TH
The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014 Page F3
Holiday Gift Guide
Few holiday shoppers can resist a great deal. Whether it’s heavily discounted merchandise on Black Friday or last-minute sales for shoppers who procras-tinate, there are deals to be had from the start of the holiday season until its unofficial end sometime around New Year’s Day.
But not all deals are what they seem. The following are a handful of things shoppers should consider before making any pur-chases this holiday season.
Restocking feesAs thoughtful as holi-
day gifts may be, many are ultimately returned. Re-cipients may already have similar items at home or find a particular gift does not suit their personal styles. Because returns are so common, shoppers should read the fine print before buying gifts to ensure their purchases are not subject to restocking fees if they must be returned. Restock-ing fees can apply to any product, but they are most often applied to electronics. A restocking fee is a charge the person returning the gift must repay upon bringing the gift back to the store or mailing it back to the warehouse. Restocking fees often apply to items that are not returned in their original factory-sealed box, and these fees can be exor-bitant, sometimes as much as 20 percent of the cost of
the product. Before buying that big-ticket television or appliance, holiday shoppers should ensure the item’s recipient will not be subject to a considerable fee if he or she decides to return the gift.
Extended warrantiesMany items come with
manufacturer warranties
that cover damaged items for a predetermined period of time. But many shoppers want to go the extra mile and buy extended warranties that protect the products for lon-ger periods of time. While that’s good in theory, studies from Consumer Reports have shown that products rarely break within the time
period covered by extended warranties, meaning shop-pers are simply buying a false sense of security they’re unlikely to ever use. When considering an extended warranty, first research the product you want to buy by reading customer reviews of the product on popular sites such as Amazon.com. Such sites can offer valu-able insight with regard to how reliable products are. If multiple reviewers note that a given product has never given them a reason to reconsider their purchase, then you likely don’t need an extended warranty.
Return policiesBecause so many gifts are
returned once the holidays have come and gone, it’s im-portant to understand a re-tailer’s return policy before buying a gift for a friend or family member. In-store purchases may be subject to different return policies than items bought online, which may need to be re-turned via the mail, a poten-tially costly expense for the gift’s recipient depending on the size of the gift. Try to shop only at stores with flexible, consumer-friendly return policies.
Resisting a holiday deal can be difficult. But shop-pers should first read the fine print before making any purchases so they can rest easy knowing they made the best decision pos-sible.
Things to consider before buying
As the cost of living continues to rise, holiday shopping also has become much more expensive in recent years, and it can be easy for shoppers to overextend themselves fi-nancially come the holiday season.
According to a recent Gallup poll, the average American plans to spend around $790 per holiday season, although many go above and beyond that amount. Starting off the new year in debt is a recipe for stress, which can have negative repercussions for the rest of the year.
In addition to over-spending during the holi-day season, many people stretch themselves thin on Valentine’s Day, birth-days, and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. One way to make shopping more manageable is to establish spending limits that dictate how much each family member can spend on each gift he or she buys.
It is important to exer-cise tact when approach-ing the subject of gift limits. Discuss the topic with friends and family members with whom you usually exchange gifts long before the holiday
season. Agree on a rea-sonable amount of money each person will spend on gifts. If necessary, ask everyone to write down a figure and then determine the average, using that figure as your spending limit.
Establishing a spend-ing limit makes it easier for every family to afford their holiday purchases. If there are six people on your shopping list and you’re spending $50 per person, you know to al-locate $300 for gifts. Sav-ing and budgeting can be adjusted accordingly.
When no such limit is established, you may go overboard to compen-sate, even if you cannot afford to do so.
Another way to save money is to suggest giv-ing the gift of experiences rather than tangible and potentially costly gifts. For example, take a loved one out for dinner or suggest going on vaca-tion together to make better use of your collec-tive funds. A well-timed extended family vacation in lieu of gift exchanges may alleviate the stress of the holiday season, much of which can be traced to holiday spending.
How to establish gift spending limits
Metro Images Library
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Page F4 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
Store aisles are filled this time of year with every must-have gift retailers can advertise. Children often plead and beg for the hot-test toys weeks ahead of the holi-days, hoping to find their requests wrapped up come the big day.
But once the gift wrap is torn away and kids have played with their presents for a day, some already grow bored with their new belongings and cast them aside. Certain toys are not engaging enough to warrant extended peri-
ods of play — no matter what the advertisements boast.
No gift-giver wants to spend money on a present only to have it collecting dust days later. With that said, employing these strategies can help anyone select a gift that will continue to inspire and excite chil-dren long after the holiday season has come and gone.
■ Don’t believe the hype. It’s easy to fall hook, line and sinker for ultra-popular trendy gifts. While such gifts may have popular
appeal, that does not mean they’re a perfect fit for your child. When shopping for youngsters come the holiday season, choose a gift be-cause your child will truly enjoy it.
■ Focus on the play factor. Too often shoppers get caught up in toys’ appearances. Instead, think about how the toys will work with imaginative play. The more a child can envision himself doing with a particular toy, the more likely he or she will exhibit a con-tinued interest in that toy.
■ Look for minimal bells and whistles. Kids often find toys that leave more room for imagination more interesting than toys that are loaded with gadgets. Children prefer to make up their own stories and create modes of play that are more about what they like.
■ Choose gifts that grow. Shop-pers want to select gifts that are age-appropriate for children so they will be safe during play time. But shoppers also should look for toys and activities that can be
modified and grow with the child as he or she ages. A game that gets progressively harder through levels or a toy set that can be supplemented as kids grow older may make good gifts.
■ Figure out the child’s inter-ests. Toys that cater specifically to a child’s interests will be the most warmly received. It may take going the extra mile to find a gift that matches a child’s interest, but the results will be well worth it.
How to find gifts to keep kids engaged
Many people love to read, and such people do not often cause headaches for holiday shoppers. Readers typically are easy to shop for come the holi-day season, when shop-pers stuck on what to get a friend or family member can always fall back on a book or two if they know their loved one likes to get lost in a good book.
But books aren’t the only gifts shoppers can give the readers on their lists this holiday season. The following are a few gift ideas no book lover can balk at.
■ E-reader: Before buying an e-reader, shop-pers may want to first learn where the intended recipient of this thought-ful gift stands on the book versus e-reader debate. Some book lovers feel a sentimental attachment to traditional books, while others love the versatil-ity of e-readers, many of which serve as tablets that allow users to peruse the Internet, play games and, of course, read books. If your friend or family member does not have an aversion to e-readers, then this might make the ideal gift. The price of e-readers varies depend-ing on their capabilities, but you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars depending on which model you ultimately choose.
■ Storage: For those readers who prefer tradi-tional books, a new book-shelf can help them store their favorite titles. Books take up a lot of space, and avid readers tend to buy many new books each year, so homeowners and apartment dwellers alike will no doubt appreciate the extra space to store their collections. But even e-reader enthusiasts may find their storage filling up faster than they might have liked. To remedy that problem, holiday shop-pers can buy a Wi-Drive with ample extra storage space so readers who keep both books and movies on their e-readers and tablets have plenty of extra space
to store all of those new books they plan to read in the coming year.
■ Decorative bookends: Those who have a passion for books and home décor might appreciate a unique set of handcrafted book-ends to store the books they keep on their desks or those they keep out as decorative accents that guests can enjoy when vis-iting. Such gifts will please your friends or family members who have a flare for interior decorating while also appealing to their love of literature.
■ Book club member-ship: A membership to a Book of the Month Club may be right up the alleys of those readers who read too fast to join a local reading group or simply don’t have the time to de-vote to a community book club. Such memberships often sell classic titles and the latest bestsellers at a fraction of the cost of the publisher-established prices, and members typi-cally can order as many books as they would like. This can be a great way for readers to find new titles and keep the books coming in without break-ing the bank.
Avid readers are pas-sionate about their books, and holiday shoppers can feed those passions by giving their favorite readers gifts that indulge their love of literature this holiday season.
Great gifts for readers on list
Metro Images Library
Readers typically are easy to shop for come the holiday season.
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The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014 Page F5
Holiday Gift Guide
Gadgets are among the most popular gifts come the holiday season. In 2013, CreditDonkey.com surveyed shoppers to determine what they planned to give during the holidays, and electronics were second only to gift cards among the most popular gifts to give. Sixty-three percent of respondents cited their intentions to give electronics, while the survey also found that 76 percent of people planned to request electronics as holiday gifts.
Gadgets figure to be popular gifts again this holiday season. Unwrapping the latest tablet or a big-screen television can be exciting, but electronics can be expensive. Those who plan to give their loved ones the latest gadgetry should be happy to learn there are ways to do so that don’t require breaking the bank.
n Scale back. Oftentimes peo-ple are buying more computer or data than they actually need. For example, when buying comput-ers, it’s tempting to go for those that boast the most memory, but that extra memory is only useful to those people who truly need it. A less expensive model will make for an impressive and more practical gift.
n Determine necessity. Some gadgets are more a desire than a necessity. Decide if a particular device will be an asset to your loved one or just another trendy
item that soon will be gathering dust. Look for devices that your loved one will make the most of. If the purchase is not warranted, save your money and look for something else.
n Consider refurbished items. Don’t shy away from refurbished
items, as the discounts can be steep. Refurbished items are often just items that were returned to the store because they’re not needed or because the item was malfunction-ing. Returned items are factory-tested and then repackaged. Opt for refurbished items that carry a
manufacturer-backed warranty for greater peace of mind.
n Consider open box items. Just because packaging is dented or torn does not mean the mer-chandise inside is damaged. Pur-chasing a product that’s not inside a pristine box can sometimes yield a
10 to 15 percent discount at retail-ers that offer open-box specials. Just verify that all cords, manuals and other accessories are inside the box before leaving the store.
n Peruse previous generation models. Manufacturers release a new version of their devices seemingly every year. That doesn’t mean last year’s phone, video game console or computer is any less effective than the updated version. Models from previous years likely won’t be much different from the latest models, but they do figure to be considerably less expensive.
n Look for coupon codes. When researching products, search for coupon codes for desired electronics and retailers. Web-based retailers may post coupon codes that add up to sig-nificant savings. Just ensure that the total cost after taxes and ship-ping fees are calculated makes the purchase worth your while.
n Skip the warranty. Extended warranties often cost more money than potential repairs. In addi-tion, after a few year’s time, your loved one may be looking to upgrade his or her gadget anyway, making the extended warranty an unnecessary expense.
Gadgets make for popular yet expensive holiday gifts. But holiday shoppers can save money on electronics by employing a few savings strategies.
Seven ways to save on high-tech gifts
Metro Images Library
Unwrapping the latest tablet or a big-screen television can be exciting, but electronics can be expensive.
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Page F6 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
Bringing a baby home changes a person’s life. Babies bring great joy but also some confusion into a household, especially as the new parents adapt in their first few weeks or months as mom and dad.
Babies tend to draw attention away from their folks, whose needs may be lost in the shuffle. As baby’s first holiday season approaches, the youngster’s parents and extended family often at-tempt to make the expe-rience as memorable as possible. But family and friends of new parents also can take steps to lighten new parents’ holiday burdens by offering some thoughtful holiday gifts that can provide support and love for newly minted moms and dads.
■ Time: New parents
typically are short on time. There’s little time to shop, eat and sleep. Friends and family of new parents can give the gift of time this holiday sea-son. Offer your services as a babysitter so new parents can enjoy some alone time, or simply lend a hand with household chores so the new mom and dad can relax instead of work while their bundle of joy is napping.
■ Memories: The first hours and days of having a new child are filled with opportunities to capture every moment. Gone are the days when film must be developed and tangible photos must be stored in photo albums. Digital technology means some photos never make it to hard copies. But even if photos rarely find their
way into frames, preserv-ing early memories is essential. Computers can fail and camera cards can break.
In such instances, pre-cious images may be lost forever unless parents have backup. An Eye-Fi® wireless memory card will automatically upload images from a camera to a computer or external memory source, ensuring no precious snapshots are lost.
■ Food: New parents’ nourishment may come from any package that’s easily torn open with their teeth while tending to a crying infant. Meals, snacks and food baskets make great gifts that keep parents fed and happy. Consider memberships to fruit of the month clubs or call the new parents’ fa-
vorite restaurant and send them a meal.
■ Pampering: Some-times new parents just need some pampering, whether it’s a shopping excursion, a visit to a hair dresser, an appointment with a masseuse, or some-thing as simple as a long, uninterrupted hot shower. A gift card to a spa or salon may make a good gift for a luxury-starved parent.
Just remember to factor child care into the equa-tion so that Mom or Dad will not have any excuse to cancel his or her appoint-ment.
New parents face many challenges, and helping them through their first holiday season as a mother and father can make this precious period that much more memorable.
Help new parents make Christmas special
Metro Images Library
Help lighten new parents’ holiday burdens by offering some thoughtful holiday gifts.
Finding the right gift come the holiday season is not always so simple. Many people on your list may seem as though they al-ready have everything they could ever want or need, making it hard to find them a gift they will truly enjoy.
A great way to find the right gift is to think of a loved one’s hobbies and find something that fosters those passions. Many people love music, and if there happens to be a budding musician or someone who simply loves to rock on your list, then the following gifts may be music to their ears.
■ Concert tickets: The ultimate gift for many
music fans is tickets to see their favorite performer in person. Concert tickets can sell out quickly, so research when tickets will be going on sale and be prepared to purchase them as early as possible. Some credit card companies sponsor con-certs and make special ar-rangements with venues to offer cardholders advanced deals or special packages. Find out if your credit card company has such an offer available for the concert you are buying tickets for.
■ Digital gift card: Gone are the days when music fans visit a record store to purchase vinyl records, cassette tapes and even
CDs. Many music fans now listen exclusively to digital music, so a gift card for digital downloads from Amazon or iTunes makes a great gift. A subscription to a music-streaming service also makes a great gift.
■ Theater tickets: Some people’s love of music stems from their love of live the-ater. Even if your loved one lives nowhere near the bright lights of Broadway, touring companies that perform popular Broadway shows visit cities both big and small across the country. Tickets to such shows can stoke your loved one’s passion for music and make for a great night out on the town.
■ Music lessons: Per-haps your loved one is a budding musician who can benefit from professional instruction? A great way to encourage their aspira-tions is to finance their lessons with local music or vocal instructors. Visit a nearby college or school for recommendations on local instructors. The franchise “School of Rock” has re-gional locations and offers musical training as well.
■ Music store gift certifi-cate: Musicians often need to repair or replace their instruments, so a gift card to a music store can make for a much-needed and ap-preciated gift.
Great gift ideas for music lovers
Though there is no official data that de-clares the best-selling holiday toy for children of all-time, it’s fair to assume the lovable “Sesame Street” figure Elmo is high on the list of most popular holiday toys. Much of that popularity can be traced to the introduc-tion of Tickle Me Elmo in 1996.
Though not the first Elmo doll, Tickle Me Elmo became the must-have gift of 1996, when parents searched far and wide for the doll that laughed when users tickled its stomach. During the holiday season of 1996, many people paid far beyond market price just so their children could wake up on Christmas or Chanukah and have a Tickle Me Elmo doll to call their own. Since 1996, Elmo has been reincarnated many times over, and each Elmo doll seems to inspire its own craze come the holiday sea-son.
Released in 1998, Walk ‘N’ Talk Elmo was a popular children’s gift, as was Rock ‘N’ Roll Elmo (1999), Tickle Me Elmo Surprise (2001), Chicken Dance Elmo (2002), and SHOUT Elmo (2005). In 2006,Mattel, the com-pany that produces the Elmo dolls, announced a special commemora-tive Elmo to mark the 10-year anniversary of the introduction of Tickle Me Elmo. That, too, sparked a buying frenzy, as some reports indicated private sellers were selling the latest Elmo, known as TMX Elmo, for thousands of dollars.
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INSIDE: Giving gift cards requires learning tricks INSIDE: What to get the frequent flyer in your life INSIDE: 9 Dos and Don’ts for office gift exchange INSIDE: Sending packages to faraway family, friends
www.dailyitem.com November 7, 2014 Your Shopping Guide to 2014 Holiday season
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Anne D’InnocenzioThe Associated Press
NEW YORK — Looking for the holiday season’s hot toys, like anything related to Disney’s “Fro-zen”? Or maybe you’re not picky and just looking for deals?
Toy sellers are increasingly catering to time-starved, budget-conscious shoppers with new features on websites or improved layouts in the toy aisle.
And you can expect more bar-gains than last year. Online king Amazon.com says it will be offer-ing more discounts on toys.
In addition, Amazon’s annual holiday toy list adds commentary from its product experts on the latest trends. You can browse through new categories like “Mom Picks” or “Classic” brands to find gift ideas and personal anecdotes from Amazon editors.
Toys R Us’ website has a new “gift finder” that features top gifts for every toy category and allows shoppers to easily search items by age group and price range, among other factors.
Toys R Us has also launched two shops this holiday season at the front of its stores. One features new, hot products. The other one: Gift Express, which caters to grab-and-go customers with items for $30 or less.
Toy sellers aim to perk up sales that were flat last year, though they hope to get a boost this year from toys related to Disney’s “Frozen” and the Teenage Mu-tant Ninja Turtles, which could
sell out quickly.“Shoppers need to be strate-
gic,” says Chris Byrne, content di-rector at TTPM, a toy review site. “You know the hot toys are going to sell out early, so buy those first. Then wait for the other things to be on sale.”
The deepest discounts typically happen after Dec. 15, Byrne says.
Here are some tips:
■ FINDING THE HOTTEST TOYS: For hard-to-find toys, sign up to stores’ Twitter feeds and keep checking the aisles,
says Laurie Schacht, CEO of the publication The Toy Insider.
Stores generally get new ship-ments on Thursday and Friday, so it’s best to check then, Byrne said.
To make it easier, signing up for free membership at TTPM.com can get you e-mail notifica-
tions when a sold-out toy you want becomes available online. It automatically tracks 15 retailers, including Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Toys R Us and Target. (It does not track availability in physical stores.)
Toyinsider.com lists all the toy discounts offered over Thanksgiv-ing weekend, Schacht says.
Many of the hottest toys are affordable and under $35, Byrne says.
For example, one of the most popular items is a collectible figure called Shopkins. A 12-pack sells for $12.99 at Toys R Us.
Price wars are heating up. For example, Wal-Mart is selling the Elsa Snow Glow doll from “Fro-zen” for $28.88, an $11 savings compared with rivals.
“This may be the best-selling item this year,” Duncan Mac Naughton, Wal-Mart’s chief mer-chandising officer, told investors earlier this month.
■ FINDING THE CLAS-SICS: Customers looking to buy toys like wooden trains usually seen only in small shops have more choices this year.
Target has teamed up with dozens of specialty toy brands to offer hundreds of such items. They include such names as Wonderology, known for its sci-ence kits, and Hape, known for wooden toys like stacking blocks and trains.
Optimize your game plan for holiday toy shopping
The Associated Press
Disney’s Frozen Castle & Ice Palace Playset are on display the TTPM Holiday Showcase, in New York. Toy sellers aim to perk up sales that were flat last year, though they hope to get a boost this year from toys related to “Frozen” and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which could sell out quickly.
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Page G2 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
n FREE LOYALTY PROGRAMS: Toys R Us’ revamped loyalty pro-gram allows customers to get more rewards faster. Shoppers now can get a $5 coupon for every $125 spent at Toys R US or Babies R Us.
Previously, they had to spend $250 to get the same reward.
As for Target, those who sign up for free on its Cartwheel app will be able to get daily 50 percent deals on different toys each day from Nov. 2 to Dec. 24.
n STRETCHING YOUR BUDGET WITH LAYAWAY: Toys “R’’ Us, which has previously of-fered layaway in its stores,
just introduced the pay-over-time service online at Toysrus.com and babies-rus.com.
Toys R Us is also once again offering free lay-away for the holiday season, waiving the usual $5 service fee, online and in stores.
Kmart and Wal-Mart also both offer layaway online and in stores. Kmart charges a $5 ser-vice fee for an eight-week contract and $10 for a 12-week contract.
As for Wal-Mart, it doesn’t charge an opening fee, and requires either a $10 down payment or 10 percent of the total pur-chase of the items, which-ever is higher.
Many stores limit lay-away to certain classes of big-ticket items. So ask the store for its policies.
Optimize your game plan
The Associated Press
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Half Shell Heros, from Playmates Toys, on display at the TTPM Holiday Show-case, in New York. Toy sellers aim to perk up sales that were flat last year, though they hope to get a boost this year from toys related to popular movies.
The Associated Press
Disney’s Frozen Snow Glow Elsa on display at the TTPM Holiday Showcase, in New York.
PLAN, from Page G1
Parents often find themselves wait-ing in long lines to snag the hottest toys for children’s holiday gifts. Shop-pers arrive at retail stores in droves to grab the newest video game consoles or must-have dolls or action figures.
From Cabbage Patch Dolls of the 1980s to the Elmo craze of the 1990s, every generation seems to have its own “must-have” holiday gift. This year, holiday shoppers may want to start shopping early if they hope to land any of the following items that figure to be this year’s hot toys.
n “Frozen”-themed toys: Mega-retailer Walmart predicts that toys in-spired by the smash hit film “Frozen” will continue to be hot commodities this holiday season. To meet demand, the retailer already is stocking up on the popular characters and other products banking on the popularity of the film. If the special girl in your life is still enamored with all things “Frozen,” it’s a smart bet to start your holiday buying early this year.
n “Hunger Games” athletic items: Fans of the “Hunger Games” trilogy, be it the books, movies or both, are familiar with lead character Katniss’ prowess with a bow and arrow. Bows inspired by the movie are in demand
and will appeal to both girls and boys testing their archery skills.
n Beats by Dr. Dre: Music-lovers still consider these headphones must-have items. They’re especially preva-lent among the teen market. Avail-able in a variety of colors, users can coordinate their Beats headphones
with their clothing or accessories.n Lego Minecraft: It was only a
matter of time before Lego got in on the action of one of the hottest games to sweep the Internet and video game console world. Minecraft is a digital building game that has enthralled gamers of all ages. Now Minecraft enthusiasts can recreate on-screen worlds in tangible Lego versions.
n Xeno: Xeno is a “friend-toy” that is neither robot nor doll, but an interactive pet. Made from nontoxic elastic material and including eight sensors, the creature is a moving, reacting companion. Xeno even can dance to music. And parents will love that Xeno does not need to be taken for walks.
n Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: On the heels of summer blockbuster inspired by these gifted turtles, fans of the weapon-swinging shelled war-riors will certainly want to surround themselves with all things turtle, so expect to see plenty of movie-inspired gifts on store shelves this season.
The holiday season is on the hori-zon, and it’s never too early to begin shopping for the toys and games experts predict will be this year’s must-have items.
What will be big toys of 2014?
AP
A customer holds a pair of Beats headphones earlier this year.
Holiday shopping may be done, but that enor-mous pile of presents still needs to be wrapped.
People have varying degrees of ability with regard to wrapping gifts. Some excel at those creased corners and perfect bows, while others are less adept at wrapping. The task of wrapping gifts may not be something to look forward to, but wrap-ping gifts is an essential element of the holiday season.
Fortunately, there are a few tricks of the trade wrappers can lean on to make the process of wrap-ping gifts go as quickly and as smoothly as pos-sible.
n Stock up on double-sided tape. Wrapping with double-sided tape helps you avoid unsightly tape lines and creates a neat finished product.
n Use a toilet paper tube to preserve wrapping paper rolls and keep them from unravelling. Simply cut the tube lengthwise and snap it over the open roll of paper to serve as a handy clip to keep the paper tidy.
n When you lose the edge of the tape on a roll, it can take precious time trying to find it again and then lift a piece of tape off the roll. Use a plastic bread clip to hold the place of the edge of the tape to prevent this from happening.
n Turn snack contain-ers into handy gift wrap options. Empty potato chip cannisters can be wrapped and used to hold other food gifts or smaller stocking stuffers. Turn a
foil-lined chip or popcorn bag inside out, first clean-ing away any grease and crumbs, and use the bag to wrap a gift and tie off the end with a decorative ribbon.
n Wooden spoons or popsicle sticks can make clever gift tags. Poke a hole in the end and tie onto your gift.
n Use a piece of fab-ric to wrap a present if you’re not too skilled with traditional paper. Fabric can be reused and is more durable, and you won’t run the risk of tearing an edge or poking a hole through it. This can be especially useful for oddly shaped gifts.
n Newsprint tied with natural cord and some pine boughs is an inexpen-sive, classic-looking gift wrap.
n Kraft butcher paper or brown mailing paper can be used in a pinch. Stamp images on the paper to customize the gift wrap and use ribbons and bows to further dress things up.
n Always work on a hard, flat surface, as work-ing on the floor or a soft surface makes it more dif-ficult to control wrapping paper and you’re more likely to tear the paper.
n Use a gift box or cardboard to create a firm container to wrap soft gifts.
n Reuse old boxes to create a greeting card. Use a piece of ribbon and a bow and your newly created card as a thank-you or gift tag for future gifts. This is a great way to recycle during a season when excess is common.
Tricks to save time wrapping
Metro Images Library
There are a few tricks of the trade wrappers can lean on to make the process of wrapping gifts go as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
Nearly every man or woman has hit that all too familiar wall when holi-day shopping for friends and family. While many people might be a cinch to shop for, there always seems to be one stickler on holiday shopping lists, and finding the right gift for that person can be an exercise in patience and perseverance.
But even the most patient shopper has his or her limits, and many people find themselves giving gift cards to those friends or family members who seemingly have every-thing already. Such cards make great gifts, but only when gift givers employ a few tricks of the gift card trade.
n Buy directly from the retailer. It’s easy to be duped by a counterfeit gift card, which can be embarrassing for both the gift giver and its eventual recipient.
Counterfeit gift cards are big business for criminals who prey on gift givers during the holiday season.
Only buy gift cards directly from the retailer, as cards sold by other sources, such as an online auction site, may be stolen or counterfeit. You don’t want to be the person who gave a stolen or counter-feit card, and your friend or family member does not want to be subjected to an inquiry as to why he or she is attempting to use a stolen or counterfeit card.
n Examine the card before leaving the store. Once a cashier or cus-tomer service employee hands you a gift card, examine it for tamper-ing before leaving the store. Some criminals gain access to gift cards, even those that appear to be behind lock and key, to learn the PIN number associated with the card. Once they have the PIN, recipients can then recre-ate their own card, using the stolen PIN to activate and make purchases on their counterfeit cards long before the real card is sold to you. If you detect any damage, ask for a new card before leaving the store.
n Include a gift receipt
with the card. When giv-ing a gift card, don’t forget to include the gift receipt. The gift receipt not only verifies the value of the gift card, but also includes the date the card was pur-chased.
That’s important infor-mation, as many compa-nies begin to charge fees, some of which may be ex-orbitant, on unused cards after a predetermined period of time. Recipients who have the gift receipt won’t have to haggle with retailers about the value of the card should that ever be in dispute, and the receipt also can serve as a reminder that the recipi-ent needs to use the card before a given date to avoid fees.
n Consider a general purpose gift card. If that stickler on your holiday
shopping list is especially difficult to shop for, then you might want to con-sider a general purpose gift card issued by a com-pany such as American Express, MasterCard or Visa. These cards gener-ally allow recipients to use their gift wherever they choose, whether it’s to put gas in their tank or buy groceries.
That versatility is valu-able if you truly have no idea what your friend or family member needs or where he or she likes to shop. One notable disad-vantage to general pur-pose gift cards is that they
tend to come with more fees than more traditional gift cards purchased directly from specific retailers.
Investigate these fees and find a card that charges no fees or only minimal fees.
Gift cards make great gifts and can bail out frus-trated holiday shoppers who simply can’t find that perfect gift for a friend or family member. But when shopping for gift cards, be sure to exercise cau-tion before buying a card so your loved is not put in an embarrassing or costly situation.
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The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014 Page G3
Holiday Gift Guide
By Tom ParsonsThe Dallas Morning News
If you’d like to rack up some airline miles, an easy way is by doing your holiday shopping online through airline frequent-flier malls.
To earn these miles or points, go to your airline or hotel’s website, log in with your account num-ber, find your desired retailer and click through to its site. This strategy allows you to earn perks with just a couple of extra clicks.
With these programs, you can earn at least one mile or point per dol-lar, and sometimes much more, at a variety of retailers.
If you want to buy big-ticket items for Christ-mas, you can get appli-ances, electronics, jewelry and more from national chains. You can even make purchases with dis-count sites like Groupon and LivingSocial. There are often time-limited bonus miles and free ship-ping offers.
Many people have air-line affinity credit cards, which can help maximize your miles. You’ll get miles for using your credit card, plus miles for shop-ping online through an airline mall.
If you went to Nor-dstrom and used your American Airlines credit card, you’d get 200 miles for a $200 purchase. But if you click through from the American AAdvan-tage eShopping mall, you can earn a bonus of 10 miles per dollar spent at Nordstrom through Dec. 31 and receive free shipping. That would give you 2,000 miles for your online purchase, plus 200 miles for using the American credit card.
On Southwest, the number of points needed for a ticket varies by fare price. At press time, the cheapest fare from Dallas to Atlanta was $59 one way on Southwest, or you could redeem 2,865 points.
Through the end of the year, you can earn 10 points per dollar spent at Saks Fifth Avenue through the Southwest shopping site. So if you spend $300, you would have more than enough for a one-way ticket from Dallas to Atlanta just with that purchase.
As we get closer to the holidays, we will likely see some airline shop-ping malls offer bonus miles based on the total cumulative amount spent. For example, last year we
saw American offer up to 3,000 bonus miles when you spent a minimum of $250 through its shop-ping mall. We also have seen this type of offer for Valentine’s and back-to-school shopping.
In addition to earn-ing bonus miles for your purchases, buying through airline shopping malls is an easy way to keep your frequent-flier account active. Some airline miles expire if you don’t have account activity for 18 months, so if you’ve got an account with an airline you don’t fly on frequently, make an online purchase through its shopping mall.
You can also get a double whammy by pur-chasing gift cards through your local grocery store to use for your online shopping mall purchases. I like to buy gift cards at Kroger and Tom Thumb and accrue fuel points to use toward discounts at the pump. Plus I’ll earn miles when I use those gift cards for online shop-ping.
These grocery stores regularly offer two times the fuel points, but oc-casionally you see promo-tions offering four times the fuel points, and you may see that kind of pro-motion close to the holi-days. You can buy travel gift cards for retailers like Southwest, Marriott and Disney at supermarkets, and get fuel points for your holiday travel.
Keep in mind, your grocery store purchases are valid for fuel point use that month and the next month, so purchases made in November are valid for fuel point use through Dec. 31.
While many people spend a significant amount of money around the holidays, remember that you can earn these points and miles through-out the year, so don’t pass up the opportunity.
Buzz by the airline mallCertain gifts are standard
fare come the holidays. Adults often receive cloth-ing while kids typically get toys. But shoppers who want to employ the element of sur-prise this season may want to consider travel-related gifts to put smiles on the faces of their loved ones.
Many people cannot af-ford to travel. Gifting travel enables couples or families who may not have the means to get away to hit the road in style.
When giving the gift of travel, shoppers should consider gift certificates or vouchers that can be applied to flights or lodging. Many travel businesses and web-sites now offer gift registry services that make it easy for shoppers to pay for getaways for their loved ones. Some travel agencies also incen-tivize travel gifts by offer-ing coupons or discounts to shoppers who purchase travel packages for friends or fam-ily members.
Those on the lookout for travel-inspired gifts can ex-plore the following options.
n Airline gift certificates: A gift certificate makes it easy for travelers to book their own flights at their lei-sure. These certificates typi-cally can be applied to any flight the airline offers and may even be transferable.
n Frequent f lier miles : Find out if your frequent
flyer miles can be deposited directly into your loved one’s account. Later on he or she can redeem the miles for a desired flight.
n Luggage: Frequent trav-elers may appreciate new lug-gage. Monogrammed tags can help make luggage easy to identify at luggage carou-
sels in crowded airports.n Small ship voyages :
Some cruise lines offer work-ing vacations, where passen-gers participate in some of the responsibilities aboard the ship. These voyages are ideal for someone who enjoys being active and a part of the travel experience.
n Scuba lessons: Travel enthusiasts who frequently jet off to tropical locales may want to learn to scuba dive, which means they must be certified after taking lessons. Foot the bill for those lessons so their next water adventure is complete.
n Traveler’s checks: Some-times the best gift is the sim-plest one. Traveler’s checks may seem like an outdated notion in the era of credit cards, but they’re still avail-able. Banks and credit card companies are the best place to find traveler’s checks. These checks are safer than bringing cash along on a trip because they provide travel-ers with protected purchas-ing power for the duration of their trips. Prepaid gift cards also can be used for travel. Just confirm that the card is accepted by retailers at your loved one’s travel destina-tion.
Travel gifts can bring smiles to the faces of your loved ones. These unique gifts are a novelty that’s not often found tucked under the tree.
Travel gifts wrapped and ready
Metro Images Library
Travel enthusiasts who frequently jet off to tropical locales may want to learn to scuba dive, which means they must be certified after taking lessons
Giving gift cards require tricks
Metro Images Library
Even the most patient shopper has his or her limits, and many people find themselves giving gift cards to those friends or family members who seem-ingly have everything already.
n
Shoppers can buy travel
gift cards for retailers like Southwest, Marriott and
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Page G4 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are right around the corner. That means neighbor-hoods, buildings and stores will soon be awash in holiday splendor. Social schedules will be full, and men and women everywhere will shuffle to complete their holiday shopping.
Grab bags are a staple of this season of giving, and the following are a few dos and don’ts to ensure par-ticipation in gift exchanges is fun and friendly for all involved.
DO set a gift amount limit. Holiday grab bags are more about having fun and exchanging a little something with friends and family members than walking away with amaz-ing prizes. Establish a spending limit so everyone receives a gift of roughly the same value and no one feels slighted or left out.
DON’T exceed the spending limit. It can be tempting to spend more to make your gift appear more impressive. But over-spending defeats the pur-pose of the gift exchange. Grab bags typically are anonymous, so being overly generous will not win you any style points.
DO make it a game. Tossing gifts in a bag only to have others reach in and grab one is certainly effective.
But the concept can be even more fun if you make a game out of it. Try passing wrapped gifts around in a circle to a holiday song. When the music stops, the gift you are holding is the one you open. Experiment with your own variations to make gift exchanges more fun.
DON’T let anyone see the gift you bring. The idea is to keep things as secretive as possible so as not to sway the selection of presents.
DO ensure your gift is unisex. Unless you know specifically that only men or women will be opening the presents, select items that will appeal to both genders.
Food, gift cards, music,
or home staples make great grab bag gifts.
DON’T forget to con-sider ages as well. Gift ex-changes may include both children and adults, so include gifts that appeal to all ages when necessary.
When the exchange has ended, allow participants to swap gifts if they want to.
DO expect some grab bag gifts to be gag gifts. Such gifts are entertaining and may make up the ma-jority of the grab bag gifts. Keep your sense of humor and you’re likely to enjoy grab bags a lot more.
DON’T regift items to use as grab bag picks. Should the person who gave you the gift partici-pate in the grab bag, he or she can trace that gift back to you and may be offended.
DO make sure everyone
is aware that there will be a grab bag gift exchange, as there needs to be an equal number of gifts to participants so everyone gets a treat.
Hosts may want to have a few extra wrapped gifts around just in case some-one forgets to bring their contribution.
Gift exchanges in the form of grab bags, auc-tions, swaps, and other games make for fun addi-tions to holiday festivities. They also can be a part of any family or friends gathering to add excite-ment and entertainment to the occasion.
Nine dos and don’ts for gift exchange
Metro Images Library
Among the dos and don’ts for holiday gift exchanges: Do set a gift amount lift and don’t exceed the spending limit.
Those names on your holiday gift list are more than just people — they’re personalities. This simple shift in perspective can go a long way to help narrow down gift selections. For example, someone who likes to keep things simple might be called the Solution Seeker. Become a great gift giver by paying attention to the broader personality traits of your gift receivers. Read on for several exam-ples of kitchen personality profiles, along with sugges-tions for the perfect gifts.
The All-Season FoodieDuring the holiday
season, everyone becomes some kind of foodie. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, there is simply so much food to enjoy. How-ever, your list of names may contain a genuine year-round gourmet — the All-Season Foodie. This kind of foodie probably already owns, uses, and loves quality gourmet nonstick cookware, so consider a specialty pot or pan to round out a collec-tion. The Anolon Nouvelle Copper 8-Quart Covered Stockpot is an ideal choice, starting with hard-anodized aluminum construction that is twice as hard as stainless steel. A layer of copper in the pot’s base further boosts and balances heat conduc-tion throughout the entire stockpot.
The All-Season Foodie on your list will utilize this large-volume stockpot for homemade stocks, broths and soups, of course. She or he can also take advan-tage of its size and cooking performance to prepare delicious mid-winter braises and summer seafood stews. From boiling water for soup or pasta, to simmering succulent soups, stews and more, a top-quality stockpot lets any home chef cook more creatively.
East Meets BestThe wok is one of the
oldest type of pans in the world, and one of the most efficient. First, the bowl-like shape helps distribute heat evenly. Then, like a satellite dish, the rounded side helps focus all that heat toward the center of the pan, so ingredients sear and cook more efficiently and flavors build more rapidly. In Asia, of course, wok cooking is enough of a special skill and technique to be considered an art.
The All-Season Foodie on your list may already love wok cooking and Asian cuisine. Give her or him even more reason to love them — and appreciate you at the same time — with a gourmet nonstick wok. Anolon Nouvelle Copper makes a 12” Covered Wok with an elegant, high-domed stainless steel lid that helps beautifully seal heat and moisture inside. The wok’s interior also features the innovative Anolon Unity Surface® with Easy Clean Rivets. This design elimi-nates the “speed bump” effect sometimes found in pans with exposed rivet heads, so home chefs can keep wok tools in constant motion throughout the cooking.
Every home cook can ap-preciate top-quality gour-met nonstick cookware, so put a stockpot, wok or other specialty pan after his or her name.
The Total Tea LoverNext to water, tea is the
world’s most popular bever-age.1 In the United States it runs second to coffee, but tea consumption has been on the rise here for several years running, and that trend is expected to con-tinue.2 Odds are therefore good that your gift list includes more than a few tea drinkers — and prob-ably a Total Tea Lover or two. Steeped or iced, Earl Grey or herbal, tea is ideal
for them, and so is the tea-related present.
The Total Tea Lover enjoys hot tea at home, at work, and anywhere else a fresh cup can be made and savored. Find the Total Tea Lover the perfect stocking stuffer with the compact, portable Teas in a Pod® Tea Infuser from BonJour. Crafted from heat-safe stainless steel and silicone, in a variety of fun, friendly col-ors, the reusable, pod-shaped infuser holds enough loose-leaf tea or tea blend. The silicone cap pops off and on for easy use and care. Since the Total Tea-Lover drinks tea at home, work, and any-where else a fresh cup can be made and savored, why not give a Teas in a Pod Infuser for each location?
Let the Sunrise InThe Total Tea Lover is
sure to appreciate a bright, new kettle with clean, mod-ern lines. There’s no reason to call a teakettle black when you can choose among vibrant shades like elegant Capri Turquoise, clas-sic Navy Blue, and sunny Mustard Yellow offered in the Circulon Sunrise Teakettle collection. Boiling water becomes downright joyful with these stylish kettles, featuring durable construction and an easy to clean high-gloss exterior finish. The teakettle’s well-designed squeeze-and-pour handle helps keep hands and fingers away from hot steam and water.
The Easy-Going Entertainer
Like guests, hosts and hostesses come in a wide range of types, from the Mealtime Micromanager to the Panicking Party-Giver. That’s why everyone loves the Easy-Going Entertainer. From initial invitation to final farewell, he or she puts guests at ease, mak-ing them feel cared-for and comfortable. You’re sure to stay on their guest list with a thoughtful gift, so utilize your profiling skills for something special.
The Easy-Going Enter-tainer always appreciates an extra serving bowl or platter, especially one with versatility and personality to spare. Consider go-ing beyond basic white or metallics with a solid, sturdy piece that sets a tabletop, buffet or sideboard in style. Rachael Ray epitomizes the Easy-Going Entertainer, and brings that stylish sense home with her Cucina Serveware and Dinnerware collection. Durably con-structed, with warm, invit-ing rustic-modern touches, the collection includes beautiful serving bowls, platters and dinnerware. The relaxed palette of single-color ceramic glazes and
handpainted antique-look details give each piece plenty of character, with the micro-wave, freezer and dishwasher safe convenience.
In the MixologyCocktails are back, al-
though some say they never went away. The Easy-Going Entertainer always refreshes dinner and party guests in a special way, with fresh fruit and an herb garnish to perk up a simple glass of ice water, or by making one-of-a-kind drinks to order.
Give the budding bar-
tender or any entertainer more reason to celebrate, with the festive Rachael Ray 4-Piece Party Plate Set. Each of the lunch plates features a different refresh-ing cocktail depicted in full color against sturdy, bold white stoneware. The actual cocktail recipes are printed on the reverse side of the plates, so the set is sure to inspire any mixologist, from beginner to experienced.
The Convenience CookIn just a few generations,
the microwave evolved
from new-fangled “sci-ence oven” to an appliance found in over 90 percent of U.S. households. With time, space and energy at a premium in modern life, microwaves come in handy for everything from heating water and melting butter to making popcorn and even complete meals. The fre-quent-microwaver on your list might be considered a Convenience Cook — someone who wants to save kitchen time and effort yet still loves food and flavor.
Luckily, kitchenware has caught up to this ever-grow-ing need for convenience, with numerous new tools, utensils and cookware made especially for microwave use. One great product that belongs in every kitchen is the SilverStone Microwave Pressure Cooker. This ingenious cooker combines the principles of an old-fashioned stovetop pressure cooker with microwave-safe design. Ideal for stews, soups and braises, the pressure cooker is versatile enough to make delicious dishes for any meal and any occasion, and comes with a booklet of easy-to-follow recipes.
The Solution SeekerClosely related to the
cook seeking convenience is
the one in constant search of solutions. The Solution Seeker on your list may be easy to spot—look for cross-word and Sudoku puzzles on their smartphone and similar clues. The solution-seeking home cook craves something more than just another gadget to add to the utensil drawer, however.
One gift-giving solution for this kind of cook is Silver-Stone CXi Ceramic Nonstick Cookware. On the cook-ware exteriors, bold, fresh color provides a refreshing splash of on-trend kitchen style, with color-matching handles rubberized for wrist and hand comfort. Each pot and pan in this collection features innovative, bright-white ceramic nonstick for effortless food release with easy cleanup. Practiced or beginner, the result-oriented cook is sure to love this colorful, high-performing nonstick cookware.
If the solution-seeking cook also loves results-oriented baking, or if there’s simply a baker on your list in need of his or her own gift, SilverStone Hybrid Ceramic Nonstick Bakeware provides one answer. SilverStone Bakeware features cutting-edge ceramic nonstick for beautiful baked good release with quick and easy clean-ing. Like its coordinating cookware, this carbon steel bakeware also comes in bright, on-trend contem-porary colors to give the kitchen a fresh, friendly vibe.
The Dessert DelivererOn the subject of baking,
check your list for a special type of personality pro-file: the Dessert Deliverer. They may love baking from scratch or mix, simply have a roster of favorite bakeries whose goodies they love to select and share. Whatever the occasion -weekday or holiday, casual or special — they inevitably bring a delicious baked treat.
Help the Dessert Deliv-erer carry those tasty baked goods to their ultimate destination with a stylish Cake Boss Cake Carrier. The vintage-styled carriers feature fun, bakeshop-era designs against a cream-col-ored background, and the lids sport a sturdy, collaps-ible red handle. Each carrier holds a standard, 9-inch round double-layer cake or any dessert of similar size and shape, and the clever side latches firmly lock the lid closed — and keep tempted fingers away!
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The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014 Page G5
Holiday Gift Guide
Personality profiles make kitchen gifts easy
Metro Images Library
Become a great gift giver by paying attention to the broader personality traits of your gift receivers, including the Dessert Deliverer (above) and the Tea Lover (below).
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Page G6 The Daily Item • The Danville News • Scrapbook / Friday, November 7, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
The holiday season is a time to share happy experiences with friends and fam-ily. But reconnecting with loved ones come the holidays is not always possible, especially when family and friends are spread out across the country, if not the globe. Even though these people may not be close geographically, they’re still close in our hearts and, therefore, still on our holiday shopping lists.
Some issues arise when sending gifts to faraway friends and family. Distance ne-cessitates shipping gifts or making travel arrangements. To make that process less complicated, consider these suggestions.
■ Package gifts wisely. When shipping gifts, exercise caution to ensure the item arrives on time and in one piece. The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for the shipping industry, and packages may endure a few bumps along the way.
For fragile items, use extra packing peanuts, newspaper or other protective wrapping material. Choose the right size package so the gift does not move around much inside of the box. If the gift is ex-pensive, insure the package in the event it gets lost or damaged.
Also, you may want to spend a little more money to have the shipment tracked and a confirmation sent when the package is delivered. This can offer
some peace of mind during a hectic time of year.
■ Take advantage of free shipping offers. Many retailers offer discounts on shipping rates during the holiday season. Shop at retailers that offer such
discounts, as shipping costs can be exorbitant depending on the sizes of the packages being sent.
In addition, online retailers may allow you to ship the gift directly to its recipi-ent, which can help you ensure the gift
gets to its destination on time.■ Give gift cards and certificates. Gift
cards are an easy item to ship, and can be sent within the regular mail for the cost of a stamp.
Certain retailers may have digital gift cards or certificates that allow buyers to email a special code to the gift recipi-ent, who can then redeem the code for a purchase credit. This is a convenient, fast and inexpensive way to send holiday wishes.
■ Don’t forget about inspections and customs procedures. Items shipped out of the country may be delayed by cus-toms inspectors at their ultimate destina-tion. Assume that certain packages may be opened or detained, and ship such packages early so the gifts still arrive on time. Packages that look unusual or like they’re hiding something may be prone to inspection more so than others. Be honest about declarations of value and what is contained in the package.
Also, realize certain items, like fruits, vegetables, plants, or seeds, may be pro-hibited. Learn the international shipping rules for your gift’s destination prior to sending anything.
Distant family members and friends may be out of sight but certainly not out of mind come the holidays. When it comes to sending gifts, ship smart.
Send gifts to faraway friends and family
The holiday sea-son generates a lot of waste, and many things contribute to this excess of trash this time of year.
■ Thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills after the holiday season. Reusable cloth bags can limit the amount of bags tossed away, and users of plastic bags can recycle those bags at appropriate receptacles.
■ Four million tons of waste is attrib-uted to shopping bags and wrapping paper. Recycling paper or looking for reusable items in which to wrap gifts can cut down on paper waste.
■ Approximately 33 million live trees are cut down and sold in North America each year for Christmas. If you use a live tree, be sure to recycle it so it can be turned into mulch instead of be-ing sent to a landfill. Otherwise, consider buying a potted tree and planting it after the holidays.
■ Nearly 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold and exchanged each year in the United States alone. This many cards can fill a football field 10 stories high. One less card sent per person can save roughly 50,000 cu-bic yards of paper. Electronic greetings are another way to save paper.
■ If everyone in Canada wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks.
Holiday Waste: By
the Numbers
cover 45,000 hockey rinks.
Metro Images Library
Some issues arise when sending gifts to faraway friends and family. Distance necessitates shipping gifts or making travel arrangements.
