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Holiday Gift Guide

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San Marcos Daily Record sanmarcosrecord.com A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE Top Toys • Ideas for Seniors Be Green• For the Foodies Country Christmas WiiU Gift Baskets Holiday Parties Express Yourself
Transcript
Page 1: Holiday Gift Guide

San Marcos Daily Recordsanmarcosrecord.com

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE

Top Toys • Ideas for SeniorsBe Green• For the Foodies

Country Christmas • WiiU • Gift Baskets • Holiday Parties • Express Yourself

Page 2: Holiday Gift Guide

2 • Gift Guide • November 22, 2012

Nintendo TViiNintendoTVii enables you to find, watch, and engage withTV

shows, movies and sports programming in entirely new ways. UsingtheWii U GamePad, you can browse and search for programmingfrom sources you subscribe to, including cable and satellite chan-nels, video-on-demand services, and even recordedTiVo shows.

Once you find something to watch, you can use the GamePad tostart the program or set a DVR recording.While watching liveTV,you can also use the GamePad to engage and share your experi-ence with family or friends.This service will be available in theUnited States and Canada at launch for users with a broadbandwireless Internet connection.

Here are the best games of 2012.The most wantedgames for Christmas this year and the Top 10VideoGames on the top of everybody's list for this HolidaySeason.If you haven't picked out a gift for your favorite kid,

or favorite 'Kid at Heart,' then take a look at the BestVideo Game List and you can't go wrong.From the blasting multi-player mayhem of Black Ops

2 and Halo 4, you’ve got choices.Race at high speed with Forza, Need for Speed, or

NASCAR.Take on the adventure with Resident Evil and Assassin's

Creed, but whatever you do, make sure one of thesegame titles gets under the tree or in the stocking thisyear.

1. Call of Duty Black Ops 22. Assassin's Creed 33. Halo 44. Borderlands 25. Madden NFL 136. Forza Horizon7. Farcry 38. Medal of Honor: Warfighter9. Resident Evil 610. Marvel Avengers:Battle for Earth

Top 10 Video Games

Honorable MentionLego Lord of the Rings, NASCAR the Game - Inside the Line,

The Walking Dead, Hitman: Absolution, Need for Speed: MostWanted Limited edition, FIFA 2013 Soccer

Best Video Gamesfor the Holiday

Wii U™ GamePadTheWii U GamePad™ controller removes the traditional

barriers between you, your games, and yourTV by creatinga second window into the video game world. It incorporatesa 6.2-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio LCD touch screen, as well astraditional button controls and two analog sticks.The GamePad also includes motion control, a front-facing

camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, rumble features, a sensor bar,a stylus, and support for Near Field Communication (NFC). It is powered bya rechargeable lithium-ion battery and weighs approximately 1.1 pounds.

Page 3: Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Guide • November 22, 2012 • 3

Christmas decorations can range fromgrandiose lighting displays to more subtleadornments. Some families may prefer moretraditional holiday decor, while othersmight like the look of modern trimmings.

Holiday decorations can also be used tocreate an atmosphere reminiscent of a cer-tain type of locale, giving a home a holidayin the city vibe or a more rustic feel. Forthose who prefer a rustic look reminiscentof a country Christmas, consider the follow-ing tips.

• Start with the tree. The Christmas treeis the center of many a home's holidaydecor, and those who want to create a coun-try Christmas can start with their tree.Instead of traditional holiday lights, chooselights that look like candles while adorningthe tree with wooden ornaments andstrands of popcorn.

• Forgo traditional wrapping paper.Instead of flashy, store-bought wrappingpaper, wrap presents in brown paper andput presents under the tree as early as pos-sible. Instead of store-bought gift tags, cre-ate your own and attach a candy cane oranother candy to the gift.

• Think nature with decorations. Itemsgathered from nature can give a home a

rustic appeal during the holidays. Hang ahomemade wreath on the front door andinclude pine cones and clippings from ever-green trees when adding decorative accentsaround the house. Tuck a few decorativewoven baskets in corners to further empha-size a rustic look.

• Create homemade ornaments.Homemade ornaments can also give a homea more rustic look come the holiday season.Spend an afternoon creating holiday craftswith the kids and use these instead of store-bought ornaments. For those who are espe-cially gifted craftsmen, put your woodwork-ing skills to the test to create decorativewooden stockings that, if not functional,can be replaced with more traditional stock-ings come Christmas Eve.

• Don't forget the music. Another way tocreate a country Christmas is to play coun-try Christmas albums instead of classical ormore traditional Christmas records. Nearlyevery country music star of the past andpresent has recorded a Christmas song oralbum, so create a master playlist of coun-try Christmas songs on your digital musicplayer and play it throughout the season toset the holiday mood in your household.

CountryChristmas

ChristmasGive your

a Country Feel

Page 4: Holiday Gift Guide

4 • Gift Guide • November 22, 2012

Exchanging gifts has become synonymouswith the holiday season. Family membersexchange gifts with one another, men andwomen trade gifts and greeting cards with theircoworkers and students participate in grab baggift exchanges in the classroom.Giving gifts is such a big part of the holiday

season that shoppers may run out of gift ideasbefore they have crossed everyone off their lists.For example, it might not be easy to find theperfect gift for the senior citizen on your holidayshopping list. Seniors might not be up-to-dateon the latest gadgets or might have downgradedfrom a home to a more manageable livingarrangement, so knickknacks or decorativeitems for the home may not be too practical,either. The following are a few tips for giftingseniors this holiday season.• Warm things up. As men and women age,

many develop medical conditions that requiremedication. Medications like blood thinners canmake seniors feel the cold more than others, soa gift that can keep seniors warm through thewinter can make a great gift. A thick woolsweater or a fleece blanket is both practical andthoughtful.• Open a senior's eyes to e-readers. Many

seniors find that maintaining a household issimply too much work once all the kids havegrown up and moved out. As a result, manymove from private homes into apartment com-plexes geared to the senior set or even intoassisted living facilities that make it easier todeal with the daily demands of life. When sen-iors make such a move, they sacrifice space forconvenience. Personal libraries may no longerbe possible or practical, but an e-reader such asAmazon's Kindle or the Nook(R) from Barnesand Noble allows seniors to store their favoritebooks in one small and convenient place.• Give the lap of luxury. Many seniors are on

fixed incomes, which greatly limit how muchdisposable income they have to treat themselves

to something nice. But seniors still love a trip tothe spa or a round of golf just as much as theiryounger counterparts. Savvy shoppers knowthat deals can be had on such luxuries, and itjust takes a little patience and research. Signup for a service like GrouponTM to gain accessto exclusive discount offers to a variety of luxu-ry offerings, including spa treatments, cruisevacations and rounds of golf. Signing up is freeand easy, and you might just find a deal thatmakes a senior's holiday season.• Go healthy. Many men and women embrace

a healthier lifestyle as they age. Seniors whomight have been too busy raising a family tofocus on their own health are typically encour-aged by their physicians to exercise andembrace healthier eating habits. Gift-givers canhelp seniors on their quests to become healthi-er by buying them a membership to a local fit-ness club, many of which provide classesdesigned specifically for seniors. Fitness clubstypically offer discounted memberships to sen-iors, who might even be eligible for rebates fromtheir health insurance providers if they meetestablished attendance requirements. Seniorswho suffer from arthritis might benefit from amembership at a nearby yoga center.• Give the gift of communication. Sometimes

the best gift is the simplest gift. Seniors love tospeak with their children and grandchildren, sowhy not give the gift of communication? If youhaven't already, alter your cellular phone planto a family plan that gives seniors unlimitedminutes when calling family members so theycan speak to their grandkids as often as possi-ble. You can even go the extra mile and upgradea senior's computer so he or she has access toinstant messaging and videoconferencing serv-ices such SkypeTM, allowing seniors to see justhow fast their grandchildren are growing even ifthose youngsters are on the other side of thecountry.

Great gift ideas for seniors

Few things make holiday shoppers happier thangiving a gift that instantly lights up a loved one'seyes. All the work that goes into finding and secur-ing the perfect gift becomes worth it and then somewhen the recipient's smile stretches from ear to ear.A great holiday gift often involves someone's

favorite hobby. When gifting the family sports fan,the options are endless. Sports fans tend to weartheir hearts on their sleeves, and they're liable to bejust as vocal with appreciation if any of these giftsare waiting under the tree for them this holidayseason.• Magazine subscription: Many sports fans feel

they can never get enough information on theirfavorite teams and sports. A magazine subscriptionto Sports Illustrated or another periodical focusingon a particular sport can provide insider access fora year or longer. Magazine subscriptions are typi-cally inexpensive, but they provide lots of bang foryour gifting buck, especially weekly publications. Inaddition, many magazines now give print sub-scribers access to exclusive content online, playingto your favorite sports fan's ever-growing desire for

more knowledge.• Sports apparel: According to IBISWorld, a

California-based market research firm, online sport-ing apparel sales were expected to approach $5 bil-lion in 2012. Driving those sales are sports fanswho can't wait to don the gear of their favoriteteams. Apparel makes a great holiday gift, whetherit's an authentic player jersey, a team logo hoodieor a personalized T-shirt that directly connects fansto their teams.• Memorabilia: Sports memorabilia can be costly,

but shoppers can still find great deals on everythingfrom autographed items to relics of a franchise'sfledgling days. When shopping for memorabilia, bewary of auctions, where "shill bidding" can drive upthe price of coveted items. Shill bidding occurswhen owners bid on their own items at auction inan attempt to drive up the sale price. And authenti-cation can be an issue with regard to sports memo-rabilia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation hasbeen cracking down on fraudulent memorabilia.Shoppers without knowledge of the memorabiliaindustry might want to focus on less expensive

items that will be a hit under the tree.• Video games: Many sports fans indulge in their

love of a favorite sport by playing video games. Likemost technology, video games are consistently rein-vented, so last year's game might already be outdat-ed, making video games an ideal holiday gift. Thosewho want to go the extra mile can include a newgaming console along with the latest video game.• Tickets: Of course, sports fans might like noth-

ing more than tickets to see their favorite teamsplay. Buying directly from a sports team is a safebet, but it can also be expensive. Savvy shopperscan explore the legal secondary market, whichincludes online retailers like StubHub.com or evenleague-affiliated programs like NFLTicket Exchange,where they might find more affordable tickets.When gifting tickets, do so far enough in advance ofthe game so fans have time to plan their trip.

Gifts no sports fan should go without

Page 5: Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Guide • November 22, 2012 • 5

Some people are a cinch to shop for come the holiday season, while otherscan be more of an enigma. When it comes to the latter, shoppers should deter-mine what tickles their mysterious friend or family member's fancy, such as afavorite hobby or even something to do with his or her profession.Food is a passion for many people and provides holiday shoppers with a

great opportunity to make a loved one's holiday season even more special.Perhaps thanks to the increase in cable networks focusing on food, foodies,those people with an appreciation and passion for cuisine, have grown in num-ber in recent years, and holiday shoppers with foodies on their lists have a hostof potential gift options at their disposal.• Cooking class: Many foodies don't just like eating food but cooking their

favorite cuisine as well. For those who like to get their hands dirty before fillingtheir bellies, consider paying for a cooking class. Many communities have cook-ing classics for various types of cuisine, so consult your friend or family mem-ber, asking them which cuisine they'd like to learn and when they're available.Or let them find their own class and then pay for the class.• Specialty spices: Spices can make the difference between an ordinary meal

that's void of flavor and a meal that's so flavorful it won't soon be forgotten.When spicing things up for a foodie this holiday season, don't just buy regularspices at the grocery store. For example, instead of standard cinnamon, buy aspecialty spice like Mexican or Vietnamese cinnamon.• Pressure cooker: Many foodies are fawning over pressure cooking, which

can cut down on cooking times without sacrificing nutrition. Some recipesmay take half the time to prepare with a pressure cooker as they mightwith a more traditional cooking method, an important time saving elementthat's attractive to foodies who want to enjoy their favorite foods but feelpressed for time on weeknights. And while pressure cookers employsteam to cook foods quickly, that steam also traps flavor, whereasboiling can wash flavor out.Many foodies also laud pressure cookers for their nutritional

benefits. Steaming certain foods can intensify their flavor,which allows cooks to rely less on potentially unhealthyadditions like salt or butter to ensure a meal is flavorful.• Serving dishes: Of course, many foodies want to share thefruits of their labors with friends and family. For the personwho loves throwing dinner parties, consider some servingdishes this holiday season. Serving dishes can range fromcasual (for the foodie who can't wait to fire up the grill) to formal (for the gour-met foodie), so get a feel of your friend or family member's preferences beforepurchasing a set of serving dishes.• Cookbook: The ideal fallback item for holiday shoppers who can't seem to findanything for their favorite foodies, cookbooks filled with recipes for dishes fromtheir favorite type of cuisine are sure to please. When gifting with a cookbook,peruse a few of its recipes to determine if there are any special ingredients thatappear throughout. If so, purchase these ingredients and gift them as well.

Gift ideas for the food fanatic

Page 6: Holiday Gift Guide

6 • Gift Guide • November 22, 2012

An Air Hogs hover assault aircraft made by Spin MasterToys is sure to keep the young and young-at-heart enter-tained with hours of flying and driving fun. Drive the assaultvehicle on the ground, jump hills, or fly over the terrain toshoot 4 yellow missiles at your target. Remote control vehi-cle can move left, right, forward, or straight up into the air.

They are back!

New FURBY looks great in any color, butTeal FURBY seems to be the most popularso far. Maybe it's the luxuriant teal sheen of itsfur, or the way the teal sets off the bright yellow-gold of its eyes.Take your pick of a rainbow ofnew colors.With a mind of its own, your new HasbroTeal

FURBY will develop its personality based on howyou play with it. It will dance to your favoritesongs. Put it in a room with a few of its friendsand they'll interact with each other in all sorts of

hilarious ways while speaking either English orthe special FURBY language, FURBISH.Rusty on your FURBISH? Not to worry, be-

cause your FURBY inTeal comes with somebasic FURBISH words, and you can also translateFURBISH using the downloadable FURBY App.Plus, the more you play with yourTeal FURBY,the more English it will speak.You can also usethe FURBY App to feed your newTeal FURBY.

FURBY, Teal• Develops its personality based on how youplay with it• Interacts with its friends and dances.• Speaks basic FURBISH• Learns English the more you play with it• Free FURBY App to translate FURBISH andfeed your FURBY• Requires 4 AA batteries (not included)• For ages 6 and up• Available in 10 bright new colors

with a twistToys Furbys

Drive this HotWheelsTerrainTwister vehicle from Mattel forward,backward or side-to-side in a stealthy motion using the RC controller.• Pontoons with corkscrew-shaped threads allow indoor or outdoordriving.• Includes: vehicle & RC controller• Ages 8 years & up• Uses 2 "AA" batteries & charger (included)

AirHogs

Hot WheelsRC Terrain Twiser

Page 7: Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Guide • November 22, 2012 • 7

The Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star,Harmony B. Sharp ™ is the first eventalking, singing, dancing hair - spinningLalaloopsy Silly Hair Doll who loves tosing, dance, and put on shows. She's anatural entertainer who loves to be cen-ter stage. She can do it all - act, dance,and sing…even if she sometimes missesa note or two. Sing along with her toyour favorite songs. Change her hairstyle to watch her perform a new song.She has a pet kitty.

Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star,Harmony B. Sharp ™

SpiderMan Web Shooterwith Glove

Your child will love this Spider-Manweb shooter.The dual-action glovecan shoot either water or a specialweb fluid that is included. Evil doesn'tstand a chance.

Barbie Sisters Cruise Ship• Barbie and sisters can take a magical trip on their family cruise ship• Cruise ship features a steering wheel and 2 lounge chairs• Side panel opens up to reveal deck, an umbrella pops up, a fun swing,and a grand buffet rotates around• Back of the boat also pulls out to reveala fabulous pool that features two slidesfor racing• Flip up the deckto reveal twoseparate beds

Page 8: Holiday Gift Guide

8 • Gift Guide • November 22, 2012

The holidays are the most festive time of the year, and no holiday season iscomplete without a party or two with family and friends. Be it to celebrate areligious holiday or to ring in the New Year, a holiday party is an essential ele-ment to the holiday season.

While it's always great to be a guest, hosting a holiday party is a great way toshow friends and family how much they mean to you. This holiday season,consider the following tips to ensure your holiday party is as memorable as theseason is merry.

• Make it a themed party. The holiday season is filled with festivities, fromoffice parties to neighborhood gatherings to gatherings with family. For morecasual affairs, set your party apart with a theme. A sweater party, where eachguest wears a Christmas sweater, can be a fun way to excite guests and inspirea few laughs. Give a prize to the guest with the most ornate sweater. Orencourage guests to dress up like some favorite holiday characters, includingSanta Claus, Frosty the Snowman or even Rudolph.

• Don't forget the holiday fare. Just like parties are a staple of the holidayseason, so, too, are certain foods and types of music. Few people indulge in

some eggnog outside of the holiday season, so make sure there's plenty ofeggnog on hand. And don't forget the cookies. As people enjoy holiday goodies,make sure they do so with holiday music playing in the background. Choosesongs that guests know and to which they can sing along. Such sing-alongsmight become especially memorable once guests have a glass of eggnog.

• Host a holiday giveaway. Though it can be fun to do a Secret Santa,chances are guests already have enough gifts to buy. But hosts can spicethings up with a holiday giveaway that rewards guests. Host a holiday-themedround of Trivial Pursuit or a holiday movie trivia game that encourages gueststo compete for prizes. Prizes can be small and inexpensive, but guests will besure to enjoy some friendly competition for holiday-themed prizes.

• Prearrange transportation home for guests. A successful holiday party isone that is safe, so be sure to prearrange travel home for guests just in caseanyone overindulges in holiday cheer. When sending out invitations, seek vol-unteers to be designated drivers, and avoid drinking alcohol yourself. For largerparties, call a local taxi service and arrange for a couple of cabs to be on callwhen the party ends.

Host a merry, memorable holiday party

Page 9: Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Guide • November 22, 2012 • 9

While the holiday season is a time of joy, givingand religious reflection, it also can be a time ofexcess. Holiday parties, meals brimming with morefood than the average person can consume, wrap-ping paper tossed aside after minimal usage, andshoppers venturing for miles in cars insearch of presents can all prove wasteful.For the environmentally conscious, the

holiday season is a great opportunity toput your ideals to use. Although it mayseem like a challenging task, going greenfor the holidays is easier than you mightthink.• Get a live Christmas tree. Christmas

trees are planted expressly for the pur-pose of being cut down and turned intoholiday decor. Responsible tree farms willplant many more trees than is needed forthe purpose of Christmas trees. Be a goodsteward for the environment and recycle your treeonce the holidays are over. Some recycling centerswill pick them up for free or a small fee.• Consider giving food as a gift. Food is consum-

able, doesn't take up space, and locally grown fooddoes not require shipping or wasteful packaging.It's an ideal gift for those who already have every-

thing.• Cut back on holiday decor. Most people love

showcasing their Christmas spirit with decorations.However, many decorative products areproduced overseas and shipped over to

North America on large vesselsthat require a lot of fuel. Thinkabout reducing yourdecorations or replacing plasticand metal decorations for all-nat-ural options. Branches of holly ortwigs tied with ribbon to form anatural wreath.• Don't leave lights on for

extended periods of time. Homesand businesses bedecked in holi-day lights are staples of the sea-son. However, extra lights, inflatable lawnSantas and other accessories consume sub-

stantial amounts of energy. Instead of leaving lightsand other decorative items running for hours eachnight, turn them off after a little while to save ener-gy.• Donate money in lieu of gifts. Choose environ-

mentally responsible charities and donate funds totheir efforts in the name of people who do not need

another package of pajamas.• Use decomposable shipping peanuts. Shipping

peanuts are environmentally friendly packing prod-ucts that are made from cornstarch. Whenthey come in contact with water, they dis-solve.• Donate unused gifts. Nearly everyone

gets an unwanted gift come the holiday sea-son. Instead of putting items in the trash ortaking them back to the store, donate giftsyou'll never use to a charity or a thrift shop.• Wrap gifts with wrapping paper alterna-

tives. Wrapping paper is a luxury item andone that tends to be wasteful. There aremany items around the house that can berecycled into decorative gift wrap. Sewscraps of fabric together for a patchwork bag

or use glossy photos from a fashion magazine topapier mache a box. When you think creatively,you're bound to come up with some very usableand eco-friendly ideas.Although many people tend to go overboard for

the holidays, getting into the holiday spirit does nothave to be unfriendly to the environment.

Easy ways to be 'green' for the holidays

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — LukeSkywalker and Princess Leia outmus-cled little green army men for a spot inthe National Toy Hall of Fame. "StarWars" action figures join centuries-olddominoes in the class of 2012, whichwas announced by the Rochester hall.A national selection commit-

tee chose them from among 12finalists, plucking the mostancient and most modern toysfrom the list."Star Wars" action figures

went on the market in 1978, fol-lowing the 1977 releaseof the 20th Century Foxmovie. The 3 3/4-inchfigures of Han Solo,Chewbacca, R2-D2 andcompany were sold until1985 and again from themid-1990s to today.Museum officials say

their phenomenal popularity inspiredother toy makers to tie their productsto movies and television series andthey note the toys' appeal extends toadults who continue to collect them.Dominoes originated in China in the

1300s and appeared later in Europe ina slightly different form. A standard set

of 28 tiles represents all possibleresults when rolling a pair of six-sideddice, with the addition of two blanksides.The toys beat out plastic green army

men, the board game Clue, the Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Lite-Brite, the

Magic 8 Ball, the pogostick, sidewalk chalk, theelectronic game Simon,the tea set and Twister.To date, 49 toys have

made the cut. They rangefrom classics, like Play-Doh and Slinky, to the lessobvious, like the stick andcardboard box.Officials at the Toy Hall

of Fame say anyone cannominate a toy and thousands of sug-gestions come in every year. An inter-nal committee of curators, educatorsand historians chooses the finalistsand then a national selection commit-tee votes for the winners.Longevity is a key criterion for get-

ting into the 14-year-old hall. Each toymust be widely recognized, fosterlearning, creativity or discoverythrough play, and endure in populari-ty over generations.

Star Wars action figures joindominoes in the National Hall of Fame

CURB EXCESS

Page 10: Holiday Gift Guide

10 • Gift Guide • November 22, 2012

The go-to gift of late is the gift card. Chance are, though, that recipients --although thrilled that they can do their own shopping -- may find gift cards abit impersonal.

Statistics indicate that around $100 million in gift cards are purchased everyyear in the U.S. Despite being a popular gift item, roughly six to 10 percent ofall gift cards go unused, according to the Tower Group. Some even come withinactivity fees. As an alternative to gift cards, gift baskets may be a welcomechange.

Gift baskets are relatively easy to put together and sometimes, especiallyaround key holidays, can be purchased ready-made. Grouping similarly themeditems together to fit a particular interest can fit the bill when shoppers can'tdecide on a gift to buy.

The advantage to gift baskets is that they can be assembled for just aboutany hobby, interest or occasion. They don't even have to be in a traditional"basket." Here's a look of some easy gift groupings to fit a wide variety ofevents.

• New baby: A collection of baby-themed items works when wishing new par-ents well. It can also be a good solution for when all of the bigger-scale itemson a baby registry have already been purchased and only the smaller, lower-priced things are left. Put together infant T-shirts, wash cloths, outlet safetyplugs, shampoo, diapers, and the other things new parents may not immedi-ately think to buy. Wrap it all up in a portable baby bathtub for a containerthat has utility.

• Housewarming: Kitchen essentials are good ideas for newlyweds or thosewho just bought a new home. Scour the kitchen tool aisles of departmentstores or specialty shops. These can be themed according to what is purchasedas well. For example, fill a large mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, a box ofpaper muffin cups, cake mix, and mixing spoons for the person who loves tobake.

• Travel: Getting ready to take a trip can be a bit hectic, and a traveler mayoverlook some of the essentials that can make the vacation more pleasurable.Items like a travel alarm clock, miniature size toiletries, traveler's checks, gum,a journal, travel guides, and a memory card for the person's camera are goodideas. Pack all of these things inside of an expandable tote bag.

• Host/hostess gift: Saying thanks to a friend or family member who hasinvited you over for a dinner or overnight stay can be as simple as grouping afew things together. Put together a basket with a set of sheets, hand towels, pil-low and other essentials that can be appreciated by future guests.

• Food: One gift idea that goes quite well in a gift basket is food. Pick atheme and put the items together. Barbecue lovers can appreciate sauce, shishkabob skewers, spice rubs, a cookbook, hickory chips, grill tools, and othersimilar items.

Gift baskets are personalized gifts that are easy to assemble and can be aviable alternative to gift cards.

Baskets make an easy, affordable option

Food and beverage groupings are popular choices for gift baskets.

Page 11: Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Guide • November 22, 2012 • 11

express your personality

don’t forget your boots

he clever use of accessories can lend many different looks to afew basic outfits. One tip is to choose shoes, a scarf or tie, a belt,

and jewelry in matching or complementary tones, then pair them upin unique ways. For example, if you always reach for the same blackbelt and bag to go with gray clothes, try accenting with red, pink, orlavender instead.

Scarves can add a dash of color to an otherwise monochromaticoutfit. Shoes are another quick way to change up your look.

&suits

ccessorizing can also help you adapt to seasonalchange or go from work to play. Choose accessories ofdifferent texture and weight as the season changes,using materials like velvet or suede for winter. To makethe transition from office wear to after-hours, replaceclassic, understated jewelry, and plain belts with some-thing flashier or more casual. Slip off those pumps ordress shoes and step into platforms or even cowboyboots.

T

F

A

or example, chunky boots andopaque tights give a skirt a very dif-ferent feel than when it's worn withsheer hose and heels.

Page 12: Holiday Gift Guide

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