Countdown to Christmas: Last-Minute Gift Ideas
Becky Worley shares her picks for great gift ideas and last-minute deals
Dec. 16, 2010 — -- Feel like you're running out of time to get all the gifts on your Christmas list? Even though Christmas is days away, there are still deals to be had online and in stores this weekend.
Deals
Walmart Gift Card Promotion:
Gaming devices have already proven popular this holiday season. Walmart is sweetening the deal this weekend on the Wii and the PS3. If you buy a Nintendo Wii for $199 (in white, black, or red, which includes two free games and an additional controller), you get a $75 Walmart gift card bonus. If you get a Playstation 3 160GB video game system for $299 you get a $100 Walmart gift card.
Printable Coupons:
Coach Factory Store: 30 percent off printable coupon from Coach Factory Store.
Kmart: $10 off $50 printable coupon
Borders: $10 off any one item in store
Gift Ideas
I like gifts you can tear open and have fun with right then and there. Here are my picks to help create some fun on Christmas Day.
Star Wars Heroes and Villains Cookie Cutters, $19.95
Equipped with a spring-loaded stamp, these unique cookie cutters are as swift and precise as lightsabers -- and a lot easier to work with. Use the edges to shape your cookie, then gently press the stamp into the dough to create imprinted detailing. After baking, decorate your Storm Trooper, Boba Fett, Darth and Yoda cookies and let the family fun begin!
Cuisinart Cookie Press, $29.95
Cuisinart CCP-10PK Cookie Press makes perfect cookies in minutes with this one-touch operation cookie press. There are 12 cookie discs to choose from, including special seasonal patterns, as well as eight designer pastry tips for decorating cookies and desserts or filling pasta shells, deviled eggs or pastries. Automatic one-touch operation and ergonomic handle make this press easy and comfortable to work with. You can also use it to frost your cookies -- which comes in handy when you want your Yoda cookies to actually look like Yoda.
Tiktok Nano Watchholder, $34.95 or Lunatik Nano Conversion Kit, $69.95
These gifts might not actually make it in time for Christmas but I was so impressed by it that I had to list them. They're wristbands that turn your iPod Nano into a cool watch.
The Tiktok features a simple snap-in design for quick wrist-mounting and is tentatively priced at $34.95.The Lunatik, on the other hand, is marketed as a "premium conversion kit" that secures the Nano in a two-piece CNC-matched aluminum case held together with stainless steel bolts, and should ship for $69.95.
Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for All Ages
Designed for single-player fun or multi-player action, Loopz is a high-energy music memory game that tests kids' skills and gets them moving. This interactive game takes the basic premise of Simon Says and dresses it up with a slick soundtrack and seven challenging modes. Players age 7 and up will test and strengthen their memory, flexibility, and rhythm with musical play.
Oster Electric Wine Opener, $15
No more struggling with those manual bottle openers. The Oster Electric Wine Bottle Opener can open a bottle in seconds with no effort and removes the seal effortlessly. It's cordless and rechargeable, and perfect for parties and wine connoisseurs.
Kindle Cover with Light, $59.99
The Kindle cover with a built in book light comes in various colors. It's the perfect gift for the reader in your house who refuses to turn off the light and go to bed. The built-in, retractable LED light pulls out to illuminate the Kindle, and slides away when not in use. It seamlessly incorporates a reading light into the cover, so you can carry your kindle wherever you go and always have a reading light with you. Simply pull the light out to illuminate the Kindle when you need it, and slide it away to be invisible when you don't. And since the light draws its power from the Kindle, no batteries are needed.
The Freedom Leash is a one-hand-operated dual-retractable leash. At last you can walk two dogs without having to worry about the cords tangling! The Freedom Leash has an inside compartment that spins to prevent cord tangling, giving you the freedom you desire while keeping your pets safely controlled.
Case-mate Bounce IPhone 4 Case, $49.99
Keep a clear head with the Bounce iPhone 4 Case with Pong technology. It's the only technology certified by the Federal Communications Commission proven to reduce cell-phone radiation. A paper-thin strip deflects radiation away from your head, leaving you with a slender, stylish case with more protection than ever.
The Bounce redirects your cell phone's electromagnetic energy away from your head. Once redirected, the radiation quickly dissipates and poses no threat to you or those around you. It's proven to reduce hotspot (EFI) radiation by 85%, and overall (SAR) radiation by 60%. The case itself features a silicone design with easy-to-grip ridges. It's a protective case for both you and your phone.