Gifts and Experiences

I enjoy giving Christmas gifts to my family and friends, however the traditional process of Christmas gift shopping – ie choosing and buying suitable gifts was painful.  The process included  some or all of the following:

• crawling along in traffic queues along with other Christmas  shoppers on the way to shopping centres or out-of-town retail parks
• circling around the car parks and fighting with other Christmas gift shoppers for any available parking space
• trudging through store after store to get gift ideas
• getting hungry and thirsty and stopping for something to eat or drink
• finding that the queues to get a drink or snack are a mile long
• queuing for several hours more in each gift store to pay for the Christmas gifts
• hauling several bags through store after store
• being run down by trolleys or kiddies strollers in the crowded stores
• enduring tired, bored, hungry and screaming kids- (yes – your own as well as others!)
• dragging yourself and your shopping bags back to your car
• finding that there are long queues to get out of the car park
• discovering that you don’t have any change to pay for parking!  GRRRRRR!

This method of shopping for Christmas gifts made me extremely GRRRRRRRRR—UMPY, until I discovered that I don’t have to put myself through this frustrating process every year, when shopping for Christmas gifts can be so stress-free!

How Shopping for Christmas Gifts can be Stress-Free!

To buy gifts for men that will be truly appreciated, you have to understand a man’s basic instincts.  These instincts have been with him since he was born – indeed they can be traced to the origin of the human species.

Why Men have always wanted practical things – like Tools and Gadgets

The male has always been the hunter-gatherer, the warrior, the provider of  food, shelter and protection to his tribe and family.  To fulfil this role he developed tools to hunt, fish and harvest food for his family, tools to fight off predators and tools to build shelters and homes for his family. He progressed to taming wild animals (horses, camels, elephants) to afford him transport to his hunting grounds, to carry materials to build his shelters to protect  his family.  As he found time to relax, he made tools to paint and to carve ornaments, built instruments to play music, made crude jewellery of beads and stones to adorn himself to appear attractive to the opposite sex, engaged in sport  to stay fit-  even learned to distill his own crude liquor to get drunk after a victory!  When a man was given a gift by his ‘Chief’ or his colleagues to celebrate an achievement – it always fulfilled the same base instincts:  ie a special hunting knife, a special rifle, a special medallion to show off–and sometimes even a mighty stallion!

Men still prefer practical Tools and Gadgets as Gifts

Today, gifts for men are still tools, gadgets and gizmos which fulfil the same instincts.  Men no longer have to depend on hunting tools to provide for their families , but the instincts to use tools, gadgets and gizmos to make things or do things   has endured.  Men continue to have hobbies and interests to engage or relax them – why some still like fishing,  if only for pleasure, and shooting – even if its only paint-balling!  And men still  want a social life – even if its just to have a drink and a laugh with their mates.  For some men the crude stone jewellery has been replaced by gold jewellery and watches.   And although men no longer use a horse to get about, the  stalliion has been replaced by his hot motorbike or make belief ‘Ferrari’!

Why Men don’t always get Emotional or Excited about Gifts

Emotionally, man had to be brave and portray to predators and enemies that he was strong and composed and therefore invincible. Any sign of emotion would portray him as weak and make him vulnerable. This is why men don’t get as excited and emotional as women and children about most things – including opening Christmas gifts! It’s nothing personal – it’s just a man thing. Men are just more practical – a woman might say boring – but practical none the less. If a man needs any of the tools or the means to fulfil his role as provider and protector, or to stay fit, or to engage him physically or mentally, or to relax – he just does not wait until Christmas!

Still Looking for Gifts for Men

So if you ladies are still wondering about gift ideas for your man, be it for your boyfriend, husband, brother or your dad, just think about the  tools and gadgets and gizmos he could  use to get jobs he wants to get done – both at work and around the house; the gadgets and gizmos that go with his particular interests or hobbies;  the gear that goes with the sport he plays; the stuff he uses to relax eg:  the films he watches, the music he listens to , the instruments he plays;   the bling in which he likes to pose;  not forgetting  the  gadgets, gizmos and accessories he could add to his ‘wheels’ , whether its his hot car,  his hot motorbike – or even just his hot mountain bike!

Over the next few weeks I hope to post specific gift ideas for men with particular interests or hobbies including:

Gifts for Bikers – Gifts for Car Enthusiasts – Gifts for Music Lovers – Gifts for Film Enthusiasts – Gifts for Martial Arts Enthusiast- Gifts for Footballers – Gifts forRunners – Gifts for Swimmers – Gifts for Geeks – Gifts for Book Lovers -  Gifts for the Whiskey Lover – Gifts for the Home Bartender – Gifts for Accountants – Gifts forLawyers -Gifts for the Engineer -Gifts for Office Worker – Gifts for the Astronomer – and more…..

Please feel free to add your Comments or Suggestions in the Comments section below.

Great Places to Buy Gadgets Gizmos and Tools for Men

Does the person you’re buying a gift for like listening to music while commuting, cycling, running, working out or whilst doing anything else?

Does he or she like to capture casual video footage of funny, amusing or unusual events to share with his or her friends?

If so, the new, 5^th generation iPod Nano is an ideal present. With the new iPod Nano you can not only listen to music, but watch music videos or any other video clips.  What’s more, it has a video camera so you can spontaneously take video clips of any event you want to record.

Video Recording and Playback

To use the video camera, all you have to do is scroll through the menu and select – you can then record video in portrait or landscape mode.  You can choose from fifteen video ‘special effects’ eg: film grain, motion blur, tunnel vision, cyborg – and more, to add special character to your fun video clips. It has an integral mic and speaker, which allows you to capture and playback audio, so when you play back your video clips on the iPod Nano, you’ll hear the recorded audio with it.   You can also use it as a Voice Recorder to record and play back personal notes etc.  The video file sizes are small and ideal for emailing to your friends or uploading to Facebook, YouTube or other social media or video sharing networks.

FM Radio with ‘Live Pause’

Should you wish to listen to your favourite radio programme while traveling or working out, the new iPod Nano comes with an amazing new feature: ‘Live Pause’ which lets you pause the radio programme, rewind it- as far back as 15 minutes, replay it and then fast-forward to catch up with the live broadcast – all with a click!  The FM tuner also has RDS support that lets you see the names of songs and artists you’re listening to on the radio.

‘Genius’

‘Genius’ allows you to sync your iPod Nano with iTunes music on your computer and create up to 12 ‘Genius Mixes’ –  which are genre based ‘channels’ of similar music -which you can choose from to play according to your mood.   You can also create ‘Genius Playlists’ of selected tracks ‘on the go’ with a a few clicks, to listen to right away or save for later.

Other Features:

Other features include:  ‘Cover Flow’ which enables you to scroll through album art for the song you want to hear – or you can just revert back to normal mode to select a track to listen to or to add to your ‘on the go’ playlist.  ‘Shake to Shuffle’ allows you to play music randomly – so with a simple shake of the iPod Nano you can change the song currently playing to another random song.

The new iPod Nano comes with a larger 2.2” screen, in nine cool colours and a shiny aluminum finish.  The 8GB version can store up to 2,000 songs or 8 hours of video.  The 16GB version stores up to 4,000 songs or 16 hours of video – probably enough for the most avid music or video enthusiast.

The only criticism of the iPod Nano is that the video camera is standard definition. So although video quality in normal lighting is acceptably good  for casual use, it is not high definition – like my Flip Ultra HD 8GB reviewed in an earlier post.  However, you have to remember that the iPod Nano is the world’s best music player first – with an  FM radio and a handy and fun video camera thrown in.

So, if the recipient needs or wants a fantastic music player – with an FM radio with really cool features – plus the ability to take casual video on the go, then look no further than the new iPod Nano. It is extremely good value for money and is in great demand this season, so order yours early before stocks run out as we get closer to Chrismas!

iPod Nano Range and Colours still in stock at:

Amazon UK

John Lewis

Play.com

No. I don’t mean clothes for the blonde in the picture – that was only to get your attention!

Do you always choose flowers and chocolates for your wife or girlfriend as a safe bet? Do you buy her gift vouchers as the easy way out?  Maybe you buy her jewellery every year, thinking that she’ll happily have jewellery, so you’ll just spend the money and get the ‘chore’ out of the way quickly. Do you always avoid buying her clothing as a gift because you’re afraid of making a huge blunder and Christmas becoming a disaster?

Fear not – it’s not so difficult.  Buying her clothes she will love to wear is personal, shows that you are in touch with your woman, her personality and her tastes.  It shows her that much time, thought and effort has gone into choosing her something nice to wear.  If you’re prepared pluck up the courage to do something different this year and buy her clothing, the following tips will give you the confidence to buy her clothes that she will love to wear:

Don’t Stuff Up at the first hurdle – Get her Size Right!

The easiest way to get this right is to check the size of the clothes in her wardrobe.  Pay particular attention to the clothes she wears most often – these are the clothes she’s most comfortable with, so these are the sizes you want.

Be careful to note the sizes of tops and bottoms separately – women often wear different size clothes for tops and bottoms.  You may get away with less specific sizes  when choosing loose fitting clothing, for example a cool cotton kaftan or a baggy cashmere sweater in which she can relax, where the only size choice may be small, medium or large.

The most important point here is you must get the size right.  Get her something too large and she will be offended that you see her larger than she really is.  Get her something too small and she will be embarrassed that she really is larger than you thought she was!  Either way you’ve stuffed up!

Choose Style she’ll be comfortable with!

I’m sure all men have fantasies about the clothes in which they would like to see their woman! But let’s be practical here – we’re trying to choose clothes to please her not ourselves. So back to her wardrobe to check out the styles she likes most. Women like to wear styles that make them look slimmer, so pay particular attention to the clothes she wears most often –these are the styles she’s comfortable with. Pay attention to hints and remarks she makes, when she sees people wearing the clothes she likes on the telly, in magazines and elsewhere.

Decide the purpose for which you’re going to buy her clothes as her styles will differ for different occasions. For example a smart suit and shirt or blouse for work, classy but casual skirt, trousers or designer jeans and fashionable top for the theatre or a posh restaurant, sporty gear for working out, casual bottoms or jeans and loose tops or baggy sweaters in which to go shopping or simply relax etc

The important point here is to choose a style she will be comfortable wearing.  By all means choose styles in which you think she will look cool and sexy, but stay firmly within her comfort zone!  If, for example, you buy her clothes which are too revealing or fitting – which she’s not comfortable to go out in, they will collect dust until the next wardrobe clearout for charity.  Your opportunity to buy her clothes which are more revealing or which you want her to wear will come when you buy her intimate lingerie – but be patient – that’s the subject of another post!

Be Creative with Colours!

OK, so you’ve done your research in her wardrobe – checked out the correct sizes for tops and bottoms and got a good idea of the kind of styles she likes.  You’ve even noted the colours she like to wear – colours she feels comfortable with and which reflect her own personality.

But what do you think?  Do you think lighter or brighter colours bring out the tones of her healthy complexion?  Do you feel certain shades emphasise the colour of her eyes?  If you really know your woman well, this is your chance to be a little creative and buy her clothes in a colour she doesn’t already possess.  Visualise how good she will look in a different colour. If you’re still unsure, buy her clothes in a colour she already loves wearing – but in a different, unique or unusual shade!

Other areas where you can be creative with colours are when matching clothes.  For example, if you buy her a dark coloured smart suit for work or a dark coloured smart jacket for evening wear, then you can comfortably buy her a bright coloured shirt or blouse. Also, keep your eyes open and note the colours that are in fashion this season – if you’re still not sure, flip through some fashion magazines at your local newsagent!

Accessorize!

So you’ve chosen clothes you want to buy, but the constraints placed on you to stay within her comfort zone for the right size, style, colour and so on, may sometimes make your gift seem – well not special enough.  Accessories are a great way to make up this perceived deficiency.

Use you imagination! A classy silk scarf or a soft wollen scarf,  for example, can perk up your gift’s appearance..  It’s both useful in the chilly Christmas season and will look and feel good.  Leather belts, purses, jewellery, perfume etc are other items you can buy to add to her gift.  The good thing about accessories is that there is a huge range of stuff you can choose from.  You can get something in a a neutral colour which she can use with any outfit and you don’t always have to worry about the right size!

Get this things right and you will surprise and delight her with your resourcefulness and – if you’re lucky – she may even thank you in a way that shows she really means it!

Where to Buy Clothes and Accessories

OK, so you’ve been married or together for nearly 10 years. You’ve been asking your wife or girlfriend what she would like for Christmas. She’s delighted that you are actually interested in Christmas and offers a few suggestions or  hints – but she’s not been specific about what she would like most. You play it safe and buy her gift vouchers from a reputable online or high street store, thinking that she can get what she wants.

“We come bearing gift vouchers!”

Unless it was a voucher for a thoughtful Experience Gift like a relaxing Spa break –WRONG MOVE!!

Notwithstanding the value of the gift voucher, she will not be happy!  She will think that you do not know enough about her or her tastes – or did not care enough to make the effort to get her something special. Yes – you’ve really blown it!

Gift vouchers are great for non-immediate members of the family, friends or co-workers. If you are not that close to them, you are not really expected to know their tastes and interests. In these situations, gift vouchers are an appropriate and flexible way to get them what they need or want.  Take care to ensure that the recipient can get a reasonable choice of gifts from the merchant and look carefully at the small print for special conditions – especially an expiry date.

The only circumstances in which you would give a really close member of your family a gift voucher is in the form of a secondary gift or as a Christmas stocking filler – for example a gift voucher of modest value to buy CDs, DVDs, video games, books etc

In rare cases your other half may reluctantly ask you for gift vouchers from a particular store. Don’t think you’re off the hook or she will happy with gift vouchers. This is usually a sign that you can’t be trusted to remember precisely what she asked for, or are likely to get the colour or size wrong. If this is you, you had better up your game, or all you’ll be getting from her over the Christmas holiday period is “I’ve got a headache” and Christmas turkey sandwiches!

Where to Buy Gift Vouchers

Where to Buy Experience Gift Vouchers

Most physical gifts have a limited lifespan.  They wear out, stop working or become obsolete.  Often we just get bored with them because we are distracted by something new.

While the duration of Experience Gifts may last several hours to a several days, the memory of the experience lasts for much longer, often forever, especially if you take many photographs or capture the experience on your  new handy Flip Ultra HD camcorder

Dependong on the recipient and their interests, there are many experiences to choose from. For example:

For Her:

• Makeover Experience by a beauty expert,  including a Photoshoot to preserve the memory
• Pamper Day at a fashionable spa – a special treat for a special person, including full a body massage, manicure etc
• Personal Shopping Experience -  for the shopaholic, with her very own personal stylist
• Pole Dancing Experience-  for the fun loving, with group sessions taught by professional dance instructors

For Him:

• Driving Thrill Experience in a supercar eg: Ferrari, Lamborgini, Aston Martin
• Indoor Sky Diving, Bungee Jumping Experience etc for the adrenalin junkie
• Speedboat and Ribcraft rides for those who love speed on water
• Flying Lessons and Helicopter Tours for thrills in the air

For Couples:

• Spa Days for two including use of gym, pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna
• Sightseeing Lunch Cruise and London Eye Trip for two
• Day Trip to Paris with Lunch for two
• Romantic Hotel Breaks for two

A note of caution:  As Experience Gift Voucher is generally valid for no more than a year and sometimes somewhat less, so the experience will have to be booked by the expiry date as many retailers will not extend them.  This can be a problem where the experience is popular – for example the voucher could still be valid for another two months, but the experience itself is booked up for the next three months!  So when you give an experience gift voucher, make sure the recipient is aware of the expiry date and books the experience early.

Keep this advice in mind, an experience gift will be one remembered for many years to come.

See More Experience Gifts – that will be remembered!

This camcorder definitely makes my list of top gifts for this Christmas and after. Why is it different to any other camcorder?  Well, most traditional video cameras, however impressive their specifications or their cost, tend to stay in their box and only come out when we go on holiday or when we want to record a special occasion. For most of us they are too valuable to  risk damage by daily casual use. Also, they are often not small enough to carry about or to use without some fiddling. Not so with the Flip Ultra HD. 8GB.  It is so convenient to use, you will use this camcorder quite casually- almost daily:

• It is barely larger than a mobile phone, so small enough to fit in your pocket and carry around
• Easy to use with only a single big red button for ‘record’ and ’stop’, buttons for fwd/play and rwd,  and a button for zoom.
• It records video for up to 2 hours in HD quality — yes HD quality!
• It connects directly to your LCD TV via an HDMI lead  for direct playback of video.
• It ‘plugs’ directly to your laptop via its integrated USB arm (no leads) for charging and downloading video recordings.
• No software to be downloaded from a disc.  The Flipshare software is downloaded automatically to your laptop when you first plug in the Flip Ultra HD.  You can then download the video recordings and also share video clips via email or upload video clips to YouTube.

I got a Flip Ultra HD 8GB as an anniversary present from my wife recently and it is nearly always in my pocket or by my side for use at a minutes notice, to record the ‘moments’ I wish to save and  for future viewing by family and friends and indeed by later generations. Of course I do have a really good incentive and video ’subject’ at present — my two year old grandson who does something new and amusing nearly every time we see him and I just cannot help recording his amusing antics and viewing them with all the family later. I intend to use it a lot over the Christmas holidays.

Whether you just want a fun everyday camcorder to record your mates being silly,  important ‘firsts’ or  amusing actions of  your children or grandchildren growing up,  or a handy fun camcorder you can use  ‘on the go’  to capture unusual, amusing or important  events as they occur - the Flip Ultra HD 8GB is indispensible.

A word of caution: The model reviewed here is the Flip Ultra HD 8GB version which gives you two hours of HD quality video and comes in black or white. Do not confuse it with the Flip Mino HD 4GB, also a good little camcorder, but which will give you only one hour of video — or other similar models which give you only standard definition video recording.

The Flip Ultra Ultra HD  8GB model is extremely popular this year with an ideal price point for a Christmas present.   Currently, it is not widely available and merchants who do have them are selling out rapidly – so if you decide to buy one you will have to order right now!

The following online merchants still have stocks of the Flip Ultra HD 8GB model, but you will have to hurry!

Amazon

Play.com

Laskys

Firebox

Whether Christmas gift shopping makes you grumpy. or you just don’t have the time to trudge the high street, there is an easier way to perform this annual ritual.  Over the past year or so I’ve discovered that getting gift ideas and buying gifts online is simply a ‘no-brainer’!

You can search and find gifts to suit the recipient whatever their age, size, interests, hobbies, personality, lifestyle or aspirations.  With just a laptop and credit card, you can do this at any time you please  (online shopping is open 24 hours!),  from the comfort of your favourite armchair, in your pyjamas, a glass of wine, beer or cuppa at your side, perhaps munching on a cheese sandwich – whilst watching the telly.

Who said men can’t do more than one thing at a time?!!

Internet shopping  offers a huge choice of specialist websites and gifts that is just not possible with high street shopping.  What’s more is that many  merchants offer incredible ‘online only’ or ‘web-only’ discounted prices which are not available in their own high street stores.

Gifts ordered this way are delivered to your door or directly to the recipient, often gift-wrapped if required, and often with no charge for postage or packing. If the goods need to be returned for any reason, you get a return label (or can usually print one off  from the seller’s website) to return what you don’t want,  without the cost of return postage, fuss or bother.

Whether you want a relaxed shopping experience or just to browse for gift ideas,  just click on any of the product category links above and a virtual shopping mall will open up, from where you can buy almost anything you or your loved ones could wish for.  You will be pleasantly surprised at the choice available and the ease with which shopping can be done.  So what are you waiting for?

Start Shopping Now!!