Guide to Gift Giving - Unique Gift Ideas

I tend to get lost in a great book from time to time, but what if your laptop could get lost in one? The BookBook hard cover Macbook case is the perfect way to hide your laptop in public situations where you’d rather keep your prized possession under wraps. It looks exactly like an old, worn book, and is available in both black and red. It is also a novel way to protect your laptop from scratches and dust. It is a great gift idea not only for those who need their laptop with them at all times, but also for anyone who is a fan of classic books.

In each group of friends there always seems to be at least one designated picture taker. The one whose camera seems inseparable from them and the one who views every moment as a photo opportunity. The absolute perfect gifts for this person are any of the new digital photo frames. I got this for my photo-obsessed friend for her birthday this past year and she could not have been happier. Over the years she has collected thousands and thousands of photos, so just any ordinary frame would never do. The digital frames have the ability to hold and store hundreds of photos, emerging as the perfect solution, as she would never have been able to choose just one photo for any frame. A lot of the frames are now touch screen, giving you ultimate control on the ordering and timing of all of your pictures. Some of the newer frames also allow you to add music while your pictures rotate or even a voice over. The frames are easy to operate and add a new twist to simply giving someone yet another picture frame. The designs are also all modern and will go with any persons style, no matter how picky they may be. A great way to personalize the gift or add extra thought is to add some of your favorite pictures together with your friend or loved one and upload them onto the frame ahead of time. 

A great gift that I have found that you can give to nearly anyone is Brookstone’s new iDesign Cube Clock Radio or any other similar make. It is a small clock with built in high impact speakers, completed in a simple and modern design. It is great to give to one person, a couple or even a family as it can be used in practically any room in the house, ranging from the bedroom to the kitchen and even the office. This sleek design is compatible with most iPods and MP3 players and allows you to play music throughout the day or use it has an alarm clock. One of my favorite parts about it is that it will charge your iPod at the same time without you being bothered with various cords and plugs. You’ll now never have to worry about waking up to that infamous loathsome beeping sound again and can instead wake up to any song of your choice. The large, digital glowing clock is also easy to read. Don’t be fooled by the size of the device either. A friend of mine recently purchased it for herself and was able to fill her entire apartment up with music thanks to its large, compact stereo system. Despite being small and simple, the clock is filled with the same functions of an ordinary clock and acts as a speaker system as well. This accompanied with its reasonable price makes it the perfect last minute holiday gift. 

With the holidays comes the endless amount of family gatherings and meetings with friends. The best way to remember these times each year is through pictures and videos, making a camcorder the perfect present for before or during the holidays. The new pure digital flip mini camcorder is not only compact and easy to travel with, or even slide in the back of your pocket but is simple to use, even by those of us who tend to be technologically impaired. Unlike most other camcorders, this one requires little to no wires and has a built in flip out USB arm, giving you instant access to your pictures no matter where you are. This high tech device also allows you to edit your images directly from the camcorder. I could not resist getting this present for my mother this year and cannot wait to give it to her and capture all of our chaotic Christmas and New Years memories. My sister is not able to be with us for Christmas this year so I know being able to share it with her will be the best gift of all for her. 

At this point, chances are everyone has already found a phone or laptop, among other gadgets, that they love. Now that they have completed their collection, take advantage of this and pick out the perfect accessories for them. There is currently an endless supply of options when it comes to picking out an iPod or iPhone case. If you are not sure what the person will like, a simple clear covering for the front is something that everyone could use and that they will definitely be thanking you for later. The new removable art skin prints that are now available are a great way for you to personalize the gift. They come in any color and design imaginable and will even allow you to create your own without costing you a fortune. With this you are sure to find one that fits your friend or family members personality. The Blackberry and other phones alike have the same covers available for them as well. The skins are thin and adhere easily to any device, allowing it to keep its sleek look without becoming bulky. Similar skins are also available for laptops too and are great to give as a set or even in multiple styles.

A great gift for someone who loves to read but it always on the go, is the latest kindle. Kindle is the newest wireless reading device that gives you access to thousands of books at your fingertips. Not only is it lightweight and easy for travel but it is also capable of storing up to 1,500 books. It is great to bring on business trips or family vacations, allowing you to bring as many books as you want, while only taking up the room of less than one book. Newspapers are also easily accessible through it as well for a low price. You should also not be intimidated if you are not as technologically skilled, as it is fast and easy to use. Before giving it as a gift you could even always upload a few copies of your favorite books or articles. The kindle is also equipped with an instant dictionary and access to Wikipedia, a luxury that books do not have. Depending on who you are buying it for the added feature of audio books is a perfect addition and great for long car rides or just laying down. 

With the holidays rapidly approaching, a great gift that will not only last years but is sure to come in handy during the inevitable family gatherings, is a camera. With the large and ever growing selection of cameras that are now available, it is easy to find something for anyone and to personalize the gift based off of each persons needs and usages. For instance, as far as my mother is concerned, a camera should be able to take pictures as its primary function and that is it. The new addition of buttons and touch screens only irritate and confuse her. But I am sure we all know at least one person who is a gadget guru and loves being up on all of the latest technology. For them, a touch screen camera with voice controls is perfect. For someone like my sister however, a stylish color and unique design is something that will immediately catch her eye. If the person either just purchased a camera recently or you know they will be getting one soon, camera accessories are a great gift to add. 

Clocks are an essential part of everyone’s daily lives no matter what your age or occupation, making them the perfect gift for anyone. We all know at least someone who is not a morning person and could use any extra help they can get waking up in the morning. For those who never seem to be able to get up in the morning on their own, the new vibrating alarm clocks are perfect and are sure to not only be amusing to those who receive it but are practical as well. Clocks are also great presents to give as housewarming gifts or wedding presents. Clocks make the perfect wall accessory and are not only visually appealing but useful as well. Based on your loved ones personal style you could have fun with the clock and select some of the more modern artistic ones or go with the simple elegance of black or silver. If you are not scared off by a higher price range and are willing to go all out with your present, a grandfather clock is something you could give that is sure to not only last forever but be passed down through future generations as well. 

Grace: Valentine’s Day is not just a holiday for women, although it may be difficult to remember.  Actually, in Japan women give men they’re interested in chocolate on February 14th, and then a month later, if the man feels the same, he gives her chocolate back.

However, if you feel like participating in a more traditional Valentine’s Day, a great gift for a guy are these bluetooth stereo headphones.  They cancel ambient sound AND they connect wirelessly, which is always a plus.  I’ve tripped over the chord to my headphones way too many times, so I think anyone would love to receive chordless headphones.  This is a great gift for any guy, regardless if he loves listening to music (although that would be a plus).

Grace: As most of you know, karaoke is very popular in Japan and other parts of Asia.  A lot of my Asian friends back home are OBSESSED with it, but I promised myself I would never ever go karaoke.  To my surprise, it turned out to be really fun, and although it’s not something I plan on doing every weekend, I can see why people love it so much.

That being said, if you know someone who loves karaoke and just can’t get enough of it, I found the perfect gift for you.  Known as the Ikaraoke for Ipods, this little device is a great gift for social events, provided the person enjoys karaoke.  It’s far more compact than a karaoke machine, and since you can just plug it into your iPod, you don’t have to worry about not being able to find songs that you like.  Ikaraoke removes the lead vocals so that you can enjoy the karaoke parlor experience without having to pay the devistatingly expensive fee at the end.