I’m helping my niece and nephew make personalized picture frames for their mom.

My brother is blacksmithing and knitting up a storm. I don’t know everything he’s making, but I did coax him into giving me one thing early – an over the door wreath hook for my house. So gorgeous.

I heard my mom on the sewing machine when I called her yesterday, so it is safe to assume some of us are getting some of her gorgeous handsewn creations.

Would I get a Pleo? I don’t think so. My feeling is that no matter how adorable and smart a robotic pet is, there’s nothing like a real critter with a loyal, loving heart. For someone who loves dinosaurs or has allergies, this could be the right option, though.

If your child is a dinosaur lover or can’t have a live pet and you plan to get a Pleo for Christmas, you may want to pre-order one. I’ve heard they might be hard to get a hold of, especially since the release is timed so close to Christmas. (At this price, I can’t imagine stores selling out, but who knows.) They are coming out December 18th.

Top Tops Source: Toy Wishes 2007 hot toys list.

To make a ring, we used a piece of lightweight jewelry maker’s wire, a bag of assorted small glass beads and one of those 5 in 1 jewelry plier tools. (Yes, I am really up on technical jewelry terms…) We began by threading a bead onto the wire and creating a small loop with the bead in it. Then, we strung a few more beads and threaded the wire back through the loop to make a second loop. We continued this until we ended up with a length of wire and bead loops. We checked the fit and then looped the last bit of wire through the first loop and cut off the tail of wire that remained. It really looks similar to the crochet pieces my niece wanted to make and she is thrilled.

If you make some Christmas gifts using this faux crochet technique, I’d love to see some pictures!

Gifts for Mom – From Godiva Chocolates (Hint, hint.) to a delicate heart pendant, this guide is filled with great gift ideas for Mom.

Gifts for Teen Boys – Even if you’ve fallen completely out of touch with what teens want, you can be sure one of these gifts for teens will make someone forget he’s too cool to have fun.

Gifts for Your Husband or Boyfriend – Gift ideas range from a razor that does everything but pick up his dirty clothes to a sleek new XBox.

Find all of Amazon’s handy gift guides here: Gift Ideas for Your Loved Ones

Another useful gift that’s sure to be appreciated is an Ingrown Hair Kit with a CD that will teach him how to get rid of unsightly ingrown hair on the face.  Some men, because they use poor quality shaving accessories and products containing alcohol, have a problem with ingrown hair on the face, but don’t know how to get rid of it.

So maybe he only shaves with an electric razor.  Electronics such as electric razors make popular gifts and are certainly more affordable and practical.  You can also consider watches, wallets, scarf and gloves set, all which can be purchased at your local outlet. Once you have made your selection at the store, purchase a $25 gift card to make your gift even bigger and better.
Dpes your guy wish he could live a bit more dangerously? If you go to the local Harley-Davidson retailer, you can find everything from Harley t-shirts to mugs. Drinking coffee from a mug with a Harley logo is sure to make him feel like he’s starting his day on a daring note.

When in doubt, simplify your gift choice by getting him a Cashmere sweater in a bright color-very popular this season. Most guys may not feel confident about their sense of color to choose one themselves and he’ll be appreciative of your thoughtfulness and good taste.