A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

TGIF. You've got your paycheck in hand and we've got a few ideas on how to blow it—on family and friends, of course. But feel free to treat yourself, too. Nothing wrong with a little self-gifting.

For the weekend kickoff: Need to bring beer down the road? To the beach? Across town? No problem if you've got a battery-powered cooler. Hey, it's an eco-friendly way to travel!

For your little American girl: Give her a star-spangled shirt so she can show off her patriotism with style.

For the bachelorette bash: All the beauty products you need to get ready for the big night out and save yourself from the disheveled after-party look at 2 a.m. For the campfire: It's not summer without s'mores and this rotissiere gadget promises perfectly toasted marshmallows.

For future chefs: Take your kid to see Ratatouille then spark his interest in the kitchen with this cookbook. For the guy saving you a patch of grass: Use this folding chair as a bribe if you need someone to save you a spot at the 4th of July parade or fireworks show.

Maybe you have a sick friend or family member - someone who is recuperating from surgery or ordered to bedrest and has nothing but a pile of books and bad summer reality TV to keep her entertained. And maybe this is the same friend who, when you asked if she had a Dr. McSteamy checking on her, gave you a blank look, a shrug of the shoulders, and said, “a Dr. McWho?”

Waste no time then in presenting Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 DVD—a get well soon gift that will lift her from her daze and keep her entertained with a hot cast, dramatic storyline, and great music.

By the holiday, she’ll be caught up on her Grey’s and you two can compare notes with this new trivia game based on the show. Due out this fall. Seriously!

Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 DVD starting at $21.99

I just started obsessively TiVo’ing the Travel Channel’s series 1,000 Places to See Before You Die (Thursdays at 9 p.m.). The show is based on the popular book of the same name and follows a couple around the world as they visit a bunch of the amazing spots the author, Patricia Schultz, writes about. I must admit, I’m insanely jealous of the lucky travelers and wish I had the vacation days and cash to follow in their footsteps.

Really there’s only a few times in life when you’ll have the chance to do such a massive string of traveling: if you become independently wealthy (note: buy winning lottery ticket tonight) or when you retire. And since all the retirees I know have a tendency to get bored without work, you might want to give them this book so they have a few good ideas of what to do, or 1,000 to be exact.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die starting at $22.36

Since Independence Day barbeques usually go on long after the daylight hours, you’ll need to keep the backyard bright while you wait for the fireworks to start. On the 4th, bring your host or hostess one of these well-lit gifts to make sure you stay out of the dark.

String Lights: Show your support for the red, white, blue, and green with these patriotic and eco-friendly solar powered star string lights.

Glowing Drinkware: Illuminate the important stuff with light-up ice cubes and LED powered beer glasses.

A Brighter BBQ: Keep the hot dogs and burgers comin’ after sundown with a clip on LED light for your grill.

I know, I know, you want an iPhone…you can’t wait ’til Friday…blah, blah, iPhone, blah.

I hate to break it to you, but if you don’t go get in line to buy one right now, you might not be one of the first ones to get the new toy from Apple tomorrow.

What will you do if you can’t fulfill your gadget lust? I’ve got a few ideas that might help you through this difficult time.

Upgrade your iPod Shuffle: I admit, the Bevy won’t turn your Shuffle into an iPhone, but it will turn your Shuffle into a church key. And if you can’t get your hands on an iPhone, it’ll help you drown your sorrows. (via Popgadget)

Pretend you have an iPhone: Carry your mobile in this shiny holder, work on your poker face, and only you will know the “not an iPhone” horror that hides inside.

Throw in the towel and go retro: Get an old rotary phone and tell everyone you’re starting a new trend, that you don’t buy into the iPhone hype, and that you no longer have any interest in reading your email or watching a movie on your mobile because your new telephone has a drawer for recipes. That’s right, recipes.

Spend your money on something “better”: Remember, you’ve already got a camera, a computer, an iPod, a cell phone, and a TV. Do you really need to blow a couple grand this year on a little gadget? Why not become a fighter pilot for a day instead?

Now that summer has officially arrived, it’s really time to break out all the cute sun dresses, flirty skirts, and my personal favorite: fun and flattering t-shirts.

These days, so many fantastic designers are using the t-shirt as their canvas, making it easy and affordable to support your favorite artist while looking totally hip.

This bike T would make a great birthday gift for a good girlfriend. And since it’s only $30, you can afford to get a shirt for yourself, too! If you’ve never bought one of these popular American Apparel tops, keep in mind that they’re super flattering and very soft and totally addictive!

Bike T-Shirt starting at $30

Fourth of July's just a week away. Hopefully you've got a good stock of firecrackers, beer, and hot dogs stashed away for the day. Speaking of dogs, how about a little something to show off your puppy's American spirit?

Dress your pooch up in red, white, and blue with this "From Flea to Shining Flea" tank. It's an outfit guaranteed to secure him a spot in any Independence Day parade. And while this tank is clearly bi-partisan, we're on the hunt for party-specific pet gear for the upcoming election. After all, who is more loyal than man's best friend?

From Flea to Shining Flea Tank starting at $30

Every summer by about this time, either my inflatable raft starts getting a hole or my daughter has decided to permanently perch on my favorite outdoor chair. I definitely need a lounger upgrade and boy have I found it!

The Man’s Best Lounge Chair is genius. It’s got a bunch of cup holders, a canopy shade to block that hot sun, zippered pockets for gear, and it’s made of durable fabric. I’m not letting anyone near this.

And I’m willing to bet that every guy you know who spends time at the beach or a pool would love to stake his claim on one of these. Give it as a birthday gift, to the guy who hosts you for a weekend at the lake, or let your dad spend his retirement relaxing on the open water.

Man’s Best Lounge Chair starting at $198

Something’s in the water here. We’re on track to deliver one new Gifts.com baby per month. With so many newbies and newly-minted parents floating around, there’s a lot of babble about cool gifts for growing families. Bill, our resident marketing guru and father to two little cuties, recently shared this tip with us:

Check out the Gymboree Play & Music Program. My wife and our oldest daughter loved this learning/developmental program that offers a once a week, 10-week program plus designated days for free play time.

You can hook up all the new moms and dads you know with a gift certificate to one of these fun programs. Hey, funded play time sounds like the perfect gift for anyone. Sign me up too!

When I spend a day at the beach or the park there are a couple of things I need: music, sun, and cold drinks. While I can’t control the rays, I can knock out the other two with one fun bag. It’s a cooler and speakers all in one and it’s easy to tote: instant love!

Plug your iPod into the headphone jack, fill the cooler up with water, snacks, and suntan lotion, and you’re set. Any beach bum would love it as a birthday gift and your beach house host would surely get lots of use out of it, too.

Cool Tunes Cooler Bag starting at $45