A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

Roald Dahl is one of my favorite children's book authors. It's no wonder that his fantastic stories were perfect for the big screen. There was, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, I could go on and on. That's why I'm super excited for the latest Dahl book to hit theaters, The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Directed by indie darling, Wes Anderson, Mr.Fox includes a star-studded cast of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Jason Schwartzman. The preview already looks amazing, using stop motion animation just like the Nightmare Before Christmas. This is the perfect flick that both parents and kids will enjoy. Fall in love with Dahl's classics all over again with this Roald Dahl Gift Set. It's the perfect gift for little bookworms with big imaginations. 

Roald Dahl Gift Set starting at $24.96.

Are you or someone you know hungry to bite into the next Twilight movie? You’re in luck because there are loads of licensed products that will bring Twilight into every aspect of your life from backpacks and everyday accessories to collectible Twilight action figures and cardboard cut outs. 

We have found the coolest gifts for anyone who has Twilight fever. Don’t forget, the new movie comes next Friday!  See more Twilight gifts and gifts for Teens.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Board Game starting at $14.97. 

Today is Veterans Day. And while it’s not the most gift-able day on the calendar, it is a day where we should make every attempt to acknowledge and thank our veterans for their service. 

Earlier this year, I saw a documentary called “The Way We Get By”. The film is the extremely moving story about the Maine Troop Greeters.  In some ways, TWWGB is about servicemen and women going into and coming back from war. But in most ways “The Way We Get By” is about “service” in a general sense.  The film explores service by our armed forces, service to our nation and communities and service to our families- and how profound meaning can come from honoring this service. The award-winning film has been critically acclaimed in showings everywhere from arthouse theaters, to screenings for members of congress. 

I’m fairly certain in if you take a peek at the trailer, you’ll probably get choked up, and will most likely want to make time to watch (or DVR) this truly inspiring film. 

The Way We Get By on DVD starting at $22.49. 

Last year EA Games and Hasbro teamed up to release Hasbro Game Night to bring classic games to video game platforms. So it’s exciting to see the release the follow up, Hasbro Family Game Night 2.

Fans of the first edition will love the updates and the new selection of classic games. One to four players can compete in both classic versions and fun updates to games we all know and love such as “Operation”, “Bop-It”, Connect 4×4, Pictureka, and my favorite Jenga. Play to compete and play to design your own virtual game room to be filled with awards and décor earned through HFGN2 game play. While game night may have moved from the kitchen table to in front of the Wii, the time spent playing as a family is a timeless tradition that will be remembered for years to come.

Want win a copy of Hasbro Family Game Night 2?  Become a fan Gifts.com on Facebook and leave a comment with your favorite game featured on Hasbro Family Game Night 2 by 6:00 p.m EST, Friday, November 13. One comment per person please, multiple comments will be discarded. Click here to read the official rules.

Yes I will admit it – I am a certified “Gleek.”  The show is cheesy, unrealistic and cheesy (worth saying twice.) And I love every minute of each episode!  Any show where the underdog gets to win AND sing is a show I have to watch. 

They all sound great in the soundtrack – better than they did at the World Series. But who cares about that because Glee doesn’t belong in the real world – it’s where we go to escape from the real world. And this new soundtrack does the trick in between episodes! It's a great little gift to surprise the music lover on your list. 

Glee: The Music Soundtrack starting at $11.55. 

After checking out the new DJ Hero game, I have to say that it will bring new life to “Last Night a DJ Saved my Life”. The DJ Hero turntable controller immerses you into authentic DJ culture allowing you to scratch, cross-fade, and beat match. Customize your mix with a variety of effects and samples transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party. It features online and offline multiplayer competitive and cooperative modes.

Mix and scratch over 102 individual songs, highlighted in over 93 exclusive new mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, electronica, R&B, Motown, pop, and rock. DJ Hero brings the hottest artists including: Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Justice, Marvin Gaye, Beastie Boys, N.E.R.D, and more. Whether you’re a real DJ, want a new challenge different from RockBand or Guitar Hero, or just love music, you’ll be hooked on this game in no time. DJ Hero is guaranteed to be a hit among teens, college kids and young adults this holiday season. It’s definitely on my Top 10 Gifts for Teens and Hottest Holiday Toys for Teens lists.

DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable starting at $119.00. 

When it comes to kids' entertainment, there's only a handful of shows that both kids and parents can enjoy. So when you find a show like Yo Gabba Gabba, there's never a need to change the channel. This highly addictive and entertaining show combines teaching lessons to kids and hit music for adults. Gone are the days of Raffii and Barney, Gabba Gabba features the hottest musical acts in each episode so you won't mind it so much when your kid starts reciting all the songs. If you're already a fan of the show, then I have some great news for you. Yo Gabba Gabba just released their first soundtrack CD featuring all of their hit songs and favorite musical guests. 

The name says it all, "Yo Gabba Gabb: Music is Awesome", and I must say it was a big hit at the office. With catchy tracks by The Roots, Chromeo, and The Shins, adults will be pressing repeat as they sing along in the car. Daily chores like brushing your teeth and washing your hands get the funk treatment and will have your kids clamoring for the bathroom.  To kick off their fall, country-wide live tour, we're giving away two copies of this newly released CD to two of of lucky Giftrap readers. 

Want to Win? First become our Fan on Facebook, and post a comment telling us what your favorite Yo Gabba Gabba song is.  The contest period runs through 9:30 am on Saturday, October 31 through Tuesday, November 3 at 11:59 pm. One comment per person, multiple comments will be discarded. Click here to read the official rules.

Check here for the complete tour schedule, and click here to listen to one of our favorite songs, "Get the Sillies Out".

For the first part of 2009, Littlest Pet Shop for Wii was glued into our console. My daughter (7 years old) was addicted to unlocking all the LPS animals and conquering every mini-game. So you could imagine her reaction when I told her that a second LPS game for Wii was coming out.  Needless to say, in anticipation to the game’s arrival, I’ve seen a big improvement in her listening skills and her room has been quite clean.

She’s going to fall in love all over again with “Littlest Pet Shop: Friends” for Wii. The game is all new yet quite familiar. This time the game revolves around a party planning and preparation narrative.  Think about it, party planning with decorations, cake and ice cream combined with adorable LPS pets, the game’s a sure-fire hit. The game includes all new customizable pets, new mini-games and brand new LPS worlds that will keep her in LPS heaven for the foreseeable future. Now that may not seem like a good thing, but if used responsibly, “LPS Friends” could mean continued good listening and a clean room!

Littlest Pet Shop Friends starting at $36.99.

The ipod Nano has been my media player of choice for the past few years. I love its size and its versatility. So you know I’m very excited about Apple’s newly released update of the Nano. 

The biggest attention-grabbing addition to the new Nano is the player’s built-in video camera.  So now the ability to take quality video is as portable as you are. Another addition, which I love, is the Nano now has an FM radio! But it’s a little more than an FM tuner. With FM on the Nano, the songs and artists you’re listening to will show up on the Nano screen and you’ll also have the ability to pause the radio play and resume it if you have to take a break from the music action (kinda like pausing your TV w/ your DVD). And to top it off, you can tag a song you hear on the radio. So if you tag a song, once you re-connect your Nano, iTunes will remember the song you tagged so you can easily preview and/or purchase the track. Sprinkle in nine updated colors options in either 8GB or 16GB capacities, and I think you’ll agree, that many a music and media lover will find themselves the owner a new Nano come sometime in December.

Apple iPod Nano 8GB (5th Generation) starting at $139.99.

With the summer TV doldrums over, and the new fall line-up, I've found myself glued to the boob tube more than ever. And if your family has the same problem, you might enjoy celebrating National TV Turn-off Week. From September 20-26, families across the country are abandoning their TV sets for something I like to call "bonding" One of my favorite ways to have some family fun is good old fashioned board games.

We've championed Family Game Night before, and now that the holiday toy season is heating up, there are more games than ever to choose from. I've professed my love for Cranium before, and now they have a new Family Edition with bonus playing cards so you'll never have to act out the same thing twice! If you're unfamiliar with Cranium, it's a wonderfully wacky board game that involves drawing, molding clay, acting things out, humming and basically making a fool of yourself in the best possible way. It's perfect for all ages to enjoy, and don't be surprised if your TV starts gathering dust in the meantime. 

Cranium with Bonus 60-Card Family Pack starting at $24.97.