A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

Today The Sims franchise celebrates their 10th birthday. The Sims may be all about virtual living, but over the last ten years, The Sims has put up some very REAL numbers. For example, over the last decade The Sims game titles have grossed over $1.6 billion (with a “B”). For comparison sake, that’s in the same conversation as some familiar Hollywood blockbusters such as Titanic ($1.8 billion) and The Matrix trilogy ($1.4 billion).

And since its June 2009 release, “The Sims 3” title has sold over 4.5 million copies and was the #1 selling PC game for 2009. Here’s one more factoid about The Sims that should impress. “The Sims 3” YouTube Channel is the second most subscribed to sponsored channel with nearly 55,000 subscribers tallying over 26 million video views.

To celebrate The Sims birthday we’re going to give you a chance to win some great gifts. Enter here to be two of the randomly selected entrants will win a very cool “The Sims Prize Pack”.

This awesome set includes: a copy of The Sims 3,  a copy of The Sims 3 World Adventures expansion pack, a copy of The Sims 3 High End Loft Stuff Pack, one sweet The Sims 3 Fatboy lounge chair, and one The Sims 3 t-shirt.

Here’s to another ten years!

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the stocking tradition. You don't have to stress about the perfect gift, it's all about small frivolous things to make them smile. Even though my brother and I were always perplexed why we received oranges and nuts in our stockings, my Mom would always throw in something special as well. Here are some of our favorite stuffers for the season.

For the Ladies: There's nothing worse then ruining a great handbag by putting it on the floor where it gets scuffed and stained, these decorative handbag hangers are just the thing to extend the life of your accessories. 

For Guys: Give him something both fun and useful with these unique bottle openers. My favorite is this one made out of recycled bike chain. 

For Teens: Hip headphones are always a wise choice for any music-loving teen girl and guy to enjoy. And it'll keep them occupied on long flights and car rides. Win Win!

For the Kiddies: Great for young and older kids, they'll crack up over this palm-sized voice scrambler. Just try and keep the crank calls to a minimum. 

One of my favorite holiday traditions growing up was when my brother and I would put two tree-shaped candy jars by the fireplace, and on Christmas morning, sure enough each one would be filled to the brim with festive candy. We thought it was a Christmas miracle and I'm sure my parents always appreciated the sugar-induced frenzy of unwrapping presents that followed. 

Whether you're starting a new tradition or just want something sweet, this Personalized Christmas Sweets Cookie Jar is something the whole family can enjoy. You can even customize it with the names of all your family. And the best part is, Personal Creations has people a.k.a helper elves working around the clock to ensure Christmas delivery on your custom gift. See their site for shipping cut-off dates to ensure "Santa" shows up on time and Happy Holidays from Gifts.com! 

Personalized Christmas Sweets Cookie Jar starting at $24.95. 

Wondering what to get the Smarty-Pants kid in your life? Kids love gadgets just as much as adults do, but why not let them build it themselves with this Discovery Electronic Gadget Lab? Assemble over 100 different creations using LED lamps, speaker wire and a fan. Plus it all snaps together easily since junior isn't quite old enough to use a soldering iron. 

Educational toys are hotter than ever this year because they combine imaginative play with brain building activities. Science kits have gotten an upgrade and don't just include an old microscope and a test tube set. Check out the rest of these lab kits from Discovery Kids and learn how to make your own tornado, lightning storm and mix your own music. And make this Christmas one they'll never forget. 

Discovery Electronic Gadget Lab starting at $23.99.

You made it through Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday, but you still haven't scooped up that perfect toy for your little one? Shopping for that perfect toy can be tricky and there's always one big seller that every kid wants and sells out everywhere. I'm looking at you Zhu Zhu Pets. Here's a breakdown of the biggest toy trends this holiday that promise a real bang for your buck. 

Blast from the Past: The eighties are back, and it's true in toy land too. Everyone's favorite board games are getting a makeover for this generation, from Clue: Secrets and Spies, to Candy Land: Sweet Celebration. 

You Design It: Crafts continue to be great gift for parents on a budget. Plus kids love being creative. Let's them play fashion designer with Harumika Styling Sets that include colorful fabrics, no sewing involved, and a USB camera to capture their stylish creations. 

Collect Them All: Bakugan figures are still flying off the shelves much to every little boy's delight and girls are vying for the newest computer collectible, FAMPS dolls. Plug them into your computer and unlock secrets and connect with other tweens. They make perfect stocking stuffer.

Go Gadgets Go: Just like adults, kids love shiny new gadgets, but when it comes to buying tech gear for kids, it's all about something they can grow with. Leapfrog's new Zippity game system gets kids active and learning as the game adjusts to their skill levels. And the Eyeclops Mini Projector doubles as a gift for the whole family, so everyone can enjoy their favorite movies and games projected onto any wall. 

Check out the rest of our toy headquarters for all your gifting needs. 

Family game night has moved from board games on the kitchen table to the living room playing Wii. EA’s roster of games for the family is impressive. There’s a little something for everyone. The girls will love “Littlest Pet Shop Friends” and “Charm Girls Club”. The boys will get into “Need for Speed: Nitro”, “Sims Animals Africa” and “Nerf 'n Strike Elite”.

For the older kids? “Spore Hero” and “Boom Blox Bash Party”. The whole family will enjoy “Hasbro Family Game Night 2” and “EA Sports Active More Workouts” My favorite- “MySims Agents”! Family game night just got an upgrade.

Win to gift it- or win it to get it! See our Contest Page for details. 

Before the Thanksgiving leftovers even get cold, people are already clipping coupons and gearing up for Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. But why not do it differently this year? Hit snooze on your early alarm and avoid shopping cart showdowns buy finding all the best deals online. 

One of my favorite stores, Discovery Store, has some great markdown's for everyone on your list. There's a virtual football for the Guy's Guy, Electronic Money Jars for stocking stuffers for the kids, and the amazing Planet Earth DVD all with free shipping when you spend $75 or more (Click through for details and discounts). So kick back, keep your PJ's on, and let your fingers do the shopping. 

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.

Looking for a hot gadget gift this holiday season? Our very own Gift Guru Dan T. breaks down the hottest holiday gadgets on the Digital Trends podcast. There's unique tech gifts for the whole family.

If you’re curious to know the coolest gadget gifts under $150 listen in on Dan’s podcast and check out his list too!  

So what is a Whatnot? A Whatnot is one of the zany-looking Muppet extras you have seen in Muppet productions for years. And thanks to the Muppet Whatnot Workshop, exclusively at FAO Schwarz, you can design and produce a custom-made, one-of-a-kind, Muppet Whatnot of your very own.

For so many years, Muppets have entertained, inspired and taught both young and young-at-heart alike. Now with a Whatnot, you can have a little Muppet magic in your own home. Bottom line: A Muppet Whatnot is a unique and creative gift certain to be a hit. Win it to gift it or win it to get it!

Visit our Gift Giveaway page to enter and view official rules. And check out the Muppet Whatnot video here.