A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

As far as sports fantasies go, shagging fly balls in centerfield in Yankee Stadium, doing a loop at the Augusta National Golf course and playing a set center court at Wimbledon would all be equally mind-blowing for me. Part of the dream has virtually come true with EA Sports’ Grand Slam Tennis for the Wii. 

Grand Slam Tennis allows you to not only play realistic matches at Wimbledon, but the other three Grand Slam tournament venues as well. Another cool feature is you can play matches as any one of some of the game greats like McEnroe, Navratilova, Borg, Venus, Serena, Becker, or Federer to name a few. 

But for me, the coolest part of Grand Slam Tennis is the very responsive shot making capabilities made possible with the Wii. So if you make downward motion with your Wiimote, you will slice the ball. If you swing low to high you’ll execute a shot with topspin. Swing early and you’ll (if you’re righty) pull the ball to the left. Swing late,  and you’ll push the ball to the right. In short, Grand Slam tennis offers game play that mimics real tennis. 

But here’s the kicker, Grand Slam Tennis can be played using the Wii’s relatively new Wii Motionplus attachment (connects to the bottom of the Wiimote). What Motionplus allows for is even more accurate active play experience.  Its refined sensitivity makes your movements even more literally mimicked within the game. Aside from just being cool, it’s just a little snapshot of some of the capabilities of the Motionplus enhancement. I love EA’s Grand Slam Tennis for tennis fans, sports fans, Wii fanatics and for anyone who just wants to try something pretty cool.

EA Grand Slam Tennis for Wii starting at $39.99.

By now the whole world is mourning the death of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson's far reaching musical and cultural influence turned him into an icon for these times. Everywhere you go, restaurants, stores, cars driving by, his music can be heard. Whether you grew up listening to the Jackson 5, or danced along to Thriller, everyone has their favorite song. 

Wear your support with this I "Glove" MJ T-shirt. A take on the famous I "Heart" NY shirts, this custom tee pays tribute to his unique style and is just one way of remembering this great music legend. He will be missed.

I "Glove" MJ Shirt starting at $17.95.

A very popular search on our site is retirement gifts. When my dad recently retired, it was all about him re-taking up the game of golf.  It has been a lot of fun watching him get into the game he hadn’t played in a long time. When it comes to getting a great gift for the golfer heading into retirement, we have some fun and unique ideas. 

I like the personalized Executive Golf Putting Gift Set as retirement gift. It’s a tasteful and classy memento that says to the golfer “Enjoy your retirement- you certainly deserve it!” Here are some more great retirement gifts for the golfer.

Personalized Executive Golf Putting Gift Set starting at $44.95. 

I can hardly believe it myself, but it's almost July! The rain has finally stopped and I'm ready for sun, fun and fireworks this Fourth of July. It's less than a week away, so check out our patriotic party essentials for this weekend. 

No one can resist cheesecake on a hot summer's day, and this red, white and blueberry cake is sure to disappear quickly from the picnic table. 

For those without a flagpole, you can achieve the same effect with this personalized flag plague. It's weathered finish gives it a folk art look for a dash of Americana decor to any home.

And let's not forget the kids with this American Flag Tank, perfect for boys and girls running around on the beach or backyard. 

For the entertainers, these portable wood flag serving trays will make any party feel festive and mess free. 

Check out the rest of our Fourth of July picks for hot holiday gift ideas.

One of the most stressful things when it comes to moving, is changing your address. Whether it's forwarding the mail, updating contacts, or notifying friends and family of the new location, it becomes a huge hassle on top of everything that comes with a new home. That's why my idea of the perfect housewarming gift includes Personalized Stationery. 

You can customize it with the recipients' new address, so then there's no excuse for not keeping in touch. It's definitely a nice touch if your welcoming someone to the new neighborhood. Since nice stationery can get pricey, I recommend going in as a group or couple's gift. Check out some of these fresh designs for Summer courtesy of Lilly Pullitzer. And don't be surprised when a familiar Thank You card shows up in the mailbox.

Personalized Lime Note Card Stationery starting at $92.00. 

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to discus travel and summertime gadgets with Leif Iverson of Digital Trends. You can hear our discussion on the Digital Trends podcast. Digital Trends is a great online resource helping tech and gadgets lovers find the latest news, reviews, sneak-peek previews and discussions of the trend-setting technology products.  If you’re living a tech-loving lifestyle, you’re gonna want to bookmark the Digital Trends site.

The podcast basically covered Gifts.com’s summer travel and gadget guide. These are our gift picks that will help get the most out of summer. Some highlights are the digital camera swim mask, the solar LED water bottle cap, and the remote control snack float!

Now that wedding season is in full swing, it's time to start making your gift checklists. With engagements parties, bridal showers and wedding gifts, it can be quite taxing on your poor wallet. Get more bang for your buck with these reversible table tea lights. 

Literally two gifts in one, these colorful holders are perfect for holding tea light candles and when you flip them over they become taper holders. It's the chicest way to spruce up any couple's table. And for under $50, you can save all those extra dollars on occasions in the near future, like baby showers. 

Reversible Taper Tea lights starting at $29.95.

The good thing about getting a great gift for dad is there are plenty of “last minute” gift ideas he will love. But time’s not really on your side, so here’s what to do. Consider an “Of-The Month” Club.  It’s an easy last minute gift you can tailor to dad’s tastes. 

First you have to pick a “club”. There are plenty of options. Wine of the Month, Beer of the Month, BBQ Sauce of the Month, Cheesecake of the Month Club…you get the idea.  Once you pick the club, choose the duration. You can select a full year, so dad will receive a bottle of BBQ sauce each month for a year.  Or you can do four months or six options. Again, there are plenty of of durations to choose from (and prices points). After those selections are made, during the payment process you can send the gift announcement by email and/or you can print that announcement from your computer.  So it’s basically an instant gift requiring no trip to the mall. In my opinion, this is a no-brainer. Dad loves it, you look good, and Gifts.com looks good for getting you out of a jam at the last minute. Here’s some great “Of the Month” gift options.

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club- 3 Months starting at $59.85. 

We may still be a few days away from the official start of summer, but that doesn't mean the backyard soirées and BBQ invitations haven't started piling up. And while any host or hostess is sure to be prepared to kick off the season, it doesn't mean he or she won't be delighted when you surprise them with some great entertaining essentials. Here are our hot hostess picks for parties big and small. 

As with any celebration, there's bound to be a couple broken glasses and scattered plastic cups, save them from these party pitfalls with some festive outdoor tumblers that are unbreakable and easy to clean.  

One the of the best things about wining and dining in the backyard is the natural light as you dine under the stars. Add some soft light to their night with these summer scented candles. I love the pineapple shaped one to give it that Luau vibe.  

Nothing says summer like a cold crisp glass of iced tea. This kit includes iced tea and lemonade mix, lemon cookies, a serving pitcher and a hostess tray. Arnold Palmer's anyone?  

And let's not forget the key to any successful summer party, Ice Cream! Kids and Adults alike will melt for these cone-shaped bowls perfect for make your own sundaes.  

For the past couple weeks, our team of Gurus have broken down the 5 'G's of Father's Day gifting, the essentials so to speak. But there's one "G" I'd like to add, Globe Trotting. Even if he's not jet setting around the world, but just commuting for work, Travel can be a hassle and a pleasure for your professional pop. That's why this 3-piece Energy Essentials Kit has everything for the guy on the go.

From Anthony Logistics, this kit contains shower gel, shave cream and body spray all in one convenient travel bag. Plus it's fresh scent will help energize him for the rest of the day. And the best part is, a portion of each sale goes to research for prostate cancer. Certainly something to get energized about! Check out the rest of our travel picks and hurry because Father's Day is this Sunday. 

Bath & Body Works 3-piece Body Essentials Energy Kit starting at $40.00.