A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

The Gifts.com Research Department has informed me that I am officially 0-2 in my Gift Guru Super Bowl picks. So while it may be tough to take pride in my ability to pick a winner in the big game, I’ve had more success finding some great gifts for rabid NFL fans and hard-core tailgaters. Of course we have some great hand-picked gift ideas for Saints fans and some cool Guru-Approved stuff for Colts fans too, but my Gift Guru football Gift of the Day is the “Tailgating Cookbook: Recipes for the Big Game”. 

This cookbook is a great idea for any sports fan who is not entirely on board with the idea that the end of the football season means the end of tailgate food season. The thought of being without football for six months is a little less painful knowing that burgers, brats, chili, and side dishes can make it to the table year round.

Gift Guru pick: Saints 27 Colts 24

The Tailgating Cookbook: Recipes for the Big Game starting at $11.48.

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!

Photo frames for physical prints are soooo 20th century. Why display one photo forever when you can create stunning, high-quality multimedia slide shows using hundreds of images. You can now experience memories in an entirely new way. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we're giving away a Kodak EASYSHARE 8 inch Digital Photo Frame.

The M820 digital photo frame has a ton of cool features like video playback, multiple memory card slots, backlighting, and a built-in speaker for playing MP3 music files. And to really make the gift memorable here's a Gift Guru tip: pre-load the frame with pictures, video and music your valentine would love. That way the memories displayed will always be a reminder of their valentine.

For couples new and old alike, one of the easiest ways to spend time together is in the kitchen. Sure it's nice to be pampered and waited on, but cooking together puts the fun back into making dinner. And what better way to heat things up for your anniversary than a cookbook filled with aphrodisiac-inspired recipes.

Filled with colorful illustrations and interesting trivia about the world's most sensual foods, this cookbook is sure to heat things up in the kitchen. So whether you're celebrating your 1st or 10th anniversary, this playful guide is the perfect gift for any couple.

The New InterCourses: Aphrodisac Cookbook starting at $20.00.

Every Valentine's Day I stress about what to get the guy in my life. Flowers are out, gourmet sweets have been done before, but something handmade always gets a warm reception. Luckily I stumbled across this LEGO Heart Pattern on Lego's website that let's you download their free Digital Designer Program and build away. Other designs include teddy bears, roses, and a heart with an arrow through it. The possibilities are endless with this easy to use program.

Not only does it appeal to his inner child, but it shows him I went the extra mile to make something unique. So if you're looking to spoil the Geek in your life, or leave a hint for your Crush, get yourself a set of classic LEGO bricks and start building!

LEGO Ultimate Building Set starting at $24.88.

Finally, the stage is set for the big game. And while the Colts and Saints will use every minute of the next two weeks to get ready for their showdown in Miami, football fans can now start their preparations for the most-important party of the year with that same intensity. 

The menu can wait a minute, but now you should be focused on the game-day accoutrements.  Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl party or just attending one, now’s the time to get prepared to show off some new tail-gaiting gear (or maybe bring some as a gift for the host!). One we love is the Touchdown Field Chip and Dip Set. Here are some more great gift ideas for a football party.

Touchdown Field and Chip Dip Set starting at $29.95.

After the Consumer Electronics Show dust settles, we’re left with picking out some cool new products that will make for great gifts in 2010. One upcoming product that looks extremely promising is the Kodak Playsport Video Camera. The pocket-sized video camera segment has exploded the past few years. The reason is simple. A relatively inexpensive, easy-to-use, social media-friendly, video cameras appeal to both young and old. And the best part of an emerging consumer electronic category is that product updates tend to get smaller, cheaper and better, and Playsport appears to be no exception. 

Building off of Kodak’s well-received Zi8 video camera, the Playsport offers familiar video shooting in HD, but has added some welcomed enhancements. Namely the Playsport is smaller, is “ruggedized” to shoot action in almost any environment, it’s waterproof in up to 10 feet of water and it’s cheaper then their Zi8 model. That’s a lot of pluses! Scheduled for an early April release, something tells me the Playsport is going to make a lot of moms, dads and grads very happy on their big days this spring.

Kodak Playsport Video Camera starting at $149.95. 

Keep health and fitness resolutions on track with EA SPORTS Active, a line of interactive fitness products for the Nintendo Wii that gives you the benefit of a “personal trainer in a box”. Developed with fitness experts, EA SPORTS Active provides an effective, inexpensive way to burn calories, get fit and have fun from home. With customizable workouts targeting the upper and lower body, as well as cardio it’ll get your heart pumping and keep you motivated to reach your goals. 

EA SPORTS Active and Gifts.com are giving away five EA SPORTS Active gift sets that include “EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer” and “EA SPORTS Active More Workouts” for the Wii. 

Here’s to getting ACTIVE in 2010.

Not all guys are easy to shop for. Not everyone likes football, beer, and gourmet steaks. So if you find yourself stumped as to what to get the discerning gentleman in your life, look no further then some classic barware. Whether he's entertaining or savoring a classic cocktail, give him something to enjoy his top shelf spirits properly. This pair of Double Old-Fashioned Glasses is not only stylish but they're eco-friendly too. 

Handmade from recycled windshields, you can imagine their durability. If they can survive a fender bender, your kitchen floor will be no match. They're tinged with a slight green hue, which was used to keep the sun's glare out, but now gives it a cool vintage appeal. With this unique set, he'll soon be toasting your gift giving skills with his new cocktail set. Cheers!

Recycled Old Fashioned Glasses starting at $28.00.

Hopefully, some New Year’s resolutions are still being adhered to. If so, and your resolution is to stay in great shape in 2010, we’ve got a great opportunity for you. Perfect.FITNESS and Gifts.com are teaming up to offer a chance to get 2010 off to a healthy start. So often New Year’s resolutions fall short, but we’re here to help get your fitness resolutions kicked into high gear. 

Enter for a chance to win a one of two Pefect.HOME GYMS. Each winner will receive a “Perfect Home Gym” which includes all of the following items: Perfect.PUSHUP V2, Perfect.PULLUP, Perfect.DIP BAR, a Power 10 workout DVD, and the Perfect.COUNTER to round out a great set of tools that will get you a perfect workout at home. You’ll still have to do your part, but fitness equipment from Perfect.FITNESS gives you and your resolutions the best chance of succeeding.