A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

As American citizens come together to celebrate Independence Day, it's good to give thanks to those who serve our country every day. Recently, I spoke with my brother, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and asked him how the units celebrated the Fourth during his tour overseas.   

"Overall, the Fourth is just like any other day overseas.  A lot of units will probably throw together a BBQ from whatever food is available.  I remember some guys in the chow hall making a mini Statue of Liberty sculpted out of what appeared to be butter."

Patriotic and resourceful, our guys and gals deserve to be saluted for their service.  Send them an ecard today with your thanks.  The GroupCard is fun option because you can select a military design, upload photos and have multiple people sign it.  And to really make their day, follow up with a care package full of our top military gifts for troops stationed abroad. 

Fourth of July has arrived and the presidential election is fast approaching, so here's a list of gift ideas in honor of all your parties - patriotic and political.

For the weekend kickoff: Save your political jabs for your steaks with these Political Party Branding Irons.  

For the early risers: Fill up the Blue States Mug and watch the red states disappear as the mug heats up. But don't cry in your coffee just yet, there's the Make My Day Mug for red state lovers too! 

For the mini patriots: Rock the vote and the cradle with the pint-sized Future Voter Patriotic Baby Romper for star spangled babies.

For the peacekeepers: To keep political banter at bay and celebrate as citizens, try on the Swing Voters Custom Tee for those who like to support any party. 

For the roadtrippers: Let the gridlock games begin.  Study up on your patriotic trivia with the Secret Lives of Presidents Trivia Card Game. There's plenty of dirty laundry to cross state lines. 

It's been years (I won't say how long) since I've been on Spring Break or a road trip, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good cooler. Especially this tailgating style Koolatron Auto Cool Wheeler.

Whether you're hitting the beach, a parade or roadside fireworks this Fourth of July, you can wheel this cooler right along with you. It holds up to 54 12-oz drinks and has a 33-liter capacity so you can beat the heat no matter how large your party. It will even keep its cool after hours of traffic with a 12-volt adapter that plugs right into your car. 

Koolatron Auto Cool Wheeler starting at $88.88

It's one thing to send flowers and it's another to send Todd Oldham-designed mini roses. Just in time for Independence Day, the design guru has whipped up a pair of patriotic plants in coordinating stars and stripes.

Each plant comes in a lightweight take-out style box for easy delivery and decorating. It's a quick and thoughtful gift for any backyard hostess or summer housewarming.

Todd Oldham Stars & Stripes Mini Rose Set starting at $49.99

Personalized Cape Cod Folding Beach Chair starting at $149.95

We're kicking off our Fourth of July celebration a little bit early this year with some great gift ideas that are just as exciting and much less hazardous than fireworks.  Whether it's for the kids, the hostess or the whole family, these red, white, and blue treats are sure to make your holiday sparkle.

First up are these star spangled Patriotic Cupcakes from New York gourmet staple Dean & Deluca. The handmade set of nine includes three different cake and icing combos topped with tasty candy stars. Top off with sparklers at your own risk. 

Patriotic Cupcakes starting at $55.00

Dog lovers like to spoil their pets every chance they can get, whether it's the coziest bed, tasty treats, long walks, and wardrobes spiffier then their own. But how far does one go in pampering their pooch? For the ultimate indulgence, there's the Day at the Spa Robe. 

This luxurious and soft robe comes in an assortment of colors and features a waist tie and little tassels. They'll think they've died and gone to doggie heaven. It's a great gift for your little dog or for the dog lover in your life. 

Day at the Spa Robe starting at $10.99

Recently, while I was on the hunt for some hot holiday gifts at a trade show, this cool Earbags Sprigs Banjees Wrist Wallet caught my eye. I decided to give it a test run of my own over Memorial Day weekend. Being a weekend adventurer I went everywhere — rode my bike all around the city, walked the beach, and hit a couple of BBQ's. While I pedaled away the wallet held on tight. It's a little tricky cramming everything in there, but once I figured it out, it was smooth sailing and I enjoyed every minute of my holiday weekend without once worrying if I dropped my wallet along the way. It's the perfect gift for an travel enthusiast or the person on the go. 

Earbags Sprigs Banjees Wrist Wallet starting at $14

It's officially the first day of summer, and it seems like the season is stacked with all sorts of celebrations. Fourth of July is just a couple of weeks away, and there are always a zillion weddings, graduation bashes, barbecues, baby showers, pool parties and more. Luckily, Philosophy has just come out with a line of gift sets that will suit your every warm-weather need (as if we didn't love Philosophy enough already).

The sets' themes run the gamut from thank you to congratulations to beach party. Which means you can show up wherever with the perfect gift in hand. My favorites are the Summer Skincare Rescue Pack (take it to make up for crashing at your pal's beach house all summer) and the Lip Gelato Trio (so appropriate for friends embarking on a European vacay—or, um, pretending to go on one). Wow, I love how these take all the guesswork out of summer gifting!

Summer Skincare Rescue Pack starting at $35.00
Lip Gelato Trio starting at $25.00

When you hear the words "eco-friendly fashion", people often think of some dowdy hemp sack, but this beautiful and striking blues charm necklace is anything but. Made from recycled glass, these large circle pieces make a dramatic fashion statement and an instant conversation starter.

If wearing pretty jewelry helps out the world even a little, then hey, I'm happy to make the sacrifice! Just in time for the holiday party season, the designer is also launching a high-end line featuring gold links instead of silver, so start saving your pennies now.

Blues Charm Necklace starting at $195