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With the economy in sad shape I have heard reports of people changing their gift giving habits this year. As the owner of a company that produces custom gifts, I would like to hear from Freepers what plans they have for gifts - both personal and business - this season. Are you planning on giving more, less, or the same? Are you cutting back on who you are giving to or are you giving to the same number of people, but changing the value of the gifts? Are you planning on giving more "home made" gifts? If so, what kind?

Some people are just really good at giving gifts. My friend Tan is one of those people. Shortly before I left on vacation a few weeks ago, Tan and I were having a conversation about babies, which led to a discussion about Blake’s nighttime routine. To sleep soundly, she requires a noise machine and music. I was lamenting the fact that we did not have a viable gadget on which to play music while we were on vacation, and we were worried that she might regress in her sleeping habits. Tan listened and said he knew what I was talking...

An Iraqi Soldier distributes the contents of a food bag to residents of the "1st of June" area of Abu Ghraib, during a joint Coalition/Iraqi foot patrol, June 25. Photo by Sgt. Philip Schratwieser, 1st Infantry Division. BAGHDAD — U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers conducted a combined patrol through Abu Ghraib to deliver supplies, disrupt insurgents and foster relationships, June 25. The area they patrolled is called the "1st of June," as Iraqis often name areas after significant dates in their history.Leading the patrol was a platoon from the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. As a result of the agreement...

It has now been confirmed that President Obama will have an audience with Pope Benedict XVI on July 10th. In preparation for the momentous visit, the crack White House protocol office has sent the President a list of gifts to choose from. After a series of embarrassing gaffes surrounding wildly inappropriate and narcissistic gifts given to heads of State, the President is determined to get this one right. These are the gifts that Obama has settled on. Digital Photo frame with pictures from the Obamas' date night in NYCContinue Reading >>>>

It's a first lady faux pas -- wearing expensive, high-fashion French designer sneakers to a food bank. Michelle Obama wore the sneakers, made by Lanvin, while helping feed the poor at a Washington food bank on Wednesday. The pricetag on the footwear? A cool $540. Keds, they're not. The sneakers, which come in denim and satin, are a favorite of comic Ellen DeGeneres and rapper Kanye West -- and they're "certainly not a reflection of the poor economy," said FOX News' Noelle Watters, host of iMag Style. "She paired the kicks with a much more reasonably priced cardigan from J....

This just in: Diplomatic jaws dropped across the continent yesterday when it was revealed that U.S. President Barack Obama had, once again, fumbled a routine protocal of international statecraft: finding the right gift for a foreign leader or head of state. In a private ceremony with Queen Elizabeth, Her Royal Highness bequeathed to the Obamas one of the earliest known copies of William Shakespeare's Henry V. She also presented him with the framed orginal sheet music of John Newton's "Amazing Grace." To the Obama daughters, the Queen gave a dollhouse-sized replica of Windsor Castle with a functioning train station in...

I have compiled a list of gifts that Obama might have considered giving to the Prime Minister, that are about on par with the gift he did give. Perhaps he can borrow these ideas to use for any other visiting dignitaries: 10. $40 gift card to Olive Garden 9. Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous CD by Big L 8. Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening Multicare Kit by Crest (Qty 4) 7. Free hosting account with iPower web, plus a free domain name Click to see the top 6 gift ideas, or leave your own ideas in the comments

Financial firms and other companies receiving billions of dollars in federal bailout money spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for meetings and charitable gifts on behalf of lawmakers. In the last six months of 2008, as a financial crisis enveloped the country and lawmakers voted on a $700 billion financial rescue package, eight companies that would benefit from that package spent roughly $366,000 on events and charities connected to members of Congress, according to a review of congressional lobbying records. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage companies, spent more than $330,000 in the period, but since...

Unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush will take few treasured mementos with them from their years at the White House. When the Clintons left the White House in January 2001, the former first couple took with them more than 50 gifts -- including a chandelier, flatware, and paintings -- valued at nearly $200,000. The Bushes, however, borrowed from furnishings that already existed within the White House collection, said Sally McDonough, press secretary to Laura Bush. "Mrs. Bush -- having the experience of being at the White House when her father-in-law was president -- knew how many beautiful...

US President George W. Bush's foreign policies may be unpopular in the Middle East, but Arab leaders showered his top diplomat with jewelry worth far more than a quarter of a million dollars last year. While Bush himself didn't fare nearly as well, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raked in at least $316,000 in gem-encrusted baubles from the kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia alone, making her one of top recipients among US officials of gifts from foreign heads of state and government and their aides in 2007. In January, Jordan's King Abdullah II gave Rice an emerald and...

Came across this while cruising AOL this a.m. They listed something like 50 examples but here's just s few (in no particular order). Enjoy! P.S. What was your worst? Worst Gift You Ever Got For the second time, we asked AOL users to share their stories of the worst gifts they ever got, and boy, some were doozies. "My husband and I... He set one of mine aside and told me it would be last, as it was really special....It was a very high-tech bathroom scale. ================================ "My grandmother purchased a container made from four emply coffee cans connected...and decorated...

<p>“Old-fashioned inexpensive retro toys, such as red rubber balls, simple building blocks, clay and crayons, that don’t cost so much and are usually hidden in the back shelves are generally healthier for children than the electronic educational toys that have fancier boxes and cost $89.99,” says Temple University developmental psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.</p>

In this most sacred of seasons, the spirit of giving is meant to be infallible, and a giver's generosity beyond reproach. I learned this the hard way right before Thanksgiving, when I shared the worst presents I'd ever received. This story caused many readers to call me ungrateful, materialistic, and things that are not appropriate to repeat in a family blog. But, you know what? I'm continuing the crusade. Because it's OK to say it: Some gifts are bad. They should not be given. Even if you hate the person, even if you picked them in the work Secret Santa...

A Muslim lawyer has launched an extraordinary rant against Christmas, branding the celebration 'evil'. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary claimed the festival was the 'pathway to hell' and urged his followers to boycott it. 'In the world today many Muslims, especially those residing in Western countries, are exposed to the evil celebration Christmas,' he raged in a sermon broadcast on the internet. 'Many take part in the festival celebrations by having Christmas turkey dinners. 'Decorating the house, purchasing Christmas trees or having Christmas turkey meals are completely prohibited by Allah. 'Many still practise this corrupt celebration as a remembrance of the...

Short of gift ideas for that person who really does have everything? Then how about an underwear repair kit or maybe a Barack Obama "Yes, We Can" can opener? Web site Stupid.com, which claims finding a truly stupid gift is an art form, on Tuesday unveiled its second annual list of the top 10 "stupidest" holiday gifts for 2008. "2008 might have been a bad year for the economy, but it was a great year for stupidity," said Stupid.com's founder Gary Apple. "Weird products seemed to come out of the woodwork this year. There was almost too much stupidity to...

10/7/2008 - DALLAS (AFNS) -- By simply logging on to a Web site or calling a toll-free number, any American can now give Army and Air Force Exchange Service gift cards to military families worldwide. "We're not even charging to ship these cards," said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffry Helm, AAFES' senior enlisted adviser. "Whether the AAFES gift card is sent down the street or overseas, shipping is free. AAFES gift cards can be redeemed at base and post exchanges worldwide by active-duty troops and their families, as well as military retirees. "With the economy the way it is, now is...

This much is good and true and right: "It is better to give than to receive." But this axiom implies an interaction between two parties — a giver and a receiver. This is a really big lesson that I learned in a rather hard way. Like most of us, I feel — and I don't mean this in either a bragging or complaining kind of way — that I have been a giver for most of my life. It is kind of who I am. Then, several years ago, I underwent a couple of joint replacement surgeries. After each procedure...

BAYRK, Iraq, Feb. 4, 2008 – Making a positive impact, no matter how little, on the lives of Iraqis is a big part of current operations by coalition forces in the Fahama region. Army 1st Lt. Nick Piergallini, an Easton, Pa., native who serves as platoon leader for 1st Platoon, Company D, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multinational Division Baghdad, currently attached to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-68th AR, talks to a shop owner about his business needs in Bayrk, Iraq, Feb. 2, 2008. Piergallini was trying to find out...

The reflection of Army Staff Sgt. Carlos Escuza is shown in the mirror of a Humvee in the International Zone while he is packing school supplies for a Baghdad elementary school. The staff sergeant and others helped deliver supplies, toys and candy to children, Dec. 26. Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost. BAGHDAD — Making a visible, positive impact during a tour in Iraq is something that every deployed servicemember thinks of. For a U.S. Army staff sergeant deployed to the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, the quest to make his impact took him to Iraqi neighborhoods...

Have you ever received a Christmas gift you didn’t want? Idiot mittens from grandma. A subscription to the deodorant-of-the-month club. Membership to the “We Fix Fat People� gym and spa. Yes, we’ve all received bad gifts. But do you remember what it felt like? Burdened. Insulted. Irritated. Disturbed. All are candidates. Naturally, however, you smiled and said, “Thank You� while you secretly considered how to dispose of the new curse you’d acquired. And, of course, if someone gives you a bad gift once, next year’s gift is preambled with a nice holiday dose of anxiety to boot. So if that’s...

What I want for Christmas - Here link here

How prepared are you for Christmas? A lot of singles I know and who live on their own do not really do much for Christmas in the way of decorations or buying any special food etc for Christmas. A lot of them get an invite for the day to spend either with friends or family members and therefore their sole preparation is buying a few gifts for the people likely to be at this event and maybe contributing either monetarily to the host/hostess or taking a few food/drink items on the day. So as a single you think you are...

For those of you who have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews or whatever and are stuck on what to get them for Christmas..... Here's a list of recommended books that can only be found in certain educational book stores.

12/10/2007 - DALLAS (AFPN) -- Military advocates across America are making their support work twice as hard with Army and Air Force Exchange Service "Gifts from the Homefront" gift certificates. While assistance sent through this troop-support initiative provides for the immediate needs of troops throughout operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, revenue generated from the redemption of the gift certificates also strengthens important quality of life efforts for military Families closer to home. "AAFES' dual mission to serve America's troops and generate funds to support military Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs means that resources dedicated to 'Gifts from the Homefront'...

WHEN Jena Slosberg of Bedford, N.H., gave birth in March, she endured a labor that lasted 17 hours. But her discomfort was ultimately worth it, quite apart from the arrival of her daughter, Marin. In the recovery room, her husband, Paul, presented her with a pair of diamond earrings. “I was on cloud nine,” Ms. Slosberg said. “It was the perfect present to make a frazzled, sleep-deprived, first-time mommy feel absolutely glamorous.” She added, “I wonder what 17 hours of labor will get me next time?” ...In a more innocent age, new mothers generally considered their babies to be the...

Holiday Shopping: Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah FRiends! This is the time of year that is special because is engenders the spirit of giving and selflessness of its sacred origins. Each of us, in his or her own way, has a special place in our heart for this joyful time. As we put others' needs and desires first, as we look forward to the expression of surprise and delight on our loved ones' faces as they receive our gifts, as we peruse the ailes, let us consider the economic import of our duty. Some...

18 retailers are having their Online Black Friday Sales today! Walmart's sale starts at 5:00am EST, while Staples starts at 6:00am EST and Amazon's starts at 3:00am EST, all other sales are either going on right now or will start very shortly

11/16/2007 - DALLAS (AFPN) -- When issuing suggested holiday mailing deadlines for military care packages, the Unites States Postal Service made sure to highlight that "all packages and mail must be addressed to individual service members, as required by U.S. Department of Defense regulations." Since DOD suspended mail addressed to "any servicemember" nearly six years ago, individuals and organizations back home, as well as troops deployed to the contingency theater, have devised a variety of cumbersome, and sometimes potentially dangerous, methods to circumvent security and transportation concerns that originally led to the cancellation of the program. Noting the great lengths being taken, including posting...

To those who will accept them God disperses many gifts They are not to honor you They are given to uplift To give joy to others So that you can show them How great is our God And how wonderful to know Him Letting God into your heart Just opens the door To many varied treasures Their usefulness to store To use when God needs you To show to another That God is a friend And Jesus is your brother Love and gifts go together Like friendship, hand in hand Once you know your purpose You will understand. Amen

Capt. Marcus Melton, of Atlanta, commander of “Palehorse” Troop P, 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, hands off a heater to a girl to take into a mosque during Eid gift giving in Baghdad’s Karkh District, Oct. 14. Photo by Spc. Robert Yde, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. BAGHDAD — To mark the end of Ramadan, Soldiers from throughout the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, took part in the traditional Eid celebration by handing out meals and gifts to residents in central Baghdad, Oct. 14. Eid is a traditional Muslim holiday observed at the...

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2007 – When soldiers are wounded in combat, they are evacuated from the battlefield to medical centers with literally only the clothes on their backs -- and often those are cut during emergency treatment. When injured servicemembers get to a field hospital or are evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, they have no clothing or personal items. They have absolutely nothing. The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project reaches out to these wounded warriors by providing comfort and relief items to the medical center in Germany and to field hospitals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Fleece blankets...

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2007 – For nearly four years, overseas-deployed servicemembers have been redeeming gift certificates at military exchange stores as part of a successful troop-support program. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service, as well as the Navy and Coast Guard exchange programs, co-sponsor the “Gifts from the Homefront” program, which began in March 2003, AAFES spokesman Judd Anstey said. Certificates are available in denominations from $5 to $50, he said, and can be used to purchase items at AAFES and other military-store facilities worldwide. “The gift certificate effort makes it easy for troops to pick up items...

SIERRA VISTA — Members of American Legion Post 52 gathered in the parking lot Sunday morning for a special mission — the delivery of presents to veterans residing in nursing homes in Sierra Vista. Suzette Martinez, who served eight years in the Army and is the public relations officer for Post 52, said the group had three full truckloads of presents for 68 veterans living in five nursing homes. “The Legionaries cannot wait to see the smiles on the faces of the disabled veterans faces when receiving gifts that may be the only ones given to our veterans on this...

CAMP TAJI -- One of the toughest times during a Soldier’s deployment is the holidays, but Soldiers are not the only ones who are homesick and miss their loved ones. Spc. Nicole Daly, a motor vehicle operator, for the 1157th Transportation Battalion, Wisconsin Army National Guard, attached to 15th Sustainment Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, often sees the smiling faces of the men who work at the “bag farm,” a bulk fuel re-supply point where the fuel containers look like oversized bags. These employees are third country nationals who are from the Philippines, said Daly. ”They celebrate Christmas just like you...

A Merry Claremont Christmas Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays. While you're there, curl up with one of these fine books...   Tom Karako Director of Programs, the Claremont Institute  The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style, by Nicholas Antongiavanni  Few books may be called original. The Suit is a rare exception. Rarer still, because it has the virtue of being read on many levels, providing bona fide instruction for men's dress, a careful commentary on Machiavelli by one who knows him well, and, finally, managing to be extraordinarily funny. This little work allows the...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Dec. 21, 2006 -- Santa arrived early for sailors deployed here, as Senior Navy Central Command enlisted officials delivered gifts from 26 U.S. corporate sponsors. Navy Command Master Chief James Russell, Command Master Chief of the U.S.S Dwight D. Eisenhower, hands out presents to sailors at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, while sporting a Santa hat. Photo by Army Pfc. Michael J. Nyeste.  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. More than 75 volunteers assembled the 8,000 gift boxes for sailors stationed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, including Afghanistan. “We’re here to visit as many...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2006 -- Thousands of students from the Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts and New Hampshire donated more than 22,000 gifts for deployed troops this holiday season. The students took part in the largest drive yet organized by New England Caring for Our Military, an America Supports You member organization. ASY is a Defense Department program that focuses on connecting support groups throughout the nation with the men and women of the armed forces at home and abroad. The gift drive, dubbed “It Takes a Valley,” kicked off in November and ended Dec. 9. Some 6,000 students...

By Carol Kaufmann Photographs by Arne Hodaliè Why did Romans, Celts, and even prehistoric settlers submerge their personal belongings, from swords to dishes, in a shallow river in Slovenia? Archaeologist Andrej Gaspari is haunted by pieces of the past. His hometown river, the Ljubljanica, has yielded thousands of them—Celtic coins, Roman luxuries, medieval swords—all from a shallow 12-mile (19 kilometers) stretch. Those who lived near and traveled along the stream that winds through Slovenia's capital of Ljubljana considered it sacred, Gaspari believes. That would explain why generations of Celts, Romans, and earlier inhabitants offered treasures—far too many to be...

Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Conservatives in 2006 Posted Dec 15, 2006 10. 365 Manners Kids Should Know by Sheryl Eberly Why do today's children have such appallingly bad manners? One reason is that, for at least a generation, manners training in the home has been neglected; indeed, many parents have forgotten some basic rules of etiquette themselves. Now, Sheryl Eberly, a former White House aide to Nancy Reagan, gives parents an accessible plan for teaching (and learning!) good manners that begins in the home and covers every social situation and etiquette opportunity children will encounter. Far more than a...

Have you read any great books in the past year? Ones that inspired you, intrigued you, informed you, kept you on the edge of your seat? Ones that, if you hadn't read them already, you would have been delighted to receive as Christmas gifts? If so, please share your choices with your fellow Freepers. Some of us still have shopping to do and one of the suggestions may just be the perfect ticket for one of those hard to buy for relatives or friends. As far as I'm concerned, recommended books do not need to be recent releases -- just...

Touched By Grace Fr. Jack Peterson  Other Articles by Fr. Jack PetersonPrinter Friendly Version   Experience the Joy of Advent December 9, 2006 Advent is a season of joyful expectation. There are many sources of our joy during Advent. I would like to take a look at three of them: experiencing God's tender mercy, receiving a special gift, and serving others.The Church watches three major figures as it prepares for Christmas: Scrooge, Jimmy Stewart and the Grinch. Actually, they are Isaiah the prophet, John the Baptist, and Mary, the Mother of God. The Gospel for the Second Sunday of...

FORT HUACHUCA — Soldiers are called upon to protect the country, and sometimes that means giving their lives. But during the upcoming Christmas holiday, people are being asked to help soldiers’ families by giving to their children. About 400 children need presents, said Jo Moore, who heads the fort chaplains’ outreach ministries. Holding up a three-ringed binder, Moore showed 3 inches of requests so far this year. That does not include the needs of families who are scheduled to arrive on the fort before Christmas and stay in temporary quarters, Moore said. “I’ve gone down on Christmas Eve to deliver...

SAN FRANCISCO - Stanford University will bar physicians working at its two hospitals from accepting even the tiniest gifts from drug industry sales representatives to try to eliminate corporate influence from medical decisions, the school announced Tuesday. The policy takes effect Oct. 1 and also bans accepting gifts from other companies such as medical device makers that do business with the hospitals. The policy also prohibits the doctors from accepting free drug samples and publishing articles in science journals that were ghost written by corporate authors. The industry's sales force also would be prohibited from areas where patients are seen...

Anyone who thinks there is no such thing as a free lunch has never visited 3003 New Hyde Park Road, a four-story medical building on Long Island, where they are delivered almost every day. On a recent Tuesday, they began arriving around noon. Steaming containers of Chinese food were destined for the 20 or so doctors and employees of Nassau Queens Pulmonary Associates. The drug maker Merck paid the $258 bill. A deliveryman carrying trays of gourmet sandwiches sashayed past patients at Advanced Internal Medicine. The bill showed that Takeda Pharmaceuticals was picking up the bill. The doctors in the...

DAHUK, Iraq (Army News Service, July 19, 2006) – Soldiers brought toys and smiles to children in one of Iraq’s northernmost provinces recently with Operation Helping Hands. The humanitarian assistance mission was conducted by Soldiers of the 142nd Corps Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. “The 142nd enjoys this just as much as the kids enjoy it,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Green, battalion commander. “This will stay in the minds and hearts of my Soldiers.” Soldiers handed out Beanie Babies, sports uniforms, soccer balls, teddy bears and candy, all donated by a variety of American organizations, said Capt. John Smith, battalion...

· White House disclosure reveals bizarre presents · Bush received an iPod and Bible from Bono It must have seemed like a good idea at the time: the vice-president of the United States likes hunting, and you like the vice-president, so what better token of your appreciation than a gun? Dick Cheney received no fewer than four firearms as presents during 2005, according to the latest financial disclosure forms submitted by the White House. This was before February's incident involving a shotgun and his friend's face - after which giving Mr Cheney a weapon feels a bit like giving firelighters...

BellSouth Document Illustrates Gap Between the Rules and the Realities More than 80 lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides are listed as having accepted entertainment from lobbyists for BellSouth Corp. at levels that appear to exceed congressional gift limits, according to a document produced by the company's Washington office. The document, which was obtained from an employee of the telecommunications firm who said she was disturbed by the pattern, sheds light on one of the capital's worst-kept secrets: Congressional gift restrictions are frequently ignored The BellSouth records show that the firm's lobbyists were regularly out on the town hosting people they...

December 28, 2005 Bush Reads, Gives Books to Top Democrats by Scott Ott (2005-12-28) — The White House, after revealing yesterday that President George Bush is currently reading a biography of former President Teddy Roosevelt, entitled When Trumpets Call, today released the list of books the president gave as Christmas gifts to top Democrats. While pundits endeavored to draw conclusions about Mr. Bush’s motivation for reading a book about Roosevelt’s post-presidential years, the White House said all of the president’s literary gift selections are simply random picks from The New York Times bestseller lists, with no personal or political implications....

The New York Times' Christmas gift -- sorry, holiday gift -- to the nation's political dialogue was its Dec. 16 story reporting the National Security Agency intercepts of telephone conversations between terrorism suspects abroad and U.S. citizens or legal residents in the United States. The Times didn't bother telling its readers this practice is far from new and is entirely legal. Instead, the story's unspoken subtext was that this was likely an illegal and certainly a very scary invasion of Americans' rights. Let's put the issue very simply. The president has the power as commander in chief under the Constitution...

I have been watching the Local News at Noon. The feature story was how today is when hordes of people hit the stores to return unwanted Christmas gifts. Is this common? Am I just extremely fortunate to have a decent class of friends? I have never in my life returned a gift to the store. Every piece of clothing I have ever received fit well and was of a better quality and style that I would have bought for myself. Every piece of jewelry, every tool, every gadget I have received was useful and appreciated.