In this article, we will take a look at five great Christmas Gifts for the every man, the man’s man, that he will enjoy and that will not break your budget.

First, let’s ask the question:  Who is the “Every Man”?

The “Every Man” is that guy you refer to as a guy’s guy.  The Every Man likes poker, drinks beer, loves sports, and has a passion for Bar-B-Q.  You will not often find him going to a ballet, spending his time in museums, or reading relationship advice magazines.

You will find many men who are in this category.  Sure, many may pursue other interests but if you try to pull them away from their favorite football game, you will not be on their good list.  Thus, let’s take a look at five great gifts for your Every Man.

Our first gift offering is a portable grill.  Ball games and barbeques are two of his favorite passions; and they go great together!  Thus, a portable grill is perfect for him.  Weber leads the way in portable grills with many offerings under $100 that he will enjoy.  These grills also work great for camping and other outdoor activities that he enjoys with his family.  Allow his inner chef to show itself with a portable grill for Christmas.

We are all familiar with the Tool Time show on Home Improvement.  Do you know why that show did so well?  It is because Tim Allen played the Every Man.  With a nod to Tim Allen, our second gift idea for him is tools.  Our guy always has tools.  There are great complete tool sets that can be had for under $50.  If he has many tools already, find out from his friends what he lacks.  There is always an extra tool that he needs.  Find that special tool for him and you’ll leave him with a big smile!

Our third gift offering sits comfortably with the others:  a Personalized Beer Mug.  For under $20, you can get your man a personalized beer mug that he will use whenever he pours himself a cold one.  Everyone likes personalized gifts and the Every Man takes pride in a great beer mug, especially  one with his own name on it!

When a group of men get together, what do they like to do?  They like to play cards, especially poker!  Our fourth gift offering satisfies this need of men to congregate and play cards together.  It is a Poker Chip Table.  These tables are designed for those who like to get together and play poker, share drinks, and have good every man times.  If your man is not playing poker with the boys, he might just start if you get him one of these great poker chip tables.

To round out the gift offerings, we have an inexpensive gift that he will love:  Sports Magazines.  Sure, he may already subscribe to Sports Illustrated but, if there is one thing that a sports lover cannot get enough of,  it is sports news.  There are many magazines available that will satiate his undeniable appetite for all things sports related.  Check out this list of Top Ten Sports Magazines for Men for more information.

If you get one of these five gifts for your Every Man, you will certainly leave a smile on his face!

Richard Mas is a gift specialist and contributing editor to the Best Christmas Gifts for 2009 list at the The Christmas Store Online. You can find these and hundreds of more gift recommendations on the Christmas Gifts for Men page.

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Gift cards are one of Santa’s greatest innovations – you get to choose exactly what you want! No more falsified “Thank yous” to ugly sweaters and “what-chu-ma-call-it” items nobody really has a use for. Although gift cards are easy to give and easy to please the pickiest names on Santa’s list, they do have a major downfall: they are impersonal.

But they don’t have to be.

Here are some ideas to personalize your gift cards to satisfy your recipients’ sentimental hunger and shopping desire.

Proper packaging

Sure, you can buy a gift card, slap your names in the “to” and “from” lines and call it a done deal. But packaging your gift card in a Christmas card or, better yet, a gift box, takes little effort and adds a little pizzazz to your gift.

In your card, write a personal note. The art of letter writing is fading but that just makes it even more appreciated. You can be as mushy-gushy or as to-the-point as the relationship calls for, but pick up a pen and do it.

If you really want to go the extra mile, look up a relevant quote or poem you think your recipient would enjoy. Whether it’s a lyric to the receiver’s favorite song, or a line in his or her favorite book, this little wordy supplement shows how well you know your loved one and makes a custom addition to an otherwise universal gift.

Little add-ons

You can save the bulk of your gift budget on the certificate, but save a little for extra tidbits to accompany the wallet-stuffer. This gives your recipient something to open on Christmas and shows you put more effort in the gift than merely reaching for your wallet.

If you’re giving a gift card, incorporating the store in your gift creates a complete package and makes for great gift baskets. If you are giving a gift card to a bookstore, give a bookmark along with it. An easy and free idea is to pair your certificate with a store catalog or a restaurant menu. Your loved ones can immediately make their selections for instant gratification. You don’t have to spend a lot – or anything at all – to give your gift a little something extra.

Give a special day

When you are buying for your top-budgeted family members or close friends, you can disperse your gift cards to different stores, rather than putting all your money into one gift card. Have fun making a whole day for special people; Write out your story plan and put the gift cards in chronological order. Here’s a short example:

Suzie Recipient –  Start your morning off right with a cup of gourmet coffee from the local  café. Then, take a stroll downtown. Be sure to stop by your favorite shops to pick out something just for you. When your shopping excursion is complete, treat yourself to something sweet at the candy counter.

Enjoy! — Joe Giver

Your plan can be anything from a shopping trip to a relaxing retreat to an action-packed adventure. The more creative, the better, so let your imagination guide you!

By simply writing a note, adding a small accompanying gift, or scheduling a day of fun, you can add a personal touch to otherwise bland gift cards. Christmas is a great opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care. Bulk up the sentiment of your gift cards this Christmas and give a gift they will cherish – not mindlessly spend. 

Gift cards prefer to be placed under realistic Artificial Christmas Trees from http://www.ChristmasTreeForMe.com/.

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The last thing you might want to think about at this time is photo Christmas cards.  The holidays still seem far away. So,  what’s the rush? Why should you bother to start planning now?  Here are the best reasons to begin early.

The early bird catches the…DISCOUNT.

Many Christmas card companies, especially those online, offer a price break to those smart shoppers who think ahead. Those businesses are overwhelmed with orders closer to the holidays, so quite a few of them reward customers who plan in advance. Shop around online and you’ll find you can save money by beating the crowd. Just think of the satisfaction you’ll feel when you know you got a bargain and didn’t pay full price.

Time to browse.

Most people take their pictures first and then select the design for their photo Christmas cards later.  A better idea can be to choose a holiday greeting you love and then take the photographs that will fit into the design.  That way you’ll know if you’re going to need one portrait or multiple snapshots.  Based on the layout,  you’ll see if the pictures should be close-up or with more background  You’ll be able to visualize what the photos should look like to fit into the format of your selected card.

But finding that great design that you absolutely love can take time.  If you wait until the last minute, you may have to settle.  This way, you can look around until you find something that is unique and reflects your family’s personality.  You’ll have the time to check beyond the first page of your favorite search engine results to see what a wide variety of companies offer.

Better photo opportunities.

Now is the time to take advantage of the nice weather, sunshine and outdoor activities  Yes, you could wait until it gets colder and huddle the kids in front of the fireplace with matching sweaters and not a hair out of place.  But nothing compares to the charm of pictures of your children having fun.  Take your camera with you everywhere and record all your family’s joys. Use natural lighting, taking spontaneous snapshots rather than anything overly posed.

That doesn’t mean you can’t group your kids together while you’re out doing stuff and ask them to smile for a quick family snapshot.  But they’ll be naturally more relaxed than if they were to sit down for a more formal picture taking session.  

One less stress during the holiday season.

So, you planned ahead and took the time to find unique photo Christmas cards.  You got some great family pictures, ordered your holiday greetings early and even got a discount.  Now, take it one step further, and address the envelopes, put the cards inside, place a stamp on the outside and seal.  The only thing left to do is put them in the mailbox when it gets closer to the holidays.

With Christmas shopping, decorating and all the other seasonal things that need your attention, this is one thing you won’t have to worry about any longer.  By planning ahead, you will have less to do when the holidays approach.  You might even get a few moments to relax and enjoy the compliments, when your family and friends tell you that this was the best photo Christmas card you ever sent them.

Linda Kling, as the owner of www.photo-party-favors.com, has offered ideas to people planning celebrations since 1992. She recommends these photo Christmas cards and Christmas photo candy bar wrappers with gourmet chocolate bars. Visit her website for free printable Christmas gift tags, recipes, more.

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With Halloween just around the corner, you have found the perfect pumpkin costume for baby Jake and your daughter Ashley insists on wearing her Disney Princess costume – for the third year in a row. But what about you? Sure, you can throw on a mask as you hand out treats at the door, but what will you be wearing to the neighborhood costume party? If you’re willing to shake things up a bit, consider the following costume ideas with just enough sex appeal to turn a few heads.

Sexy Adult Halloween Costumes

Playful Kitty Cat. This is a simple costume that is based on a low-cut black leotard, long cat tail, and a headband with kitty cat ears. The sex appeal for this costume is enhanced with smoky dark eye makeup, false eyelashes and black lipstick.

Sexy Witch. Instead of being the traditional scary witch who is layered in flowing black robes (nothing sexy about that), try scaling back the costume to a simple black silhouette based on a V-cut black leotard, black mini-skirt, black stockings and high-heeled shoes. Them top it off with a flowing black wig, small pointed hat and dark sexy makeup. If you are feeling particularly daring, skip the pantyhose and try thigh-high striped stockings and ankle boots.

Pirate Vixen. Following the hit movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”, pirate costumes have become increasingly popular for Halloween. And they aren’t just for the swashbuckling menfolk! To transform yourself into an enticing pirate wench, you’ll need a white blouse with long puffy sleeves and a low-cut ruffled V-neck. Pair it with any flouncy short skirt, fish net stockings, and over-the-knee black boots. A wide belt with a brass buckle pulls it all together. You can buy a three-cornered hat, or take a big floppy sun hat, sew a row of ruffles around the edge, and then pull up the sides and baste them to the crown, resembling a naval sea commander’s chapeau.

Frankenstein’s Babe.  While the Bride of Frankenstein is often depicted in her scariest form, you can play up her sex appeal without much effort. All you need is a short white mini skirt and a fitted white T-shirt that has been randomly ripped. White stockings and white go-go boots add some playful appeal, and the make-up should be white-face, tons of black eye liner, and blood red lipstick.

Need more ideas? Remember, you can dial up the sex appeal of any Halloween costume by adding a set of false eyelashes, a pair of high-heeled black boots and your sexiest attitude!

The author writes on many topics for women and is a closeted Halloween fiend. This year, she has found the perfect pair of pirate boots from the blackpatentboots.com site and will be greeting the neighbors as Miss Elizabeth Swann.

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