Monday, October 22, 2012
Men can be the hardest on the list to buy for whether that
is for Christmas, birthday, anniversary or any other special occasion. Trying to find different gift ideas or unique
gifts can be even more difficult. Here
are some options ranging for the small budget to the more generous budget. Most have other designs, colors or themes
available to satisfy just about any one's tastes. Where available, make it extra special by
having it personalized. Adding his name
or a special message will make it a personalized gift he won't forget.
Cufflinks
with a personalized case. These distinguished
Blue Square cufflinks for $24.99 are a stylish way to add flare to formal attire. There are many styles to choose from whether he
is a sports fan, poker player, gamer or traditionalist. How about patriotic flag cufflinks for USA,
Canada, Britain, Italy or Ireland?
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| Dashing Blue Square Cufflinks |
Backpack
- Whether he is an outdoors man or heading to a barbeque or tailgate party the
Turismo backpack is ready to go. It has numerous
pockets designed to carry your essentials, features non-slip, extra-comfort
backpack straps and two large insulated interior compartments plus many more
features. It is available in Olive or
Black for $55.95
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| Turismo Backpack |
Set of 4
Frosted Beer Mugs - What guy wouldn't want his own set of personalized beer mugs for his home bar or man cave? The
set consists of 4 mugs with two lines of personalization plus established
year. A perfect way to add a personal
touch to his gift that he can show off to his buddies. There are many themes available to choose
from for only $59.99
 |
| Billiards Beer Mug |
This Sailboat Cutting Board will be the talk of the party. What a special way to show how much you care
with a gift with his favourite activities in mind. Made of 100% bamboo it comes with three
stainless steel accessories (two cheese tools and one waiter style
corkscrew). It even has a canvas sail
and a drawer at the stern to store the tools for only $66.95. There are plenty of other themes to check out
too under our BBQ section.
Sailboat Cutting Board
Sailboat Cutting Board
Outdo all the other man caves with a themed Personalized Pub Set. It includes a vintage sign, matching 16oz
stein and a matching coaster set all for only $99.99. Personalize with the proprietor's name and
established year. There are many styles
and designs to choose from to suit any bar room decor!
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| Personalized Pub Set |
The hardcore sports fan must have one of these Fusion Chairs. It has a fold out table
with expandable shelves, sturdy loops in the back of the chair to secure an
umbrella or sports banner and of course, a detachable cooler bag with multiple
utility pockets. It also has padded
backpack straps for easy balanced carrying and an electronics pocket to safely
store your devices. Available in red,
black, lime and blue $134 Check out even more options under Shop by Person - Men - BBQ
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| Fusion |
This Floto Parma Leather Messenger Bag will surely impress. Imported from Italy the premium leather was
tanned with a special cognac vegetable dye.
The result is a soft, natural leather that will get better with age. Each bag takes on a unique look and darkens like a saddle over
time. It will be a one of a kind gift
for him he will use for many, many years
to come. There are also other bags in this line to suit
his needs and in various finishes. $499
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| Floto Parma Messenger |
For the traveler this Floto Milano Trolley is a perfect Christmas gift idea. He will arrive in style with this Italian
leather luggage on wheels making it easy to pull through the airport or to carry
by the handles like a duffel. It is
available in Vecchio Brown, Tuscan Red, Orange and Black and comes in two sizes
starting at $549. There are many other luggage options available.
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| Floto Milano Trolley |
If you are still having a hard time deciding why
not go with a gift basket? There are many to choose from and cover all
budgets. For something different how
about a Fresh Baked Cookies, a cookie bouquet, candy bouquets, a 3 gallon gourmet popcorn tin
or a traditional Christmas gift basket loaded with special treats. Don't worry, these bouquets don't come close
to a "bouquet of flowers".
Whether he appreciates gourmet food, barbequing, sports, coffee or is a
kid at heart loving the candy you'll find something for him. Check out all the different categories of gift baskets - the beauty of gift baskets is how universal they can be suiting all
your needs.
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| Santa Gift Basket |
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| Ho Ho Ho Gourmet Popcorn |
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| Fresh Baked Cookies |
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| Frosted Christmas Gift Basket |
We would love to hear what are your favourite picks? What gifts have you given in the past that were a big hit with the guys? What were the flops?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Help make a difference - Vote for Imagination
Library to improve school readiness in the Aviva Community Fund competition to
make positive changes in our communities. http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf13862#.UGuUZ6U_vD8.email
The
Imagination Library is a fantastic program.
For many years my sister Jeanne has been on the board of Kids Can Fly (http://www.kidscanfly.ca)
who supports the program. I volunteer at
various events to support the programs run by Kids Can Fly. One of the big events supporting Imagination
Library is the StoryBook Breakfast where I take pictures of the kids with their
favourite Storybook characters. If this idea wins, the funding through Aviva would
go a long way to expand the program.
There
are two ways kids can be part of the program - by sponsorship or by applying
(donation). Under the sponsorship program
packages are available to purchase which you can do as a general donation or to
a specific child. My parents gave a gift
for Alex to receive books under the program. He LOVES books and LOVES going to the mailbox
to check for his book each month. The
other method is where someone applies to Kids Can Fly for the child to be part
of the program. Right now, the demand
far exceeds the available funding. Ideally, Kids Can Fly wants to provide this
program to ALL kids under 5 years of age in the county of Brant. Yes, all kids no matter what. Wouldn't
this be awesome if we can make it happen.
Although
Brant may not be your home county it sure feels good to help any kids no matter
where they live. Let's hope as the
Imagination Library program continues to grow and expand it becomes available
in our own communities to benefit as many children as possible.
Below is
some more information regarding the program as posted on the Aviva Community
Fund website. I found some of the statistics
quite startling. But what amazes me the
most is the act of simply reading to or with a child can have such a huge
impact on their whole life. I sure
cherish those times where Alex grabs a book then shuffles in backwards to plop down
on my lap to read him a book. I love not
only the cuddling time (because this is usually the extent of his cuddling),
but also to see how much he learns and develops each time we read a book
together. It is truly inspiring to want
to help other children have the same experience. One of their mottos says it all : "We believe that if you change the BEGINNING of the story, you change the WHOLE story."
Please show the kids your support by voting for Imagination Library. It is very easy to do through the link at the top of the page - especially if you register through Facebook. You can vote once per day to a maximum of 15 votes per qualifying round. I put a reminder in my Outlook Calendar to go in each morning to register my vote. It only takes seconds to do but can have a lifelong impact on a child. This is the first qualifying round so please don't delay in getting your votes in towards the count.
To read
more about Imagination Library follow the link to the Kids Can Fly website : http://www.kidscanfly.ca/programs/imagination-library/
Link to Aviva Community Fund for Imagination Library
The Imagination Library is a program that puts free age-appropriate quality children’s books into the child’s home
via monthly mail delivery. Dolly Parton founded Imagination Library in 1996
with a goal of helping children secure strong reading and literacy skills as
well as nurturing their creativity and imaginations. As a child she did not
have the opportunity to have many books in her home and as an adult she became
very aware of how important this is. Early Literacy became her passion.
While it sounds simple, regular reading to young children is the single most important thing that adults can do to boost them towards success in education. It not only builds language and vocabulary but contributes to their overall development. The physical closeness of sitting on a parent’s lap, reading, talking, singing together helps stimulate brain development through sensory connections.
While it sounds simple, regular reading to young children is the single most important thing that adults can do to boost them towards success in education. It not only builds language and vocabulary but contributes to their overall development. The physical closeness of sitting on a parent’s lap, reading, talking, singing together helps stimulate brain development through sensory connections.
Research confirms that 25% of young
children are not ready when they start kindergarten and, in Brant, 27% do not
graduate high school. This is a frightening correlation. Research also shows
that for every dollar you invest in early learning, you save up to $17 in the
future on health care, additional resources in school and on the judicial
system. Some states even forecast prison spaces in the future on grade 3
reading scores. This proves how critical it is to have children ready to begin
kindergarten.
Ideally, we would like to have all 5600 children that are under 5 in our community on the Imagination Library. We currently have 580 children registered and have a waiting list of over 100 children. It costs $5 month per child to put them on the program. We believe that if you change the BEGINNING of the story, you change the WHOLE story.
Ideally, we would like to have all 5600 children that are under 5 in our community on the Imagination Library. We currently have 580 children registered and have a waiting list of over 100 children. It costs $5 month per child to put them on the program. We believe that if you change the BEGINNING of the story, you change the WHOLE story.
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