So I have to admit, I’m not much for Christmas. I can’t say I am as bad as the Grinch, but I probably come a close second. The one thing that saves me is the fact that you don’t have to work (or in the past–don’t have to go to school) so that fact alone subdues a little part of my annoyance for the holidays. I have also been lucky enough to participate in Christmas Bingo for the past couple of years which I find pretty fun. On the other hand, the one thing I truly do love is searching the web for the perfect holiday gifts. Last year I found a number of sites that had affordable, trendy, designy gifts that would most certainly be good for anyone. Unfortunately I didn’t keep any of those websites around, so this year I will have to start from scratch and find those good ones again. Most blogs do a Top Ten/Twenty/Fifty list for hot gifts this year, but I haven’t made that up yet, so I think I will just post as I find. Hope everyone finds these sites as useful as I do.

Here are the first couple of tips I can pass along:

Just got this catalog in the mail yesterday, Uncommon Goods, which has the wine glasses I want above. They describe their products as creatively designed and unusual home accessories and gifts. From the quick glance this morning the products seem to be decent and they definitely have enough items to find at least one or two perfect gifts for the holidays.

One similar catalog I’ve got for the past couple years is Red Envelope, which is a little more upscale than Uncommon Goods, a little heavier on the wallet, but very high quality gifts.

And the last tip for the day goes to Heifer International. Now let me tell you when I was first sent this catalog in the mail I had NEVER heard of this company before, but come to find out it has been around for quite a while. Let’s just say, when you read an article about buying a llama for Christmas for your granddaughter to be sent to the mountainous regions of Latin America, you know the last thing the grand-daughter wants is a llama sent to someone else. (hence why christmas sucks) But this really is a good thing because the Heifer Gift Registry is stocked with goats, chicks, pigs and even trees to help families around the world living in poverty. Anyway, just check them out, if you feel like giving the less fortunate families around the world a little love on the holiday’s I am sure it would feel a lot better than buying the latest iPod for your dad.

BTW – for all my K.C./Lawrence friends that will be at Cathy’s this weekend, Phil and I will be accepting donations as we intend to purchase a trio of rabbits, a llama, and a couple of beehives for a total price of $240.