Happy Christmas

Tips for Christmas Shopping for Babies and Infants

by: Katie Rose

A baby's first Christmas will always be treasured by his parents and when it comes to gift-giving this is a perfect time to start your own tradition, like buying a special holiday ornament representing the events of the year - either personally or something from world events or special celebrations, like the Olympics or a World Series or Super Bowl-themed ornament.

Here are some other can't-miss gifts for Christmas for a newborn:

Piggy Bank: A piggy bank can be so much more than a place to hold loose change - a hand-painted and personalized bank is a collectible gift that will be treasured for a lifetime. It will also come in handy when the child is older as a great way to teach a young child how to start saving and managing his money.

Classic Baby Toys: Nostalgia is the new "new." Parents love to see their kids play with the toys of their own youth. Shop around for old-school Fisher Price people and buildings, wooden ABC blocks, shape sorters, Care Bears, jack-in-the-boxes. If you know the parents well it should be fairly easy to figure out what classic toys they enjoyed as children.

Diaper Cakes: If you ask new parents what they spend the most money on they will almost always tell you it is diapers. A diaper cake is a thoughtful gift - the cakes are made up of either disposable or cloth diapers and resemble a tiered cake - think wedding cake for babies. They almost always include other accessories such as toys, bibs, clothes, socks, pajamas, rattles or blankets and often a keepsake as a little gift for mom. Diaper cakes are also perfect for baby showers or to present on arrival home from the hospital.

Educational Toys: Every parent loves educational toys. Why not maximize playtime by learning a motor skill? There
are plenty of toys geared toward fine motor development or that have striking contrasting patterns for baby to look at and talk to. Teethers and blankets with tags or a satin stripe of a blanket offer various sensations when baby rubs them or puts them in his mouth.

Books: Another great idea, and something I always buy for new babies, is a book. Parents are swamped with toys and clothing on the birth of a baby and at Christmastime - toys break or children get bored with them, but you can start building a library that the whole family can enjoy for years. Soft, squeaky or washable books are perfect for babies and real little kids, but don't be afraid to buy books that are a little ahead of where baby is - he will grow into it soon enough and it will live on his bookshelf longer.

Spend some time thinking about the baby and his parents and family life and try to tailor your decisions to what is important to them - is the family religious or spiritual? are the parents musically inclined? is mom a writer? is dad a NASCAR fan or a hockey fan? You are sure to come up with a perfect gift every time if you strive to make it personal and meaningful.

Last Minute Gifts to Rescue Your Mind and Wallet

by: ARA

(ARA) - For most people, the holidays are a wonderful, exciting season devoted to friends, family and festivities. Whether you�re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, exchanging gifts is an eagerly anticipated part of holiday celebrations. However, this same holiday tradition can also be completely nerve-racking, with crowded malls and the stress of finding the right gifts for the right people . . . on the right budget.

If we could afford it, we�d probably all like to give our loved ones everything they need or desire. Unfortunately, most of us don�t have J. Lo�s bank account to empty on expensive gifts. It�s for that very reason that Luna di Luna, one of the fastest growing wines in the United States, offers several holiday gift giving ideas that are sure to keep your pockets jing-jing-jingling.

A cleverly decorated bottle of wine makes for a great last minute gift and is easy on the wallet. With brilliant, festively colored Rudolph-red, holly-green, starlight-yellow, sugar-plum purple and frosty-blue bottled wines that retail around $10, Luna di Luna makes gift-giving easy. To add a little something extra to the presentation of your gift, place the bottle in a clear wine bag and secure with a holiday ribbon.

Whether it�s soaps and shampoos, or gourmet cheeses and sausages, gift boxes are always a good bet for that �hard to buy for� person on your list as they not only eliminate shopping hassles but also wrapping time. Luna di Luna�s red bottled Merlot/Cabernet and green bottled Pinot Bianco/Sauvignon have been twinned together in a two-bottle gift pack (around $21). While the colors of the bottles can provide enough of a presentation by themselves, the combination of these aptly seasonal bottles in a festive holly and berry motif gift box is sure to please.

Luna di Luna also offers a classy gift box for its blue bottle of Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio. Perfect for a New Year�s Eve surprise, or any celebration worth toasting, the gift box features a metallic silver and blue snowflake motif and retails for around $12. Pop open a bottle and get cozy by the fire with your sweetie. The delicious sparkling wine not only sparkles when poured, but continues to do so in the glass.

In addition to the standard 750-mL bottles, Luna di Luna wines are also available in 187-mL four-packs which make fun stocking stuffers, and 1.5-L bottles, which are perfect for holiday parties and dinners. Plus, the individual bottles make great table decorations, adding an extra touch of holiday cheer.

So this season, try to leave the credit cards at home, keep track of your spending and be sure to set aside quality time with your friends, family and loved ones. Available almost anywhere wine is sold, Luna di Luna wines and gift-packs are simple to find and will leave you with plenty of time to stand in line for the latest fad toy for the kids or surprise for your significant other. For more information about Luna di Luna wines go to www.lunadiluna.com. Happy Holidays!

Courtesy of ARA Content