With the President’s Day long weekend right around the corner, as well as the GOP primary elections heating up, in honor of all things presidential we’ve compiled some bizarre as well as interesting factoids about our elected presidential leaders, both past and present.  They say that truth is stranger than fiction–we think you will absolutely agree!

John Adams-It is said that John Adams and his family wandered aimlessly for hours before finally figuring out how to find their way to their new home, The White House.  (Perhaps a map was in order?)

Thomas Jefferson-When old Tom wrote his own epitaph he failed to even mention his time as president.  (Apparently it wasn’t a big enough deal…)

William Howard Taft-Weighing in at well over 300 big ones, President Taft holds the distinction of being the heaviest man to ever be the United States president.  Sadly, Taft once got stuck in the White House bathtub.  To avoid a repeat of this embarrassing gaffe, a new (and 4 times larger) bathtub was installed.  (It’s likely too, that this was prior to the Presidential physical fitness program!)

William Henry Harrison-This president, considered by many to be one of the most long winded when it came to giving speeches, gave one of the longest inaugural addresses in history, in spite of the fact that he was standing outside in very inclement weather without a coat or hat.  He died of pneumonia about a month later.  (Didn’t your mother warn you about not taking your coat?)

James Buchanan-When the Prince of Wales visited the White House with a ginormous entourage of people; President Buchanan was actually forced to sleep out in the hallway! (No respect…whatsoever…)

Grover Cleveland-President Cleveland enjoyed answering incoming phone calls to the White House himself. (That’s one way to screen your own calls…)

Woodrow Wilson-Enjoyed raising sheep for their wool during his stint in the White House. (so baaaad)

Warren G. Harding-President Harding had the distinction of having the biggest Presidential feet–rumored to be a size 14.  (But at least he didn’t get stuck in the bathtub…)

Calvin Coolidge-President Coolidge absolutely refused to use the telephone during his Presidential term. (Can you say paranoid?)

Herbert Hoover-President Hoover was known to donate his entire salary made as President to charity. (awwwwwesome.)

Harry S. Truman-This musical president was known to rise long before dawn each day to practice the piano for about 2 hours. (Such inspiration to budding politically inclined musicians everywhere!)

Gerald Ford-Gerald Ford’s former jobs include being a fashion model and also working as a Yellowstone park ranger. (Strike a pose…with bears…)

Jimmy Carter-President Carter was considered an expert speed-reader and was purported to be able to read approximately 2000 words per minute. (War and Peace in 60 minutes flat…)

Barack Obama-President Obama was known as O’ Bomber during his high school basketball days.  Obama is also known for collecting Spiderman memorabilia as well as Conan the Barbarian comic books.  (Now there are some interesting allies…)

Want more?  Here are a few tidbits of trivia on the GOP candidates:

Mitt Romney-Was named Mitt after his father’s cousin named Milton Romney.

Newt Gingrich-Was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1995.

Rick Santorum-Karen Santorum, Rick’s wife, wrote a book about etiquette for children.  (And mother’s everywhere are still grateful…)

Ron Paul-During his career as an OB/GYN he delivered more than 4,000 babies.  He enjoys gardening and growing his own crops when he is at home in Texas. 

Be sure to check out our collection of President’s Day costumes and accessories.

Mardi Gras, and all the fun a good ol’ lively French-fest can bring with it, is right around the corner.  Mardi Gras hits the calendar a bit early this year, February the 21st, so you have just a little over 2 weeks to begin planning for your big Mardi Gras party or even a super sexy as well as mysterious masquerade ball.  Whether your trip to the Big Easy is real or just done in big Louisiana party style, we have all the hot supplies to make you look as if you are ready to go hit Bourbon Street and “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll!)

What is Mardi Gras all about anyway?  For you Mardi Gras rookies that want to know why you should celebrate, as well as what the fuss is all about, here’s a basic crash course.  Mardi Gras, literally translated from French to English, means Fat Tuesday.  Fat Tuesday is a traditional day of feasting (can you say eat, drink and be merry?) that is done the night before Ash Wednesday, beginning the traditional Catholic period of Lent.  Lent is 40 days of fasting that occurs up until Easter.  French settlers that centered in the New Orleans area first brought this tradition to America.  The tradition of Mardi Gras runs deep in Louisiana until this very day.

The Big Easy:  Because of Mardi Gras’ early history associated with this southern region of our beloved country, the celebration of Mardi Gras has been heavily associated with and truly embraced by the people of New Orleans.  Just because you don’t live in New Orleans, however, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get into the spirit and the true Louisiana flavor of this exciting and flamboyant holiday! 

Masks and Masquerade:  Masks have been worn for years as part of the celebration of Mardi Gras.  Venetian style masks and many other creative, elaborate as well as decorative masks are part of the fun and tradition surrounding Mardi Gras.  Hiding ones identity has gone along with the celebratory theme of this holiday for hundreds of years, and there is some logic to the anonymity factor involved.  If no one knows who you actually are, traditionally, it’s been easier to really let loose and let your Cajun swagger truly get its groove on without worrying about tomorrow.

Tradition of Throws:  Since the late 1800’s, some of the authentic Mardi Gras tradition is to have many parades and floats as part of the celebrating that goes on in the city. Float riders are known to throw out many items to Mardi Gras revelers which include plastic beads, doubloons, cups and small stuffed animals.  Even if you aren’t planning a parade or float as part of your Mardi Gras festivities, you are still going to want to include some of these unique and traditional items as part of your Fat Tuesday celebration.

Party, Wild French Style:  If you are planning a Mardi Gras themed party, make sure you have all the sexy glittery costumes, elaborate masks, face paint, crazy hats, sparkling gloves and other ‘out there’ accessories that you may need to create a Fat Tuesday look that will be absolutely unforgettable.  Whether you are looking to be a Carnival King or Queen or even that wacky or sexy Court Jester, our costumes and accessories made just for your Mardi Gras celebration will definitely put the ooooo back into your la-la.  To Mardi Gras say OUI!

Everywhere you turn, love is officially in the air.  Jewelry ads run rampant on TV and most stores look like a red (and pink) sea of hearts and flowers.  It’s hard to miss the fact that Valentine’s Day is almost here.  Traditionally a day marked by couples to celebrate their love, don’t miss out on the fact that even your littlest ones will enjoy getting into the spirit of this heart felt holiday.  Here are some simple and easy ideas to get your whole family feeling the love!

I Wear My Pink Pajamas:  Or my red ones…!  Your child is going to be thrilled at getting some fun and whimsical pajamas that will surely add some excitement to Valentine’s Day.  Look for super cute heart designs or for a really unique and special gift some stores will embroider your child’s name on the pajamas for a more personalized touch.

Bake it Homemade:  It’s easy (and fun) to bake special Valentine treats to give to your kids, even if it’s just for an extra loving lunch box surprise.  Even better, let your children participate in the fun with you.  Ready-made cookie dough found at your supermarket makes it really easy to bake heart shaped cookies with very little effort but your kids are going to love it!  Have red and pink sprinkles, red hots and other heart shaped candies nearby to decorate your home-baked creations!

Heart Tattoo’s or Stamps:  An easy yet fun way to get your child into the Valentine’s Day spirit is with temporary tattoo’s or with a Valentine themed stamp.  Kids love to wear their heart on their hands, arms or even their cheeks!  You can find a wide variety of these items at your local novelty store. 

Get Crafty!  Your child will love creating something extra fun for Valentine’s Day, whether it is special handmade Valentine’s or some other craft item.  If you hit your local craft store you will find numerous arts and crafts sets or items that will make a perfect Valentine gift that will keep your child busy for hours!

Something Bear-y Special:  There’s a reason why the Teddy Bear is still considered a child’s favorite toy!  Your child will love a special Valentine’s rendition of this old stand by–huggable, loveable and likely to be carried around to love on all day long.  Build-A-Bear makes a very special Bear made just for Valentine’s Day–and there are of course many others to choose from. 

Have a Heart:  Heart shaped accessories are super fun for kids to wear and dress up with on Valentine’s Day.  You can find a wide range to choose from, including heart shaped hair clips, jewelry items, sunglasses and even socks!  These items are inexpensive but are very fun for kids to wear to make their Valentine’s Day extra special.

Fun & Games:  These are old stand by’s but games are very fun for kids to receive as a Valentine’s Day gift.  One of our favorites for Valentine’s Day is Operation, where kids try to perform a little careful heart surgery before they get buzzed!  Another fun idea for a little bit older kids is a Jr. Archery set.  Perhaps the “Cupid” association will go over their heads, but your kids will still enjoy trying to hit the bull’s eye.

Heart Room Décor:  Many kids will enjoy having something fun to put in their room for Valentine’s Day and beyond.  Adding heart-shaped pillows as an accessory is an easy way to perk up most any child’s bedroom theme.  Cute pillow sets that look like conversation hearts or even a poster with hearts and flowers can do the trick nicely.

Candy:  Obviously candy is always going to be a favorite of kids for Valentine’s Day as it is for any holiday.  Your local store is likely to be filled with special treats made for kids with a Valentine theme.  Traditional favorites like boxes of conversation hearts will always be appreciated, but look for special bags of Valentine colored M&M’s as well as other special candy treats!

Costumes:  Dressing up for Valentine’s Day (or any day, really) is super fun for kids.  Consider getting a costume for fun dress up time for your child as a unique gift that will give him hours of imaginative playtime fun.  Superheroes, princesses, movie characters and occupational favorites are a great place to start.  Don’t forget to add some fun accessories to your child’s wardrobe just for Valentine’s Day, too–ruby slippers, red hair extensions, red-striped socks/tights, silly hats–all of these are perfect to accessorize all your planned Valentine’s Day fun!

Even though traditionally Valentine’s Day is a special and romantic day for couples, your kids will love getting into the fun and spirit of this unique holiday, too!  Use some of our great ideas to make their Valentine’s Day one they will always remember and can really put their heart into!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  Now is the time to start planning to make sure all those that you care about feel special and remembered on this day of “all things love.”  We’ve come up with some fantastic ideas to put you into a Valentine’s Day mood, whether it’s by having some family fun or planning a special night of romance with your significant other. 

Homemade Valentines:  One of the longest lasting traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day (and one that even your kids are going to love!) is that of creating handmade Valentine’s to share with friends and family.  Making these Valentines doesn’t have to be complicated either.  Simple heart shapes cut from red and pink construction paper can be glued onto paper doilies.  Decorate these with stickers and cutouts that you can pick up at your local craft store.  Kids will enjoy taping on a Valentine themed sweet treat, especially if these are to be passed out at school.  If you are a grown up making a homemade Valentine, try composing an original Valentine’s poem to put on yours.  Even if it’s silly, a truly heartfelt message will get your point across beautifully and will be far more meaningful than a store bought card.

Heartfelt Pizza:  Buy ready-made pizza dough or use your favorite recipe.  Instead of making traditional round pizzas, make individual serving size pizzas, fashioning the dough carefully into heart shapes.  Top your pizza with pizza sauce and other toppings that you would normally use.  This is a simple but very fun variation on a traditional favorite recipe that will get your entire family into the spirit of the holiday!

Learn The Traditions:  Kids (and grown ups, too!) will enjoy learning about how Valentine’s Day began and about some of the traditions that surround it.

• St Valentine:  There are many variations of the story of St. Valentine around, but here is one you can start with.  St. Valentine was a priest back in the days of the Roman Empire.  When Emperor Claudius ruled, he outlawed marriage for young men, as it was his belief that men without wives and children made better soldiers and the young men were the ones that he wanted in his army.  St. Valentine surreptitiously married the young couples in complete defiance to the law, as he believed the young men should be allowed to be in love, marry and have families.  Even though St. Valentine would eventually be killed for performing these marriages, his memory and legend still remains.

• Cupid:  So where did this strange, blindfolded god come from anyway?  In Roman Mythology, Cupid, the son of Venus, is considered to be the God of desire, affection and erotic love.  The legend of Cupid professes that he is a small boy with wings, carrying a quiver of potent arrows on his back. Even though for some reason Cupid is blindfolded, he will still take aim and try to shoot his victims in the heart.  Once struck by Cupid’s arrow, the victim will fall hopelessly in love.

Valentine Treasure Hunt:  Kids of all ages can tailor this idea according to its most ideal plan.  Trails of candy can be left for the intended recipient until the end of the line is reached, where a bouquet of flowers or balloons is waiting.  Another fun idea is to leave clues around the house, each clue leading to another clue until the final Valentine’s surprise is reached.  A more grown up (and very sexy) version of this same game is to leave clues (along with a few delicious surprises) along your lover’s journey.  For example, leave a clue on a small plate with a delicious chocolate covered strawberry.  The next clue could be sitting adjacent to a glass of champagne.  When your lover reaches the final destination and surprise, it will be you waiting; all dressed to the nines in very sexy Valentine themed lingerie or one of our fabulous Valentine’s Day costumes!  Now that’s a Valentine!

No matter what you choose to do this Valentine’s Day, a little extra effort will make this special holiday far more memorable as well as fun.  Get your entire family together for some heartfelt and super fun Valentine’s Day activities–everyone will be feeling the love!

As we inch up on the last week or two of January, it’s not too soon to start thinking about the traditional day of amour that is just around the corner.  Although Valentine’s day is the classic day to celebrate love for many, Valentine’s Day is also a great day for kids (of all ages) to have some serious fun and to get into the spirit of the holiday, whether you have an actual Valentine or not.  Here are some super fun ideas to help get you thinking about this great wintertime holiday.  With a little creativity and planning this Valentine’s Day will surely warm up your heart!

Red … The Color of Love:  Pull out the stops this Valentine’s Day and dress up in all things red.  Red hair extensions or red glitter hair spray is a great way to add a little festive touch to your hair and transform ordinary tresses into true lovelocks.  Red nail polish and lipstick will add more Valentine’s Day drama, and by all means add some red false eyelashes to your eyes for a very bold touch.  If you really are feeling the holiday, go for a bright red wig to get some red-hot attention.  Other accessories to spice up your look include red stockings, sunglasses, hair accessories and of course glistening red shoes!  Dressing up in your best reds is a fun and fire-y way to get into a great Valentine’s Day mood!

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Super Valentine! Put on your best superhero get up…with a twist.  Take an ordinary superhero costume (pick your favorite) and add some heart cut outs and a red mask over your eyes.  A bright red bodysuit also is a great and dramatic start to this silly but fun costume that is truly going to send your Valentine into heartfelt hysterics. Your Valentine will love your rendition of the best superhero ever…especially if he comes bearing chocolates and flowers.

Don’t Have A Valentine?  Try Dressing as Cupid and Go Hunting!   Tradition states that being shot by the arrow of Cupid causes the recipient to fall madly and hopelessly in love.  Even if you are dubious, on this day of love you most certainly can get away with trying.  For you girls wanting to be a sexy rendition of Cupid, try our super sassy and fun Valentine Cupid Costume! For you guys with a sense of humor, a really silly costume that could easily become a Valentine favorite is the Ooo La Lola Costume; try it on for size!  You guys can also easily create a more traditional (yet crazy) Cupid Costume with a skin-toned body suit, an adult diaper and a great set of wings.  (Don’t forget your quiver of play arrows!)

For Grown Ups Only:  Some super sexy Valentine costumes or lingerie ensembles are available that will surprise and delight your love.  Cute and sexy looks like our Ladybug costume are the perfect whimsical choice for some Valentines Day fun.  The Queen of Hearts is also a hot look that will really get your heart in the right place.  For the ultimate in seductive excitement, our Halter Bra and Garter set will send your lover straight into Valentines’ Day orbit!

Pets need Valentine’s Love, Too:  If you want to share the love with your pet, too this is the perfect time to dress up your furry buddy in something adorable that will definitely get him some extra petting and possibly even some bonus dog treats!  Our super charming pet Lady Bug costume is a perfect doggie ensemble for Valentine’s day and your pet won’t mind the extra attention he’s bound to get by wearing this super cute get up!

Add some extra fun and excitement to your Valentine’s Day that goes way beyond simple cards and flowers.  Dress up and get into the spirit of the holiday–make this Valentine’s Day your best one ever!

Who’s Your Team?  Football season is coming to its apex and the really exciting end to a great season is here with playoff games happening and then right around the corner (February 5th) is the Super Bowl! Have you picked your winner yet?  Who are you rooting for?  Make sure you get into the spirit of your best football party with fun costumes and accessories that will make your next tailgate party the talk of the neighborhood!

Who’s Your Valentine?  Have you thought about making this Valentine’s Day your sweetest ever?  Wearing a super sexy costume for your sweetie is an exciting way to surprise your guy on Valentine’s Day.  Wearing something special for him is much more powerful than anything cupid could ever come up with in his quiver of arrows.  Check out our selection of sexy costumes and surprise your Valentine with a decadent treat that is absolutely filled with amour.

Who’s Your President?  All things presidential are happening all around us.  Get into the spirit of the election year and picking your candidate by dressing up in something extra fun as well as patriotic.  With President’s day coming up as well, now may be the perfect time to don your red, white and blue patriotic gear or a presidential costume and show some love for your country.  Don’t forget to check out some of our humorous masks, too!

Who’s Who in Who-ville?  Read Across America is an exciting day that celebrates both books and learning.  This very special day is right around the corner and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get your kids excited about literature and reading.  Of course this day also pays due homage to one of the greatest authors of children’s books of all time–Dr. Seuss (who’s birthday is on the same day of course!)  Get your Cat in the Hat costume ready!  Sharing the love of and getting kids excited about books is an important step in the right direction toward success in school as well as in life.  Don’t miss getting into the spirit of this very special event!

Who’s Your Hero?  It’s time to dress up and have some serious indoor fun getting into character.  Whether your kids like occupational heroes like police and firemen or more imaginative characters like Fairy princesses or Army men, putting on a really great costume is a super quick and easy way to give your children hours of indoor imaginative playtime that will keep them happy and busy even if it’s cold and miserable outside.

Now Who’s Depressed?  Hopefully no one!  With so many fun and exciting things to do and get involved in during the upcoming weeks you can easily fill up your time with many good things that are fun and enjoyable for you and your entire family.  Get into the spirit of what’s coming up and take even the little celebrations to the next level!

Great Movies:  During the holiday season there are many blockbuster movies in the theatres and if you haven’t had time to see a good movie, now is the perfect time to do so!  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a great choice if action/adventure is your thing.  Check out Ethan Hunt on his latest quest as he tries to stop nuclear Armageddon!  Even if you aren’t typically a detective movie type, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a popular choice that has Robert Downey Jr. bringing the character of Sherlock Holmes to life as he has never been portrayed before!  Don’t miss it!  For another great movie with lots of family fun potential, Alvin and the Chipmunks have an unexpectedly big adventure in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.  Watch the shenanigans of Alvin and his buddies when their cruise ship sinks and they have to survive on a Polynesian Island!  No matter where your cinematic adventures take you, going to the movies is a simple but effective way to get out of a post holiday slump.

Football Season:  For some instant sporty exhilaration, get ready for some football!  Get together with your friends for to watch your favorite team in action or if you can, hit the stadium in person for some cold weather, exciting live action!  Whether you are just a fan that wants to show your ultimate loyalty to your favorite team or a football widow that wants to get some of the attention back on herself–we have lots of fun and exciting costumes and accessories that will get you into the spirit of the NFL playoffs and the upcoming Super Bowl too!  Root for your favorite team in head to toe character! 

More Holidays!  The upcoming weeks are fortunately loaded with exciting holidays that are fun as well as patriotic and educational.  These holidays and events can be made even more enjoyable as well as memorable for you and your kids with appropriate costumes to wear to mark the event.  Martin Luther King’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and Mardi Gras are literally right around the corner.  It’s not too soon to start planning the parties and events that surround these very special days.  Make sure your celebrations are made even more unique and fun by getting into character with some appropriate costumes and of course, all the costume accessories to go along with them!

2012 is here.  Even if you have a bad case of the wintertime blues, kick them off by looking forward to the fun and excitement that is in the coming weeks and make the most of what lies ahead.  See a good movie, watch a great football game or make some fun plans for an upcoming romantic holiday or long weekend.  Even the long days of winter can hold lots of fun and excitement; be sure to make the most of yours!

Making New Year's Resolutions Stick

Ok. Now that Christmas is over, we shift the focus to the next big holiday, which is New Year’s.  New Year’s parties are on many people’s holiday to-do lists and it’s an annual favorite celebration amongst the masses.  A traditional part of New Year’s celebrating has been setting New Year goals or resolutions.  Many of us participate in this annual resolution making, and make big plans to become a whole new person as soon as that ball drops on New Year’s Eve.  A recent survey has shown, however, that most resolutions that are created for New Year’s are given up and completely abandoned within six months.  Here’s some great tips for you as you make your New Year’s resolutions to help you create goals that you can not only live with but are much more likely to stick!

Going Way Too Big:  Even though it may fall into the category of “it seemed like a good idea at the time,” setting goals that are too gigantic or unrealistic may set you up for nearly immediate failure.  There is nothing wrong with having lofty aspirations, however, your goals may be much more attainable if you break them down into smaller, more palatable changes that are more readily adjusted to. 

Relying Too Much on Sheer Willpower:  If you rely on willpower alone to achieve your goals you may soon be in trouble.  It’s human nature to fall off the wagon as soon as a stressful situation arises or get overwhelmed by the challenges of daily living.  Willpower isn’t enough to make real changes; you have to have behavioral changes to back it up.  Making your lifestyle changes enjoyable is a much better alternative because then you don’t feel deprived and all too ready to fall back into your old habits when inevitable challenging days arise.

Think Positively:  It takes a lot of mental energy to retrain your brain into making real change.  Watch yourself and eliminate negative self-talk.  Tell yourself that you know you can succeed at your goal–even if it is only in the smallest increments, perhaps just a day at a time.  Visualize frequently how great you will feel and the positive effects that attaining your goal will have on your life.  If you do find yourself in a funk and are thinking negatively, train your brain to focus on the negative impact that not attaining your set goal will have in your life.  Sometimes thinking about these ramifications can be positively motivating as well.

Plan Ahead:  No matter what your resolutions are, planning ahead will help you to not come up with an array of excuses as to why you aren’t starting now to move forward.  If your goal is to work out regularly in a gym, make sure you have a membership at a gym that is convenient.  If you are trying to eat more healthfully, throw out your junk food and fill your refrigerator with healthful options.  Make sure whatever obstacles you foresee that may delay you on your journey are removed.

Leave Past Failures Behind:  No matter what your track record is, no matter how many times your resolutions haven’t worked, today is a new day and you have to learn to let go of the past and not let it influence the here and now.  A good strategy to embrace is to accept before you begin that you will fail now and then and that is part of the journey.  Knowing that you will have setbacks and having the ability to pull yourself back up and continue to move forward is huge.

Go Public and Get a Partner:  Letting your friends and loved ones know what your goals are makes you more accountable.  Let people know what your intentions are and this will give you one more incentive to keep persisting when things get hard.  Having a friend or loved one that is in your corner is also a good way to buoy yourself up when you are having a weak moment or a bad day.  Another good idea is to find a friend with similar goals as yourself and work together to attain them.  Being able to talk about the challenges you may face on a day-to-day basis is great when you are working as a team, plus a partnership approach injects a level of fun and camaraderie into the effort as well.

Reward Yourself Along the Way:  At various milestones during your journey, have incentives or rewards that motivate you.  Buy yourself a new outfit for so much weight loss or consistent days spent working out in a gym.  Giving yourself a pat on the back for sticking with your goals is a huge help in attaining them and a well-deserved reward for your effort.

Saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new one brings with it many opportunities for growth and improvement.  With a bit of planning and foresight you can use your New Year’s resolutions to make your life much better and brighter in 2012!

Well, here we are, the final week before Christmas. In all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with the holiday shopping process.  Poor Santa, can you imagine the stress he must be under as he attempts to please kids all over the world in one night?  Some of us find Christmas shopping completely overwhelming–others really seem to embrace the whole shopping experience and seem to always get gift giving just right.  For those of you that seem to be struggling a little bit with finding those perfect gifts for the recipients on your shopping list, here are a few pointers to help you in your quest for that perfect gift. 

According to our shopping pros, here are a few gifts you should always avoid:

Household appliances: Let’s face the facts, if you need one, you are likely to buy it yourself, getting one as a gift just isn’t very fun.  Even if your recipient is the most practical person on the planet, avoid these–no matter how you wrap up an iron or a hand held vacuum, it’s just not very exciting to open on Christmas morning.  If you were to give one to your spouse, you may even find yourself getting the holiday cold-shoulder.

Pets: Unless you are 100% positive that your recipient is ready for the responsibility of a new animal in the family, the gift of a pet is best avoided, especially if it is a legitimate surprise.  Not everyone is ready to become the new parent of a pet on Christmas morning. This is a gift that although well intended, could easily backfire on you. If your family has been considering adopting a pet into the household, find a less chaotic and exhausting time to introduce a new pet into your home as having a new animal around has challenges of its own. 

Heavily advertised on TV:  Whether it is jewelry you’ve seen about 1,000 times in holiday ads, warm body wraps with sleeves, pottery that grows plant life that looks like hair, or light switches that go on with a clap of your hand, no one really ever gets very excited about the cliché, oversold gifts that are heavily advertised on television.  These gifts often end up in the return stack for the weekend after the holiday-don’t be a victim that gets caught up in an advertising gimmick.

Pre-made Gift Baskets:  Assume your recipient has already received a few of these type of gifts, as they are everywhere that shoppers go over the holidays.  These baskets are very tempting to buy as they are packaged very festively and are a shopper’s dream as they are all ready to go.  The problem with them is that what is inside is often small on content and big on packaging–and some of the items grouped together may not necessarily appeal to your recipient.  The best gift baskets are those you put together yourself–then you can select the best goodies and items to fill your basket with based on the likes and needs of your lucky recipient.

Pre-Paid Gift Cards:  Be extremely careful with these as they often have fees attached to them when you buy them, or can be difficult to use if you are loading them with a smaller dollar amount.  Many of these cards (if not used promptly) will charge a monthly maintenance fee after a certain number of months have gone by.  This will lead to a lot of disappointment when the card is actually used.  It’s better to stick with a gift card or gift certificate for a store you know your recipient will enjoy as these type of gifts rarely have an expiration date or fee attached to them.

Still out of ideas?  There is help! Here Are A Few Ideas …

Gift an Experience:  Sometimes the best gift isn’t something that can be put into a box.  Tickets to an upcoming event that you know will be enjoyed make a fantastic gift.  You can go out on a limb and gift something crazy like a hot air balloon ride or scuba diving lessons.  Sometimes the gift of relaxation is wonderful, too–a spa day or a relaxing massage makes a perfect escape after enduring all the chaos that leads up to the holidays.

Gift of Imagination:  Kids get bored with the most popular holiday toys very quickly.  Consider the gift of imaginative playtime–with a gift full of fun accessories and children’s costumes just for dress up and creative adventures.  This type of gift never seem to lose its luster with kids and will give your children hours of playtime fun.

Family or Couple Getaway:  After the holidays are over, a family getaway may be the perfect way to recharge your battery.  If you live someplace cold and wintery, it may be fun to go someplace warm in order to unthaw yourself and relax a bit.   If you are lucky enough to live in a warmer climate, it’s still fun to go visit a colder, wintrier place to get a true taste of winter fun and to play in the snow. 

Finding the perfect holiday gift doesn’t have to be stressful or hard, with a little extra thought you will find that perfect present that brings Christmas smiles to all those on your own Santa’s gift list!

Costumes are a great way for a child to dress up in character as many of his Christmas toy favorites--and can easily bring your child’s favorite toys to life--straight out of Santa’s sack.

There is absolutely no doubt about it–at Christmastime, kids want toys!  It’s traditional for Santa Claus to come bounding down the chimney with his infamous sack loaded to the brim with all the favorite toys that every kid wants.  This year, make sure that your Santa (dressed head to toe in one of our jolliest Santa Claus suits, of course!) is fully loaded with plenty of toys–and may we suggest a new twist on a few old favorites?  Costumes are a great way for a child to dress up in character as many of his Christmas toy favorites–and can easily bring your child’s favorite toys to life–straight out of Santa’s sack. 

Toy Soldiers:  Kids love playing army and pretend war games have been a favorite childhood imaginative play theme for many years.  Make sure that your child is fully outfitted in proper soldier apparel for a Christmas gift that will bring him hours of adventurous fun at playtime!

Dolls that coddle and coo:  If your little darling wants a baby or fashion doll from Santa, she’s likely to take great delight in dressing up as one, too!  We have many costumes that look exactly like your child’s favorite fashion dolls and all of the accessories she will find necessary and really fun to complete her best fashionista look. 

Sugar Plum Fairies: (and princesses, too!)  Your little girl may have many visions of Sugar Plums dancing in her head this holiday season, but one of her favorites is likely to be a lovely Princess or Fairy ensemble so she can dress from head to toe like the special royalty that she really is!  With a regal Princess or sweet Fairy costume your child’s holiday will have lots of extra Christmas magic!

Raggedy Ann & Andy:  This rag doll duo is a popular Christmas classic toy that your child will delight in recreating herself through a darling Christmas costume–don’t forget the red yarn-like wig!  Dressing as this sweet rag doll will bring hours of imaginative playtime fun to your child as she embarks on her very own Raggedy Ann adventures.

Western Cowboy with a Cap Gun:  Whether you choose the Disney favorite, Woody from Toy Story, or a more classically styled cowboy, dressing as a gun slinging cowboy from the Wild Wild West is great fun for any child ready to take his imagination on a truly wild ride.  Yee Haw!

Traditional Clown:  What could be more fun for a kid than taking an exciting and imaginative trip to the big top?  Running away to the circus can be as easy for your child as going straight to his costume box.  Make sure he has everything he needs to dress up as his favorite silly clown character, from the rainbow Afro wig to the squeaky horn. 

No matter what your child’s toy wish list has on it, Santa can easily bring a costume to thrill and delight him as he kindles his imagination with fun and excitement through dressing up like his favorite classic Christmas toys!