If you’re still looking for that last minute gift, here are some affordable suggestions, courtesy of RetailMeNot:

For Mom

Illuminate and fill her home with a deliciously fragrant scented candle from Slatkin & Co.

For Dad

Runner in the house? This Nike + iPod Sensor measures pace, distance, time, and calories burned.

For Your Sister

Every woman needs a place to store her jewelry. This silver-plated jewelry box can be personalized with her name.

For Your Brother

For those afternoons at home…A portable and compact tabletop tennis set.

For Your Best Friend

Preserve and share your favorite memories with this classy “friends” frame.

For the Child In Your Life

Give the gift of educational play!  This puzzle box set from Melissa & Doug features four wooden construction vehicle puzzles.

Each of the above gifts was found on RetailMeNot.  The online coupon site helps shoppers save on products from popular retailers like Bath & Body Works, Macy’s, Best Buy, Brookstone, and more.  Whenever I shop online, I always head to the site to see if I can find a discount code and more often than not, I’m successful in finding one.  The total amount that would have been saved if the above products were purchased through RetailMeNot is 14%. For online coupons, discount codes, free shipping codes, and printable coupons, visit the website.

No compensation was received for this post. Product samples provided.

I actually find it quite difficult to shop for quality jewelry (hence the reason I rarely do so) and commend those men who gift diamonds and pearls during the holidays.  Enter Ice, a jewelry store turned digital which offers fine jewelry at affordable prices. With their “in-the-know” fine jewelry experts and money-back guarantee, Ice is the place to find that special piece for you or your loved one.

With regards to trends, I like to be “in-the-know” and on top of what’s hip and “up and coming.” I’m not afraid to try something new or bold.  I found a couple of pieces on the site that really capture my somewhat adventurous personality.

Rather than wearing diamond studs, which is traditional, why not opt for something a bit more vibrant?  These 1 carat Tanzanite 14K white gold stud earrings are absolutely gorgeous. As a newer gemstone, they offer color and elegance and can be worn both casually and formally.

To compliment the earrings, I found a stunning 4 carat Tanzanite sterling silver heart bracelet.  The only thing I would have liked is the option of  ordering it in white gold.

Right now, Ice has two amazing offers running concurrently.  To celebrate the fact that they’ve reached 500,000 fans on Facebook, Ice is offering $50 to spend on any purchase over $175 or more at Ice.  To take advantage of this offer, you must either use the code F500K or shop from this link.  Additionally, you can save up to 30% on all black diamond jewelry through December 19th with the code FBLDD or through this link. Lastly, you can save 20% off jewelry with the code FBBOC or through this link (not valid on sale/clearance items, engagement rings, watches, or the Persona Charms collection).

No compensation was received for this post. Gift certificate provided.

While it goes without question that flowers are a staple gift idea for holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, I don’t always think to gift arrangements for the holidays, despite the fact that they are lovely and fragrant.  If you’re planning to attend a holiday party, why not bring a festive arrangement to brighten up the space, add decor to the tables, and lighten the ambience of the room?

1-800-Flowers.com is currently offering an incredible assortment of Christmas flowers, plants, centerpieces, and more. Some of my favorites from the site include Holiday Lodge Christmas Tree, Holiday Lodge Wreath and Garland, Vintage Holiday Skates, and Santa Paws.

When I don’t have a clear wish list from friends and family members, or simply want to gift an assortment of items, I opt for gift baskets.  The Christmas-themed baskets offered at 1-800-Baskets.com are unique and lovely, filled with a selection of gourmet eats and treats. Along with the traditional baskets you’d expect to find on the site, you can gift chocolate dipped strawberries, holiday petit fours, a gingerbread house, and more.

Right now you can save up to 30% off select holiday gifts found at 1-800-Baskets.com and 15% off holiday centerpieces at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM with the promo code: TRADITIONS

And don’t forget to check out their holiday deal of the day for even more savings.

Win It! One of you will win this adorable Santa Paws.  Simply leave me a comment with the name of another Christmas arrangement or basket you like.  Comments will close on December 21st at 11:59 PM PST and I will need the winner to confirm their address by the 22nd in order to ensure delivery before Christmas.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

1-800-Flowers Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a flower arrangement from @1800flowers @rockinmama  http://tinyurl.com/6nx774y”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

No compensation was received for this post. Giveaway item provided by 1-800-Flowers.com

Shine from Yahoo just revealed their latest Get It Guide, perfectly timed for the holiday season:  Hottest Holiday Toys.  The guide features those topics women are searching for and discussing.  Surprisingly, I only recognize one…LeapFrog’s LeapPad Explorer, a tot-sized tablet that combines education and entertainment.  This techie toy has already been a hit in our home and I’m not surprised that it made the list (or that it’s been sold out in a number of stores nationwide).

Other toys that topped the list include Mattel’s Monster High Dolls, which are geared towards teens and tweens, Air Swimmers, which integrate helium and a remote control for life-like motions, and Lego Ninjago, the result of meshing Legos and ninjas.  Be sure to check out real reviews from real women on the hottest toys for 2011 on Shine!

What toys are topping your child’s list this holiday season?

Disclosure: I am a Get It Guide Insider and receive exclusive content and/or products.  All opinions remain my own.

The person that should be the easiest to shop for is actually one of my biggest challenges. My husband of almost seven years is a “no-fuss” type of guy, and my requests for gift ideas typically result in the same response…”anything would be fine.” Without a lot of direction, I could easily resort to clothes and accessories. However, I wanted to find something meaningful, or at the very least useful. So I headed to The Home Depot, armed with a few ideas in mind.

As you probably know, The Home Depot is your “go to” store for all-things home improvement. But have you ever thought about shopping for Christmas gifts at the warehouse? I haven’t spent a lot of time at The Home Depot, but each visit is always specific and focused on a home improvement project. When I visited this week, I had to change my perspective and actually found more gift ideas than I would have imagined.

This is my favorite time of year to walk into a store since most are decorated for the season. Fresh cut Christmas trees and poinsettia plants greeted me upon my arrival, along with a store associate. In fact, all of the associates at my home store were pleasant and eager to assist.

The entire front section of the store is dedicated to holiday decor and I was seriously tempted to pick out a few items for our home. But my focus was gifts, so I walked down each and every aisle, in search of something useful for my husband. Along the way I discovered grills…beautiful, natural gas grills that would make entertaining and summer barbecues a breeze. But I continued perusing the store. Along with holiday decor, the front of the store also has a dedicated section for power tools. By nature, my husband isn’t a handyman, but when his father was out visiting this summer, both of them proved just how savvy they are when it comes to DIY home improvement.

In addition to the above items, I found practical gift ideas like water filtration systems and vacuums, toys for kids, and even some decor items from the Martha Stewart Living collection that would be suitable for women. So what did I finally decide on? This Hampton Bay Vanity Fixture for our bathroom. I’d like to say it’s going to be a surprise, however, my husband reads my blog so… He’s been wanting to change and update some of the decor in our home so I thought this would be the perfect gift for him (um…us? )

If you’re struggling with gift ideas, I highly recommend visiting The Home Depot’s online Holiday site. It’s well organized and can serve as a guide before visiting the store. Plus, you’ll find at least 1,000 items that can only be found online. And, if all else fails, you can simply give a gift card so that special person in your life can purchase the perfect gift for themselves. Gift cards, including electronic gift cards, can be used online and in stores throughout the US, Mexico, and Canada. Additionally, The Home Depot is the only retailer to offer video gift cards that can be personalized.

Are you an iPhone user? Download their free app to research and purchase products, check store inventory, and pick up purchased items in-store. You can also visit their YouTube Channel for holiday shopping tips.

Lastly, one of the things that makes The Home Depot unique is their free Home Improvement Workshops. This season you can learn about some Simple Small Projects you can complete to make your home holiday-ready, gift ideas you can Try Before You Buy, and Innovative Solutions For Maintaining Your Home. The Home Depot also offers educational, interactive, and engaging kid’s workshops which we have participated in. The workshops, which are geared towards children between the ages of 5 and 12, are held on the first Saturday of the month between 9 am and 12 pm at your local store. Children learn do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, and receive a free apron, a commemorative pin, and a certificate of achievement, along with the craft they have completed. For more information, visit their website.

Win It! One of you will win a $50 gift certificate to The Home Depot. Simply browse their online gift section. Then come back and leave me a comment with the gift you’d like to select for that special person in your life. Comments will close on December 23rd at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a @homedepot gift certificate @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/7lxtekl”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

Disclosure: This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Blogger and The Home Depot. The Home Depot works with bloggers such as myself to conduct product reviews. They do not tell bloggers what to say about their products or how to say it. The Home Depot fundamentally believes that people should be free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot often provides product – free of charge – to bloggers for review as they did for this post. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The Home Depot provided me with a gift card to shop for the holidays and post my experience. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Earlier this month, Walmart introduced 4 new Bounce-n-Learn Trampolines from Skywalker Trampolines. These trampolines are more compact than your traditional trampoline and designed for younger tots. They also include an interactive component designed to educate and entertain.

We opted for the more compact 55″ Bounce-n-Learn trampoline from Skywalker so we would still have plenty of space in our backyard. The trampoline comes unassembled, and while not difficult to put together, it did take about 40 minutes or so to complete.

One of my favorite features of this trampoline is the safety enclosure netting.  My 4 year old son hasn’t mastered his sense of coordination and I feel comfortable knowing that he isn’t going to lose his footing and fall off the trampoline.  The net zippers shut and provides a measure of safety.

The other unique feature of this trampoline is the fact that it includes an interactive sound game. Three animals are printed on the jumping mat and when a child jumps, each will elicit a different sound.  The manual includes several options for playing the game with your child although I have to admit, my son really just enjoys jumping!

Trampolines provide a great way for children to exercise, improve coordination and gross motor skills, and provide an enjoyable home activity.

This particular trampoline retails for $89.99 at Walmart and might make a great Christmas gift!

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

Mompreneur Erin Condren is known for her adorably stylish personalized accessories including stationery and invitations (holiday cards anyone?), lesson planners and notebooks, kid’s journals, book plates, practice pads, growth charts, and more.

Plum District has a fab deal going on October 24th through 30th to help you get your holiday shopping started: $25 for $50 worth of merchandise from Erin Condren.  You can purchase up to 3 to gift or use for yourself.  The only restriction is that you can’t use them on iPhone cases (which are super cute).  Happy shopping!

No compensation was received for this post.

Obviously, I would prefer to see every gift I give in person so it was nice to see that many of RedPlum’s gift ideas were items I’d like to give or receive.  So what were my top picks from the guide?

1.  Snappy Headband by myperennial:  The decorations are interchangeable, adorable, and affordable!

2.  Custom Mini Photo Books by Lulu:  Portable and so easy to create, you can purchase 3 (one for each set of grandparents and one to keep) for $18.

3.  Whole Family Organizers from BusyBodyBook:  With our family about to expand, we’re going to need a way to keep track of all the appointments, activities and schedules.  These are great for putting in a central location for the entire family to see.

4.  Re-stickable Chalkboards from Wall Candy:  Instead of carrying around random pieces of paper with quick lists of things I need to buy or do, I’d rather just keep it all here.  They look trendy, wouldn’t clutter up my purse, and would provide a palette for my son’s desire to color on the walls.

5.  Eco-friendly shopping bags by Neela Bags:  Because I’m drawn to smart, eco-friendly products, I was delighted to find one of these in the gift bags they sent us home with.  You’d never guess that there are 5 totes tucked away.  Perfect for eco-moms who want to ditch plastic bags.

Because there I saw a lot of amazing gift ideas, I’m going to recommend you head on over to the site to check them all out.  I think you’ll find a nice assortment of gifts for everyone on your list including moms, dads, and kids.

Ikea was one of the event sponsors and interior design and decor experts from the company were present to show us how to decorate for the holidays without spending a ton of money.   Check out the adult and kid’s tables they set up:

Above 4 images, courtesy of RedPlum

So what is RedPlum?  ”It’s where you’ll find special offers, great deals, valuable product information and coupons for products and services that are local and relevant to you.”  In essence, they do the work of bargain hunting for you.  Some of the things you’ll find include grocery coupons, deals on dining out, gift ideas, fashion tips, and travel recommendations. I highly recommend perusing the site. You’ll be surprised at how resourceful it is.  Check out all the resources the site has to offer, including their fabulous Holiday Survival Guide!

What are your fabulously frugal gift ideas this year?

Here are some pictures from the event:

The food:

The gifts:

The decor:

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  The winner is Mrs. Mommy.  Congratulations!

Every time we go to the mall, we walk past the delightful little store where children can make their very own stuffed animal friend.  I’ve been meaning to take my son in the store but we’ve just never gotten around to Build-a-Bear Workshop. Thanks to MomSelect, Christmas came early for my son when he opened up that familiar “take home” box and discovered the adorably cuddly Hal Moose, complete with light-up antlers.  He also received the holiday storybook Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure.  My son absolutely loves his flashing antlers and soft fur. (I apologize for my camera’s poor photographic capabilities…mine is still getting fixed!).  

Making your very own stuffed animal at Build-a-Bear-Workshop is simple and furry friends start at only $10.  Once you’ve selected your furry friend, record a message, stuff, stitch, fluff, name and dress him before taking him home (in a Cub Condo of course).  I love the fun and experience that go along with creating a child’s own bear.  

This holiday season, Build-a-Bear-Workshop is offering two cuddly moose friends, Holly and Hal.  If you go to the site you’ll see them dressed in a variety of winter outfits.  Right now you can buy Holly and Hal Moose together for only $24 and get their storybook for free ($15.99 value, while quantities last).  If you’d like you can also buy them individually for just $12 each.  I think they’d make perfect gifts for kids young and old!  

Win It!  One lucky reader will win a $10 gift card to Build-a-Bear Workshop.  Head on over to the site and take a look around.  Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite furry friend.  Comments will close on January 2, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway.  Be sure to list your Twitter ID in the comments.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

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Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc.  Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Looking for more giveaways?  Check them out here.

Each day Mom Central will hold a special giveaway along with that day’s guide.  In order to be eligible to win, register on Mom Central, log in, and leave a comment on the post.  If you tweet or email friends about the Gift Guide and giveaways you’ll get an extra entry!  Be sure to enter daily.

By the way, if you haven’t signed up with Mom Central…what are you waiting for?  : )  They rock!