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Holiday Gift Guide-Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Custom Pair Coffeemaker

November 22, 2011 By Kathryn

Holiday Gift for Mom and Dad

There are some gifts that just keep giving, and for a busy mom, the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Custom Pair Coffeemaker is just that type of gift. It doesn’t just provide an essential pick-me-up on a busy Monday morning or an energizing boost on a lazy afternoon. It provides a degree of convenience and customizability that is sure to delight any coffee lover the whole year round!

hamilton beach stay or go custom pair coffeemaker

The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Custom Pair Coffeemaker provides the ultimate coffee-making experience whether you’re sitting down for a little relaxation at the kitchen table or rushing out the door to run errands. The convenience starts with a choice between a traditional stainless steel ten-cup thermal carafe or either one or two included stainless steel travel mugs. The coffee machine actually brews the coffee right into the mugs for the freshest and most delicious on-the-go coffee imaginable. But the fun doesn’t stop there!

As if brewing fresh coffee right into a travel mug wasn’t great enough, the included reusable split filter lets you further customize your coffee experience by allowing you to brew two different types of coffee at the same time so that Mom and Dad can both have their favourite blend first thing in the morning. And the sleek, stainless steel look of the machine is simply stunning!

My personal favourite feature of the machine was the programmable timer. I don’t always remember to use it, but when I do take the time to program the machine before bed, I am always so happy to wake up to a fresh, hot cup of coffee. I also love that the machine comes with an optional water filter for great-tasting coffee even with tap water. Our small town has notoriously hard water and I will definitely be investing in this convenient extra to make sure that I can always enjoy a tasty cup of coffee!

The features are rounded out with an amazing automatic shutoff that has already made a difference in our electricity bill and a clever Easy-Pour feature on the thermal carafe that keeps our coffee hot and fresh while still dispensing it at the push of a button. And when summer rolls around, the machine even brews iced coffee!

Any busy, coffee-loving parents would be thrilled to receive this amazing coffee machine for Christmas. The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Custom Pair Coffeemaker is available at Canadian Tire, Loblaw and Walmart, and can also be purchased on the Hamilton Beach Canada website, so pick one up today and give the gift of great coffee for the whole year!

ARV: $89.99

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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Women Tagged With: coffee maker, hamilton beach, hamilton beach canada, hamilton beach coffeemaker, hamilton beach stay or go, stay or go coffeemaker, stay or go custom pair

Holiday Gift Guide-Dyson Hot Fan Heater

November 22, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for the Whole Family

In Canada, winter is no joke. It’s long. It’s dark. And it’s cold! So if you’re looking for a gift that the whole family can enjoy on a chilly winter’s night, look no further than the incredible Dyson Hot fan heater.

dyson hot on display

This heater uses Dyson’s revolutionary Air Multiplier technology that was first introduced in the company’s cooling fans. But converting that technology to be used for heating instead of cooling was no easy task! It took more than three years and 22 engineers to design and test the Dyson Hot fan heater!

The features on this sleek and stylish heater are incredible. It all starts with the convenient little remote control, which puts complete comfort in the palm of your hand. The remote control lets you turn on the unit and adjust the airflow and temperature with the touch of a button. The temperature range of the heater is incredible; it offers precise temperature adjustments of anywhere between one and 37 degrees!

The final button activates my personal favourite feature, the oscillation. An independent motor in the base of the heater smoothly rotates the unit back and forth so that the entire room can enjoy the benefits of the warmth provided by the unit. And if a more specific location needs warmth, the unit can also be adjusted forwards and backwards to get the perfect heating where you want it.

My husband and I put the Dyson Hot in our basement game room. Curtis has done an amazing job of insulating our century-old house and ensuring that our energy bills are as minimal as possible in the bitter winter months. But the basement is still a little too cool for comfort on the coldest winter days. Thanks to the Dyson Hot, however, our family can enjoy fun and games in the basement anytime!

dyson hot in two colours

I loved the fact that the multi-functional remote was curved and magnetized to sit conveniently on the top of the heater. And with two active boys in the house, I also loved that the unit featured a fabulous automatic cutout that switches off the heating plates if the Dyson Hot is ever tipped over.

The Dyson Hot would make a great family gift for your household or any loved ones battling winter’s chill. The Dyson Hot can be purchased at select retailers across North America or on the Dyson website. It’s the perfect portable, stylish, convenient and comforting gift for anyone in need of a little extra warmth this Christmas!

ARV: $449.99

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Women Tagged With: air multiplier, dyson, dyson fan heater, dyson heater, dyson hot, dyson hot heater

Holiday Gift Guide-It’s a Wonderful Life Blu-Ray Collector’s Set

November 17, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for Families

There are some movies that are so much a part of the holidays that they instantly bring Christmas to mind, and no film is as widely remembered and beloved as It’s a Wonderful Life. This movie truly embodies the very essence of Christmas, and this year it is available in a special two-disc Blu-ray collector’s set. Here’s a brief description of the gift set:

it's a wonderful life gift set box art

Take a trip to Bedford Falls to experience the life-affirming message of director Frank Capra’s enduringly popular classic all over again when It’s a Wonderful Life gets its wings in a new two-disc Blu-ray Shadow Box Gift Set on November 1, 2011 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Starring James Stewart (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington), Donna Reed (From Here to Eternity), Lionel Barrymore (Key Largo), Thomas Mitchell (Three Wise Fools) and Henry Travers (The Bells of St. Mary’s), the film has made an indelible impact on popular culture and continues to be a beloved part of many families’ holiday tradition.

An ideal holiday gift for everyone on your list, the It’s a Wonderful Life Gift Set comes packaged in a striking shadow box and includes a two-disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray with a beautifully colorized version of the film in high definition and the original, fully restored black-and-white movie in high definition, as well as “The Making Of It’s A Wonderful Life”, a documentary featurette hosted by Tom Bosley, and the original theatrical trailer. The set also includes an exclusive bell ornament and a commemorative booklet.

We loved watching this film once again and I always find myself moved by the message that everyone is needed. The film is such a powerful reminder that the smallest actions can make a big difference in the world. The It’s a Wonderful Life Blu-Ray Collector’s Set would make a nice gift for a couple or family on your list or for any classic movie fans you might be shopping for. The set is available at DVD retailers across North America or shop online now and give the gift of inspiration this holiday season!

ARV: $39.99

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Women Tagged With: blu-ray movies, holiday movies, it's a wonderful life, it's a wonderful life blu-ray, it's a wonderful life collector's set

Holiday Gift Guide-Baby Barbells: The Dad’s Guide to Fitness and Fathering by Joshua Levitt-Giveaway-CLOSED

November 17, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for New Dads

Fatherhood can be an overwhelming experience, but like most things in life, it gets easier to deal with when you add a little knowledge! And when your learning is enhanced with humour, suddenly life doesn’t seem quite so out of control.
baby barbells front cover

At least, that’s the theory behind Baby Barbells: The Dad’s Guide to Fitness and Fathering by Joshua Levitt, ND. This unique board book is nice and durable and fully able to withstand manhandling by an energetic youngster, but it’s not for baby…it’s for Dad!

Baby Barbells contains a fun collection of exercises for all Dad’s major muscle groups, and every single once involves Dad’s new bundle of joy as an integral part of the fun! With witty info about what the muscles are used for and fun facts about the body, getting in shape has never been so fun or provided such a valuable bonding experience!

But the book doesn’t just have value as a Dad-and-baby exercise guide. It also contains special Downtime sections that feature tips and advice for parenthood to help new Dads learns about everything from balancing work and family to calming a fussy baby. For a new dad that has just realized his life has been changed forever, it’s an invaluable source of information.

My husband really enjoyed Baby Barbells; he especially liked the arm and leg exercises and the fun, easy-to-read layout of the book itself. It made finding the right exercise a breeze and was also great for the times when he just wanted to quickly read a page or two in a spare minute.

Baby Barbells: The Dad’s Guide to Fitness and Fathering would make a fabulous gift for any father, but it is especially appropriate for the new dad. The book can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Borders and other select retailers, so visit the website to find a retailer near you and pick up a copy for a needy father on your Christmas list today!

ARV: $13.95

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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews Tagged With: baby barbells, baby barbells book, dad books, dad's guide to fitness and fatherhood, gifts for dad, joshua levitt

Holiday Gift Guide-Super 8 on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack

November 17, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for Science Fiction Fans

super 8 box art

If you know somebody that loves the science fiction genre, you know how devoted they can be to the movies, television shows and games that celebrate the unexplained. And on November 22, 2011, a great new movie joins the collection. Super 8 is part action, part romance and part drama, but at the heart it is pure and thrilling sci-fi at its best. Here’s a brief synopsis:

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

This movie starts out a little slow as the characters are established and some of the back story, including the death of main character Joe’s mother, is explained. But it explodes into action when Joe and his friends witness a strange train crash that triggers a series of unexplained events throughout the sleepy town of Lillian, Ohio. My husband and I sat absorbed through the movie and I loved the fact that a movie with so much excitement could also be so touching.

Super 8 would make a great gift for your favourite sci-fi loving friend and is a fun choice for those that favour action films as well. So check your local DVD retailer on November 22 or pre-order online and give a gift that will provide thrills, chills, laughter and tears in this surprisingly touching science fiction masterpiece!

ARV: $29.99

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews Tagged With: super 8, super 8 blu-ray, super 8 dvd, super 8 movie

Holiday Gift Guide-Sportline SnapShot Pedometer and HydraCoach Water Bottle-Giveaway

November 14, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for Good Health

Sportline SnapShot Pedometer

If you know someone that’s on a mission to improve their health, you know that gift giving can be a little more of a challenge. Sweets and treats are out of the question and finding something really useful and meaningful isn’t easy. But Sportline has you covered with a whole range of great gifts for your fitness-loving friends!

For the woman striving for the ultimate cardio workout every day, there’s the Sportline SnapShot Pedometer. This handy little device is about the same size as an MP3 player, but when good health is the goal, it’s way more useful than a collection of tunes!

The best feature of the Sportline Pocket SnapShot Pedometer is the fact that it displays so much information! With one glance at the screen, the wearer can learn how many steps they have taken, what distance has been travelled, how many calories have been burned, the average speed of travel and how much time was spent moving in a day! With so many different ways of seeing progress, staying motivated has never been easier! My personal favourite feature was seeing my total burned calories. My main goal was to log 10,000 steps a day, but even when I didn’t meet that goal, I still ended the day feeling good because I could see how many calories I had burned running after my boys!

sportline hydracoach water bottle

Or, for the iron-pumping man in your life, there’s the Sportline HydraCoach Water Bottle. While the bottle is great for weight lifters and athletes that are concerned about optimal hydration, it is also the perfect gift for almost anyone. After all, most studies estimate that two-thirds of the population is dehydrated right now! This ingenious bottle makes keeping track of your water intake a breeze, but it doesn’t stop there. By entering your weight and activity level, the bottle calculates your body’s daily water requirement. Then the handy display lets you know how much you’ve consumed, what percentage of your daily goal you’ve reached, your average consumption per hour and the time remaining in your 24-hour day.

This bottle quickly became an essential for my husband, who has been working at losing his extra stomach weight. Being able to see how much water he had consumed and how much he should be drinking every hour really helped him to stay fully hydrated which, in turn, helped to fill him up and curb his appetite!

Sportline products are available at sporting goods stores across North America or through numerous online retailers and if good health is the goal, the Pocket SnapShot Pedometer and HydraCoach Water Bottle are sure to please. So give the gift of motivation this holiday season and get your favourite fitness fan moving with a little help from Sportline!

ARV: $29.99-$32.99

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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Women Tagged With: diet, good health, hydracoach, hydracoach water bottle, snapshot pedometer, sportline, sportline pedometer

Holiday Gift Guide-Bissell Lift Off 2 in 1 Cordless Stick Vacuum-Giveaway-CLOSED

November 11, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for Moms and Dads

bissell lift off 2 in 1 stick vac

Some people believe that a useful household item should never be a gift, but I say if that item is a huge improvement over what a person is currently using, it can be a gift that keeps on giving! When it comes to floor cleaning, Bissell is a master at making the job easier and the company’s phenomenal Lift Off 2 in 1 Cordless Stick Vacuum would make a great gift for anyone that’s tired of dragging out the broom and lugging around the vacuum day after day.

When it comes to floor cleaning, this little beauty has it all. It’s lightweight, has an incredible compact design, can be used either with or without the rotating brush and is suitable for both hard floors and carpet. To top it all off, the center of the Lift Off Vacuum actually detaches and becomes a powerful hand vacuum! And with a fold-down handle, storing the vacuum is as easy as using it.

The Lift Off 2 in 1 Stick Vacuum has quickly become our household’s most loved cleaning tool for a few different reasons. The cordless, lightweight design makes moving to a different floor a breeze so that we can finally regularly clean our bedroom area rug and our rubber-backed basement carpeting. In the past, cleaning those rugs meant lugging a heavy vacuum up and down flights of stairs, but those days are gone forever!

For such a lightweight, the Lift Off Stick Vacuum has noticeable power. It doesn’t have the heavy-duty, deep-down suction of a large upright vacuum, but for low-pile carpeting and quick cleanups it is just unbeatable. My husband has completely fallen in love with this machine and uses it over and over again in the course of a day. We leave it plugged in at all times so that when it’s time to clean up a mess, it’s always ready to go.

bissell lift off 2 in 1 stick vac with folding handle

When my son broke open a box of Kraft Dinner and the noodles spilled over our laminate floor, I had my doubts about the vacuum being able to handle the job. I shouldn’t have worried. The vacuum had the dried noodles picked up in a flash. I couldn’t believe how well it worked for cleaning up the many child-induced messes in our household!

The one thing that does need to be remembered about this vacuum is that since it is cordless, there is a limit to how long it will last. I find after about fifteen minutes of use, it starts to lose some of its power. But since we always keep it plugged in and ready to use, we have never had an issue with it dying on us when we need it. My husband does a quick vacuum of our living room carpet, tiled entryway and laminate kitchen floor at least three times a day and the vacuum always has enough power to get the job done.

For apartments or houses with minimal carpeting, this little vacuum is a great choice. Easy to move around, easy to use, easy to store and versatile; it’s a dream come true for floor cleaning! Because it doesn’t clean a high-pile carpet as thoroughly as a full-sized upright vacuum, you may still need to do a thorough vacuuming of your high-pile carpets once a week or so. But for daily maintenance and cleaning, it is a dream come true and a great gift for anyone that has children to clean up after! The Bissell Lift Off 2 in 1 Cordless Stick Vacuum is available at select retailers across Canada and can also be purchased online, so visit the site to find a retailer near you today!

ARV: $99.99

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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Women Tagged With: bissell, bissell lift off 2 in 1, bissell vacuum, cordless vacuum, stick vacuum

Holiday Gift Guide-Woozie Wine Glass and Bottle Bag Insulators-Coupon Code

November 9, 2011 By Kathryn

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Holiday Gift for the Hostess

woozie emerson quillin signature series holiday collection

Looking for a hostess gift that’s sure to please? A bottle of wine is always a welcome present, but this year why not get your friends a little Woozie too! Woozie wine glass and bottle insulators are the newest trend in wine fashions and a great way to turn that bottle of wine into a fun and personal gift that’s sure to be remembered.

For the holidays, Woozie has some stylish festive fashions for both bottles and glasses including the gorgeous Emerson Quillin Signature Series Holiday Collection, which features three quirky holiday designs: Santa, a reindeer and a penguin. My personal favourite is the purple Woozie bottle and glass insulator featuring jolly old St. Nick himself. Despite the fact that Christmas is still almost two months away, I’ve been using this festive Woozie wine glass insulator already and I have completely fallen in love with it! Not only does the clever drawstring design stay on my glass perfectly and keep my white wine nice and cold longer, but it also makes identifying my glass so much easier when we’re having a glass of wine with friends!

words of woozie holiday collection

For those that prefer a more traditional holiday look for their Woozies while still being just as fun, there is the stylish red and green Words of Woozie Holiday Collection. With eight cute phrases like “Wine Makes My Spirit Bright,” these fun insulators are great for a holiday party. And if you’re shopping for a true wine connoisseur, you can’t go wrong with a beautiful Monogrammed Woozie in stylish animal prints or neon colours!

The Woozie store also carries Woozie party packs of themed Woozies, clever Trayd’ables serving trays with exchangeable coordinating inserts and the original Woozies themselves in hundreds of trendy designs to suit any style. Woozie is very generously offering readers 15% off online orders using coupon code Holiday2011. The products can be purchased online, or visit the website to find a retailer near you and get Woozie this Christmas!

ARV: $7.50-$33.00