If you’re looking for a great family game for kids and adults, then Bananagrams is what you’ll want to try. Not only is it affordable, but it’s portable (perfect for vacations), fast (a whole round can be played in under 5 minutes), and fun (it’s ranked #1 consistently in games sold online).

The Bananagrams game comes in lots of different versions. There’s a Jumbo Bananagrams game that’s perfect for larger groups to play. There is a Spanish version of Bananagrams. And there are Bananagram games you can buy with anagrams included in the game!

You just have to decide which one is best for your family. The game comes in a cute pouch shaped like – what else – a banana! You can grab it and toss it in the car to take to a friend’s house.

If you’re a scrabble fan, you’re going to fall head over heels in love with Bananagrams toys. And if you like this game, there are some others you’re going to want to check out to – including Apples to Apples, Pears in Pairs, and Appletters.

We’re a big gaming family, so we like to have a huge variety of family games on hand whenever family comes to visit, or we get in the mood for a little friendly competition. Many families have a set routine for game night, too – it keeps you close and it’s fun to spend time together without the TV for a change. Check out the Bananagrams and similar games below and if you order from the Bananagrams from the link on this page, you’ll be eligible for FREE shipping, too!

With all the recent recalls on everything from food to toys recently, it’s a good idea to check for any recalls on your old Christmas lights and decorations. You can go to the manufacturer’s site and easily find this information.

And if your lights are old and extension cords are showing signs of wear and tear, you may want to invest in new ones. Old lights and extension cords that have any signs of fraying aren’t safe. Plus, they may not meet current safety requirements if they were bought several years ago.

You may dread the thought of doing this as it can be time-consuming and cost you some money to replace items. Most of us do! Still, safety should always be your primary goal, especially when it comes to anything electrical. There are more home fires during the holiday season than just about any other time of the year.

So don’t risk it. Check for any recalls and throw away and replace any old Christmas lights and cords that are frayed in any way or just don’t meet today’s safety code. Doing this is a simple but extremely important way to ensure your Christmas will be merry and bright!

With all the choices there are for buying your Christmas décor, don’t buy décor from the Christmas tree shop where you buy your tree! Too often, these shops’ items are over-priced and you can find them elsewhere at much lower prices.

Stores like Target, Wal-Mart and Big Lots are great sources for everything you’ll need for your Christmas tree and decorations. Around the holidays, they’ll also run specials where they’ll reduce their already low prices even more. You can save a bundle this way-and no one will ever know that you didn’t buy your décor at the Christmas tree shop.

Online retailers are another great source for buying everything from Christmas tree lights to ornaments to stockings. Again, around the holidays they’ll offer special prices and free shipping deals that can save you more money on your Christmas décor than you thought possible to save. The fabulous thing about shopping online is that everything is delivered right to your doorstep.

Do take the time to shop around. The Internet makes this super easy to find the best deals going on Christmas décor. You can also read reviews, so that you know which items offer the best value-and safety.

The Internet has to be the best thing next to Santa that’s ever happened to Christmas! And actually, shopping from home online is a lot like having Santa available, 24/7.

With a quick click of your mouse, you can find everything you need for Christmas within seconds. You can find your Christmas tree (fully decorated if you like), ornaments, decorations, and even a bag to dispose of your Christmas tree if you’re using a real one.

You can also find terrific presents for everyone on your list. And the great thing is that during the holidays, many online retailers offer special bargains and free shipping. Many provide gift wrapping too. You can comparison shop to find the best price on everything from toys to electronics to clothes—and all in just a few minutes.

If all this weren’t reason enough to shop from home online, just think of all you’ll save on gas (which means more money for presents) and the joy of not having to fight over parking spaces or deal with long check out lines. Plus, everything is delivered right to your door. It may not be Santa and his sleigh, but it’s certainly the next best thing!

Let’s talk about all of the reasons that it’s good to keep your yard in tip-top shape. First, having a clean, neat yard increases the value of your property. Second, it makes your home a more inviting place for you, your family and your friends. Third, when you keep your yard debris-free, the grass, as well as the garden areas will be healthier and grow better. And fourth, let’s just be honest – you want your yard to look nicer than your neighbor’s yard.

So what does all this mean? Well, of course you have to mow your grass, and it’s nice to plant pretty flowers and keep the shrubs properly trimmed. But what about keeping your yard neat and leaf-free?

As trees go dormant, they drop their leaves all over the place. Yes, the colors are pretty and they do make a cool crunching sound when you walk on them. And the kids love to play and jump in piles of leaves.

But you need to get those leaves off your lawn, for all the reasons listed above. That’s why the Toro 51599 Leaf Blower and Vacuum is such a handy yard tool. You could rake the leaves up.

That’s certainly an option – but it’s time consuming and tiring. Don’t you have better things to do? Why not invest in a quality leaf blower that will gather up your leaves quickly, or vacuum them up, and even shred them for you, making your yard work much easier, and maybe even a little bit fun?

The Toro Ultra 12-amp leaf blower is lightweight, at a mere 7.5 pounds, and because it’s electric, it’s a quieter and cleaner alternative to gas leaf blowers, that also requires less maintenance. With the variable speed motor, you can get air speeds as high as 235 miles per hour, or as low as 112 miles per hour. And it converts from leaf blower to leaf vacuum and shredder without any tools.

If you’re not a fan of having dozens of filled up leaf bags sitting by your curb awaiting yard waste pick up day, you can shred the leaves you’ve blown into piles and fill one yard waste bag of shredded leaves for every sixteen bags you’d fill with unshredded leaves!

If you’re not a fan of spending hours raking a bagging up leaves, or if you’re tempted to just let the leaves sit where they land, get a Toro 51599 Leaf Blower and Vacuum. Don’t let your yard look messy. Keep it neat, attractive and inviting by keeping it clear of leaf debris. Make the outside of your home as attractive and nice as the inside.

The Toro 12-amp leaf blower is easy to handle, versatile, light and quiet, making it perfect for use by anyone. It can handle large leaf and debris volumes easily, and makes any clean up job quick. And don’t forget that the Toro 51599 makes a great gift for people who like to keep their yard looking great, or for a great housewarming or holiday gift for a new homeowner.

It’s nice to take a walk down memory lane. Do you remember your favorite candy treat from when you were a child? Can you remember all the fun you had sorting through the candy you got when you went trick or treating, or the candy that was stuffed in your Christmas stocking?

What was your favorite treat when you were a child of eight or ten, running around the yard, playing catch, or pretending to be an explorer, or a famous movie star? Retro Candy gift baskets filled with candies from the 1950s and 1960s bring back all the good times, and all those great memories.

For those who grew up in the 60s lots of sweet treats will come to mind, and you’ll find them in a 60s Decade Box – Wonka Bottle Caps, Pixy Stix, Zotz, Bubble Gum Cigarettes, Beeman’s Gum, the Maple Bun Bar and Wax Lips. Do you remember those?

Sometimes, something as simple as an old-time candy or a bag of Gold Rock Nugget Bubble Gum is all it takes for the fun memories of being a carefree child to come rushing back. Wouldn’t it be fun to reminisce with your siblings or old friends about summer days and school days, the funny clothes you wore and the weird hairstyles, while sharing some Candy Buttons?

Now, if you were a child of the 50s you probably remember mouthwatering treats like Chuckles Jelly Candy, Sen-Sen, Cherry Mash, Sno-Caps Nonpareils, Haviland Wintergreen Patties, Chocolate Cigarettes, Goetze’s Cow Tails and Smoothie Peanut Butter Cups!

Doesn’t that bring back some neat memories? Here’s a great gift idea: Give a 60s or 50s Decade Box to someone who grew up back in those great decades – whether that someone is you, a good friend, a parent, relative or even your boss! Decade Boxes are filled to the brim with quality candies from a favorite era, and will bring a smile to the face of anyone who receives one.

Imagine giving a gift like this – so unique, but appropriate for anyone. And so much fun! Taking a stroll down memory lane is a sweet experience with retro candy gift baskets from the 50s or 60s.

Throw a nostalgic music CD in with your candy gift, or some photos of your lucky recipient from back in the day when they were still riding a bike with training wheels, or figuring out long division in fifth grade math. Your gift will be a hit!

If you want to have your own fun with a 1950s or 1960s retro candy gift basket, make one the centerpiece of your next get-together with family or old friends. The memories, love and laughter will flow!

Your favorite Christmas song speaks volumes about who you are – what kind of personality you exhibit. Whether you’re an aggressive, take charge person or a sit on the side lines and follow type, the music you listen to can give a peek into the kinds of attitudes and beliefs you have.

Different dimensions go into making us who we are as people. Psychologists have studied human behavior for years through research groups, quizzes, and surveys. They’ve gathered the data from these tests and compiled them into different categories based on the answers given by the study participants.

In these scientific tests, several different questions will be asked for each category. The study takes into consideration where you live at the present time and where you resided as a child, because our environment plays a role in our music choice based on the influence of our upbringing.

Educational background, both of the parents and your own, will be factored into the results as well. By taking part in these tests, psychologists have been able to accurately pinpoint people who are introverts or extroverts. Hard to believe that a simple test can tell whether you’re a social butterfly or low-key, but it can.

You can take part in one of these scientific studies to see what it will show about you. Some of the aspects of your personality you might already be well aware of, but the results could surprise you.

Even Christmas songs will show your personality. People who actively seek to give to others through charity work, financial donations or who give of their time to improve others’ lives tend to listen to more traditional Christmas songs such as Silent Night or Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Most people in this group enjoy reading and they enjoy listening to classical music as well as traditional Christmas songs.

For people who are career oriented, Christmas songs with a rock beat are usually the tunes of choice. While they enjoy the traditional songs, they prefer the more modern versions.

They thrive on life in the fast lane and get an adrenaline rush from handling seemingly insurmountable tasks. More often than not, their motto is “bring it on!” They enjoy pitting themselves against nature by taking part in outdoor activities that require stamina and skill such as white water rafting or jumping from an airplane.

People who prefer soft, jazzier Christmas music tend to be introverted and will often find themselves feeling a bit melancholy. These people are more open minded and highly intelligent. They also usually keep their finances in tip top shape and are highly organized people. Check into a personality quiz and see what your kind of preferred Christmas song says about your life.

In a world where music tastes and what is popular changes almost as often as the tides, there are some artists and some genres of music that are steady and always listenable, always loved, and always appreciated.

Michael Buble is one of those artists, and his musical style is one of those timeless ones, that everyone can appreciate. “Crazy Love,” Michael’s newly released CD, and his first in over two years, is one that keeps the pace and upholds the tradition of the great music we’ve become accustomed to from this multi-award winning Canadian artist.

The Crazy Love CD by Michael Buble musically illustrates the nature of human relationships. The ups and downs, the happiness and heartbreak – they’re all in this album, promising to call forth all the familiar feelings that come with love (or crazy love).

Featuring some old standards that you will recognize immediately, such as Georgia On My Mind, and You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You, the CD also showcases Haven’t Met You Yet, which was written by Michael Buble, and is the first single released from the album.

Taking a look at listener reviews of Crazy Love, indications are that new and old Buble fans love this CD a lot. Comments like, “Buble keeps the classics ‘fresh’ while also keeping them ‘classic.’” and “All the songs are beautiful, smooth, and emotion filled.” and “His songs could make you swoon if you aren’t careful.” give a good idea of the emotion and quality that Buble has filled this inspired CD with.

If you love music about love, and the soothing, smooth crooning style that calls forth the spirit of legends like Sinatra and Martin, you’ll love Crazy Love. If you’re a fan of sweeping, big band and old style ballads, but like a fresh take on the standards, you’ll love Michael Buble’s Crazy Love CD.

Fans of Buble know all about his previous works, but his professional recording history is worth reviewing. His debut album was aptly titled Michael Buble, and was released in 2003 to excellent reviews. Later in 2003, he released a Christmas EP named Let It Snow.

The album It’s Time was released in 2005, and in 2007 Call Me Irresponsible was released. The first single off Call Me Irresponsible, titled “Everything,” reach #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks listing. Now in 2009, Buble has released the Crazy Love CD.

There are three DVDs that chronicle Michael Buble’s career and performances – Caught in the Act, Come Fly With Me, and Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden. If you have a Buble fan on your Christmas gift list this year, or if you’re a fan yourself, the Crazy Love CD will make an excellent addition to a CD collection or a great start for a new Buble fan. Anyone who loves classics with a fresh twist, and artful, soulful crooning will love any Michael Buble CD or DVD.

Home cooked meals that are made with fresh ingredients are always better than those that come from the fast food restaurant, or from a precooked package of frozen something or the other that you toss in the microwave for a few minutes and then dump on a plate.

But making a full home cooked meal isn’t always easy. It is time consuming to assemble the ingredients and then stand at the stove cooking them all, combining them, stirring them, adding to them, and on and on. Who has time for that? Truth is, most of us don’t.

Here’s the answer: a programmable slow cooker. The Hamilton Beach 33967 is one of the best out there – you set it and forget it, until it’s time to eat! Possibly the best feature of this slow cooker is that you can select three different cooking options, manual, program or probe.

Manual mode lets you cook in a more traditional manner, and allows you to make adjustments as needed throughout the cooking process. Program mode lets you set an automatic cook time, and then shifts over to Keep Warm mode so that your dinner doesn’t get overcooked.

And Probe mode is great when you’re cooking meat to a certain temperature. You simply insert the probe, set the cooker, and let it cook the meat to your desired internal temperature. Once the internal temperature is met, the cooking switches to Keep Warm mode.

The Set ‘N Forget Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker gives you an easy to read digital display, and simple push-button controls. You add your favorite ingredients to the stoneware pot, put it into the electric base (attractively housed in stainless steel), and allow it to make dinner for you, while you take care of other things.

Additional nice features of this great slow cooker are a gasket lid that clips down, and handles that are fully graspable, for moving safely. The Hamilton Beach 33967 6-Quart Slow Cooker also has automatic protection against power interruption, and the stoneware pot and tempered glass lid can be cleaned in the dishwasher or by hand.

If you haven’t tried a slow cooker before, now is the time. Even if you normally have plenty of time for daily cooking, in every person’s life, there are days when having a convenience such as a quality slow cooker is a real blessing – you can program it and forget it.

The Hamilton Beach 33967 Programmable Slow Cooker is perfect for stews, roasts, soups, casseroles, curries, even desserts, and makes a great addition to your kitchen, the perfect gift for someone who loves to cook but doesn’t have the time, or for a couple setting up their first home. With the Hamilton Beach 33967 slow cooker, the dinner possibilities are both endless and timesaving.

When the word collector springs to mind, many people immediately imagine someone who seeks great works of art to hang on his or her walls – something painted by the masters of the art world. Or perhaps you think of someone who haunts antique stores hoping for just the right find. Not many people think of Christmas ornaments as something to be collected. Yet, Christmas ornaments are one of the most collected items in the world.

Ornaments are not viewed by collectors as simply another decoration to hang on the tree or display in a case. These items are wrapped in family history and tradition. They take people back to the ‘remember when’ side of life.

More often than not, they become cherished keepsakes because of sentimental ties to the item. Many people who collect Christmas ornaments associate the ornament with an event or a person.

For example, some older people treasure the Christmas ornaments brought back to the States from loved ones stationed in other countries. They began their collection as a result of their loved ones’ military service and now those ornaments are viewed as a scrapbook of tangible memories.

Christmas ornament collecting doesn’t have to be reserved to the holidays. People can purchase ornaments all year long because there are specialty Christmas stores and even online shops where collectors can hunt to their hearts’ content.

Ornaments also make great gifts for anyone, but especially for the collector if you know exactly what they’re looking for. Just remember that there’s no strict guideline to collecting unless you happen to collect in a series or you collect a certain type such as vintage ornaments. If that’s the case, then you’d want to know what you need to look for in the ornament to make sure you got the genuine item and not a copycat.

Collecting Christmas ornaments is a hobby that can breach any age gap. Even children and teens can collect them. One company makes specialty holiday ornaments that celebrate each year of a child’s life. Collect those now and by the time your child is old enough to put up his or her own tree, those ornaments will become a part of a memorable tradition for them.

Some people do collect ornaments from a financial point of view, knowing that the ornaments will only increase in value as time passes by. What type of Christmas ornaments should you collect?

You should collect the type of Christmas ornaments that appeal to you – and you don’t have to stick to just one type of collection, either. If you like whimsical snowmen, then collect those. If the Old World ornaments are more your style, then go for those. Or if you can’t choose between the two, start collecting both.