According to the National Retail Federation, Americans plan to spend an average of $688.87 on holiday-related shopping. That’s a slight increase from last year. BehindTheBuy.com.brings you a 2010 holiday gift primer featuring tips and gift suggestions offering the best bang for your holiday buck.
Haier 22-inch LED HDTV
At well under $300 and featuring super thin (1.5-inch thickness), this stylish 22-inch LED HDTV from Haier delivers state of art picture quality without breaking the bank. Great for second room or the family room, it comes in black or white and it’s so light you can easily mount it on a the wall like a picture frame. Other features include Time Shift which allows you to have control of your viewing experience. You can pause, rewind, or fast-forward programs you are watching by connecting a USB drive to the USB input on the TV., AVL Sound Leveler allows you to watch TV programs without the annoying volume fluctuations when switching between channels or when the program changes to a commercial. $289.99 ;Amazon, Walmart, Target ; www.haieramerica.com
Sansa Fuze+ MP3 player by SanDisk
The Fuze+ includes a large LCD screen, a touchpad, a built-in microphone and a recordable FM radio. The player is easy to use, so even first time MP3 users can jump right in and enjoy their music, videos and photos. It’s surprisingly affordable at under $100, and makes a great gift. The player is also compatible with slotRadio cards featuring genres from Holiday to VH1 Classic, which comes loaded with 1,000 rock and pop songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s. So, you can give a complete gift — a media player with the music for a reasonable price. Under $100; www.sandisk.com
KODAK GALLERY Photo Books with SMARTFIT Technology
Take your library of digital photos and easily create photo books in minutes as gifts to your loved ones. KODAK Gallery’s new SMART FIT technology that automatically organizes and places your photos in the template, allowing you to create a photo faster and easier than ever. Prices start at $10: www.kodakgallery.com
Philips LivingColors / Philips Wake-up Light
If you have one of those hard-to-please persons on your gift list, the Philips Living Colors and Wake-Up Light my be just the solution. Like a 21st century version of the black light or the Lava lamp, Philips Living colors uses the latest in light emitting diode (LED) technology to allow individuals to instantly change their décor and personalize the ambiance of their home. LivingColors puts a rainbow of color options at each user’s fingertips, offering an endless array to alter the atmosphere of a room and express personal style. LivingColors easily plugs into any outlet and offers a touch-sensitive remote control color wheel to adjust the color intensity. Tap the desired color on the remote and LivingColors instantly produces it on a wall or ceiling, with dramatic effect. Sixteen million different color options are available – including dimmable white light – and for an added splash of color, consumers can use the automatic color-changing feature, creating an even more dynamic impression. LivingColors goes far beyond the traditional ‘dimmer switch’ in order to help create a unique design statement or set the mood for any occasion. It can save up to three “favorite” light settings for future use – for example, set once and a bright functional space for children becomes a warm and cozy reading nook; set again to create a vibrant evening venue for entertaining friends – then change again just as easily via the remote control. $199.99; www.lighting.philips.com/microsite/living_colors, amazon.com
Philips Wake-up Light is an alarm clock that gradually wakes you up by light so that you can start your day with a more pleasant, natural experience instead of a jarring alarm. It prepares you to wake up by gradually getting brighter 30 minutes before your desired wake up time, simulating a natural sunrise. The Philips Wake-up Light, an official light therapy product of the National Sleep Foundation, provides a more natural way to wake up that may give you more energy and improve your mood in the morning. Suggested Retail Price: $99.99; target.com and amazon.com