If you’re shopping for a little boy this holiday season, then you’ll want to know about one of this season’s hottest stocking stuffers: ICKEE Stikeez, a series of miniature collectible monsters!

Growing up in the ’90s, I remember how much I loved getting tiny toys out of vending machines. It was so fun to collect little toys and figurines – and sometimes, I’d get one of those sticky, squishy hands (Remember those?). Well, some things never go out of style, and now this fun has been translated into a new toy for today’s children with ICKEE Stikeez. So what, exactly, are ICKEE Stikeez? These are a series of tiny monster figurines with suction cup bottoms that can stick on any flat surface. As the name suggest, these figures are squishy and sticky, and come packaged in little “Pods” – just like those plastic containers you’d get in a vending machine! There are 24 ICKEE Stikeez characters to collect, each of which is a silly monster designed to appeal to the “Gross-out” humor of little boys. They come in single and triple-packs, and the multi-packs also contain ICKEE “Koinz”, which kids can use to unlock special content on the ICKEE Stikeez website. I received several complimentary packages of ICKEE Stikeez for review, and I think they’re a really fun and cute idea. Because of their small size, they’re perfect to tuck into a stocking, making them an excellent gift idea!

ICKEE Stikeez single packs retail for $1.25, while triple-packs are available for $2.99. These toys are suitable for ages 4 and up. To locate a retailer near you, visit Ickeez.com.

If you’re looking for an unusual and practical stocking stuffer for the athlete or gym rat on your shopping list, the you might want to check out The Klitch. This unique footwear clip gives users an easy way to carry their sneakers, with a clip that can be attached to your backpack or gym bag. This not only frees up your hands and space in your bag, but it also allows your footwear to air out after use.

I received a complimentary Klitch to review, and I will be giving this to someone on my list who plays a lot of sports. I know they have to change shoes at various intervals in the day and cart around various sneakers for their different athletic pursuits, so I think this will be a useful little item! I’ve tried to carry shoes in my a backpack before, and they certainly take up a lot of space – not to mention that you have to wrap them in plastic bags to avoid getting the inside of your bag filthy! The Klitch circumvents all of those issues, making it a good pick for anyone whose job, hobbies, or athletic pursuits require carrying around multiple pairs of shoes.

With the hectic pace of modern life, more and more of us are becoming energy drink aficionados. And it’s no secret that the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for most people! Whether you’re looking for a fun stocking stuffer for the energy drink junkie, or just want something to help get you through the seasonal checklist, then you may be intrigued as I was to learn of Oxygen Plus. O+ is a can of 95% pure recreational, flavored oxygen, meant to give users a safe boost of energy. That’s right, I said flavored air!

It’s no secret that I am a big fan of energy products, and I’m constantly on a search for new and better products. I’m very caffeine-resistant, so most energy drinks have a disappointing effect on me – as a result, I’m always looking for new and better alternatives. I’ve tried everything from energy shots to energy patches (Like a nicotine patch, but with caffeine!). So when I heard about Oxygen Plus, I just knew I had to give it a try. The idea is that inhaling supplemental oxygen can help give you a physical and mental boost – you can click here to read some research cited on the O+ website for more information.

Oxygen Plus comes in small, portable canisters which you can tuck in your purse or car. I received several complimentary cans of O+ to try out, and since the “Flavor” I received was Pink Grapefruit, they came in charming pink canisters. The idea is that you inhale 3-5 breaths when you need a boost; it sends a powerful blast of air into your mouth, which does indeed have a vague taste of fruit. So, how did Oxygen Plus stack up for this tired caffeine fiend?

To be honest, I found that O+ didn’t really give me an energy boost; it makes me feel slightly light-headed, so I end up with a slight tension headache afterwards. I’ve tried it numerous times, but I just don’t think it’s the answer for me. However, I’m glad I had a chance to try these, since it’s my personal mission to try any new energy innovations I can find; and if you’ve got an energy-drink junkie on your list, it would certainly make for a fun and novel gift. Everyone is different, and who knows how O+ might work for you.

O+ products are available on OxygenPlus.com, with single mini-canisters starting at $5.99.

This article is provided for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or medical condition.

I love to cook, and the Internet has become one of my favorite places to look for recipes. If I’m trying to decide what dish to make with certain ingredients, all I have to do is type them into Google and I can usually find an awesome recipe. When I’m preparing a recipe sourced from a website, I’ll usually print it out if it contains many ingredients or involved preparation so that I don’t have to run back and forth from the kitchen to my computer. I’ll often set the printout on the kitchen counter while I cook, and it inevitably gets splattered and soaked by ingredients. Are you tired of tossing out perfectly good recipes because they’re covered in cake batter? Does a lack of counter space fluster you and make it hard to create room to read recipes while cooking? Then allow me to introduce you to Recipe Rock!

Recipe Rock by Architec Housewares is a magnetized recipe holder that aims to make your recipes easier to read and less prone to spills and stains. Recipes are held onto the “Rock” by a removable magnetized ball, and the curvature of the base holds the paper upright. If you’re using a piece of standard printer paper, you might find that it starts to lean backwards, at which point you can adjust the position of the paper to keep it upright. Recipe Rock is small and easy to store, making it ideal for people like me with cramped counter space. It may sound silly, but I can see how this will come in really handy – it not only keeps the recipe upright and out of the way, but it makes it so much easier to read and creates space on the counter. I’m sure this will also help reduce the number of printouts I have to toss out due to spills. I think this could also be really useful in the office or anywhere else that you need to keep track of paperwork or lists.

With the holidays right around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to remind you about D.O.G.G., the mother/son Etsy business that specializes in handcrafted inspirational bracelets. These darling bracelets come in a variety of designs, making them a versatile and unique stocking stuffer, perfect for Christmas gift-giving!

About D.O.G.G.:

“D.O.G.G. is an acronym for the words Depend On God’s Grace. With this bracelet around your wrist every time you look at it, let it remind you that with all things you can always turn to God.

This company was designed to raise money for church youth programs, and to help spread the message that with all things no matter how big or small, you can always rely on God.

Each bracelet is hand made in a variety of different colors and comes with a card explaining the meaning and a bible verse to help illustrate the point. Each bracelet sells for $7.00, because 7 is God’s perfect number. Out of that $7.00, $3.00 goes to Seaside Christian Church Youth Fund, and the remaining $4.00 goes back into purchasing more supplies.”

Check out the 7 great bracelets that D.O.G.G. offers:

MY ROCK bracelet

FAT FROG bracelet

BIG STAR bracelet

DOGG bracelet

BIG LIGHT bracelet

BIG FISH bracelet

BIG HEART bracelet

D.O.G.G. is a family business run by my future aunt-in-law, Kim, and her son Josh. They take great care in the work they do creating these one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, and it shows in the 100% positive feedback they have received from satisfied customers. Visit D.O.G.G. on Etsy today for all your holiday gift-giving needs!

D.O.G.G. also has wholesale rates for churches who would like to sell them as fund raising items – click here to email Kim for more information. These would be great items for Christmas fairs!

With the holiday season comes chilly winter weather. Want to give a “Green” gift that will help your friends and family stay warm? Then you’ll want to check out Xob Hats & Accessories!

Xob – pronounced “Zob” – is the latest innovation from Icebox Knitting, a company that prides itself on its eco-friendly approach. Xob is their upcycled collection, where they reconstitute pieces of wool blend sweaters and suit jackets, recycling them to create these fun and funky pieces. The line includes hats, bags, and even stockings. Because no two items are alike, each Xob piece is unique and special – making it a perfect gift!

My Xob Pom Hat!

I received a complimentary Xob Pom Hat, and it is too cute! I love the bold style, and I think it’s really neat that they’re reusing scraps that would otherwise go to waste, turning them into something adorable and functional. The inside of this hat has a panel of fleece lining to help keep you warm when “The weather outside is frightful”! You can tell that a lot of care has been put into making this hat. I think this would be a fab item to pull out of your sock on Christmas morning!

Xob Pom Hats retail for $30.25 – click here to find a retailer near you.

If you’re looking for a cute and practical stocking stuffer, then I’d like to introduce you to Bondi Band. This company carries headbands with a plethora of styles and slogans for everyone from babies to adults. I recently had a chance to review one of their headbands, and I was surprised at what a help this simple little item has been!

The headband I received was black with white lettering boasting the slogan “I Run Like a Girl”. It’s too cute – I love the fun and empowering phrase! These headbands are designed to be “No-slip”, which intrigued me. My hair is slippery to the extreme; I have a hard time wearing hair clips, because they will literally slip right out of my hair and fall on the floor! I like to wear headbands on occasion, but cloth headbands tend to slip toward the back of my head until they do a backflip right off my scalp – if you’ve ever worn a headband, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

I was honestly pretty skeptical that this would stay put, since it looked fairly standard and my hair is so squirrely. I’ve even worn headbands with bumpy rubber on the inside, and they still slipped around. However, one difference I noticed on this was the sheer size – it is a very wide headband. Because of this, it does a fantastic job of getting hair out of your face, even without a clip or ponytail. I haven’t yet tried this while working out – my knees still have a ways to go before I can get back to the gym! – but I’ve been wearing it around the house and while running errands, and overall, it does a good job of staying where it should. I love this thing and I’ve been wearing it all the time!

Me wearing my “I Run Like a Girl” headband

This would be ideal for any woman who has ever wanted to get hair out of her face – it doesn’t matter if you’re cooking, taking off your makeup, running after your kids, gardening, painting your masterpiece – at some point, we all need that hair out of our way. And if you have a bad hair day or wake up with a case of crazy bedhead, this is the perfect way to slick it back into something presentable until you get a chance to shower. I may be a hair product junkie, but even I want one cup of coffee before I embark on styling my hair!

With literally hundreds of styles and phrases to choose from, there’s something for everyone at Bondi Band. This makes a great stocking stuffer for women, because it is both practical and a fashion accessory – and the best part? These headbands are only $8.00! Head over to BondiBand.com to get yours today.

It’s no secret that I love spa products. I often seek out specialty products that are made just for feet, because I hate how the skin on the bottom of my feet gets dry and cracked, so I like to use products to help soften and smooth that area. So when I had a chance to review Essentials Feet TreatMint Foot Lotion by Stanley Home Products, I was eager to see how their lotion would treat my feet. I reviewed their glass cleaner last month and was very satisfied with the quality, so I was curious to see if their personal care products were just as good.

The lotion has a fresh, minty scent that gently tingles on the skin. It feels great massaged into the feet – there’s nothing like a refreshing lotion soothing your skin right before you slip on a pair of fuzzy slippers! I love this lotion and will continue to use it. This would be an excellent stocking stuffer for the woman on your list – you really can’t go wrong with a pampering product like this! Top tip: include a pair of fuzzy socks or slippers for the ultimate in pampering!

Essentials Feet TreatMint Foot Lotion is available on SHPOnline.com for $7.49. Keep up with the latest from Stanley Home Products by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Are you wondering what to put in mom’s stocking this year? How about a luxurious, great-smelling lotion that she can use to protect her skin during harsh December weather? One lucky Contest Corner reader will win an 8oz bottle of Moisturizing Lotion in Peppermint from Tropical Traditions, so read on!

I’m a fan of Tropical Traditions’ awesome skin care products – so much so that I featured them in both my 2009 and 2010 gift guides! So of course, I couldn’t let this year’s gift guide pass by without reminding you of the fab bath and body products that they offer. This time, I had the chance to review their Moisturizing Lotion in Peppermint.

A thick, creamy lotion with the moisturizing properties of coconut and the refreshing scent of peppermint, this rich lotion is sure to be a hit. With the holiday season heralding the start of winter, nothing could be more appropriate as a gift than a lotion to help combat dry skin. And what’s more festive and ubiquitously seasonal than peppermint? Because this is an oil-based moisturizer that utilizes coconut oil, jojoba, and virgin palm oil, the lotion leaves behind a top coat that may feel slightly “Greasy”, so a little goes a long way. This is an ideal intensive treatment for rough patches of skin such as elbows, and can be used on your hands, body, or even your face. This lotion makes a wonderful indulgence that any bath & body product enthusiast would be thrilled to find tucked into their stocking!

Tropical Traditions’ Moisturizing Lotion in Peppermint is available on TropicalTradtions.com for $14.99.

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Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.