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Unusual
Gifts
Take a NASA weightless flight, find hidden money in soap, adorn
your garden with the Yeti. Unusual, bizarre and distinctly eerie
gifts are available in profusion this year
By Cassandra
Wentworth
Photo Frame
Belt Buckle
Where better to showcase a favorite photo than front and
center for all to see? When it’s set inside a
rhinestone-edged photo frame on an oversized belt
buckle, friends, co-workers, and passersby won’t be
able to avoid taking notice. The black belt comes in
small/medium (28-32), medium/large (32-36) or
large/extra large (36- 40) and has room for a 2 and
one-quarter inch by 3 inch photo.
Price: $34.95 / www.whatonearthcatalog.com
 The
Slanket
Nothing beats wrapping yourself up tight under a soft
blanket when the weather outside is frightful. Unless,
of course, you want to use your arms. The mid-weight,
polyester fleece Slanket solves that problem when you
want to snuggle up with a book or laptop computer. Put
your arms in the 13-inch sleeves and then you’re free
to eat, type or change the channel without uncovering
your body. It comes in six colors, including ruby wine,
moss and pink lavender.
Price: $49.99 / www.skymall.com
Super
Flingshot Flying Monkey
Slingshots are fun. Monkeys are fun. Combine the two and
you get one of the silliest Christmas presents ever.
Send this adorable, motion-activated stuffed monkey, who
dons a black mask and matching cape, soaring up to 50
feet in the air by inserting your fingers into the
pouches on the palm of Flingshot Fly Monkey’s hand,
pulling his body back and letting him go. It will make
for many giggle-filled hours of entertainment (and
probably drive the family dog nuts).
Price: $9.95 / www.asseenontv.com
Money Soap
For anyone who’s ever wanted to get into money
laundering without facing criminal charges, this gift is
ideal. Inside each scented soap bar is hidden either a
$1, $5, $10, or $20 bill. A select few even contain a
Franklin. It’s great for kids who need a little
incentive to take their nightly bath.
Price: $12.95 / www.whatonearthcatalog.com
Men ’ s
Digital Photo Wallet
What’s the deal with jam-packed wallets? If your loved
one’s money holder resembles that of George Costanza,
Brookstone’s Men’s Digital Photo Wallet is the
perfect solution. Instead of overstuffing the billfold
with photos of the family, they can now store and
display up to 55 digital images on a sleek, removable
1.4-inch screen. The viewer is rechargeable via the USB
connection to your computer that you use to download
your favorite photos. And it’s available in soft black
leather.
Price: $59 / www.brookstone.com
“Big Foot
the Garden Yeti” Sculpture
Who needs garden gnomes when you have a two-foot tall
Yeti in your yard? Your guests will want to call the
local TV news when they see this elusive legend roaming
through your backyard. The mythological model is made of
quality designer resin and finely hand-painted for
startling realism. It weighs 12 pounds and is 19.5- by
19-inches.
Price: $98.95 / www.designtoscano.com
 TV
Guide Presents: 50 All-time Favorite TV Themes
This compilation in honor of TV Guide’s 50th
anniversary includes those infectious ditties played
during the opening credits of shows from 1953 on. No
matter what their taste, your gift receiver will love
rocking out to themes from “I Love Lucy,” “Batman,”
“The Simpsons,”
and many more on this two-CD set. Just don’t get mad
when they sing them nonstop around you and you find
yourself humming “The Flintstones” theme song at
work.
Price: $14.99 / www.teeveetoons.com
Pop Art
Toaster
Before this oddball invention, toast was just toast.
Now, breakfast is anything but boring. After a few
seconds in this special toaster, bread gets branded with
your choice of six different designs: hearts,
snowflakes, flowers, birthday cake or “ LUV U ” and
“HAVE A NICE DAY ” messages. It also works as a
regular toaster, for those mornings when mundane is
preferred. Now if someone could just make oatmeal more
exciting.
Price: $34.99 / www.amazon.com
The Coleman
Fish Pen
For those times when fishing seems appropriate, but
carrying a cumbersome fishing rod isn’t. This fishing
rod collapses to the size of a standard ball-point pen
to fit easily in a pocket. The set includes: starter
tackle kit, three fishing hooks, bobber, three weights,
telescoping alloy rod, brass-finished reel, 50 feet of
fishing line and practice casting weight. All you need
now is a stocked pond and a cold beer.
Price: $19.95 / www.asseenontv.com
 ZERO-G
Weightless Experience
This gift is great for anyone who has ever dreamed of
space travel, but didn’t want to go through all that
pesky NASA training. The ZERO-G Weightless Experience is
the same kind of parabolic flight used to train
astronauts for zero gravity in space. The recipient will
train with an expert coach, board a specially modified
aircraft, and experience real weightlessness. Flights
last about 90 minutes, during which every customer
experiences 15 parabolic arcs, each providing about 30
seconds of reduced gravity or weightlessness. Flights
are regularly scheduled from Las Vegas and the Kennedy
Space Center.
Price: $3,765 / www.gozerog.com
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'Tis
the Season
