Valentine’s Day – love it or loathe it, it’s looming on the very-near horizon. Personally I’m not a fan, but perhaps that’s just my inner bitter spinster self talking — assuming someone took it upon themselves to shower me with gifts, I’d be perplexed, but I surely wouldn’t question it. (That’s not a hint, by the way — I’m about to leave the country with my worldly possessions on my back. The last thing I need is a cheap teddy bear occupying valuable space). But let’s not allow my sour-grapes attitude get us down! Instead, let’s explore the ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in relationships of various permutations! Whether you’re in an exciting new fling or a tried and true relationship, we’ve got you covered…

The Relationship: ‘It’s Complicated’
You’re not together but you kinda are. Do you do the whole Valentine’s thing? Do you do it ironically? Ignore it altogether? Make some offhand remark about it? Oh god, what if he thinks I’m being clingy?

Potential gift: A decent shag and a wry “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like FashionStake, GoFobo and Sparked) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Is it just me, or does it seem like Christmas came out of nowhere this year? I know there have been Christmas decorations in every store and Christmas commercials on TV since before Halloween, but it just seemed so far away. I guess I’ve been too busy lately (read: indulging in too many Sixteen and Pregnant marathons), because it wasn’t until just a few days ago that I looked at my calendar and suddenly realized Christmas was right around the corner. I’m usually done with my shopping by early December, but this year, there I was with the rest of the last-minute shoppers, braving the crowded stores on the last Saturday before Christmas.

Hopefully none of you have been slacking this year like I have, but just in case, let me remind you: there are just two shopping days left until Christmas. Yikes! I can’t make those lines at the mall disappear, but I do know a way that all you procrastinators can still get great deals on your gifts: Spreezio.

Read More »

Yup, building snowmen....still fun.

HAPPY OFFICIAL FIRST DAY OF WINTER!

It’s hard to remember when you’re spending half of your day bundling up in the thickest, warmest, heaviest things you own just to walk outside to get the mail, but it’s is the most wonderful time of the yearrrrrrrr! Yes, really. Andy Williams was not lying when he gleefully belted out the season’s staple song back in the 1960s, and his holiday tune still rings true today. Even if it takes my hands a full 7 minutes to warm up after being outside.

Winter is one of the best seasons for a multitude of reasons that I just don’t have enough time (or Redbull) to list. But, because I need to share the gloriousness of this beloved season, I compiled the top 10 reasons why winter beats summer, spring, and fall’s seasonal asses every year. Read More »

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Holiday season is by far my favorite time of the year. It’s a season of excessive desserts, eggnog, sample sales, boots and of course, lots and lots of gifts.

What’s not to love?!

No matter which holiday you celebrate, gift giving is a staple of the holiday season. But there is some major pressure when picking out a gift for that special someone. And in this not-so-fabulous economy, a lot of people don’t have the resources to buy the perfect gift anymore.

Well, like I always say, if you can’t buy it make it. (Okay, so I don’t usually say that on day-to-day basis, but you get my point.)

Homemade gifts can be some of the most cherished and beloved gifts. There’s nothing better than seeing someone’s face light up as they unwrap and enjoy a gift you made especially for them. But not all homemade gifts are created equal. Frankly, some just plain blow. Hard. Re-gifted presents and macaroni necklaces won’t cut it anymore, so I’ve rounded up a list of the best homemade gifts that don’t suck. Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like FashionStake, GoFobo and CourseRank) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Do you have a large group of friends you want to buy gifts for this holiday season, but lack the cash to get a great gift for each of them? (Editor’s Note: Story of my life, people. It’s hard being this popular!) Secret Santa gift exchanges are a fun solution!

If you’re not familiar with Secret Santa (also called Pollyanna or Kris Kringle), it’s a type of gift exchange where everyone in a group draws the name of someone else to purchase a gift for, instead of each person having to buy multiple gifts.

Elfster makes planning a Secret Santa exchange so much easier! To use Elfster to plan your Secret Santa, get started by registering for the site.  Once you do that,  create your gift exchange by filling out the name and description of the exchange, setting a spending limit (optional), and setting dates for signing up and exchanging gifts.  Then, use the site to send your friends an invitation e-mail to sign up and join your Secret Santa! Read More »

The holiday seasons are all about eating too many dips, spending way too much money on frenemy gifts, and watching Elf on repeat. This year we’re prepared to take the stress and the frustration out of holiday gift giving by giving you the ultimate gift guides to buying the perfect presents for your favorite people (and we’re splitting into 3 different price ranges so you can choose the gift based on how much you actually like the person!). So set this series as your favorite because all week we’re bringing you the best.

‘Tis better to give than receive, right?  Well, technically speaking.  Except when it comes time to figure out what the hell you’re getting the man in your life this Christmas.  And they say we’re hard to shop for!?  Psh, please. Give me a couple Twizzlers and a three-karat diamond and I’m just peachy.  (Sarcasm?)

To ease the process of avoiding iTunes gift certificate and the ever classic “here’s a card and a blow job,” here are a few alternative ideas… Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like GoFobo, FashionStake, and Philo) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

The holidays are almost here again, and if you haven’t finished (or even started) your gift shopping yet, you’re in luck: it’s almost Black Friday.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the biggest shopping day of the year.  Malls are absolutely crazy on this day: expect huge crowds, long lines at checkout, and parking lot road rage… but if you’re willing to brave all that (and wear a helmet), you can get some amazing deals.

Black-Friday.net posts leaked ads and sale info for Black Friday ahead of time, giving you an edge over the other shoppers.  Come up with your plan of attack before hitting the stores by searching through the ads (which are organized by store and product category) and making a list of items you want to purchase–there’s even a feature on Black-Friday.net that lets you create one and either save it or print it out!  Then, when Friday morning rolls around, you’ll be able to enter each store and go straight for what you need, cutting down on the amount of time you’ll have to spend dealing with all the craziness…and the risk of losing that $9.99 42-inch plasma TV. Read More »

What is Valentine’s Day really about?

Romance?  No.
Chocolate?  No again.
Flowers?  Absolutely not.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is about spending two weeks trying to find the perfect gift for your boyfriend or girlfriend and often failing miserably. Then spending another two weeks talking about said failure with your friends. It’s exhausting and its not what should be occupying your time.

This year, instead of you and your partner both exerting your energy worrying about getting each other the “perfect gift,” why not focus on gifts you can share together? It takes the stress off of your shoulders and brings the focus back to what this holiday is really about: spending time with the one you luuuurve.

Sexy Lingerie. While possibly a little bit cliché, this gift will always work (especially when you bust it out again in March, April…you get the point).  You get to look really hot in some expensive Victoria’s Secret get-up and he gets to get hot when he sees you. Then you both get to enjoy what happens next. And again in the morning.

Weekend Getaway. If you’ve been dating for a long time and you want to do something ultra romantic, plan a weekend trip to a bed-and breakfast.  Spend the days wandering in and out of shops in the cozy little town and the nights snuggling in your quaint little room. If that’s too much to plan, booking a nice hotel in your college town for the night is a cheaper and easier alternative. It may not seem like much, but it’s amazing what a clean room without roommates can do. Read More »

V-Day season is upon us again, and even though I’m in a relationship this year, I still feel like I want to punch people whenever I see little red hearts dotting store windows. I’m not a big proponent of the “show your love for someone by throwing money at him” school of thought. I am, however, all for gifts that are thoughtful, useful, and CHEAP.

Hearing me out? Read on.

- If you want to go traditional, mix up the monotony. Candy and flowers are nice and don’t break the bank, but apparently they are not great for the planet, so why not choose something a bit different this year? A box of fair-trade, organic chocolates won’t run you more than 20 bucks, and they’re made with more care and better-quality ingredients than that Russell Stover collection.

- Does your boo like to spin the tunes? Make him a mix CD. I know, I know—that’s so sixth grade—but really, it’s a very thoughtful gift that can’t come from anyone except you. Go through your playlist and mountains of CDs to pick out songs that remind you of that special someone, burn ‘em off, and make a pretty liner and cover for the CD. Done! Read More »