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Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide posted on Monday, 22 December 2008

Yeah, times are tough, but Christmas is a great time to show your love and appreciation to your family and friends. It’s also a good time to build your business relationships with a nice gift.

By Paul Diamond, Publisher, Casagrande Press

We know you’re busy, so to save you some time we have come up with some ideas for presents for your spouse, kids, employees and even yourself. These gifts cover the spectrum from quirky to practical to grandiose--and they can all be purchased from the seat you are sitting in and the computer to which you’re connected. No malls; no parking lots!

Help a budding entrepreneur

This year instead of giving something material, give inspiration and funds to a less advantaged entrepreneur. Kiva.org puts lenders together with micro-enterprise entrepreneurs in undeveloped parts of the world.

As a gift to a friend, you can lend some money to a bright entrepreneur in Africa or India and let your friend follow the entreprenuer's progress online. It's an uplifting experience to read their stories and actually help someone get ahead.

$25 and up find it at www.kiva.org

Jill Tote from Tory Burch

For women who appreciates fashion and good looks, try an accessory from Tory Burch. This brand is defined by “attainable luxury”, classic American style and an eclectic sensibility. Go big and bold on a handbag or get a gift card.(Anything bought online can be returned but it must be returned by Jan. 15th.)

Jill Tote $595.00. Available at toryburch.com

Mini Helicopter – Not a distraction, a thinking aid

These mini helicopters are perfect for clearing your mind at the office. Once you fly one of these around your desk for a minute or two, you’ll want one for its mind-clearing properties. After a minute or two, you’ll find the solution to that issue you were working on. Oh, your kids might enjoy this toy also.

$24.99. Find it on www.Amazon.com

Mario Andretti Racing School

Those with a need for speed can experience the thrill of learning to race a car at the Mario Andretti Racing School at the California Speedway in Fontana, Ca.

$395 and up. Find it here: www.andrettigordon.com

Diamond Earrings

Conservative, simple and elegant, diamond earrings are a versatile piece of jewelry that women value for a lifetime. One carat studs (that’s two carats of total weight) are a good size, but with diamonds more is better. $5,000-$20,000.

Available at your local jeweler or at www.bluenile.com.

Dart Board Cabinet

Playing darts is fun and it also increases your concentration, decision making, team building skills and competitive abilities. This solid pine dartboard cabinet set has an attractive wood design with built-in dart storage and a carpeted background behind the dartboard for added protection.

$139.99. Available at www.Amazon.com

Under the desk exercise bike

The MagneTrainer mini exercise bike fits easily under a desk to provide an excellent workout while you’re working. Adjustable magnetic resistance provides ultra-smooth pedal motion in both the forward and reverse directions. The multi-functional display measures speed, distance, elapsed time and estimated calories burned to help optimize your workout.

$129.99 find it on www.Amazon.com.

Bossa Nova versions of Marley and the Stones

These Bossa Nova treatments of Rolling Stones, Bob Marley and Guns N’ Roses are amazingly well done covers of time-honored rock classics. The music is relaxing and mellow yet passionate and sublime all at once. These are some of the only CD’s that you, your kids and your parents can all enjoy together.

Available on Amazon.com

Bossa n' Stones, Vols. 1-2 $23.99
Bossa N' Marley $15.99
Bossa N Roses $15.99

Challenging, fun and exercise

The name of this toy is "Hyper Dash," and it tests speed and agility in a race against time using five targets and an electronic handheld unit. To start, set up your targets on the table, around the room, the house or the yard. Then, follow the announcer's commands as you zip around your racecourse to tag your targets with the handheld unit. The fastest time wins. Features four game modes; single and multi-player settings. Requires 3 "AAA" batteries, not included.

$29.99 Available at www.Amazon.com.

The Perfect Espresso

The best espresso shots you will ever taste, hands down. The only catch is that the machine only makes espresso, not coffee. This machine is not like the other capsule machines. Nespresso incorporates a sophisticated high-pressure pump for optimal extraction that produces a creamy froth every time. One push of a button makes a perfect shot with no beans to grind and no mess to clean up. If you do buy this you might also want to get the Aeroccino automatic milk frother by Nespresso; it uses magnets to make the perfect frothed milk for your lattes.

$249.99. Available on Amazon.com. (Note: Machine comes with 24 capsules, additional ones cost 59 cents each and are only available from Nespresso.com)

A thousand books in one

Wouldn’t you like to be able to instantly search a book for something you're trying to remember? Wouldn’t you also like to make a book’s font bigger at the touch of a button or have a built in light for night reading? Begin a new chapter with Sony’s “Reader Digital Book.” With a 6.0-inch, touch screen display, it looks like a book but it’s easier to read and loaded with useful features. You can write in the margins, highlight text with a stylus pen, and more. It’s ideal for travelers and holds approximately 350 digital books, and with an optional memory card it can hold 1,000s more.

Starting at $299.99 Available at Sony.

The Moon in Deep Winter, A Novel

The novel The Moon in Deep Winter is currently #2 on the San Diego Union Tribune best seller list (Nov-Dec, 2008). The book tells the story of Parker Sloane as he returns from a foray into third-world cash-smuggling to his childhood home in the woods of New England. The Moon in Deep Winter combines the dark comedy of Coen-brother movies with fast-paced, well crafted language to take you into an airtight world of homicidal family dysfunction.

$23.95. Available on Amazon.com or at The Book-Works in Del Mar.

Fishing Greatest Misadventures

Fishing's Greatest Misadventures presents 25 larger-than-life true stories covering the spectrum of fish tales, from terrifying to comical to downright bizarre. Everyday fishermen, journalists, and pros tell their stories of freak accidents, fish attacks, sabotage, pranks, getting lost at sea, idiotic decisions, eerie incidents, and other jaw-dropping calamities.

$15.95. Available on Amazon.com or at The Book-Works in Del Mar.

Posted by bizSanDiego: San Diego Business News