Fluctuations in your core body temperature are known to disrupt your sleep patterns, something the Temperature Regulating Blanket (Hammacher Schlemmer, $99.95 – $149.95) seeks to remedy. No one likes going to bed in a perfect homeostasis only to wake up drenched in sweat, especially when you’re sharing the bed with someone else. Then it gets even more difficult to figure out the perfect sleep temperature so that everyone is comfortable. Inevitably, someone will wake up in the middle of the night completely miserable because of a preventable temperature issue. To that end, this blanket utilizes millions of invisible microcapsules along with the aid of NASA technology to keep you content while you sleep. How it works is that the excess heat from your body is absorbed by the blanket when you’re warm and then that stored heat is released when your body temperature drops. This makes it ideal of two people as the fabric will adjust to each individual’s micro-climate without disturbing the other.

Those NASA guys sure know their stuff. I mean, who else would have thought of using a blanket to cool themselves down? It’s either the dumbest or the smartest idea I’ve ever heard. I’ll get back to you when I decide which.

5 out of 5 stars.

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As your partner in crime, the Disposable Plastic Flasks (KegWorks, $8.95) have totally got your back when it comes to the whole sneaking in an outside drink thing. Granted, these flasks are probably more for the alcoholic beverage variety than a cup of Juicy Juice, but the principal purpose remains the same: you won’t have to pay an outrageous for a drink. These come in a set of four with two plastic funnels to help you easily fill the flasks with your beverage of choice. And just because they’re marketed as disposable doesn’t mean that they won’t last – each flask is designed to withstand several uses before disposal. The flask fits comfortably in your back pants pocket or inside your jacket, so you probably won’t even notice it’s there (hopefully security won’t either). The great thing about these flasks being disposable is that if the fuzz should catch onto your stunt and make your toss it, you’re not out that flask you got for being the best man at your buddy’s wedding. And hey, you’ve even got three more, so it’s really a non-issue.

If I were you though, I wouldn’t be wasting these babies on anything other than hard liquor. I think they would be perfect for sporting events, especially those where they don’t pat you down that thoroughly. Then all you have to do is buy a mixer while you’re there, or you could just go all hardcore and enjoy your booze the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

4 out of 5 stars.

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Now, if you have these Heated Gloves (Things You Never Knew Existed, $28.98) on hand, you’re sure to score when an unexpected gift exchange occurs. I mean, yes this gift is limited to cooler climates, but most everyone has a need for gloves in the wintertime so we’re working with about a 97.5% success rate. These gloves are available in sizes small through extra large so you could get one of each to have on hand (!) or just buy medium and hope for the best. Fully lined with 3M Thinsulate, you know they’re already gonna be pretty warm, but there’s an extra kick to these babies. See, each glove includes a battery pack that runs off four AA batteries to safely heat your digits for up to eight hours at a time. There’s even dual temperature settings so you can control your level of roasty toasty!

Another gift that totally sucks and is obviously last minute? Bath baskets. These got a lot of play about a decade ago, but now they’re just the universal symbol of leaving someone’s name off your Christmas list. One seemingly thoughtless gift that never goes out of style? Gift cards. There seems to be some misconception that you’re cheaping out if you buy a gift card – maybe if you pull that crap on family, but friends and coworkers will be more than happy to accept a gift card in lieu of a tacky, unimaginative gift. On a completely unrelated matter, I have no problem whatsoever accepting gift cards.

4 out of 5 stars.

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I’m gonna go ahead and say it: even if you could care less about technology, there is no way that you’re not completely in love with the Cinemin Swivel Multimedia Pico Projector (Amazon, $299.95). Now, I’m not the kind of guy who professes his love on a first date (I’m looking at you, Ted Mosby), but I would totally marry this little pocket projector. Oh yeah, it’s serious. This little baby is awesome! Pocket-sized, you can carry it around everywhere and be ready to watch movies, slideshows, or whatever else you’ve got. It hooks up to your iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player, digital camera, PSP, and pretty much any other electronic device and projects it onto the surface of your choice. Of course, as with all projectors big or small, the ideal setting requires an area with little to no light and a large white surface to capture a perfect picture. Don’t have any white walls in your place? Not a problem because this projector has an adjustable 90 degree hinge, making it great for ceiling projection. It has over two hours of battery life, but also comes with an AC/DC power adapter so your viewing won’t be interrupted.

Ok, so the price tag has a bit of a bite, but you have to take into account the freaking badassness of this projector. Imagine you’re telling a group of friends a story about this video you saw online – you can show all eight of them the video without everyone having to crowd around your tiny iPhone screen. You can take it on vacation, film your travels, and then use this projector to watch it on the hotel room’s wall. Tell me that’s not awesome and I will call you a liar, liar, pants on fire!

5 out of 5 stars.

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By using the Sugarcane Disposables (Drinkstuff), you can take the pressure off of having to choose between some leisure time for yourself and saving the environment. Not only are these disposable plates and bowls made of 100% sugar cane fibre, but they’re also completely biodegradable and compostable. That’s right, you can use them up and throw them away because they won’t be sitting in a landfill for all eternity. And they’re actually superior to traditional disposables because you can microwave and freeze them without having to worry about destroying them, or poisoning yourself. Another fun little fact about these things? They won’t absorb oil or leak. So even if they’re made to break down. they’re not going to start in the middle of your party. They’re real classy that way.

Now, I’m not advocating using this faux china exclusively because that’s not exactly the most environmentally friendly choice. But you have to admit, it would be nice to pull these out every once in awhile. Just think, not only will your party be rocking, but everyone will be talking about how you managed to go green even around the holidays. Now, that’s a real gift.

5 out of 5 stars.

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