I always love a good morphing gadget. I mean, why buy two things when you can buy one multi-purpose item? In addition to taking up less space, it’s nicer on the wallet (not to mention just good sense).

-Dimensions: 10.2″ x 8.7″ x 1.6″
-Set of 3 trivets (black, orange, red)
-Also functions as coaster or dish drainer
-Made of silicone

Now that we’re almost halfway through December, it’s time to really get into the holiday spirit. I bet most of you have had your decorations out since Thanksgiving and there are probably only a handful of people out there without a Christmas tree already up. I’m not talking about your traditional Christmas embellishments – this is so much more festive.

What would the Christmas season be without the Chew-By-Numbers Christmas Tree (Perpetual Kid, $14.99)? Everybody knows that your Yuletide spirit is directly connected to how many pieces of gum you can successfully chew and assemble into a piece of art, so why not make that piece of art for the holidays? This gum-lovers set includes a GumArt board with a paint-by-numbers tree design on it as well as 32 pieces of gum to stick on it. As you can see by the photo, it’s not as easy as it might at first seem. I mean, look at the light string! Take a gander at those snowflakes! This is serious art!

I’m gonna go ahead and suggest this as a one-time-only type of deal. Please don’t save this gum board year after year because unlike wine, it will only get more disgusting with time.

3 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 5″ x 7″
• -Includes: GumArt board, 32 pieces of gum, gum reference guide, and instructions
• -Use chewed gum to make art
• -Fun for the whole family

I like to think of myself as something of a music connoisseur and as such I’m constantly turning my friends onto new tuneage. The easiest way to get someone to like a new song or band is obviously to play it for them, but that’s not always possible. I usually have my iPod on me, but I don’t want my friends sticking my earbuds in their ears (no offense). I have a headphone jack splitter, but that only really works if my friend has headphones on them. Also, if you have more than one friend (go you!), then that’s not going to work either.

There are a lot of portable speaker options out there and I can assure you that most of them are absolute crap. If you’re a professional music appreciator such as myself, then you need the Tembo Trunks (Generate Design, $39.00). Sold as a two pack, these silicone wonders amplify your musical selections up to 80 decibels – that’s three times louder! With no electronic components or moving parts (that also means no batteries), you’re probably wondering how these things work. All you need is your earbuds. No joke, that’s it. Just put each earbud in its respective earbud holder located in the back of each speaker and press play. Because you’re basically just using your iPod to power everything, your battery will actually last longer than one song. There’s so many awesome things about these speakers, it borders on insanity.

Do you think elephants helped design this technology?

5 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″
• -Amplify music up to 80dB
• -Music is 3x louder
• -Compatible with iPods of all generations
• -Apple earbuds recommended
• -No parts or electronic components
• -No batteries required
• -Waterproof
• -Shockproof
• -Stackable
• -Available in ruby, green, blue, grey, or white
• -Made of high grade silicone rubber

When it comes to pie, I have trouble saying no. For example, this past Thanksgiving I ate large quantities of mostly starchy foods and just about stuffed myself more than the turkey. A few hours later, I was presented with no less than four different types of pie. How many slices did I have? Three. That might not seem like a lot, but consider the massive meal eaten barely two hours prior as well as the fact that I also attended another Thanksgiving earlier in the week. Pie is my kryptonite.

What’s better than choosing from a multitude of pies? Choosing from a multitude of mini pies! The Personal Pie Factory (ThinkGeek, $26.00) allows you to make four different types of pie at one time with little to no effort! No one ever eats a whole pie because there are usually so many different choices that it’s hard to pick just one. If you had mini pie selections instead, you wouldn’t be wasting any food because it would be exactly the right amount of dessert. This contraption magically cooks four pies in less than 10 minutes, transforming raw dough into bakery perfection. And cleanup is mega easy because the entire cooking surface is coated with nonstick awesomeness.

You do have to provide your own dough and filling. I know, you might as well BUY a pie then.

5 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 5.9″ x 9.3″ x 11″
• -Makes 4 mini pies in under 10 minutes
• -Nonstick surface
• -Easy removal and cleanup
• -Dough and filling not included

Sometimes even the best of parties need a little nudge to get things going. It can be hard to mix different groups of friends who don’t know each other so what you really need is a good icebreaker. Something tells me that the usual set of silly games you played in summer camp aren’t going to cut it now. As an adult, you need to be a little more creative, perhaps something like…

…the Dinner Party Napkins (Perpetual Kid, $7.99). Sure, the idea of games on paper napkins might seem a little juvenile, but hear me out. Yes, it is. You didn’t think I was gonna admit that, now did you? It doesn’t matter that it’s a little dumb, what matters is that you and your guests will have a blast filling out lists of your favorite things or taking quizzes to see what your handwriting says about you. The games are quick and easy so there’s not a lot of setup or instructions to each one.

You know, Thanksgiving is next week and you could sure use an effortless activity to enjoy while you digest. I think you just found it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 6.5″ x 6.5″
• -Set of 16 dinner size napkins
• -Multiple games