I am so freaking sick of all this snow! It actually wasn’t too bad of a winter, just a little snow here and there, possibly a notable storm or two. Then Phil had to go and see his shadow, and all hell done break loose. First there was one terrible two-day storm and then the next week you would have sworn it was Groundhog’s Day because the same damn thing happened all over again. So now it doesn’t matter if it snows again anytime soon because we’ll be too busy shoveling all that other snow for the rest of the winter season. I just know that it’s going get deceptively nice out and then one day we’re gonna get a freak snowstorm right in the middle of it.
Luckily, the Shuellas (Latest Buy, $49.95) can help all you ladies out there prepare for any such occasion. Designed to wear over shoes or high heels, these boot-shaped items are basically umbrellas for your feet. They easily fold up into an included carrying pouch to fit in your purse until you need them, then all you have to do is slide them on over your current footwear, affix the Velcro straps, and you’re good to go. With slip free soles on the bottom, you won’t have to worry about slipping and sliding in icy conditions. Also, these bad boys feature reinforced PVC soles on the inside to prevent wear, which is especially important for all your high heel wearers out there. Made of 100% waterproof material, you can just throw these on over your professional footwear when you’re hoofing it to the office and take them off once inside, with no damage to your expensive shoes. There’s even a towel included so you can wipe down the shoe protectors after use.
I know, they look a little hokey and the price may seem a bit steep, but I’m actually fully behind this product. I mean, how much does it suck to walk around in wet weather when you’re unprepared? You’re pretty much guaranteeing that you’re going to suffer through the way with wet socks – that’s not a pretty picture.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Includes one pair of Shuellas, carry pouch, and a towel
-Designed to wear over shoes or high heels during wet weather
-Available in women’s sizes 8, 9, 10
-Available in black or pink
-Slip free soles
-Velcro straps for quick and easy use
-Reinforced PVC soles to prevent wear from high heels
-Made of 100% waterproof material
I can’t stand being cold. I mean, I think I’d rather be a little bit chilly than insanely hot because then at least you can add layers. It’s not like you can continually strip clothing off if you’re hot – eventually you’re just gonna get down to skin and there’s nowhere to go from there (also, the potential for sunburn in sensitive areas is extremely high). The worst thing about being cold is that even though you can pile on layer after layer, sometimes it’s just not enough. You could have 20 blankets on top of you, but it’s gonna take about an hour for you to get nice and roasty toasty. And I’m impatient, so that’s just not gonna cut it.
What I’m interested in is a good old fashioned heated blanket, but with a more technological savvy twist, like the USB Heated Shawl/Lap Blanket (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $28.95). Specifically made for occasions when it would be virtually impossible or completely inappropriate to be holed up underneath a down comforter, this electrically heated blanket connects to your nearest USB power source. With a 4′ long cord, you’re not going to be tethered to your desk but I wouldn’t expect to be running any marathons any time soon either. For the ladies out there, this blanket can also be used as a shawl and has a button sew in to hold it in place. There’s an interior heating pad with a temperature range of 100 F – 113 F so there’s no way that you’re not gonna be cozy as a clam wearing this.
The only bad thing about a heated blanket is that as soon as you take it off, you’re instantly freezing again, Sure, that’s just like any blanket, but it’s a thousand times worse with a heated one. But then again, it’ll be that much warmer once you put it back on. It’s the same concept as getting out of a hot tub, only more easily accessible while at the office.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 31″ x 17″
-Cord length: 4′
-Interior heating pad
-Temperature: 100 F – 113 F
-Plugs into USB port
-Made of soft plush velour
-Button to hold shawl in place
-Only available in blue
Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean that you have to stop having wintry fun! I mean, there are all sorts of things out there that can provide endless hours of amusement and I bet a lot of them are of the electronic entertainment variety (i.e. DVDs, video games, iPods, etc.). And while it’s perfectly understandable to get caught up in your new and exciting technological purchases, shouldn’t you enjoy the outdoors a bit? Yes, I’m not a huge fan of outdoorsy activities and I absolutely abhor camping, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a good outdoor activity now and then. Oddly enough, I think some of the most fun outdoor activities occur in the winter months – snowmen, snow angels, and best of all, snowball fights.
Now, you could participate in a snowball fight the old fashioned way, but I think the Snofling Snow Ball Throwing Stick (Amazon, $5.95) is a fantastic tool to use to ensure swift victory. See, instead of having to stick your hands in the freezing snow over and over to form a plethora of snow ammunition, all you have to do is push this contraption in the snow until it forms a ball. But the fun doesn’t stop there! You don’t even have to pick up the snowball! You can form it and fling it at your opponent, all without having to freeze your digits off. And you’re bound to hurl that snowball a million times farther than you would with just your scrawny little arm. Oh, and there’s even a built-in horn so you can further taunt your nemesis after railing them in the face.
Some of you out there might think it’s a little unsportsmanlike to get excited about pelting others in the face with snowballs. You might even go so far as to say that using a snowball aid is cheating. To you people I say, PREPOSTEROUS!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Makes snowballs with ease
-Keeps hands warms
-Also features horn sound unit
-Not for children under age 3
-Made of high impact plastic
Wowza, there’s only 11 days left until Christmas! I really hope you’ve started your Christmas shopping, or at the very least starting thinking of gift ideas because time is just going to fly by from now on. Unless you’re a child under the age of 10, then it will pass slower than molasses in January. Now, I know we talked about maybe different kinds of gifts for the varying types of people in your life. One such type is that of the terrible gift giver. Year after year, this person gives you the worst gifts humanly possible. You would just as soon receive nothing than have to figure out what you’re going to do with a talking yard gnome or yet another ugly Christmas sweater. What’s even worse than getting a bad gift? Getting a bad gift from someone that you bought an extremely awesome gift. Not only did you spend precious time and money on these gifts, but you really thought about what your recipient wanted for Christmas. Whereas they just scrounged around the “Half Off” bin, thus explaining your gift last year of footie pajamas. It’s time to take a stand against thoughtless gift giving!
I’m all about making sure the gift suits the person receiving it, but sometimes you’ve got to go all out to teach someone a lesson. The Christmas Yule Log DVD (Walter Drake, $14.99) is sure to get your point across this holiday season. Sure, on the surface there’s nothing wrong with a good ole fireplace on TV, but let’s delve a little deeper. What does this gift say about the recipient? That they love fireplaces? That they’re too poor/cheap to afford an actual fireplace? Do they think a fireplace DVD is the perfect cost-effective way to heat their home?may surface during the 80 minute DVD, but chances are you’ll all be too busy listening to the 29 Christmas songs to address them.
Now, I’m not advocating buying someone a present with the hopes that they’ll hate it. That’s not the point at all. What I’m saying is, why waste time worrying about what to get someone who clearly isn’t doing the same? Who knows, you might even get lucky and find someone who absolutely loves video fireplaces. Like a woodstove salesman.
5 out of 5 faux fire stars.
Specs:
-Duration: 80 minutes
-Plays 29 songs These questions and many, many others
Sometimes, someone surprises you by getting you a gift for the holidays. And the first thing you think is, “Shit, I didn’t get them anything!” and that’s a perfectly normal response. For such an occasion, most of us have learned to keep a gift or two around the house and/or office so that when surprised, we don’t come up empty handed. But a lot of these “just in case” gifts are just plain awful. We can all spot a made-up gift from a mile away. I mean, really, a candle? I’m sure you were out shopping and thought that was exactly what I wanted for Christmas. Does my house smell or something? Do I? Hey, maybe a nice bottle of wine would do the trick. Unless the person in question is a secret alcoholic or just never drinks. Also, not all the discreet on the “forgot to get you a gift” front. What you need is something generic, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.
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.
Specs:
-Sizes: S, M, L, XL (see site for details)
-One pair
-Each glove uses 4 AA batteries (not included)
-Fully lined with 3M Thinsulate
-Velcro wrap band
-Barrel cord adjustment
-Heats for up to 8 hours
-Dual temperature settings
