Christmas 2008: Buy Right. Buy Right Now.

Every Christmas all sorts of publications print their best of holiday buys. I always love to see what items the publishers deem to be “hot items”. Most are in categories with items priced under$25, under $50, under $75 etc. What I find in magazines is by the time the ink has dried most items are already sold out due to demand.. Last Christmas there was a pair of great Lucite candelabras from Target featured in Town and Country. They were reasonable at under $50 so I jumped in my car and zoomed to Target. Sold out. I checked the website. Sold out. And then one day, low and behold, there they were reduced to $25 each. If an item is lucky enough to make Real Simple, it is guaranteed to sell out.

I called about an amazing wrap in chocolate brown with ruffles featured in Real Simple a couple of holiday seasons ago. It was a small boutique company from New York so I called the company direct and spoke with the sales associate. Her comment was they have never sold so many wraps and yes, they were sold out. .She was helpful and directed me to a similar wrap and my friend Daniel purchased it for his wife Leslie. Still to this day, it is one of her most favorite gifts.

With supply and demand in mind, I wanted to share with you some incredible deals and gifts ideas available RIGHT NOW.. Nothing better than some early Christmas shopping both locally and online.

10 great gifts under $50

1. Bobby Brown Mini Tube Tints $30 Available at Belk’s or Private Edition I received this as hostess gift a year ago and loved it. The set includes 4 small tubes all in great colors.

2. Pottery Barn Bamboo Cotton Throws $35 What a great gift for someone that has everything. They come is 4 fantastic colors: cream, paprika, camel and chocolate brown. www.potterybarn.com

3. Victoria’s Secret French Cuff Shirt $28 On sale now.. this is a must have shirt because it stretches to fit your shape, washes and holds up…little or no ironing. www.victoriassecret.com

4. Red Envelope Holiday Paper Whites in Red Vessel $39 Gorgeous presentation of 10 paper white bulbs..a fabulous hostess gift. Red Envelope is known for their packaging, simplicity and elegance. www.redenvelope.com

5. Sundance Post Modern Pearl Studs $18 Baroque freshwater pearls in sterling.. wonderful iridescent colors peach, coppery brown, white or gray. www.sundancecatalog.com

6. Envirosax..Great Reusuable Shopping Bags $8.49 Each On Amazon.com for grocery and everything else.. My sister gave me a set of 5 last year for Christmas and I love them. They are deceivingly big, come in fabulous colors and designs and can fit when rolled up in an average purse. They have small snaps that allow you to roll them up and a small carry pouch. The only challenge is to remember to keep them in your car. www.envirosax.com

7. LL Bean. Wicked Good Slippers and Scuffs Like the name says wicked in their warmth and comfort. Great Slippers for men, women, and kids in lots of styles and colors like: Chocolate brown, vintage red, cobalt blue $49.95. www.llbean.com

8. Iprint.com Photo note cube with 650 pages, color photo on 4 sides. I love gift items that have many uses.. There are great for grandparents, teachers, teenagers, and friends and cheap at $14.99 per cube. Check out I print.com for personalized ties, boxer shorts, key chains and more. www.iprint.com

9. Stein Mart Pashmina and Scarves I am not a big fan of Stein Mart for clothes and shoes, but I think they have great accessories and jewelry. If you need a hostess gift or small gift item, they always come through with good prices. Their selection of pashminas for $12.95 is worthy of a visit with a lots of colors and styles.

10. Create Your Own Bag of Favorites for a Friend Last Christmas my friend Anne put together for her walking buddies and it was incredible.. a tube of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, a small electric foot massager and tube of great lip gloss, bar of chocolate. Of everything in the bag, my absolute favorite was the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and lipstick protectorate for winter chapping and general dry skin.. It is great at night under your eyes and on your lips priced at $17.00 each. www.elizabetharden.com or at Dillards..

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping.

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