Singing Valentines are excellent surprise/fun gifts that come by email. They are based on a clever idea by the people at HappyBirthdayToYou.com, who make singing email birthday cards customized with your name and message.

Just click on the link to experience a Singing Valentine. The song starts right away and you’ll hear the place for your recipient’s name. In addition, you get to write a message, as long or as short as you like, to be included in the ecard.

Same Day Delivery is featured, the card should be out within hours. And it’s very affordable. You can purchase an individual card, or save money by purchasing a “pass” to quickly get customized cards in the future.

Who on your list would be surprised and delighted by a Singing Valentine? It’s a wonderful way to “say I Love You in a song”.

For the seventh year, members of the Garritan community are offering a free Christmas album, complete with cover and and label artwork. You can play it directly for your own holiday listening, or download and burn it to disk. Cover artwork is included for you to download, print out and insert in jewel cases for the ultimate in “frugal” holiday giving. The mp3s and downloads are available on the Garritan Community Christmas page.

The music on the album wasn’t created by mighty orchestras and celestial choirs but by individual people working on their computers with Garritan Personal Orchestra software.

The Personal Orchestra software sounds realistic enough that, unless there are musicians in the family, nobody will be the wiser. And if you know a musician, student or hobbyist who would love to have their own orchestra, go over to the Garritan site and check it out. The software is reasonably priced, available for Mac and Windows and ready for instant download. For someone with musical training, here’s an “instant gift” that could really make their Christmas.

For the rest of us, it’s great to be able to enjoy yet another Christmas CD compliments of Garritan.

Once again, members of the Garritan community are offering a Christmas album, complete with cover and and label artwork absolutely free. You can download it for your own holiday listening, or burn it to disks, print out the artwork, and present it for the ultimate in cheapskate holiday giving. Unless there are musicians in the family, nobody will be the wiser. The downloads are available at http://www.garritan.com .

The music on the album wasn’t created by huge orchestras and mighty choruses, but by individual people working on their computer or laptop with Garritan Personal Orchestra software. This is available for Mac and Windows and ready for instant download. If you know a musician, student or hobbyist who would love to have their own orchestra, go over to the Garritan site and check it out - this could be an excellent last-minute gift idea.
For the rest of us, it’s great to be able to enjoy another collection of Christmas music from Garritan.

Did you ever see the greatest sweatshirt design on someone walking by in the mall… but you can’t find it anywhere?

Or the coffee  mug you saw a catalog which would be perfect for for Aunt Gladys… but it costs a fortune?

Or you’d just love to give something very personalized and special, but have no idea how to put it together?

Cafe Press has an answer to all the above.  This web site allows you to design custom T-shirts and and personalized gifts, then have them made and delivered fast.

How much time do you have for designing custom Christmas gifts? Here is Cafe Press’ 2009 holiday shipping schedule:

Shipping Method:   Order By:
Economy:                       11:59 p.m. (EST) Sunday, December 13
Standard:                        11:59 p.m. (EST) Tuesday, December 15
Premium:                        11:59 p.m. (EST) Sunday, December 20
1 Day:                               Noon (EST) Monday, December 21

Cafe Press doesn’t have a Speed Feature ( a method of getting your gift delivered or announced within 24 hours).  So if your custom creation won’t get there in time, use our  Gift Announcements to let them know their gift is on the way.