Last Minute Gift Guide by The Chautauqua Star

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Great Gifts for Outdoor Enthusiasts Contributed Article

Give Back

Warm Up

Statepoint

Help protect the environment that your gift recipient so passionately enjoys with eco-friendly gear. For example, you can buy hats, jackets and even boots made from recycled material. Even if you don’t go the recycled route, you can shop with sustainability in mind by opting for durable gear will last a lifetime. The less often a jacket, tent or sleeping bag needs replacing, the better for the environment.

Gone are the days where a simple down coat is the be-all and end-all of staying warm during an outdoor adventure. Now, technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear are designed to fit the versatile needs of outdoor enthusiasts, offering lightweight options that offer warmth in varying weather conditions. For example, the ThermoBall Jacket, recently unveiled by The North Face and awarded Editors’ Choice by Backpacker Magazine, is made of a synthetic insulation that mimics the

There’s no better time than the holiday season to help your favorite outdoor thrill seekers gear up for all their upcoming adventures. Even if the hiker, backpacker or climber you know already has their favorite gear, new innovations in outdoor products are helping both new and seasoned adventurers go further and higher. Here are a few ways to find the ideal holiday gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your life:

loft and warmth of a down cluster, with the added benefit of insulation retention when wet. “This technology is inspired by the needs of our athletes,” says Joe Vernachio, Vice President at the North Face of global product Joe Vernachio. “And this insulation has been tested and approved by our climbing team in the Himalayas.” Washable and durable, it’s a good jacket for packing too, as it compresses neatly into its hand pocket. Look for lightweight ThermoBall insulated jackets and vests for your gift recipient at www.TheNorthFace. com.

Get Inspired While your gift recipient may wish to be in the great outdoors all the time, that’s not usually possible. Give him or her something to do between adventures with a good book or eBook. There are plenty of great outdoor adventure and travel

memoirs that offer inspiration, even for someone who is curled up in bed. Or, consider purchasing a subscription to an outdoor adventure magazine. This holiday season, keep your backpacker happy, warm and inspired.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Buying Your First Train Set This Christmas Contributed Article gin to develop at age five. Any younger, an Bova’s Music and Train Shoppe adult should spend quality time and guide them thoroughA lot of us have ally. Watch those little ways wanted to buy hands! that first train set for The most common that special family sized or scales are: G, member, under the O-27, HO and N scale. Christmas tree, or G- is large and can for ourselves. Here are some helpful tips be used outside for garden layouts. They when buying. look really nice and For a young child, consider the fact that full under the Christgood motor skills be- mas tree. They’re

generally a bit costly, but are easy to place on the track. O-27- the oldest style, and still a popular train. They can mostly be found under the Christmas tree, and are remembered for Grandpa’s classic layout. Lionel Trains is an excellent brand, and offers this size now with remote controls. HO- the most popular.

Stay on Top of Shopping Trends this Holiday Season Contributed Article Statepoint

As the weather outside turns more frightful, consumers and small businesses look to the holiday shopping season to heat things up. Whether you’re a consumer or a small business owner, holiday shopping is always a hot topic. So staying on top of new shopping trends is critical for your bottom line -- from finding better deals to understanding what’s popular and why. There’s no time like the holidays to learn more about what to expect this shopping season. A recent survey conducted on behalf of Deluxe Corp., a leading provider of marketing services and business

products for small businesses, sheds light on new trends to watch out for this year: Going Local With a whole world of shopping available at consumers’ fingertips and with big box discount chains a top choice for in-person holiday shopping, the expectation would be that small businesses are suffering. However, for a variety of reasons ranging from great prices to unique merchandise, consumers are not neglecting boutiques and small businesses. In fact, 35 percent of people claim they will prefer to shop at small businesses this year for their holiday shopping, an 8 percent rise from 2012. And a vast majority of re-

spondents agree it’s important to support local businesses. Quick and Convenient Online shopping is gaining in popularity, and with good reason -- the expectation of quick and convenient shopping. Search engines remain an important way for consumers to find gifts online. In fact, 57 percent of Hispanic respondents -- representing an important growing demographic -- plan to use search engines for holiday gift ideas. However, it’s no surprise that half of all respondents say they don’t go past the first two pages of search results. “All the data that we see sends an undeniably clear signal continued on pg 4

You can create terrific layouts on a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood. This scale has grown to be the favorite of most train enthusiasts. N- the smallest of the above scales, this is about the size of Hot Wheels cars. This scale requires a skilled hand and an experienced modeler. You can create a massive layout on a 4’x8’

sheet of plywood. Bova’s Music and Train Shope has wall to wall train sets instock and are very helpful in making the right decision for your first train set this Christmas. Visit the store, ask lots of questions and check out the digital layout. Get ready to enjoy the ride of your life. Bova’s Music and Train Shoppe is lo-

cated at 31 McClurg Street in Westfield. They are open Monday through Wednesday, and Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit them online at www.choochoomusic.com or call 716326-6891.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Choosing the Right Tablet for Kids Contributed Article Statepoint

Everyone is using technology to stay connected these days -- especially kids. And the holidays are a great time to think about getting your kids a device to keep them plugged in and learning at the same time, like their very own tablet computer. Parents worry mobile technology can be expensive, breakable and give users access to a world of information -- not all of it kid-friendly. But that doesn’t mean you should exclude the next generation from the tech trend, say experts. “Technology can be intimidating for parents who aren’t familiar with the wide array of choices

available,” says Dr. Eric Klopfer, Toy Development Consultant and Learning Expert at VTech, a maker of age-appropriate and developmental stagebased electronic learning products for children. “But there are good options out there that can provide safe, fun, innovative, yet age appropriate experiences for young kids – if you know where to look.”Here are some things to consider when looking for new technologies for children this holiday: • Kid-friendly tablet: A conventional tablet is a delicate, breakable instrument. But a kid-friendly tablet is tough, durable and able to withstand being handled by little ones. For example, VTech’s InnoTab3S, is made to fit com-

fortably in little kid hands, so they’ll be more likely to maintain a good grip. • Safe messaging: Whether they are at daycare, a neighbor’s house or across the country visiting grandparents, a tablet can help kids stay connected to their parents. And thanks to breakthroughs in kidsafe family networking, you can ensure your children are communicating only with people approved by you. The VTech Kid Connect app, for example, allows for safe communication with parents and friends through an InnoTab 3S tablet. Preschoolers as young as three years old can emulate their parents and older siblings, allowing them to feel like they are part of the messaging trend

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by sending text and voice messages to parents’ smartphones, all from a kid-safe, kid-friendly tablet. • Safe browsing: With a kid-safe Web browser, kids won’t be able to access inappropriate content, but can still explore the sites they love through an easyto-navigate format. • Educational content: You can give your kids full-time access to great educational content with the right downloads. Look for educator-approved fun and games. More tech tips for parents can be found at www. VTechKids.com. This holiday season, you can help your kids stay on top of tech trends safely and securely.

Trends, continued from pg 4 to business owners that they need to be found online,” says Tim Carroll, vice president of small business engagement at Deluxe. For small businesses looking to drive shoppers to their websites over the holidays, having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy is an important component of a successful holiday marketing plan. Many small businesses turn to marketing services firms, like Deluxe, to help get them front and center on search engines like Google. Information about these services can be found at www.Deluxe. com. By staying on top of the trends, you can shop smarter this season.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Great Edible Holiday Decoration and Gift Ideas Contributed Article Statepoint

Sometimes the best presents and the most treasured ornaments aren’t the ones that last a lifetime -- they’re the ones that you can eat! But don’t just bake the same old boring treats for friends and family. This season, give your holiday treats, eats, gifts and décor a colorful twist using richly hued sprinkles, frosting and icing. “I love working with sprinkles because they’re not only

delicious, they’re so visual too. Of course you can scatter them over cakes, but you can also swirl them into waffles, ‘embroider’ them on cookies or do any number of creative things with them that look great for the holidays,” says Jackie Alpers, a photographer and author of the new cookbook “Sprinkles! Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts.” For a beautiful and delicious batch of edible ornaments you can hang on your tree or use to adorn your home, follow this recipe from Alpers for Windowpane

plastic bags, seal and use a hammer to crush the candies into bits.)

Photo Credit: Jackie Alpers

Cookies: Ingredients • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 egg at room temperature, beaten • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • Approximately 1/2 cup various sanding sugars, sorted by color. (Clear hard candies, like Jolly Ranchers can be used instead. Just sort by color into

Directions • Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. • In another bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture until dough is smooth and firm. • Divide dough in half and shape into two 1/2-inch-thick disks. Cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line

baking sheets with parchment paper. • On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut out shapes using a larger cookie cutter and then use smaller cutters to remove “windows” from those shapes. Arrange cookies about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. • Fill cookie windows with sanding sugars or crushed candy pieces. • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to turn golden, rotating sheets halfway through baking time. Place sheets on wire Continued on pg 6

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 Edible gifts, continued from pg 6 racks to cool for a few minutes before gently removing cookies with a metal spatula. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Store between layers of wax paper to prevent sticking in an airtight container for up to one week. To turn the cook-

ies into holiday ornaments, use a bamboo skewer or chopstick to poke a hole about 3/4 inch from the top of each cookie before baking. Once baked cookies have cooled, thread 10 inches of ribbon or colorful bakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; twine through each hole and tie in a bow.

More information about baking with sprinkles can be found at www. QuirkBooks.com/ Sprinkles. With a bit of colorful fun, you can make your holiday treats and gifts extra festive and delicious this year.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Consider Gifts that Give Back This Holiday Season Contributed Article Statepointt

While the latest video game can make a big hit, the most meaningful gifts are often ones that help those in need. The holidays are the perfect time to give a charitable gift that could make a profound difference in someone’s life. Donating your time or money to a charity in honor of a loved one is a great way to reach out and help others this holiday season: Work at a Soup Kitchen Many people have made working at a soup kitchen a holiday tradition. Some-

thing as simple as giving the homeless and hungry a hot meal and a full stomach can make a person’s day. Contact your local soup kitchen to see how you can volunteer. If you don’t have time to help out in person, consider donating non-perishable goods, as many soup kitchens have a food pantry as well. Rescue Gifts You can also help provide essentials for people in need by giving a “Rescue Gift” in the name of friends and family. Rescue Gifts are charitable gifts that support humanitarian aid work and represent the kinds of emergency relief and services that

the International Rescue Committee (IRC) provides to refugees and others uprooted by war and disaster. Rescue Gifts, such as a pair of baby goats, can help put a family in drought-ridden Somalia back on the road to recovery by helping to start a new herd. Or the gift of a year of school can help supply the tuition, books and other materials to send a young Afghan girl to school. Help Children The perfect gift can help brighten up the life of a child in even the most dire situations. There are an estimated 45 million

people around the world who have been uprooted from their homes by war, persecution and disaster, many of them children. Sometimes, the need for love and reassurance is just as great as the need for food and shelter. Consider giving the International Rescue Committee’s Teddy Bear and Creativity Kit to a child on behalf of friends or family as a gift this holiday. In crisis zones like Syria, children hold tight to their beloved teddy bears, finding emotional support in a simple toy. A Rescue Gift like the Teddy Bear and Creativity Kit can provide three children with their own teddy bears, as well as a toy and coloring kit

that will help them cope with the psychological distress of war and upheaval. For more information, visit www.Rescue.org/Gifts. "Support from the purchase of Rescue Gifts allows the IRC to address crisis places like Syria, in addition to offering ongoing support and lifesaving care for people around the world affected by catastrophes that have slipped from the headlines," says Nancy Haitch, VP of External Relations at the IRC. While conventional presents are often soon forgotten, a charitable gift can have a lasting effect beyond the holiday season.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

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CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

The Ultimate Video Game Wish List Contributed Article StatePoint

Gaming has never been more engaging, more realistic, or had as many options as it does today. And this holiday season, gaming is experiencing a renaissance that is a long cry from the days of the 8-bit Atari. According to a recent report from Framingham, Mass-based research firm from IDC, sales of game consoles are expected to rise as new offerings from Sony and Microsoft make their way to retailers in time for the holiday season. Additionally, highly-anticipated titles are emerging that are so realistic that

Consoles, Projectors, and Games, Oh My!

it’ll make you do a double-take. With all of this excitement around gaming, make sure the gamer in your life doesn’t miss out! Keep an eye out for these exciting holiday gifts: New Consoles The next generation of gaming consoles is here. The new XBOX One and PlayStation 4 are hitting shelves just in time for the holidays. Each has exclusive game franchises as well as vastly superior hardware, software and usage policies than their previous versions. It is an expensive investment but no serious gamer

will want to be the one playing with an outdated system. Enhanced Experience While playing games like “Madden NFL 25” or “Call of Duty Ghosts” are thought to be best on a big-screen TV, there are ways to make the experience even better. One way to achieve that is by using a projector, such as Casio’s SLIM series of projectors. A new projector coupled with a new gaming system can be more fun to play, as well as more efficient to run. A SLIM projector offers sharp imagery and adjustable

brightness. And the Laser & LED Hybrid light source means minimal power consumption for gamers, lasting 20,000 hours, which is 10 times longer than a mercury lamp. For more information, visit www.CasioProjector. com. Hot Games Some of the most highly anticipated games are coming out right around the holidays, and there will probably be a wait to get some of the most popular ones. “Call of Duty: Ghosts” looks to be one of the hottest games this season. Now up to the tenth installment in

the series, “Call of Duty” has been a major player in the gaming world for years. What a perfect game to up the playing experience, with a Casio SLIM projector you can project up to 300 inches diagonally and have four players playing simultaneously. “NBA 2K14” is also garnering rave reviews, with many new features and superstar LeBron James on the cover. Sports fans everywhere will be playing this game throughout the season. We are in a golden age of gaming. Plan your gift lists for the gamers in your life today.

CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

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