Last Minute Gift Guide 2012 by Mid-Valley Media

Holiday

LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE

DECEMBER 2012

Time’s Running Out

Gifts for college students: Practical & personal presents Old school, new fun: Timeless toys Quick pick llst: list: How to beat the clock

A production of the Mid-Valley Media’s Advertising Department

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iPods: The Next Iteration The iPod Touch and iPod Nano get funky refreshes – just in time for the holidays | by CTW Features

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iPod Touch The hard critique against the iPod Touch was that it was just an iPhone with out the phone. That stops now. The new Touch is thinner and lighter then ever, at less than a quarter-inch thick and just 3.1 oz. Part of that is thanks to an anodizedaluminum body, the same material used in Apple’s MacBook line.

But just like its cellular-based kin, the Touch also received an upgrade to a 4-inch Retina display, giving more widescreen space to game, browse, watch movies and swipe through your music library. The new Touch, available in 32GB ($299) and 64GB ($399) models, also unveils new line of colors – black, silver, pink, yellow, blue and a (Product) Red model.

iPod Nano Where the iPod Touch kept its kinda-like-the-iPhone appearance, the iPod Nano underwent the most radical – and fun – transformation. The Nano now is about the size of a credit card – about 3-by-1.5 inches – and is just 0.21 inches thick. The new format allows it to expand the touchscreen introduced on the

last Nano model. The screen now offers six icons for Music, Videos, Fitness (with Nike+ integration), Podcasts, Photos and Radio (FM only). Now available only in a 16GB ($149) model, the Nano comes in the same colors as the Touch, in addition to green purple.

A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012

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The Book Bin Books make wonderful gifts, but it can be hard to pick just the right one. | by JENNIFER ROUSE

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shown in the United States on PBS, is releasing a new season of episodes in January. If you’ve got a fan who can’t wait until then, try one of these books that are related to the show. • “The Lands of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, or “A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook,” by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer. If you’ve got a fantasy reader on your gift list who has already devoured Martin’s epic “Game of Thrones” saga, now you can give them “Lands of Ice and Fire,” a companion book of myths from the series; or a “Game of Thrones”-inspired cookbook so that they too can enjoy feasting on trout wrapped in bacon or honey-spiced locusts. Mmm … locusts. Recommendations fromScott Givens, owner of Browsers Books in Albany and Corvallis:

So we’ve done the hard work for you — we polled local book experts for their recommendations on the best book gifts of the 2012 holiday season. From kids’ books to cookbooks to just-released literary works, we’ve got choices for everyone on your list.

• Any classic novel with a nice binding, beautiful illustrations, or something else that makes it special. scott Givens, owner of browsers' bookstore, poses with a handful of classic novels in corvallis. “For me, it’s much more enjoyable to (amanda cowan | corvallis Gazette-Times) read a book where some care has been taken in the binding and typography Recommendations from Jon “Cloud Atlas” weaves a variety and layout,” Givens said. Munster, manager, The Book Bin: of narratives and travels through • A used book with an interesting a variety of genres, from history to • “Cloud Atlas,” by David Mitchell. science fiction to noir thriller. history. Sometimes, it’s not so much Munster said this book is currently the book itself as the story attached popular because a movie based on • “Chronicles of Downton Abbey,” to the book. For instance, Givens the book, directed in part by the by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew recalled a customer who wanted to makers of the “Matrix” series, was Sturgis, or “The Unofficial Downton buy a book about Freemasonry for his just released. Abbey Cookbook,” by Emily Ansara brother, who was a mason. He was Baines. This popular BBC series, able to find a book about masonry that

A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012

had also been previously owned by a Linn County sheriff who was a mason and had signed his name in the book. “The guy was just thrilled because of that piece of history,” Givens said. • Science fiction classics. “A lot of the old school science fiction and fiction about the paranormal is really popular right now,” Givens said. “There’s a lot of interest in zombies right now, and Frankenstein is the original.” “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, “Dracula” by Bram Stoker, and science fiction by Jules Verne are all popular, Given said. These would make a good gift for the reader who has exhausted “Harry Potter” and the “Twilight” series and is ready to move on to something more. From Pamela Moeller, events and marketing coordinator, Grass Roots Books & Music: • “Flight Behavior,” by Barbara Kingsolver. This novel by popular

literary novelist Kingsolver was just released this month. It tells the story of a young mother who feels trapped by life in her rural hometown, and how her life changes when she discovers a scientific anomaly on her family farm. “It’s highly anticipated, and a lot of staff members enjoy her work,” Moeller said. “Her last book, “Lacuna,” did really well for us, so we’re expecting it to be really popular.” • “The Oregonian Cookbook,” by Katherine Miller. Released this fall, this cookbook is a collection of the best recipes from the Food Day column in the Oregonian. “Cookbooks are always good, and this one has a local edge,” Moeller said.

of the “Star Wars” universe. “This would books by authors such as Mary shelley, be good for any fan of Star Wars, of any bram stoker and Edgar allan poe are available at browsers' bookstore in corvallis. age,” Moeller said.

• “The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7),” by Jeff Kinney. This novel, released Nov. 13, is • “Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure,” by Matthew Reinhart. Even expected to a be a big seller this year. as the fan community reacts to the news “This is an enormously popular kids’ series,” Moeller said. If you’ve got a that Luke, Leia, and their companions are now owned by Disney, true believers young reader on your list, chances can revel in a spectacular 3-D rendition are they’ve heard of lovable loser

Gifts that Give Comfort and Hope In this season of giving, Benton Hospice Service would like to thank all of the donors who gave monetary or in-kind donations this year. Every gift of any size improves the end-of-life experience for someone in our community. There is still time to send a 2012 tax deductible donation to Benton Hospice Service at 2350 NW Professional Drive, Corvallis 97330 or call 541-757-9616 for more information. Serving patients, families and communities in Linn & Benton counties since 1980

(amanda cowan | corvallis Gazette-Times)

Greg Hefﬂey, the protagonist of the “Wimpy Kid” books, and will be happy to join him in “The Third Wheel” as he navigates the terrifying experience that is a middle school dance.

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Gifts for college students Make the grade this year with practical, personal presents | by Nancy Raskauskas

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With the price of getting an education these days, ask a college student or recent grad what’s the best gift they could get this year and you might just hear: “Money: Cold hard cash.”

Well, that is a gift that is sure to be appreciated. But if it seems a little impersonal, here are some other options brainstormed by five current students at Oregon State University, and another five recent Northwest college grads, sure to bring a little holiday cheer – and to provide the opportunity to watch your student actually unwrap something this year.

Rain gear Rain gear? That doesn’t sound very fun or festive, you might be thinking. But consider lugging a full bag of books and a laptop several miles around a sodden campus daily while dodging puddles, construction sites and the endless tangle of bikes and pedestrians in a pouring rain. Doesn’t sound very fun, does it?

oregon state University sophomore George pope rides a longboard through campus. a student may be pleased to see nontraditional transportation under the tree. amanda cowan | corvallis Gazette-Times

A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012 Brighten your students' day and help them get to class warm and ready to concentrate with a pair of cute rubber boots (check Coastal Farm & Ranch, Bi-Mart and Fred Meyer, for starters), high performance raingear (think brands such as The North Face, Patagonia, Columbia, Helly Hansen, Marmot, Mountain Hardware, Sierra Designs, etc.) an umbrella in their college colors or a brightly colored waterproof backpack or courier bag (Consider DAKINE or Timbuk2 for their varied color combinations and durability). Gift certificates to the college oregon state University junior connor Torris bookstore for licensed university strolls through campus with an osU jacket apparel were also on several students’ and umbrella. amanda cowan | corvallis Gazette-Times lists -- one of the few times when students don’t mind dressing like each other. Plus, the gift certificate can also Rain and winter wear are gifts that be used for textbooks and supplies. will definitely get a lot of use, and

even asked for a pair of ﬂuffy socks to wear while studying. You thought they’d never ask, right?

Transportation Speaking of getting around campus … Soup up your student’s road bike or campus cruiser with a tune-up, fenders, new lights and the biggest baddest lock and cable you can find. Knog makes a great super bright LED that can be easily wrapped around handle bars and seat posts and removed when the bike is parked. Also, if they aren’t wearing one already, a cute rubber rain boots are among the popular gift certificate for a helmet can help preserve all that newfound college gift ideas for students this holiday season. amanda cowan | corvallis Gazette-Times knowledge in the event of an accident. were the top request among OSU students interviewed. One student

If a bike isn’t a possibility this year, consider a scooter or skateboard.

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Holiday Gifts canoes skis boots poles snow boards bicycles helmets bike accessories stocking stuffers sunglasses

kayaks ski wear casual wear accessories hiking boots backpacks climbing gear and more!

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A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012

Help your student recharge during winter break by sharing a touch of luxury. Share a morning of spa treatments such as massages or pedicures or a new haircut. Perhaps purchase bath products fancier than they could usually afford, such as highThese days, everyone is living life to quality shampoo and conditioner. A nice another brand will suffice. In fact, this their own soundtrack. Headphones is probably the one area of holiday dinner out or ingredients for an aspiring shopping where it’s worth spoiling the and earbuds are ubiquitous on chef are also great options. When it campus. Earbuds can also be an surprise in order to be sure that you comes to food, homemade anything is important tool for students to listen to also big hit over the holidays. Whether and your student will be happy with lecture notes or watch lecture videos, they admit it or not, they probably have the outcome. and to carve out a place to concentrate missed your cooking. Is your student more coordinated Shop together and remember that in noisy commons or on the city bus. than most? Help them pick out a student discounts at large retailers Practical necessities Skull Candy is an inexpensive brand longboard to cruise around campus and at the college bookstore might with endless color options ($9.99 to on. They’ll be in good company on Looking for stocking stuffers or mean that it makes more sense for the $36). Get them a pair to leave in their sunny days. Local board shop The small gifts for the first few days of student to be the one to actually make backpack and another for their desk. Uprise in Corvallis has a variety and Hanukkah? Here are a few of the stocks wheels and local expertise. Peak the transaction. Picking something that If your student uses a smartphone more practical ideas put forward by boots up quickly and that your student such as an iPhone, Android or Sports also carries a great selection. the students and recent grads: Samsung Galaxy, consider buying Be prepared to spend more than $100 can type, text or write quickly on is a • Printer paper/ink earbuds with a built-in mic that can for a board with nice wheels – after all, must for taking notes in class. Think long-term about needs that may arise double as a hands-free device. longboards are also works of art. • Screen cleaning wipes in their field of study for software. You can also re-style their existing • Space pens (“You can write at any ‘Smart’ gear Not ready to throw down the cash phone with a new case. For iPhones angle with them, so if I'm reading/ for a new Apple iPad with Retina If your student has their heart consider the Speck line ($24 to $34), taking notes before bed, they're display ($499), Google Nexus 4 set on a new laptop, tablet or colorful “confection” cases with some awesome”). ($199-$299), ultrabook (various smartphone, they probably started models that double as card holders for models: HP, Sony, Samsung, Dell, dropping hints months ago. Pay • Car accessories: air pressure IDs and credit cards. For the phones that Apple, etc., up to $1,200), eReader attention! Don’t gauge, air fresheners, mini tool live a rough life, look into brands such as such as a Kindle Fire or Nook kid yourself into box, college license plate frame Otter Box, Lifeproof and Bombproof. eReader (both $159), or new thinking that a • “The gifts of time helping look for smartphone? Never fear, there are Caffeinate/hydrate similar product scholarships and then proofreading still plenty of fun and affordable buy Reusable coffee cups and water essays and applications.” ways to support your student’s bottles are a way of life on campus tech needs. – giving students a tangible way to I give up show environmental responsibility, Still can’t think of anything to get while also providing yet another your college student? It's not too late outlet for personal style. to buy gift cards (iTunes or Amazon. com are pretty universal). Even ones Package a metal, glass or BPAfor gas and groceries will get rave free spill-proof container with a gift reviews. certificate to a local coffee shop or package of tea. For water bottles, toss Or, simply pull out the cash. Green in a few stickers or decals that could never goes out of style. be used to decorate the bottle. The Razor scooter fad which had its heyday around 2000 is still alive and well with those looking to cut through the crowds and make it class on time. You can still see the silver scooters with their brightly colored Rollerblade wheels all over campus, and they can be folded up and taken inside most university buildings, further saving time otherwise spent at the bike rack. You can find various versions of the Razor available for $17 to $60.

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Old School, New Fun Forego the fads this holiday season and seek out toys that have withstood the test of time. | by Taniesha Robinson, CTW Features

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ETcH a sKETcH courtesy of The strong/National Museum of play

Sixty years ago, when French electrician Andre Cassagnes came up with the idea for a toy that used a joystick, glass and aluminum powder to draw pictures, he probably had no idea it would provide joyous playtime for children decades later. Today, Etch A Sketch is a household name that even made headlines during this year's political season. How does such a simple toy still have so much popularity?

Toys that stand the test of time "draw you in, challenge you and remind you why you're amused every time you play with them," says Scott Eberle, who writes the Play in Mind blog for Psychology Today and co-authored "Classic Toys that are creative or engage the Toys of the National Toy Hall of imagination are more likely to become Fame," (Running Press, 2009). Etch A a timeless hit with children, says Sketch entered the hall of fame in 1998. Phil Wrzesinski, owner of Jackson, Mich.-based Toy House & Baby Too Classic toys foster learning and toy store. He says his top sellers are encourage creativity, Eberle says. usually interactive and open-ended, To make the hall of fame, a toy must providing many ways to play. attain "icon" status — with wide recognition, respect "A lot of modern toys, everything is and longevity — and sort of scripted out for the kids and the display innovation. play patterns are not as random," says Tim Walsh, author of "Timeless Toys,"

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(Andrews McMeel, 2005). Walsh invented the board game Blurt and is a fan of toys such as crayons, LEGO and Play-Doh that allow a child to create and build anything that their mind conceives.

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A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012

Repeated-play value is the key factor for toys to continue entertaining children beyond the holiday season, let alone decades. And, to find the right toy for little ones and big kids alike, toy store owner Phil Wrzesinski encourages gift-givers to seek out help from their local toy store. "Your local, independent toy store is going to know these kinds of toys," Wrzesinski Author Scott Eberle makes an Twister Mania for XBOX 360 Kinect $20 says. "This is what we all do. We talk about exception for wind-up toys such as a Gamers must bend and twist their bodies with Jack-in-the-Box and cheerful figures that not just what's cute and what's going to be lightning speed to match the shapes of silhoua child can bring to life with a few twists a good seller but what fits our mission and etted objects on screen. Yes, the muscle-pulling of a key. "As you set them in motion they what's going to be a great toy." risk remains an essential part of gameplay. Scrabble Flash $30 seem to spur imagination rather than It's the old word-building game you love with Walsh agrees: "When a toy or game Analyst Adrienne Appell encourages shuffling speed. Build as many words as you can vitiate and degrade it," he says. can last ten or fifteen years and you gift-givers to pick a toy that resonates with the electronic tiles before time runs out. start to see a second generation of "One of the tenets of a timeless with them personally and then share people playing it, it starts to have more toy is that kids love to play with it that experience with the child they're Adrienne Appell, trend analyst for meaning because there are memories repeatedly," Walsh says. "They don't buying it for. "That creates new the Toy Industry Association, cautions involved." play with it once and say, "Oh OK, I'm memories," she says. holiday shoppers in search of a special

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bored. That's enough of that. "They come back to it again and again."

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toy for a child to avoid "watch-me" toys. "They're fun and they're cute for a little while, but they don' t really captivate the children or hold their interest." The best toys allow for play that evolves and changes.

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Quick Lists Here are some choices on the 'ﬂy'. | CTW Features

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HD Heroes Bring Home a Big-Screen Hero Superheroes, bigger and more vivid than life, are here to stay. Just ask Joss Whedon, whose film, “The Avengers,” became the third highest grossing movie of all time this year, with a worldwide gross of over $1 billion. Add in Marc Webb’s “The Amazing Spider-man” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” and 2012 marks the year superheroes officially transitioned from nerdy pastime to bona fide pop culture royalty. The Avengers (Walt Disney Home Entertainment) Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $39.99 Spider-Man: The High Definition Trilogy (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), $92.95 The Dark Knight (Warner Home Video), $12.96

E3 Game Critics’ Winners Children’s Books And Then What Happened? What happens when Daisy’s ball is destroyed? When all the lights go out? When a family must flee their homeland? Adventure happens, that’s what – and so does discovery, learning and joy. Buy a child and book, and ask to share an hour. Here, a few of 2012’s best, for tots, teens and you. A Ball for Daisy, Caldecott Medal by Chris Raschka, (Schwartz & Wade Books,2011) $16.99 Blackout, Caldecott Honor by John Rocco, (Disney Hyperion Books, 2011) $16.99 Grandpa Green, Caldecott Honor by Lane Smith, (Roaring Brook Press, 2011) $16.99

X-Men Trilogy (Fox Home Entertainment), $59.99

Me… Jane, Caldecott Honor by Patrick McDonnell, (Little, Brown and Co. div. of Hachette Book Group, 2011) $15.99

Watchmen (Warner Home Video), $7.99

Dead End in Norvelt, Newbery Medal by Jack Gantos, (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011) $15.99

Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997 (Warner Home Video), $49.95 –

Rotters audio book, Odyssey Award written by Daniel Kraus, narrated by Kirby Heyborne (Random House audio, 2011) $35

Blade Collection (Alliance), $64.98 Superman: The Movie (Warner Home Video), $19.98 The Incredibles (Buena Vista Home Entertainment) Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy, $45.99 Iron Man (Paramount), $29.99

The Notorious Benedict Arnold, YALSA Award by Steve Sheinkin, (Flash Point, 2010) $19.99 Inside Out & Back Again, Newbery Honor by Thanhha Lai (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2011) $16.99 Breaking Stalin’s Nose, Newbery Honor by Eugene Yelchin (Henry Holt and Co., 2011) $15.99 Where Things Come Back, Printz Award by John Corey Waley (Atheneum, 2012) $8.99

The Last of Us (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PlayStation 3) Best of Show, Best Original Game, Best Console Game, Best Action/Adventure Game, Special Commendation for Sound Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/SCEA for PSVita, PS3) Best Handheld/Mobile Game XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Firaxis Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Best PC Game, Best Strategy Game Halo 4 (343 Industries/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360) Best Action Game, Best Online Multiplayer Game Injustice: Gods Among Us (NetherRealm Studios/WBIE for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U) Best Fighting Game Need for Speed Most Wanted (Criterion Games/EA for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Best Racing Game FIFA Soccer 13 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Best Sports Game Dance Central 3 (Harmonix/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360) Best Social/Casual Game, Best Motion-Simulation Game Star Wars 1313 (LucasArts for TBD Platforms} Special Commendation for Graphics Watch Dogs (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Special Commendation for Graphics Special Commendation for Innovation

A production of the Mid-Valley Newspapers' Advertising Department, December 11, 2012

Happy Holidays M

ay you and yours have a wonderful holiday season and a great new year.