Every year, right before Thanksgiving, Oprah does a show that showcases a wonderful variety of good Christmas ideas.

This year, Oprah still shared her favorite things, but with a twist – they cost next to nothing! She felt that because many people are struggling financially this year, it would be wrong to recommend items that cost hundreds of dollars, so she focused on gifts from the heart – that don’t break the bank. From music to books to memorabilia, her ideas are unique and inspiring.

To add to your ideas, this year Oprah highlighted some additional items – all under $100 – in her “O” Magazine. We’ve posted some of our favorites at our Favorite Things 2008 Store, and further down on this page. Enjoy, shop, and don’t go broke doing it!

Treasure boxes

Treasure Box

Oprah invited a woman named Connie to be on the show and share her idea about creating Treasure Boxes for her kids. She bought inexpensive treasure chests and finished them herself. Then, she collected up her children’s “treasures” that she had been saving for years. It might have been report cards, an Eagle Scout badge, or a piece of carpet from their first room – anything special and memorable for the child.

Connie’s desire was for the treasure box to be a piece of furniture – not just a cardboard box. That way they could put it on their shelf and keep it forever. That’s why she chose to go with treasure boxes. Her idea was that once you have your keepsakes collected together, that you organize them by year using folders and plastic sleeves from an office supply store.

We’ve done a little snooping around and found a box that looks like it would work very well for this gift – but you can always check out the craft stores like Connie did, and you might really be able to save some money. If the box you find is unfinished that’s no problem – all you need to do is get down to your local hardward store and pick up some wood stain and a can of polyurethane finish. Put a coat of the stain on with a rag, then apply several coats of the polyurethane finish. The more you can put on, the better. Personally, I like to use a satin, or semi-gloss finish for the polyurethane. Then, you can buy a little decorative lock, and your treasure box is ready to give and get huge smiles on Christmas morning!

This is a fantastic idea for a gift from the heart, and one that’s inexpensive and timeless!

Holiday Hits 2008

Another inexpensive idea is to give the gift of music. This year Oprah has picked out eight new Christmas CD’s by some of her favorite artists. From artists like Aretha Franklin, Harry Connick, Jr., Josh Groban, and Tony Bennett, you’re friend or relative is sure to be pleased. Oprah has also included titles from Faith Hill, Il Divo, Brian McKnight, and Amy Grant.

With a selection of artists like that, you’re sure to find a CD that will satisfy just about anyone on your Christmas list – unless, of course, they’re a major Grinch! These tunes might even warm the heart of that guy, too!

Plus, why let everyone else enjoy the sounds of Christmas. Pick up a couple for yourself, too!

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

One of the gifts that Oprah loves to give and receive the most is a great book. She says “And if it’s a book you loved reading, then you’ll be sharing something special.”

This year, Oprah has fallen in love with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. “It’s an epic tale about the magical bond that this mute boy shares with his dog,” Oprah says. “But it’s so much more than a dog story.”

Do you have someone on your list that is impossible to buy for? Maybe the gift of a book is just the ticket.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle

Here’s an item that wasn’t on her show, but she was raving about anyway a couple of months ago.

It’s called the Amazon Kindle, and it’s a portable ebook reader available from Amazon.com. At the time, Oprah said it was her ”new favorite thing”. We’ve checked out the Kindle and written a review and also an article about how to use your Kindle.

This is a really cool device, and it’s getting more and more popular all the time. Basically, what you do is download books, magazines, newspapers, and whatever right onto your device through a wireless service. Then, you can read it at your convenience. It’s amazing!

Once again, this will make a great gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list.

Sold out at Amazon? You can always find it at , sometimes at an even better price!

US $125.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 16:37:29 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

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Puccini: The Complete Operas

What a collection! If you know an opera lover (or are one yourself), you just have to have this set of CD’s, exclusively from Amazon.com.

In anticipation of the 150th anniversary (December 12, 2008) of the birth of opera’s most beloved composer – Giacomo Puccini – Sony BMG Masterworks has created the most definitive available collection of his operas in the exclusive, 20-disc PUCCINI: THE COMPLETE OPERAS.

All twelve of his operas are presented in acclaimed complete recordings – La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Turandot, Le Villi, Edgar, Manon Lescaut, La Fanciulla del West, La Rondine and Il Trittico (including Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi), featuring performances by such vocal legends as Plácido Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, Leontyne Price, Barbara Frittoli, Renata Scotto, Tito Gobbi, Carlo Bergonzi, Sherrill Milnes, Anna Moffo, Marilyn Horne and Ileana Cotrubas, in classic interpretations conducted by Sir Georg Solti, Lorin Maazel and Zubin Mehta.

WOW! Here’s what you get, according to Amazon customer “Tramper Al”:

Tosca
Stereo 1972
Leontyne Price, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Paul Plishka
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Zubin Mehta

La Bohème
Stereo 1973
Plácido Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, Sherrill Milnes, Judith Blegen, Ruggero Raimondi
London Philharmonic Orchestra, George Solti

Madama Butterfly
Stereo 1978
Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Ingvar Wixell, Gillian Knight
Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel

Turandot
Stereo 1998 (Live)
Giovanna Casolla, Sergej Larin, Barbara Frittoli, Aldo Bottion
Coro e Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Zubin Mehta

Le Villi
Stereo 1979
Plácido Domingo, Renata Scotto, Leo Nucci, Tito Gobbi
National Philharmonic Orchestra, Lorin Maazel

Edgar
Stereo 1977
Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Scotto, Gwendolyn Killebrew
New York City Opera Orchestra, Eve Queler

Manon Lescaut
Stereo 1992
Nina Rautio, Peter Dvorsky, Gino Quilico, Luigi Roni, Aldo Bramante
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Lorin Maazel

La fanciulla del West
Stereo 1991 (Live)
Mara Zampieri, Plácido Domingo, Juan Pons, Sergio Bertocchi, Luigi Roni
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Lorin Maazel

La Rondine
Stereo 1966
Anna Moffo, Daniele Barioni, Mario Sereni, Graziella Sciutti, Piero de Palma
RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

Gianni Schicchi
Stereo 1977
Tito Gobbi, Ileana Cotrubas, Plácido Domingo
London Symphony Orchestra, Lorin Maazel

Suor Angelica
Stereo 1977
Renata Scotto, Marilyn Horne, Ileana Cotrubas
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel

Il tabarro
Stereo 1977
Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Ingvar Wixell
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel

Simply put: Puccini: The Complete Operas – a must have for any opera lover!

The Sephora Collectors Edition Palette

What is it? The ultimate makeup palette for eyes, face, and lips, all you need for complete classic beauty.

What it does: Create any look in the book, or your imagination, with the Sephora Brand Collector’s Edition Palette.

This sleek all-in-one compact opens to reveal eyeshadow, blush, lip gloss, and powder on stackable, sliding trays. A selection of applicators and a mirror embedded under the lid of the compact give you all the tools to create a polished, expert look anytime, anywhere. Now you can make your look a personal masterpiece, from trendy to timeless, the sky’s the limit.

What else you need to know: The Sephora Brand Collector’s Edition Palette sets the gold standard and gets you set. This palette has it all:- 71 eyeshadow shades (0.04 oz each)- 13 cream eyeshadow shades (0.03 oz each)- 5 blushes (0.19 oz each)- 1 compact powder (0.19 oz)- 60 lip glosses (0.03 oz each)- One lip liner – One eyeliner- 4 brushes- 3 sponge-tipped applicators

And it all comes in a smart black case that’s as classy as you are! The Sephora Brand Collector’s Edition Palette – what a fine selection for that special woman (or girl) in you life.

philosophy hope in a jar at Amazon

Endorsed by celebrities, top dermatologists, plastic surgeons and our beloved customers alike, hope in a jar is a world-renown moisturizer loaded with antioxidants in a unique souffle texture. originally created for the medical market to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, rough texture and dehydration. hope in a jar dramatically improves skin radiance and gently exfoliates, revealing smoother, healthier looking skin and texture.

philosophy: where there is hope, there can be faith. where there is faith, miracles can occur.

One customer writes:

“Like most women of a certain age, I have bought many brands of moisturizers and spent way too much money on stuff that just plain did nothing for me. With each purchase I had hoped that I would find a moisturizer that would actually DO something positive for my skin. Some moisturizers were too oily resulting in break outs or a patent leather shine (ugh). Most were irritating and perfumey resulting in red, blotchy skin. None did anything for my enlarged pores or lines. Finally, skeptically, I tried philosophy’s hope in a jar. I LOVE IT! Your skin will be moisturized but not greasy. It did not irritate my extremely sensitive skin. My skin looks radiant and much less red. My fine lines are reduced and my enlarged pores look better. I like hope in a jar better than Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Clinique, Celex C, Avon, Mary Kay, Clarins, Biotherm, Prescriptives, Oil of Olay and even La Mer. Try hope in a jar. You’ll be a happy, repeat customer, too.

Another customer adds:

“This has been my daily moisturizer for several years. It makes my skin very soft, very healthy looking, and glowing. It makes me look radiant. I have given it as a gift to my sister and to other women, and they have all liked it as much as I have. No one has had any adverse reactions. You can notice a difference after just one use. When I’ve run out and used something else temporarily, I always can see the difference again once I start back up. It is as close as it gets to a miracle cream.

I do not wear makeup, so Hope In A Jar is it. I am 49 years old and I think my skin looks incredible. The friends I have given it to also like to keep a natural look and prefer their skin without heavy creams, thick moisturizers and sunscreens, or makeup.

It seems expensive, but it is not because it lasts a long, long time. The two-ounce jar lasts me about six months. I use a toner and then Hope In A Jar and that’s it. I’m done with my face in 30 seconds. Plus, it gives me a look that most women use makeup to get, so I think it’s a bargain.”

Hope in a Jar – a gift that says you care!

Vegetable Box Cook Book at Amazon

Here’s the Vegetable Box Cook Book – a unique, fun gift for the hard-to-shop for person on your list – especially if they’re concerned about eating healthy.

Product Description

300 ways to make cooking and eating vegetables interesting in this fun format–a truly unique product.

Each book corresponds to two vegetables and an additional feature of the box are the dividers which separate the books – each has a list of recipes contained in the corresponding book for quick reference.

About the Author

Keda Black is a French home cook and food writer. She was born in Zambia and is of a thoroughly mixed Scottish, Bourguignon, Spanish and Italian descent.

Having become a trained chief librarian, she strangely found herself more eager to go out looking for new taste sensations or sweat in front of a hot stove, rather than to sit at a computer scanning databases. So she now divides most of her time between kids and kitchen. Unsurprisingly, her cooking tends to go beyond the boundaries of traditional French cuisine but is never complicated or labored. She has already written about cheesecakes, pot-au-feu, vegetables, charlottes. Her latest books include a step by step basics cookery course as well as a mega Cake Box full of sweet delights.

After having been a long time a food journalist (for Savours, Woman magazine), Catherine Qu’vremont devotes herself entirely to her passions: cooking and writing. She is currently working on her next project: a fruit box to appear soon.

Take a look at the Vegetable Box Cook Book if you’re trying to find a clever gift for the person who has everything!