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It’s time to plan ahead and start getting your gift list in order. Below are some deals and ideas to get you going on the right foot this holiday. Tune in to ABC Detroit on 11/13 and Fox Chicago on 11/17 to see some of our picks live.

1. Blue Sky Personalized Notebooks (30% off!)

The best part about planning ahead for the Holidays is you can get so many things personalized. Creating something just for them makes it even more special and thoughtful. The popular line of Blue Sky personalized planners and notebooks just launched the ability to completely customize their notebooks with initials, names and really cute pattern options. Perfect to give teachers, friends, coworkers, etc. Create a design unique to them!

Use Code GIFTINSIDER30 for 30% off

2. AVALON Virtual Reality Headset (20% off!) 

AVALON is a brand new affordable virtual reality headset. VR or Virtual Reality is super popular but, most current VR options aren’t accessible to the masses and require an expensive computer or specific game console. What’s great about AVALON is that it’s universal for all smartphones & has loads of user friendly comfort. Perfect for your favorite gamer! $59

Use code GIFTINSIDER20 for 20% off

3.Ghoftdrone 2.0 (10% off)

No experience needed to fly the coolest Drone on the market, GHOSTDRONE 2.0. All you need is your smart phone & the Ehang app and you can capture amazing photos & video footage. Ready to fly right out of the box with 3 easy flight modes. Only drone that lets you see what the Drone sees with its cool FPV goggles. Black or White. $899. $200 off 11/20 – 12/31

Use Code GIFTINSIDER10 for 10% off

4. Tile Tracker (20% off!) 

Tile is the perfect gift for the person who tends to forget all their latest gadgets and gizmos. (guilty!) Tile is a tiny Bluetooth tracker and easy-to-use app that finds everyday items like your phone, keys, purse, glasses in seconds. Easily attach it to the things you need most. perfect stocking stuffer! The Tile combo 4 pack includes 2 Tile Slims and 2 Tile Mates.  Normally $110, now $90

20% off for holidays

5. Gift Crates (30% off!) 

Perfectly giftable Gift Crates arrive at your door in a wooden crate & are to be opened with enclosed crowbar. They come in all different themes for all types of recipients. This is their Old School Gift Crate, the gift of favorite memories! Includes Old School toys … Slinky, Rubick’s Cube, Yomega Yo Yo, Pez Dispenser & of course Old School Cand. Tons of cool stuff from your past! $74.99
Use GIFTINSIDER30 for 30% off till 11/26/2016

7. Fin Fun Mermaid Tales

These gorgeous Fin Fun Mermaid Tails are a magical gift whether it’s for swimming or a costume. Swimmable & fun, they also have a flipper/monofin to go under tail. $99 for kids & $109 for adults, which includes a removable Fin Fun monofin, so that you can really swim like a mermaid. Fantasy accomplished.

8. David’s Teas

Cozy and beautifully packaged David’s Tea gift sets are perfect for anyone on your list, clients, coworkers, secret saints. Start a new tradition with their book-inspired tea collections, gift a color changing tea mug, or their warm and cozy tea set. $28

9. Habitree

Help them stay true to their eco values, even with their Christmas tree. Habitree is a new kind of holiday tree created for people whose values such as sustainability are as important as the joy they take in decorating for the holidays. Made from premium, sustainably farmed wood. Love these for apartment dwellers & businesses too. Made of Kebony Wood, available in Clear & Character wood types. 37″, 50″ or 70″ tall. $315 to $581.

Check out our clip on Fox Chicago News chatting about a few of these unique gifts.

We also chatted about this picks on ABC Detroit!

We’d love to hear what you are gifting for the Holidays. Check out our Hanukkah/Christmas gift section for more inspo.

Warm weather is here, school is out, and everyone is celebrating! It’s finally time to toast off the end of the school year with graduation BBQs and parties. We all know that celebrations and gift giving can get quite pricey, so The Gift Insider rounded up our six favorite DIY Grad Gifts that will not break the bank!

1. A Framed Emergency Fund

This idea is not only cute, but it is functional! This is a perfect gift for the grads heading to college in the fall. Trust us, they will thank you when it is time for that late night pizza order.

Via: How Does She

2. Suprise Money Confetti Poppers

A confetti popper always makes things more fun, especially when it always some cash.

Via: studio diy 

3. BFF “Where It All Began” Frame

Starting a new chapter is beyond exciting, but leaving friends behind is arguably the toughest part. This DIY map idea is the perfect gift that will have your BFF thinking about you every time they look at their wall.

Via: Handmade HQ 

4. DIY Origami Money Graduation Caps

Another adorable DIY way to give the always needed cash! Origami them into Graduation Caps and add some cute tassels.

Via: SugarandCharm

5. The Ultimate College Survival Kit

This DIY gift is the ultimate lifesaver. Put together a little package with a bunch of items that will definitely come in handy for the grads’ first year away from home. TGI Tip: Put all of these things into a small wastebasket for their dorm! That way the packaging is as functional as the gift!

Via: Meijer

6. Memory Jar

While going off to college is beyond exciting, it can be a lonely change at first. Help make that transition easier buy having loved ones & friends of the grad write down a special memory and compile them all in a cute & decorated mason jar!

Via: About

Grads, we want to hear from you! What sort of gifts are you hoping for? Check our Dads and Grads Pinterest board for more inspo!

There are quite a few things to consider when registering for your wedding: what’s your style? how many people do you plan to host? where are you going to put it all? Let’s be real, no couple aces it without any help. Even gift experts, like myself, rely on the experiences of past brides and online checklists to help guide us. For our initial post in our wedding registry series with Macy’s, we walked you through what we registered for and what we loved. Now we are going to walk you through some of the the little things we totally forgot about, but wish we had registered for.

1. Cellar Everyday Glass Pitcher ($40):

A few clear pitchers are perfect for brunches or casual parties where you are serving multiple drink options. We made the mistake of only choosing pitchers that are gorgeous on a formal table, but since guests can’t see what’s inside, we’ve been stuck with many untouched jugs of mimosa-ready juices.

2. Nambe 3-Piece Serving Set ($65): 

Get extra serving sets! No matter how many you think you need, register for a few extra. You will never have enough. Feel free to mix and match textures and styles that work with a variety of your serving pieces, we did a mix of golds and hammered silver. Try a few less expensive options that you can use everyday and some higher end styles that compliment your formal pieces like the Nambe of Michael Aram lines.

3. Chilewich Placemats ($15):

Multiple style placements are such a fun and easy way to spice up your table and your look. We registered for one style, but would have loved a few different options to switch up our look for different seasons. Chilewich is definitely the line to browse.

4. Godinger 3-Tiered Serving Piece ($100)

After hosting our first buffet-style brunch, I realized we needed some pieces that offered some varying heights on the table, both for aesthetic reasons and so I could get some more space out of our table. While traditionally for desserts, it’s perfect for displaying pretty much anything. 

5. Cellar Cake Stand ($29):

This was another thing I didn’t think we *needed*, but now, wish we had asked for. It seems every time we have a gathering it’s around someone’s birthday, so there is typically a cake involved (and my hubby just loves cake!). A clear stand is both a practical and pretty place to keep sweets.

6. Joseph Joseph Carousel Tool Set ($79):

Don’t forget to register for some new kitchen tools. While you may already have some current options, once you have new pots, pans and everything in between, you’ll wish you had upgraded that beat-up spatula too. We love the chic, happy and practical designs of the Joseph Joseph line.

7. Reed and Barton Flatware Chest ($150)

A flatware chest is another item a lot of couples don’t think to register for. It’s useful and timeless for any flatware you don’t want to keep out everyday. We purchased one post-wedding after we decided we wanted to keep our old everyday flatware in addition to our new set, just in case we needed a few extra sets for entertaining.

8. Tumi Travel Satchel ($445):

We waited a few months after our wedding to take our European honeymoon, so it wasn’t at the forefront of our minds when registering. Before we jetted off, we realized we desperately needed some key traveling essentials. We ended up last-minute shopping for the quality luggage we needed right away.

9. Dyson Heating/Cooling Fan ($749):

Space heaters, vacuums, humidifiers and the like are a common category that couples wish they had registered for. It’s totally okay to ask for a high-ticket item that you really need. My home office is always FREEZING, summer or winter – so this heating/cooling fan could have saved me lots of bundling up.

For those of you who have already went through this process, tell us the things you wish you had done differently if you could do it again!

This post is part of a new, exciting wedding collaboration with Macy’s.

It’s no secret that we love small and independent products at The Gift Insider.  We’ve rounded up gift picks + deals for those of you who love to #shopsmall this holiday season.

Leather Wallets by BondandKnight

TGI Deal // GiftInsider15 for 15% off 

Wine Bottle Covers from Toast the Season

TGI Deal // Use GiftInsider10 for 10% off 

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Heart Map Print from Agier Design

TGI Deal // Use Code GIFTINSIDER15 for 15% off

Michigan-Made Bundles from BundledMi 

TGI Deal // Use GIFTINSIDER15 for 15% off 

Hot Chocolate on a Spoon from Carebox

TGI Deal GiftInsider10 for 10% off 

Month Taste of Different Countried via Country of the Month Club

Letter Photography from Swixpix

TGI Deal // GiftInsider20 for 20% off 

Wood Eyewear from LuvPatsy

Candy Molds from HighFiveNaturals

TGI Deal // SILLIDS2 for 10% off

Gourmet Gift Suitcases from L7Kitchen 

TGI Deal // Free Shipping

Personalized Books from ISeeMe 

TGI Deal // GiftInsider15 for 15% off 

Handmade Paper Roses from Rosy Paper Posies

TGI Deal // Use Code GiftInsider10 for 10% off

LegoArt Photography by SillyBricksPicks

TGI Deal // GiftInsider10 for 10% off 

Silk Botanical Scarf from LaurieTennenetBotanicals

We’ve teamed up with some of these cool companies to bring you exclusive discounts and awesome ideas.  We fully recommend the picks we’ve suggested!

We’ve rounded up some of our top gift ideas for the person who has everything on your list, watch below to see products on NBC Chicago.  Details on where to purchase below and more ideas in our Gift Guide.   Just make sure to sign in to your Gift Insider account for the coupon codes.

Click below for more details!

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Guest Post By Nancy Lee, President of MyRegistry.com

So… you’ve lived with your boyfriend for more years than you can count. Naturally, you’ve accumulated “stuff”, lots of “stuff” for your home, for your pets, and for everything else that you do together. But now, with a wedding on the way and everyone asking you about your registry, you find yourself in a dilemma because you really do not want any more “stuff”. This is not to say that there aren’t plenty of things that you would like to have, they just aren’t the typical items found at a department store and easily placed on a gift registry. Or are they?

Read the rest of this entry »

Tis the season of love! It’s time to starting thinking of what to give that special someone for Valentines Day. Here are 5 of TGI’s favorite DIY Valentines Day gifts! Forget the flowers and candy hearts- give a gift made with love. Be sure to follow us on Pinterest!

Strawberry Scrub: When it comes to skincare, store-bought products can really break the bank. Give your sweetie a homemade, all-natural beauty set that guarantees gorgeous skin and smells delicious.

Custom Candle Holders: Create a custom set of candle votives with your favorite pictures or quotes. Quick, inexpensive, and super cute!

Customized Beer Bottles:  Treat that special someone to a couple of custom decorated cold ones.

 Personal Message Frame:  Tell them why you love ’em! Simply erase when you want to write you next sentiment!

“52 Things I Love About You” Deck: If you are ready to put in the time, we adore this “why I love you” book made on a deck of cards. Simple yet special.