10 Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

Sure, you could buy the latest popular gifts for friends and family, but if you want to show a little more attention to those you care about, here are ten suggestions for some out-of-the-ordinary gifts to grab this holiday season.

FLIP VIDEO ULTRA SERIES CAMCORDER
This compact digital camcorder can record an average of 60 minutes of high quality 640 X 480 VGA video. Better yet, Flip Video has made this camera incredibly easy to use, with a flip-out USB plug that allows you to save the video on your hard drive. The included software also allows you to directly upload your video from the camera to sites like U-Tube. Customers rave about the ease of use and the video quality. It may be the best little video camera you may ever own.

The Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder retails for under $200 and can be found at selected retailers in various colors, as well as Amazon.com.

MASTER REPLICAS FORCE FX LIGHTSABER SET
What kid - or man under forty for that matter - wouldn't want to own their own personal lightsaber? Unlike the cheap plastic toy versions you find in stores for $10, Master Replicas has managed to create a replica that so closely resembles what you see in the movie it is scary. Featuring a hard plastic tube that reflects LED light and authentic movie sound effects, this is actually a "build it yourself" lightsaber, so the hilt, or handle, is customizable into many different versions. You can also change the color of saber light between red (Darth Vader's color), green (Luke Skywalker's color), or blue (Obi Wan Kenobi's color). Are you feeling like a Jedi, or a Sith?

The Master Replicas Force FX Lightsaber Set is available only at Radio Shacks nationwide or at http://www.radioshack.com.

ISIG CANDLE CHANDELIER
This black steel, 30 inch long chandelier holds 12 candles and can be hung from the ceiling with ease. The chandelier also has several steel snowflakes hanging from it, making for a festive decoration for your home.

The ISIG Candle Chandelier is available at IKEA stores nationwide for $19.99.

SCOOLERS COLLEGE GLASS DOOR COOLER
For the ultimate college fan, comes the ultimate refrigerated cooler! Available with graphics for nearly every major college, it's perfect for a den or man-cave. It holds sixty 12 ounce cans and the glass door front makes it easy to keep track of what's inside.

The Scoolers College Glass Door Cooler is $349 and is available online only from The Home Depot.

CARPENTREE DOOR ART
An assortment of door plaques with Biblical scriptures and inspirational sayings such as "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," is the perfect alternative to the same old "Welcome" doormats. The metal plaques are 30 inches long and six inches wide. The distressed bronze gives the plaques an antique look.

CarpenTree Door Art Plaques are $39.99 each and available at Family Christian Stores nationwide and on their website www.familychristian.com.

CROSLEY CR17 iJUKE iPOD JUKEBOX
At 18 inches high and 12 inches wide, this tabletop jukebox features stereo speakers, neon lights, bubble tubing, and a dock for your iPod. It's a cool way to combine the '50s and today's technology.

The Crosley CR17 iJuke Jukebox is available at a number of online retailers including www.retrowonders.com.

HARTLAND BASEBALL STATUES
Originally made in the 1950's, these 8 inch plastic statues of famous baseball players of the era, like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider, have become highly collectible. A mint statue, which often featured minimal paint jobs (faces were not painted in) can set you back a couple of hundred dollars. Hartland is still making statues, and reissued the original players in new editions that can be found much cheaper, under $25 or so. You can also find a handful of new players that have been issued in recent years.

Hartland Baseball Statues are available on the secondary market and a number of auction websites like ebay.

LIGHTED PARTY FOUNTAIN
The perfect centerpiece for a Christmas party, Super Bowl party, or anything in between, this serving fountain has three tiers above the serving bowl, which is lighted. Holding 160 ounces of liquid, the fountain pumps your favorite beverage to the top tier, where it cascades down. A nice looking effect to highlight your next get-together.

The Nostalgia Electrics Lighted Party Fountain retails for around $50 and is available from www.funentertaining.com.

GENOA END TABLE
A beechwood end table with an espresso finish, this 23 inch high fixture is perfect for the modern living room or den. It features a circular shape, a glass top, and a shelf. It is part of the Genoa collection of furniture.

The Genoa End Table retails for under $100 and is available at Target.

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW DVD SET
Produced by Image Entertainment, the Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series features every one of the 158 episodes produced during the five year series run. Van Dyke plays TV comedy show writer Robert Petrie, who juggles the demands of work and home. Mary Tyler Moore plays his wife Laura and Carl Reiner plays Petrie's boss. Video quality of the DVD set is near perfect, and there are tons of extras, including commentaries and the series' unaired pilot.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series retails for $250 but can be found for much less at DVD retailers and online.