Books, Cds, and DVDs Tips

Every Christmas my family can count on at least three new books, DVDs, and CDs finding their way into the house. I'd have to guess that we're not the only ones. In fact Goat, my boyfriend, let me in on his little secret of buying four different versions of one specific form of entertainment for each member of his family. Sounds easy, right? In other words, his sister gets Ratatouille, his brother gets Spider-Man 3, his mom gets License to Wed and his dad gets 300.

What gets tricky about giving movies, CDs and DVDs for the holidays is finding out whether they already own it and whether the movie is appropriate for it (Hint: Knocked Up--- not appropriate for Mom or Great Aunt Sue).

So here are some tips to help you on your way:

1. Do a little spy work ;) --- That's right, its time to get your hands dirty. Make your call to dad about Mom, Grandma about Grandpa, and even lil sis about lil bro. Find out whether your house already contains one copy of the book,cd, and dvd. Who wants to go through the post-Christmas sales rush to return a CD someone bought you as a gift?


2. Find out the rating--- In the case of movies and CDs, you're going to want to look up whether the movie is rated G, PG, PG-13, or R and up. Sure you don't mind if your little cousin sneaks a few peaks at something rated a little too high for younger eyes, but your aunt and uncle probably will. For CDs check if there's a parental advisory sticker stuck on that CD. Unless you're the parent, who wants the drama?


3. Take into consideration their tastes--- I know this one sounds really obvious, but I can personally say that I've been found guilty of selecting a movie, CD, or book that I too would enjoy. Now that's not to say, find something for them that you'll absolutely hate just so you're not tempted to also enjoy it... just be careful to make sure their tastes are taken into consideration as well as your own. I'm all about sharing Christmas gifts when applicable. A little borrowing is good for the soul :)


4. Get shopping--- Now here's the fun part! Go on-line and surf the web if you're not a fan of the holiday shopping crowds. Head to your favorite Borders, or local book store and grab a cup of coffee while you peruse the isles, picking up each book to examine the cover as you go (this is the type of shopping I enjoy the most) if you prefer to do the legwork yourself. Put your skills for observation to their test. What book, movie, or DVD was last mentioned by that special someone? Surprise them by proving you pay attention and get a little something special for yourself while you're at it.

So what DVDs, books, and music are on your Christmas List?