Additionally, 69 percent of female respondents admit to having “a laundry list” of projects they’d like their spouse or significant other to take on around the house in the new year. Therefore, it’s safe to say that buying a new tool will hit the nail on the head.

With that in mind, and armed with the study’s results showing that 56 percent of men actually prefer to receive functional gifts like tools, and 67 percent of women prefer to give them, here’s a list of Craftsman tools that are “Guys’ Favorites Guaranteed” this holiday season:

•    Clench Wrench Two-Piece Set. A convenient tool that can be used on more than 50 fastener sizes and types. The ratcheting feature and multi-positional head make for quick work.

•    Universal Max Axess 19-piece Set. A pass-thru ratchet and socket system that virtually eliminates the need for deep sockets, and can work with six different types of nuts and bolts.

•    V4 Combo – Screwdriver and Cutter. Perfect for light DIY projects around the home. The screwdriver has two speeds and features a cutter for various materials.

•    NEXTEC G2 Drill/Driver. Boasts the best torque in its class and an all new, two-speed gear box and 18-position clutch.

•    NEXTEC G2 Multi-Tool. Not only can this tool sand, cut, grind, grate and remove grout, but it now offers a new tool-less accessory exchange, allowing a quick-release system to change the attachments versus using a tool such as a hex key, and a variable-speed dial that matches speed to the specific task at hand.

For more information on top holiday gifts and easy how-to projects around the home, visit the Craftsman Experience on www.facebook.com/craftsman. It is the ultimate DIY playground where clinics and demos are hosted by organizations that share their expert skills and talents in lawn and garden care as well as auto repair, woodworking and garage storage – all streamed live over the Internet.

Find the Top Tools for the DIYer on Your Gift List was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

But Americans can find things to do with their vacation photographs. Here are some more unique ideas that go beyond online scrapbooks or digital photo frames:

•    Dress up your suitcase. If you’re a frequent traveler, why not turn a favorite picture into a personalized luggage tag? You will see a reminder of a successful trip every time you pack your suitcase, and it will be easier to identify your luggage at the airport carousel.

•    Keep track of the time. If you’re one of those people who always loses track of the time, try turning your clock into something you actually want to look at. Some companies will print your image on the face of a personalized clock. That way, you can remember your last tropical escape while you count down the minutes to your next vacation.

•    Have sweet dreams. Need a nap? Print your favorite vacation photo on a pillowcase, and you’ll slumber in style. Who knows? Maybe you’ll dream about your trip! Personalized pillowcases also make for unique way to decorate your bedroom.

•    Puzzle it out. Turn a favorite photo into a puzzle. Custom-made puzzles will give you hours of entertainment, not to mention unique pieces of art that you can later mat and frame, or even give to friends or family members as personalized photo gifts.

Don’t Condemn Your Digital Images to Hard Drive Solitude was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Colton narrowly survived the surgery. His survival, while miraculous, was not as spectacular as the journey he took while doctors worked to save his life – while Colton’s body was in surgery, his consciousness ascended to Heaven.

That’s right. Heaven.

Months after the surgery, when the family drove by the hospital in which he had stayed, Colton mentioned that angels had sung to him in Heaven. He described his experience in great detail. He had spoken to the archangels Gabriel and Michael. He had seen God’s throne.

At first, the Burpos were skeptical. But then, Colton started to describe things he shouldn’t have known about.

Colton accurately described his parents’ actions while he was in surgery. He talked about meeting his grandfather, who had died 30 years earlier. He revealed that he had met a sister who had been miscarried – except his parents hadn’t told Colton about the child they had lost prior to his birth.

Todd Burpo, who has written a book, “Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back,” about his son’s experience, was astounded when his son’s story matched up with scripture. For example, Colton mentioned several images that appear in the Book of Revelation.

Now 11, Colton is a happy and healthy sixth grader, who still regales his family with things he remembers from his otherworldly experience. His tale has only become richer and more detailed as he ages and learns how to better express what he has seen.

You can read all about Colton’s experience in Heaven by reading the book “Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back.” Visit www.thomasnelson.com for more information.

Little Boy Survives Trip to Heaven was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

But some companies are finding way to keep employees happy by cultivating employee-friendly office cultures. For example, in the fall of 2010, Washington, D.C.’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer implemented a Results Only Work Policy (ROWE), which pays employees  for results, not the hours  that they work. This means that employees are able to work when or wherever they want, so long as their work gets done. In places where it has been tried, ROWE not only boosts morale and retention, but also improves output.

Of course, not every company is willing to redo its entire work structure. That doesn’t mean that they can’t find less drastic ways to boost morale. Here are some of the many ways that companies can make the workplace more attractive for employees:

•    Acknowledge employees’ contributions. Employees who work hard without recognition are likely to lose morale. Even if a company can’t provide raises, it can award employees’ efforts. For example, managers can give out certificates or plaques acknowledging an employee’s accomplishments or designating an employee of the month.

Plaquemaker Plus, a company that offers many personalized trophies, plaques and frames, offers laser-engraved that can be used to give hard-working employees a boost. Visit their website at www.PlaquemakerPlus.com or call 1-800-367-5556.

•    Celebrate birthdays. Acknowledging employees’ personal lives will make them feel like valuable team members, rather than a replaceable automatons.

•    Communicate. Unhappy employees are less productive, so managers should take time to speak with them about their questions or concerns. An anonymous employee-satisfaction survey can also help employers determine where they need improvement.

Employee-Friendly Office Cultures Improve Retainment was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

This year, experts recommend harnessing the national trend of collective buying to ease shopping woes and save money in the process.

Collective buying sites streamline the holiday shopping process by connecting users with creative gift suggestions at unbeatable discounts. It has become just as easy to give someone the gift of a great unique experience as it is to send them a sweater.

Groupon.com, a shopping website that offers daily deals on the best local goods, services and cultural events in more than 250 markets around the world, provides some top picks for 2010 gifts, proven to be best-sellers this year:

Health and Beauty: Pamper loved ones with a trendy no-chip manicure or relaxing massage package. Sites like Groupon.com provide incredible deals — sometimes as high as 90 percent off — that make it possible to be extra generous this holiday season.

Cultural: For a thoughtful option that can be reused, give an annual membership to a favorite museum. Some of the country’s top institutions are discounting their individual and family memberships by half this year.

Fitness: Give a friend’s New Year’s resolution a boost with the gift of fitness. Popular deals, including gym memberships and yoga classes, are conveniently packaged and allow the recipient to start their trial when they’re ready.

Dining: Need a gift for a foodie? Many high-end restaurants offer discounted packages worth $50, $75 or $100 toward the final bill.

Experiential: While a traditional gift is wrapped neatly in a box and tied with a bow, gifts like rock climbing, skydiving or wine tasting classes provide one-of-a-kind experiences that recipients won’t soon forget.

By consolidating the best gift options at prices that beat out door-busters, daily deal websites are a smart choice this holiday shopping season. Deals are redeemed with printable vouchers that only show the actual service value, not the discounted price paid for the gift! Not a subscriber? Visit www.groupon.com to sign up for free and start receiving your daily deals.

Holiday Shopping? Experiences Trump Boxes This Season was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Snappy Photo Gifts, a company that prints photographic images onto a wide variety of items, offers the following suggestions:

•    Customized jigsaw puzzles. If you have puzzle fans in the family, why not allow them to assemble a favorite photograph? They’ll have fun putting it together, and, when they finish the puzzle, they’ll have a unique, framable piece of art.

•    Holiday coasters. Many people give decorations as gifts, but people also need a place to set their drinks during holiday festivities. Instead, shake things up with a personalized gift that combines a useful coaster with the holiday spirit. Snappy Photo Gifts allows customers to create coasters that can be personalized with a wide range of photos – from general to festive.

•    Personalized mugs. Who doesn’t love a hot cup of cocoa or coffee on a cold winter morning or a blustery winter night? Make everyone happy this winter by ordering customized mugs.

•    Luggage tags. Frequent travelers spend a lot of time picking up their luggage. Make their bags easier to spot by giving them luggage tags bearing a picture of their loved ones. You can also print pictures on golf and sport tags for those sport enthusiasts who tend to misplace their bags.

•    Photo sports balls for coaches and players. If you have family members who are involved in sports, commemorate their experiences with a photo ball from their respective sport – whether it be baseball, football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse or even hockey! For your little slugger, give a baseball with their photo on it from their past season. For the football coach in the family, give a football with a team shot.

•    Jewelry boxes. Chances are, you know a woman who wears jewelry. Give her an extra-special place to store it with a customized box displaying a beloved picture. Snappy Photo Gifts offers rosewood and cherry heirloom-quality boxes.

For more information, visit www.snappyphotogifts.com.

This Holiday, Give a Personalized Photo Gift was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

•    Go for an established watch brand. A true watch “manufacturer” that produces their own movements in-house ensures the highest quality. Leading Japanese watch brand SEIKO offers craftsmanship on par with top Swiss companies for a fraction of the price.

•    Stainless steel is always a good metal choice. It’s durable, chic and can easily go from day to night. The Coutura Collection from Seiko offers both ladies’ and men’s styles in stainless steel or stainless steel with sophisticated gold-tone accents. Each piece is water resistant to 100 M.

•    Guys like gadgets. A chronograph that offers split-measurement capabilities and a big date display will be a hit with any guy. A chronograph has several sub-dials on the watch, so even if he does not use the functions, he’ll still look cool with his high-tech timepiece. Look for dramatic colored dials — the deep blue dial of the Coutura Chronograph adds a modern edge. A smart buy at $475.

•    Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. No woman can resist the sparkle of diamonds on her wrist. A few stones can take a watch from sophisticated to stunning. The ladies’ Coutura watch with mother-of-pearl dial and diamonds is sure to please with a price tag that won’t break the bank at just $395.

•    Buy from an authorized watch dealer. If that Internet deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you buy from your local jeweler or a well-known department store you will get hands-on service — and you can be sure that the watch warranty will be honored by the manufacturer, in case you ever need it serviced.

•    Look for retailers near you online. Most watch brands offer a retail locator on their websites, and you can usually find a retailer close to home. Visit www.SeikoUSA.com/fall to find the perfect watch retailer near you.

Helpful Tips for Giving Watches as Gifts was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Whether you give a stylish sweater or a new recliner, a steam cleaner or steam iron will clean, deodorize and disinfect without using harsh chemicals. Steam cleaners generally produce steam that is 220 degrees Fahrenheit or more at the tip. When the steam meets a surface, it penetrates its pores and breaks the bond between the surface and any dirt. Because the steam is so hot, it also kills mold spores, dust mites and bed bugs and bacteria.

Reliable Corporation names some ways that steam cleaning can help you or your loved ones take care of your gifts:

•    Keep allergies under control. Do you know someone getting a new pet? Steam cleaners can remove pet odors from furniture and sanitize litter boxes. They’re especially useful if someone in the home has allergies as the steam removes allergens like pollen and dander, and kills others like mold spores and dust mites. One machine, the EnviroMate Tandem Steam/Vacuum is unique in that it can be used to clean and vacuum, allowing users to clean, deodorize and sanitize even the most soiled areas and items.

•    Keep clothes looking their best. A compact vapor generator iron will freshen fabrics without chemical detergents, fabric softeners or wrinkle removers. One such iron is Reliable’s Velocity V50. It uses patented technology to create continuous volumes of steam even at low temperatures to make quick work of wrinkle removal. It does double duty as a fabric steamer when turned vertically.

•    Keep kids healthy. It’s no secret that children spread germs throughout the house. Toys, especially, can pick up bacteria as children take them around the house and yard or share with playmates. With a steam cleaner, parents can quickly sanitize toys and carpets where a vacuum would simply remove surface dirt. Steam cleaning can also disinfect surfaces like kitchen counters without using any chemicals that could be harmful to children.

Need a Hot Holiday Gift Idea? Try Steam Cleaners was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Today’s young couples prefer more personalized gifts. For some some unique gift ideas, consider the following list provided by PlaqueMakerPlus.com, maker of customized awards and recognition products:

•    Make a video showcasing your life together. Contact friends and family members for home videos, then edit them together to show your story as a couple, from childhood to wedding to current day.

•    Give the picture frame a modern spin. Framing a nice photo may seem like a no-brainer, but there are ways to make that idea seem more special. For example, PlaqueMakerPlus.com offers a “Clear Memories” line of heirloom-quality acrylics, which can be etched with a personalized message, such as part of a poem or the anniversary date, as well as an embedded photograph.

For an especially enduring gift, consider ordering a laser-engraved photograph plaque. The plaque will last far longer than a photograph in a frame and will become a cherished family mantelpiece and heirloom. At PlaqueMakerPlus.com, you can easily personalize and design your custom gifts online.

•    Choose gifts that can be used. Gifts that are both functional and decorative are sure to be hits. For example, wooden bookends carved with names and dates will remind you of your anniversary while also neatening your shelves. Wood is a traditional gift for fifth and sixth-year anniversaries. You might also want to consider pen holders or paperweights.

•    Choose something heartfelt. Not all gifts have to be high-tech or expensive. For example, you could write down 365 things that you love about your partner on individual pieces of paper, then put the notes in a nice vase, so your partner can read a loving message from you every day until you’re next anniversary.

Tips to Find Unique Gifts to Celebrate Your Love was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com