Find the best gifts at the right prices
By Josh Levine

FLY Pentop Computer: $100: While $100 may still seem like a steep price for a holiday gift, buyers may want to reconsider after seeing the FLY Pentop Computer. Using an advanced scanner, it allows users to create interactive drawings on special FLY paper.
DVDs: $15-20: DVDs are a hot buy because of their relatively low price and the number of high quality movies available this year. Popular releases include Star Wars Episode III, The Polar Express, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Skate Shoes: (for girls/boys) $40-80: As the popularity of skateboarding has risen so has the popularity of skateboarding fashion. Skate shoes are comfortable, durable, and a rising trend among teenagers. Some popular brands are DC Shoes, Vox Footwear, and Osiris Shoes.
Soft Boots: (for girls) $20-120: The passing trend of Ugg Sheepskin boots has inspired the development of comfortable variations by companies like Gap and Old Navy that are still good-looking and save buyers money.
Robopets: $80-100: Although the days of the Furby are over, robotic animals are still a hit with kids. Robopup, Roboraptor, and Robosapien are some of the best robotic animals on the market and respond to a large variety of commands.
Scarves: prices vary based on material and store: Scarves are in style this year, and there are many types to choose from. People looking to spend more money might be interested in cashmere, which can cost over $150, while those searching for a bargain can find good scarves for under $40 at Urban Outfitters and under $20 at Old Navy.
 

What to Avoid
By Ashley Feinberg

Gift cards – If your failure to spend any time thinking of a creative gift idea isn’t a big enough slap in the face, then the fact that your friends are going to have to shell out the extra dough to cover the cost of what they really wanted will be.

Gifts way out of your price range – Even though the iPod video may be the hottest gadget this winter, it does not even compare to a macaroni necklace when looking for that perfect tug-at-the-heartstrings gift for Mom.

Exercise video – The person on the receiving end will almost always take this as a personal insult. So when giving Uncle Mike AM/PM Workouts, bear in mind that you’ll likely be spending the holidays recovering from the beatings of an overweight man.

Re-gifting – That blender your aunt gave you for your birthday last year that’s still in its original wrapping would make the perfect gift for that impossible-to-buy-for person on your list, right? Wrong.

Anything from The Buzz- Although it’s the thought that counts, when you drop off Burt’s Bees paraphernalia in the locker of that special someone, they’re going to know that you thought of them in the five minutes before English.