When I was a kid, I wanted a dog. . . like, really badly. My mother saw this and decided to pretend she was allergic to dogs until I was 18. She also bought me a plush dog every birthday, which I guess was supposed to make me feel better but was really just, like, [...]

Imagine it’s Christmas Eve, and you’re on your way to a big family dinner, but you’ve been too busy to buy presents because you’re a neurobiologist at Columbia and you’ve been studying proton transfers in the frontal lobe all week. (OK, so maybe there was a little too much back story.) You have an hour to shop. Go. (To kill two birds with one stone, I’ve selected items that are also available on Amazon.com, where you can order through today and still use free super-saver shipping to get your items by December 24.)

Have a neat freak on your gift list? Check out the Dirt Devil Kone Cordless Hand Vacuum ($27.97 at Amazon). It’s almost like a Transformer, only instead of transforming from Shia Labeouf’s car into a warrior robot, it transforms from a stylish work of art into a handy hand vac.

Sock Monkey 2009 Wall Calendar, Sock Monkey Slippers, Gift Box of 10 Sock Monkey Cards . . . And more for the sock monkey fan in all of us.

Gift ideas for that one-of-a-kind person on your holiday list, such as the Star Trek Interactive Tribble or the Chumps Mini Series Art Toys.

What’s that urban legend about never smiling at a crocodile? Pure rubbish. Take this crocodile, for example. How can you look at this lil’ guy (his official name is “Kojo” but I call him “Sven”) and not put on a happy face?

Abi writes:

Hi there! I just found your site today while I was scouring the web for a baby shower gift for my boss, who is also a good friend. She is going to have a little boy in December. We are both pretty crafty, but I just had a baby and don’t have time to make something spectacular. They are going with a surf theme in the nursery. Any thoughts?