This might just be the thing that gets you kids back together. That, and a favorable parole board hearing.

I know I’ve been gone for a while. . . let’s call it winter vacation at Gift U. I hope everyone had a great holiday and that you found some great gift ideas here (or elsewhere). What was everyone’s favorite gift to give/receive? I’ll start. . .

I know I’ve mentioned Savor, a popular Etsy soap shop, many, many times, but I simply love soapstress Lisa’s “Creme Fraiche”–whipped soap in a jar available in scrumptious flavors like Blood Orange Granita and Creme Brulee. Lisa’s inventory is constantly changing–you can find a calendar of her upcoming listings here. I bought several mini-sized Creme Fraiche–they are a perfect air-travel appropriate 2 ounces each–for my mother and sister for Chanukah, and they were a big hit. I definitely plan on giving more of these as gifts this year. ($4 for minis, $11 for most 8-ounce jars)

My sister really liked her copy of Here’s the Story: Surviving Marsha Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick ($17.13, Amazon). I’m hoping it will be followed by Pork Chopsh and Applesawce: Peter Brady Speaks Out, but I won’t hold my breath.

As for myself, I think my favorite gift (other than the Toshiba laptop I purchased with my gelt) was the giant ceramic mug I requested at the last minute. If you know someone who always seems to have a mug of tea or coffee or cocoa or Postum or hot Pepsi or whatever floats their boat, a giant mug for oversized beverages are great. (You can find many hand-thrown ones on ETSY; you can also find ceramic mugs at any grocery store, drug store, Target, etc.)

The gift that may have changed my life the most, though, is the Peek my father gave my mother.  The Peek ($79.99)  is a portable device for e-mail, and nothing else–no phone calls, no Internet, no games, no airbags, no espresso maker, no time machine. . . you get the idea. Service costs $19.99 a month. Why has this changed my life? Because now my mother can e-mail me any mundane message she wants, from “I’m heading to the butcher and I hope they have cornish game hens” to “Please e-mail your father to let him know who played Rooster in Annie; also, who played Daddy Warbucks.” (Answers: Tim Curry, and Albert Finney. DUH.)

Please, people. Don’t put this technology in the wrong hands.

In the coming weeks, follow Present Professor as we switch gears to Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, SuperBowl Sunday (ok, some of these aren’t gift-giving holidays, unless you’re a president) as well as great ideas for the everday gift-requisite events in your life. Also look for the return of the giveaway. . . and don’t forget to Ask Present Professor if you need a great gift idea. Have a great 2009!

1. Magnext 100 Count MagnaCase 360 ($14.99, Amazon)

2. LEGO Pink Brick Box ($14.99, Amazon)

3. Fantasy Blocks From Haba ($36.99, Oompa)

4. Tinkertoy Classic Jumbo Set ($19.99, Amazon)

5. Eames House of Cards ($25-$35, MomaStore.org)

6. LEGO Creator Mini Jet ($4.99, ToysRUs)

Be sure to check out the rest of our Gift Lists.

Because, let’s face it, people. Most of us are slobs. Muffin-loving slobs. Muffin-loving, Internet-surfing slobs. Now, give your muffin-loving slobby friend a USB keyboard vac. You plug it directly into your laptop, making it portable, practical, and perfect for stuffing into stockings. And also, for removing stuffing from in between the keys on your keyboard.

Etsy (rhymes with “Betsy”) is, in their own words, “an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade.”

What can you find on Etsy? Soap, candy, jewelry, woodwork, t-shirts, purses, quilts, sweaters, candles, ceramics, pottery, calendars, music, quilts, pet beds, toys, purses, cuff links, and so much more.

You’ll also find a community of artists who, as a whole, care about their customers and their products. Think about it: At a big box store, you can buy an item made in a factory by someone who will never use it, shipped across an ocean to a store selling 90,000 other doohickies, and sold to you by a disinterested cashier who has no vested interest in whether or not you buy it. And that’s not to say that an afternoon at Target isn’t totally enjoyable. But there’s a special kind of connection when you’re in direct contact with the person who crafted the item you’re using. Etsy has made the Internet the world’s largest neighborhood craft fair, sans the deep fried Oreo stand.

Shopping on Etsy is a delight. You can search through traditional categories, such as “doll” or “scarf,” or see what other users have chosen as their favorites. You can also see what’s available locally and what items sold most recently from among Etsy’s 100,000 + shops.

I’ll be writing regular posts about my ETSY finds, both because of the unique selection of gifts available through the site, and because I think it’s important to support individual artists.

To start, I’d like to recommend Savor. Savor is the creation of Lisa, a computer tech and soapstress in Northern Cal who’s managed to fuse her love of cooking and her mastery of glycerin to create some really fabulous soap products. Like so many Etsy members’ products, Lisa’s soaps are free of harsh detergents and alcohol.

Lisa’s créme frâiche ($11) is a jar of creamy whipped bath soap available in delicious varieties such as Marshmallow Fudge and Amaretto Honey Oatmeal.

Her traditional bar soap ($4.50-$6.50) does not disappoint. My current favorite is “My Boyfriend’s T-shirt” which has a fresh, comforting smell. “Punk,” Lisa’s take on pumpkin pie, is spicy and sweet and perfect for autumn.

Flat-rate shipping for up to 8 bars is $5, so you can stock up and always have a quick gift handy.

And for those of you patient enough to read this far, a giveaway! Leave a comment below to be entered to win a bar of soap of your choice from Savor. And stay tuned to Present Professor for more Etsy profiles. Happy shopping, people.

When I’m writing with a standard ball-point pen, there’s nothing. No chemistry. No zing. Sure, it’s functional, but where’s the personality?

Enter, the Kooky Klickers. (Mine is named Myron.) He smiles. He’s got Koosh-esque hair. He’s a klicky pen. And each style is a limited-time release, making them kollectible. (Yeah, I’m really sticking with the whole “k” thing.)

When I write with Myron, we’re a team. The words flow through my brain, down my arm, into his willing body and out onto the page. Art? Prose? Grocery list? It’s hard to tell the difference.

$2.99-$4.99 for one, “Krew” packs of 6 ($19.99) also available. (Break ‘em up and use them as stokking stuffers!) Klick here for stores.

Hey, you, with the no Kooky Klicker. Wanna win a Kooky Klicker? Wanna win 6 of ‘em? Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win Kooky Krew 29–a sextet of pens all decked out for Halloween.

Stay Kool.

Stay in Skool.