Last Minute Valentine Gift Ideas (w. giveaways!)

In college, my boyfriend of 2 years broke up with me right before Valentine’s Day saying that he couldn’t find me a gift. Yes, really!

If you find yourself out and wandering aimlessly about the mall trying to find that special something, flowers, candy (See’s please!), and non-tangible items are wonderful but why not surprise them with something truly unexpected like any of the following items from my list of last minute Valentine Day gifts.

Enter to win one of the highly coveted items below as an extra special treat for your Valentine or if you can’t wait to see if you’ve won, just be sure to click on the picture of whatever you have selected so you can print it and stick it in the card!

After all, a late gift is better than no gift and any gift is better than breaking the heart of your beloved!

For Loved Ones Living Far Away

Toshiba Digital Picture Frame (8” frame $179.99, 10” frame $229.99) – Toshiba has created a new trend-setting product category with its new Digital Media Frame. Before you think of this as just another digital frame, I can assure you it is anything but. The new Toshiba frames display crystal clear images but are fun, interactive products. Sure, it displays photos and allows users to automatically share priceless memories with friends and family anywhere in the world but it also works with FrameChannel. FrameChannel allows users to upload images or link favorite photos, music and videos from popular sites like Flickr, Photobucket, and Facebook so friends and family can stay updated with new photos whenever their frames are connected to the account. FrameChannel also takes users beyond the regular digital picture frame experience of the ability to subscribe to 1000+ free channels update with real-time information to the Toshiba Digital Media Frame.

Setting up the frame took less than 15 minutes once I got it out of the box. I logged on to Toshiba’s Frame Channel site, registered my device, and started choosing channels to display on the frame. Very quickly I was able to browse and subscribe to favorite channels and their Toshiba Digital Media Frame will automatically update with real-time information. I liked that I could select channels like various National Geographic image sites, headline news from The New York Times, and real time weather from AccuWeather to display along with my pictures. With 19 different categories, there are endless channels to choose from.

I like that Frame Channel allows me to specify a timeframe for displaying each one of the channels. I can set each channel to display during morning, afternoon, night, or anytime and then have the ability to set the hours for each time period. This was especially important because while my husband and I like viewing images from current events via Getty News or headline news, I didn’t want my kids to happen upon inappropriate content. Being able to restrict certain content from appearing after the kids were in bed was just as important as setting the cutesy National Geographic Pets channel for day time hours only. I mean I love pictures of furry animals along with our family Flickr photos but I like that I can turn them off in favor of seeing the news, content from People.com, and even my Facebook page when the kids are tucked in bed. For easy operation, the frame also features touch sensitive light up controls that fade to the color of the frame when not in use and a remote control. Win your own 8” Toshiba Digital Media Frame courtesy of Toshiba by leaving a comment below. Toshiba sent me a Digital Media Frame for review purposes.

For the Practical Lover of Clean

Dyson DC31 ($219.99)- Would you rather get a vacuum or diamonds for Valentine’s Day? Believe it or not, 1/3 of women recently surveyed by Dyson to get a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner over a diamond, massage, or monthly cleaning service! Having requested a second fridge/freezer for our basement for my first anniversary gift, I don’t mind great appliances as gifts but I also love a good piece of jewelry. In the past vacuuming has always been Tech Savvy Daddy’s domain but since Dyson send me their DC31 to try, Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer have been fighting over cleaning the floors!

When I’ve wrestled the DC31 away from the kids, I can see the appeal of this handheld vacuum. The Dyson DC31 is just as powerful as our upright vacuum thanks to the patented Dyson motor and keeps allergens at bay for our family thanks to the HEPA filter but is still compact enough to tuck away in a corner. The kids love transporting the DC31 all over the house and sucking up dirt, crumbs, and dust with a single touch of a button. I like that this model comes with a variety of attachments good for our hardwood floors, carpets, and hard to reach crevices where crumbs inevitably hide. Now that Tech Savvy Daddy has his upright vacuum and the kids have taken vacuuming duties thanks to the DC31, I could either sit back and enjoy my clean house or start shopping for a Dyson of my own! Dyson sent me the DC31 for review purposes.

For the Strong Hearted

Polar Heart Rate Monitors ($99.95-119.95)- Whether you are getting back into your exercise groove, are an avid Wii-Fit player, Shredhead, recreational runner, or push your body to the limit like my Ironman brother, it is always important to keep your heart strong. Polar has two heart rate monitors that are designed to help any exerciser improve their fitness. The stylish FT4 ($99.95) is an affordable choice for accurately identifying and measuring varying levels of exercise intensity. It features the Automatic Target Zone that calculates exactly what heart rate range is best for each user and continuously reminds the user to stay within the target and has memory large enough to store up to 12 training files.

I prefer the FT7 ($119.95) because it has all the features of the FT4 along with an expanded memory that stores up to 99 training files and 16 weekly training summaries. While that’s more than I need as a recreational runner, I like that the FT7 also includes Polar’s EnergyPointer program, a visual display that identifies whether the user is working in their fat burning zone or fitness improvement zone. The FT7 also allows me to upload workout data to PolarPersonalTraner.com, a free exercise journal and online community, which I find helpful to maintain my motivation. The FT7 is easy to use, incredibly useful, and a healthy alternative to chocolates since keeping a healthy heart is the gift that literally keeps giving. Polar provided a FT7 for review purposes.

For the iPhone Lover

Cygnett Jellybean Cases ($13.99)- I’m super picky when it comes to dressing my iPhone and prefer the harder cases that will allow my phone to keep its slim profile. My new favorite case are the translucent Cygnett Jellybean cases that come in fun tasty colors called dotted, watermelon, strawberry, coconut, and licorice. I love my dotted case (pictured left) because it has a translucent rubber finish with a little bit of grip but isn’t too grippy to prevent it from sliding into my purse or pocket. The 2 part shell features a clip together design with rounded edges that is designed to protect all surfaces of my phone from daily wear but doesn’t hinder access to the screen, camera, charging or synching functions. The case also comes with a screen protector to apply before snapping your phone into the shell. Win your own Jellybean case courtesy of Cygnett by leaving a comment below. Cygnett provided a Jellybean case for review purposes.

For Those Passionate About Music

Cygnett Grove BassBall Mini Speaker ($29.99)- Any music lover will love this pocket sized lightweight yet powerful little speaker that allows you to play music from your iPod or iPhone anywhere on the go. I love that this ultra portable speaker fits in the palm of my hand and has rechargeable battery that gives me 3 hours of music in a single charge. Twist it up to expand it for incredible sound and bass and then twist down to lock and stash in your pocket. The bright red version is certainly my favorite and is sure to delight any loved one this Valentine’s Day. Also works with any MP3 player, laptop, CD player or PDA through a 3.5 mm jack. Win your own BassBall Mini Speaker courtesy of Cygnett by leaving a comment below. Cygnett provided a BassBall for review purposes.

Earthworm Ensemble ($15.99)- Earthworm Ensemble is a brand new family music project featuring members of I See Hawks in L.A. and many more of the best contemporary folk/country artists working in Southern California today. The CD features 11 witty eco-friendly songs that my grow-your-own-produce Audobon camp loving self just loves. Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer love listening to songs about the earthworm’s role in the plant cycle, buying fresh corn at the farmer’s market and taking it home to cook, making pizza from scratch, and walking in the woods because of the wonderful vocals because the songs combine different styles of music from country rock, old timey beats, New Orleans funk, folk, and classic Americana. Earthworm Ensemble is due in stores on February 16. Preorder your CD here (or via Amazon) or enter to win 1 of 2 copies courtesy of Earthworm Ensemble by leaving a comment below. Earthworm Ensemble provided a CD for review purposes.

For Those Who Adore Simplicity

ClickFree C2 Automatic Backup ($119.99 for 250 GB, $159.99 for 500 GB)- Backing up the data on your computer is a gift you need to give yourself. You never know when your hard drive might die or when your little darling might drop a stack of magnets on your laptop, erasing absolutely everything. No one needs a complicated backup system and thanks to ClickFree C2, backing up is as easy as plugging in the device and leaving it plugged in for continuous backup. The C2 comes with a built in USB cable that you plug in to your machine back up everything automatically. The drive will instantly organize all of your files according to how you have named them so there is no guesswork in locating files. C2 backs up over 400 file types including photos, music, video, presentations, e-mail messages and any attachments, artwork, spreadsheets, documents, tax returns, accounting documents, and even your favorite websites. It works with Macs, PCs, netbooks, and even Windows 7. I could write more but really, C2 makes it so easy there’s nothing more to say. ClickFree provided a C2 for review purposes.

For the Kids You Adore

Mirasa Designs My Fun Animals ($29.99- 39.99)- Mirasa founder, Aashumi Shah, incorporates the colors of the Indian landscape and traditional kantha and ari style embroidery in her handmade My Fun line for infants and toddlers. Aashumi starts with familiar animals like the elephant, hippo, monkey, lion, giraffe, and zebra, and gives them textures thanks to embroidery that is a delight to a child’s senses and unconventional colors since “a child’s world goes beyond pink and blue.” All My Fun products are produced using fair trade practices and are eco-friendly—made from 100% cotton, filled with polyfill and using Azo free dyes and a portion of the proceeds go to Room to Read,
a non-profit that partners with local communities through out the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, and providing education to girls in India. Mirasa Designs also has beautiful handmade pillows that are large, cushy, and a perfect addition to a young child’s room. There is also a line for babies that includes wrist bands and wall hangings. Mirasa Designs provided animals from the My Fun line for review purposes.

Good Nite Lite ($34.99)- This Valentine’s Day give your child the gift of healthy sleep habits courtesy of the Good Nite Lite so you can enjoy a full night’s sleep without being woken up during non-daylight hours. The Good Nite Lite is designed to teach children ages 3-5 to stay in bed when it is dark and to wake when it is light outside. The Good Nite Lite uses a blue night light that looks like the moon to help children understand that night time is for sleeping. The blue moon’s transformation into bright orange sun aids
kids in understanding that morning has come and it is time to get up and get ready for the day. The idea behind The Good Nite Lite is that kids in the 3-5 age range are still trying to understand the concept of day and night. The Good Nite Lite’s moon changing into a sun helps reinforce sleep patterns associated with routine rest. The Good Nite Lite allows parents to pre-set the Good Nite Lite according to their child’s bed time and wake time so the moon and sun will
come on at corresponding times. I love that the Good Nite Lite allows families to try it before you buy it through their money back guarantee. The Good Nite Lite guarantees that your child’s sleeping routine will improve within 30-days and offers a full refund of the purchase price if there are no changes as long as the product is returned in the original packaging. The Good Nite Lite is available through the company website. The Good Nite Lite provided a sample for review purposes.

For the Movie Lover

Whip It ($17.99 DVD, $23.99 Blu-Ray via Amazon)- Ellen Page, the memorable heroine from Juno is back as Bliss Cavendar, a somewhat rebellious blue-haired teen stuck in a tiny Texas town in Whip It. Bliss is tired of following her mother’s dreams of her being a beauty pageant winner and sneaks off to Austin with a friend where she becomes enchanted by the rough-and-tumble world of roller derby tea. She tries out, makes the team, and not only finds a way to put her life on the fast track but is finally able to find her own way in the world. I loved watching the transformation’s of Bliss’ character go from a meek teen to a strong woman in this 2 hour film. Whip It is Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut and has an all star cast consisting of Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, Daniel Stern, and Jimmy Fallon. Win 1 of 3 copies of Whip It courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment by leaving a comment below. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment provided a copy of Whip It for review purposes.

Amelia ($17.99 DVD, $24.99 Blu-Ray via Amazon)- Experience the romance, struggle and triumph of legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart as she chases love and lives her dreams Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Amelia. Hailed as “The Queen of the Air,” Amelia boldly flew into the annals of history with her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Bound by ambition and love, her enduring marriage to George Putnam could not be broken by her determination to fly, or a secret passionate affair. Equal parts gripping drama, stirring romance and epic adventure, Amelia will take your breath away and send your spirit soaring! A perfect Valentine’s Day gift, Amelia stars two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, Golden Globe winner Richard Gere and Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor. Win 1 of 3 copies of Amelia courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment by leaving a comment below. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment provided a copy of Amelia for review purposes.

To enter to win the above giveaways, please leave a comment about your favorite all time Valentine’s Day gift that includes your e-mail address or Twitter handle so I can contact you when you win!

For extra entries, make sure you have left a comment and then do any of the following:

• Tweet this daily for an extra entry per day and leave the link to the Tweet in the Google Doc: @TechSavvyMama is giving away a Toshiba Digital Frame, iPhone accessories, DVDs & more for Valentine’s Day! Enter here: http://tr.im/O6jI
  

• Link to this post through your Facebook update by going to Profile, entering what you most want to win in the text box, and clicking on the down arrow to select Link and then pasting this URL in the link field: http://tr.im/O6jI After you click share, add your entry to my Google Doc.

• Write about this giveaway on your blog and leave the permalink in the Google Doc for 5 extra entries.
  

Extra entries must be entered through this Google Doc to be valid. Thanks and good luck!

Also, don’t forget to enter my other current giveaways:

• VTech DS6321-3 Digital Expandable Three Handset Cordless Phone System (ends 2/14)
• System Mechanic Software for your PC (5 winners, ends 2/16)
• McCormick & Schmick’s $25 gift card (ends 2/19)

Many thanks to the above companies who sent me items to review and also to use as giveaways. Images are courtesy of the companies. No compensation was received for any of th mentions in this post. All opinions are my own.