The One Bad Thing About Winter

I love winter and I love when it snows and when it's really cold outside, but the one thing that I really, really hate about winter is scraping the ice off my car every morning. I think that of all the many wonderful things about living in a house, having a garage to park your car in is right up at the top of the list.

Since last winter, when I had to buy three different ice scrapers because they kept breaking every time I tried to scrape ice (which I find a little ironic; shouldn't ice scrapers be able to scrape ice if they are called ice scrapers?), I have come to the realization that some ice scrapers are better than others and it's worth it to invest in a really good one.

The promotional products industry offers a vast array of ice scrapers, but one of my favorites is the Deluxe Mitt Ice Scraper. This product is so convenient because not only does it scrape the ice off your car, but it also keeps your hands from freezing because you have to scrape your car in the first place. There have been several times when I left my gloves in my apartment and this ice scraper would definitely have come in handy.

Magic Guitar Picks

I once had a very long conversation with my good friend, Brent, about guitar picks. Brent is an incredible guitar player and he told me this crazy story about a particular guitar pick he's had for many years. Apparently, he loses this guitar pick over and over, but somehow it always finds its way back to him. Once, he even lost the pick for over a year and it still made its way back.

Now, I certainly wouldn't call myself a guitar player, but I do own a guitar and I've taken a few lessons and I have very good intentions to one day be able to play well enough to be in a garage band (although, I don't actually want to be in a band; I just want to be good enough to be in a band. I ran into an old friend from high school last week and he has these very impressive dreadlocks and he took last semester off to tour with his band. Dreadlocks don't appeal to me).

Being a fan and a future very talented player of the guitar, I know that a good guitar pick is essential. This Custom Guitar Pick would make a really cool giveaway and would be remembered for a long time. The Giant Guitar Pick would be incredibly unique and would definitely be memorable. I would appreciate receiving one of these guitar picks and I'm sure the members of my future garage band would too.

Soccer

There's this hilarious movie that I was watching on my little brother's iPod yesterday (yea, you can watch movies on it; totally rad) called, "She's The Man." I've seen it before and it's even funnier the second time. The best part is when Eunice says, "I'm gonna be the best lab partner you've ever had." I realize that might not sound funny at all, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you have seen the movie, you're laughing hysterically right now.

After watching the movie, I got all sentimental thinking about back in the day when I used to play soccer (because the movie is about soccer). I loved playing soccer! And that made me think about all the cool promotional products offered related to soccer. I remember when my brothers used to be in to hackey sacks and I know they would have liked the Soccer Ball Hackey Sack. There are also some more unique products like the Soccer Rubber Duck or the Soccer Ball Fan. The Wooden Soccer Ball Puzzle would also make a cool gift for any soccer fan.

Christmas Gifts

Christmas is in one week and with all the snow we had in Utah this past weekend, it is finally starting to feel like Christmas. It even snowed in St. George, which only happens about once every eight years!

I've been thinking about promotional products related to Christmas and promotional gifts I would enjoy receiving. I decided that few things are more festive than hot chocolate and the Cocoa Comforts Gift Basket would make a perfect gift this time of year. This set comes in a red gift box and includes a reindeer mug, cocoa, marshmellows or peppermints. A nice finishing touch would be to accent it with some personalized imprinted gift ribbon and an imprinted Christmas bow.

An inexpensive giveaway that would be a hit with kids is the unique Blinking Holiday Sound Bouncy Ball. These red or green bouncy balls play a four song holiday medley when bounced and have blinking red LED lights. Kids would also enjoy the Rubber Duck Reindeer or Rubber Duck Snowman.

LP Record Size Album Handbag

I've never been one of those girls who loves purses, but the older I get the more I realize my purse is my lifeline. If I don't have my purse everywhere I go, I feel only semi-clothed (whereas, if I don't have my cell phone I feel completely naked).

I think the LP Record Size Album Handbag is one of the coolest purses I have ever seen. Definitely cooler than my Gap purse. These handbags are totally customizable and are made from original vinyl records and covers. You can choose a modern album or older and out-of-production albums. And the strap is a seatbelt, which is very unique. There are several different sizes and styles available.

This product is perfect for bands or anyone in the music industry. There is nothing I would love more than to be able to carry Keith Urban around with me all day long.

Cold Weather Apparel

It's starting to get really cold in Utah and one of my favorite things about the cold weather is the clothes. American Promotions offers a variety of cold-weather clothes to imprint a company logo on. The Ladies North End Down Vest is stylish and will keep you warm. There is also a comparable men's style.

One product I have found that is really unique is the Neck Gator. Instead of a bulky scarf, you could opt for this cool product.

On really cold days, I like to lounge around in my comfy sweat pants and hoodie.

Apparel is always a popular way to advertise your logo, whether you go for the classic sweatshirt or the unique fleece mittens.

Car Guys

I grew up in a family with lots of boys, none of which know anything about cars. My husband, however, is what I like to call a "car guy." He is obsessed with cars and he knows everything about cars. He can fix anything on any car and while we're driving on the road, he can tell me the make, model and year of every car that passes by. He's going to school to get a degree that will allow him to get a job working with cars and their engines and design and while he's going to school, he works as a car painter.

Two years ago I barely knew what a Honda Accord was, but now I can rattle off bits and pieces of cool facts and information about cars and I am super excited to restore the 1971 Dodge Charger my husband promised we can get someday.

The promotional products industry offers tons of products related to cars and the automotive industry. Calendars are always a well-received gift, specifically the Muscle Car Era Wall Calendar and the Corvettes Wall Calendar. Some other unique products related to cars are the Tire Clock, the Accutire Digital Pressure Guage, the Metal Race Car Alarm Clock, the Gear Pen with Memo Pad and the Tire Coaster Set.

My Best Friend

My very best friend in the entire world is not my husband or my sister or a former roommate or any of those girls I have known since preschool, but none other than my adorable dog, Aussie. Even though I have five brothers to choose from, every time one of them asks me who my favorite brother is, I give the same answer every time: Aussie. He's much nicer than all of them, he treats me a lot better than all of them and he's a heck of a lot cuter than all of them.

Aussie weighed more than me until my senior year in high school, when I finally surpassed him. One night when I was sleeping on the couch, I woke up because I couldn't breathe. The reason I couldn't breathe was because Aussie was laying on top of me. I was sleeping on his favorite spot on the couch and he didn't like that.

One day we were having a barbeque at the next door neighbors house and Aussie was going crazy barking because he wanted to come too. After about an hour straight of loud barking, we became very suspicious when the barking suddenly stopped. We were about to go home and check on him when we saw him somehow break his way through a wood fence and stick his head in the neighbor's backyard.

There are a lot of unique promotional products Aussie would love. The Dog Bowl with Treats would be a hit with every dog and dog owner. The Dog Tennis Ball is a fun product to promote your logo on. And for those who are obsessed with their dog like I am, the My Dog Record Book imprinted with your company logo is a perfect gift.