Jiffy Pop Moderne

It's pretty much a universal truth that everyone enjoys popcorn. After all, it's crunchy, salty, often buttery, high in fiber and relatively low in calories. What's not to love?

Well, how about microwave popcorn, for starters. Those flat inflatable packets are an affront to snack lovers everywhere. It's not just that microwave popcorn is expensive, it also smells gross, as if the quality of the corn was worse than cattle fodder. But microwaving's so darn easy! What's a corn lover to do? Try this modernist Catamount microwave popcorn popper. It lets you choose the amount, add your choice of fat (there's a butter melter on top), and, best of all, choose your own high quality, gourmet popping corn. 

This is the ideal present for your couch potato of choice. Find it at www.surlatable.com. Home movies will never be the same.

Delivering the Message

Remember back when you had roommates? And one (normally your best friend) was also a note-leaver. As in leaving little notes everywhere for other roommates, making requests and subtle complaints. The passive aggressive action was enough to drive you mad. She was almost strangled on several occasions.

Well, here's a fabulous gift for your passive aggressive buddy. These books, Passive Aggressive Notes and Your Mother Doesn't Work Here, are collections (compiled by Kerry Miller) of this peculiar form of communication from the office space to the living space, to, perhaps, deep space. After all, the passive aggressive note dropper lurks wherever people might be behaving badly. This would also make an excellent gift for a loather of passive aggressive notes, to be displayed prominently in their cubicle as a notification of a lack of tolerance for PA BS.

Find these wonderful books on www.passiveaggressivenotes.com. Make a note of it.

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

That's what they say, anyway. Some of us wouldn't know anything about that, since we gulp our hot, sugary coffee first thing in the am and then wait until severe blood sugar issues set in later. But, one must set a good example for one's kinder, so here's a gift to help them learn the value of a healthy start in the morn.

These Yummy Breakfast keychains offer friendly, wide-eyed and alert examples of breakfast for children. Los Angeles kid fashion demands the keychains be attached to backpacks for prominent public display, either switched out regularly or in multiples. There's a wide variety of breakfast options offered, from the typical milk to the unhealthy yet satisfying donut to the college-bound pizza slice. And here's the fun part: this is a blind assortment. Every time you give a little box of Yummy Breakfast, its contents are a mystery. The goal is to collect them all, but it would probably take a while, so this gift has some serious legs.

Locate Yummy Breakfast keychains at www.kidrobot.com. Hey, they're only five bucks, so why not order up a teachable moment?

Wedding Flagon

No, no, no, not the Wedding Dragon (that's the Mother of the Bride). This is the Wedding Flagon, another off-registry gift for the independent and stylish wedding couple, from you, the stylish yet not independently wealthy wedding guest.

This is not your typical flagon. First off, it's basic black. Second, it's lightweight and unbreakable. Third, it doubles as a real thermos, so it can carry coffee or lemonade, hot buttered rum or mojitos. Finally, it may be constructed of some sort of polymer, but it's made by the venerable Royal Copenhagen, beloved of many brides, even extremely modern ones. What could be bad?

Did I mention it's under a hundred bucks? What a great gift for the beverage inclined. Locate the flagon at www.roseandradish.com.

Catch a Wasp and Never Let It Go

Outdoor eating season is upon us. The smell of barbeque, the icy drinks, the squealing children are all so fabulous. But here's what's NOT fabulous about outdoor eating: the bugs.

Especially the ones that sting. Like wasps and their nasty cousins, yellowjackets. They're enough to make you mad as a hornet. And forget those poisonous sprays, since who wants those all over the foodstuffs. This attractive Wasp Catcher is the answer (and a great barbeque hostess gift as well). Using plain old sugar water, the Catcher attracts and traps greedy insects for good, keeping them out of mischief. Plus, these things are made of recycled glass and are actually pretty (although perhaps less pretty when filled with angry, buzzing bugs).

I suppose you're free to experiment with the bait. Like packing the thing full of ham with mayo on white to catch a completely different type of Wasp. That, my friend, is up to you. Find these very reasonable cookout savers (just $13) at www.gaiam.com.

In Sickness and In Comfort

Ah, it's wedding season once again! You know, that time when couples get together, make commitments, and demand gifts that they (blessedly) pick out. But what about the pesky betrothed who (gasp) don't register? What do you get them on a budget?

Try a little comfort. Nothing tests a marriage more than that "in sickness" clause, and nothing helps to comfort the sick and needy more than this gift. I'm talking soup and sandwich on a tray. These ceramic trays conveniently combine the essentials for good caregiving, with a generous bowl for soup and perfect indentation for a grilled cheese. And a set of the beauties will only set you back about thirty bucks, a veritable bargain for a wedding present.

The soup and sandwich tray duo is available at www.uncommongoods.com. And if you wanted, you could even add some "pop" with a can of Campbell's tomato soup.

Single Bullet

Ever heard the "single bullet" theory of love? It's the one in which, on this earth, one person is your "bullet," and once you've met them, you're shot... but in a good way. In other words, your "single bullet" is the love of your life.

So maybe it's only fitting (if you're lucky enough to have been struck by your own "single bullet"), to distribute some ammo to celebrate. Unearthen has just the thing. These pendants, formed using real bullet casing (different mm for different sized pendants), encase a semi-precious "bullet" shaped gem, ranging from amethyst to pyrite to even ruby (that's one expensive single shot, but hey, it's your love life). All of these pendants are bit more than the usual Find a Toad range, but I'm willing to make an exception for quality now and again. Especially if it's in the name of true love.

Go to www.seeunearthen.com and check out the ammo selection. They might make your love's heart go bang.