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Holidays '08: The One List You NEED - a list by tatorandtots
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About this list:
This list will keep growing to include all the sites you need to save the most money possible, find creative and fun seasonal activities online and in your area, find absolute last minute gifts, ship ON TIME and be more organized than ever before. Let's all have some FUN this season!
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Norad Online Santa Tracker- BOOKMARK THIS!!!
First to recommend
Description
Click the "Norad Santa Tracker on YouTube" link at the very bottom of this rec for videos of the tracker in action.
If you don't know about this site, GO BOOKMARK IT NOW! Even if you don't have kids. Chances are, you will cross paths with your nieces and nephews over the holiday season.... Heck, this is amazing even for grown-ups. The site won't go live for a few weeks so put it somewhere in your Bookmarks now for later.
What is it? The most incredible thing to happen to Christmas since Santa himself, courtesy of the very real US/Canada alliance, NORAD. It's run by the military.
The main event kicks off on Christmas Eve. Basically, it's a live webcam INSIDE SANTA'S sleigh that is paired up with Google Earth (it refreshes every five minutes) and let's you see EXACTLY where the Big Guy is at, how long until he gets to YOUR house (you can even zoom in on your own house!) and aerial views as he flies through the sky- ie you actually see his sleigh do a loop around the Eiffel Tower, zoom past the Tower of London, etc. It is, frankly, incredible.
I discovered this three years ago. Each year's version is more sophisticated than the last but they all have been the major part of my kids' Christmas Eves. The anticipation and interaction it delivers is something I could never replicate any other way. I literally stop people on the street with kids each year and tell them about this (while slipping my hand into their pockets and taking their wallets.... ah, just kidding.)
One tip: Download Google Earth (it's free) ahead of time and install it on your computer.
Here are some blurbs from other sources and a history of the whole thing:
_________________________
NORAD details its tracking system:
Detecting Santa all starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system has 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. NORAD makes a point of checking the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
The moment our radar tells us that Santa has lifted off, we use our second mode of detection, the same satellites that we use in providing warning of possible missile launches aimed at North America. These satellites are located in a geo-synchronous orbit (that's a cool phrase meaning that the satellite is always fixed over the same spot on the Earth) at 22,300 miles above the Earth. The satellites have infrared sensors, meaning they can detect heat. When a rocket or missile is launched, a tremendous amount of heat is produced - enough for the satellites to detect. Rudolph's nose gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch. The satellites can detect Rudolph's bright red nose with practically no problem. With so many years of experience, NORAD has become good at tracking aircraft entering North America, detecting worldwide missile launches and tracking the progress of Santa, thanks to Rudolph.
The third detection system we use is the Santa Cam. We began using it in 1998 - the year we put our Santa Tracking program on the Internet. NORAD Santa Cams are ultra-cool high-tech high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many places around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year - Christmas Eve. The cameras capture images of Santa and the Reindeer as they make their journey around the world. We immediately download the images on to our web site for people around the world to see. Santa Cams produce both video and still images.
The fourth detection system we use is the NORAD jet fighter. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots, flying the CF-18, take off out of Newfoundland to intercept and welcome Santa to North America. Then at numerous locations in Canada other CF-18 fighter pilots escort Santa. While in the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or F-16 get the thrill of flying with Santa and the famous Reindeer Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. About a dozen NORAD fighters in Canada and the United States are equipped with Santa Cams.
____________________________
History:
In 1955, a Colorado Springs-based Sears store ran an advertisement encouraging children to call Santa Claus on a special telephone hotline. Due to a printing error, the phone number that was printed was the hotline for the Director of Operations at the Continental Air Defense (CONAD). Colonel Harry Shoup took the first Santa call on Christmas Eve of 1955 from a six-year old boy who began reciting his Christmas list. Shoup didn't find the call funny, but after asking the mother of the second caller what was happening, then realizing the mistake that occurred, he instructed his staff to give Santa's position to any child who called in.[1][dead link] [2][dead link] [3][4]
Three years later, the governments of the United States and Canada combined their national domestic air defenses into the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), but the tradition continued.[3] Now major media outlets as well as children call in to inquire on Santa's location. NORAD relies on volunteers to help make Santa tracking possible.[2] Many employees at Cheyenne Mountain and Peterson Air Force Base spend part of their Christmas Eve with their families and friends at NORAD's Santa Tracking Operations Center in order to answer phones and provide Santa updates to thousands of callers[5][dead link]
[6]. About 800 service members and their families volunteer, and shift run from 2 a.m. MST December 24 to 2 a.m. Christmas morning.[6]
In 1997, Canadian Major Jamie Robertson took over the program and expanded it to the Web where corporation-donated services have given the tradition global accessibility.[5] In 2004, NORAD received more than 35,000 e-mails, 55,000 calls and 912 million hits on the Santa-tracking website from 181 countries. In 2005, more than 500 volunteers answered questions.[7][dead link] In 2006 half a million calls and over 12,500 e-mails were handled from 210 territories.[3] The site now gets well over 1 billion hits.
The fictional background storyline has changed with the world political situation: during the Cold War when the tracking team provided updates via radio announcements, only North America was mentioned and Santa's approach was described in tense terms with interceptor aircraft scrambled to shoot down the "bogie."[8][9] Only at the last minute would the pilot realize who he was engaging[10]. Now the Web shows that as Santa approaches Newfoundland, a flight of Canadian Air Force fighters (CF-18 Hornets as of 2006) rendezvous with him to provide an honor guard and ensure that he has no difficulty with the various Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) he must enter[11].
In 2005 holiday season marked the fiftieth anniversary of NORAD's annual tracking of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The following year, NORAD Tracks Santa began using Microsoft Virtual Earth-style maps that instantly provide Santa's current location. In 2007, NORAD Tracks Santa used Google Earth to track Santa Claus in 3-D.[2] They displayed Santa's location at 5 minute updates.
_______________________________
Every year in December, the United States Northern Command (NORAD) is given a mission-critical assignment: provide aerial escort for and track the movements of Santa Claus. Last year, NORAD provided a Santa Tracker KMZ file that could be loaded into Google Earth and auto-refreshed every few minutes. The Santa Tracker makes use of the KML programming capabilities of Google Earth to mark his whereabouts with gift-wrapped icons and a 3D sleigh pulled by 9 reindeer.
_____________________________
The NORAD site goes live with tracking Christmas Eve but you can monitor the activity at the North Pole as Santa and his helpers get ready for the big night. There's an interactive tour you can take, checking out the workshop and all the preparations.
Then, Google has some free Internet tools you'll want to download ahead of time, like the Google Earth application, which, combined with its mapping and satellite imaging will let you virtually zoom in on your house with a Santa-eye view that takes you right to the chimney. (via Norad Santa Tracker on YouTube)
Updated Nov 15, 2008
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Amazon Prime Membership
First to recommend
Description
Just in time for Christmas- one month free trial of Amazon Prime.
A lot of sites try to sign you up for useless memberships. But Amazon has a club that really, really is in your best interest to join. Why? Well Amazon Prime enables you to FREE two-day shipping on most of their items year-round plus OVERNIGHT shipping for just $3.99. With the holiday season upon us, that means you can send all the recipients on your list last-minute gifts if needed for no shipping costs- or at the most, just a few dollars. Plus you can track everything online. I've been a member for a few years and have saved hundreds of dollars, if not more.
In addition, you can utilize the Amazon site's gift lists and one-click shipping options to simplify and organize the whole holiday buying process. A great thing.
Updated Nov 17, 2008
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USPS Online Holiday Mailing Deadline Calendar
First to recommend
Description
Christmas will be here before you know it- so bookmark this site and add the deadlines it shows you to your Blackberry so your cards and packages make it before Santa does.
Elsewhere on the site you can order holiday stamps, print shipping labels and order custom Christmas cards. Very, very handy!
Updated Nov 6, 2008
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SAME DAY GIFTS! Red Envelope Gift Express
First to recommend
Description
Did you have an "oops" moment and forget an important event? Race to this site by 2 pm in YOUR time zone any day except Sunday and choose from a wide variety of themed food, floral or fun baskets like Poker Night, Junk Food Basket and more.....
Updated Nov 13, 2008
Lists that feature this:
- All I Want for Christmas.... My Personal List
- Byte Me: Computer Stuff/Weird & Wonderful Websites
- Don't Forget the L'il People: Stuff for Offspring
- Holidays '08: Gifts for Women
- Holidays '08: Host and Hostess Gifts
- Holidays '08: The $25-$50 List
- Holidays '08: The $50-$100 List
- Holidays '08: The Gourmet List
- Holidays '08: The One List You NEED
Gift Certificate
4 people recommended this item
Description
Can't figure out what to get for someone? This makes a great gift. (via Amazon)
Updated Nov 8, 2008
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The Bargainist | Deals, Sales & Coupons
2 people recommended this item
Description
One of my favorite sites! Daily postings of the latest discount codes (many top secret or hard to find elsewhere) for every possible online retailer. Famous brands, top designers, the latest gear- all here.
Sign up for the daily email or grab the RSS feed. With the holidays approaching, this site can double your gift buying dollar. Look for the Bargainist on Twitter as well.
Updated Oct 8, 2008
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RetailMeNot.com
8 people recommended this item
Description
Save literally HUNDREDS of dollars this holiday season by entering a few keystrokes. Really.
Retailmenot.com has all of the up-to-the-minute online coupon codes to enter on literally hundreds of the most popular shopping sites. Those codes will take seconds to enter and leave tons of money where it belongs- in your bank account.
And if you use Firefox, be sure to snag the RetailMeNot extension- it will automatically show you coupon codes for a web site when you open the store's page.
Updated Nov 17, 2008
Lists that feature this:
- Byte Me: Computer Stuff/Weird & Wonderful Websites
- Holidays '08: Gifts for Men
- Holidays '08: Gifts for Teens
- Holidays '08: Gifts for Women
- Holidays '08: Host and Hostess Gifts
- Holidays '08: Stocking Stuffers for Men
- Holidays '08: Stocking Stuffers for Women
- Holidays '08: Very Last Minute Gifts
- Putting the "fun" Into Dysfunctional Holidays
RetailMeNot Firefox Add-on
3 people recommended this item
Description
from Mozilla:
Never miss a bargain again. Automatically informs you of sites retailmenot.com users have shared discount coupon codes for.
Coupon codes allow for discounts and freebies at many online stores.
This add-on will automatically notify you when coupon codes are available for the current website being viewed.
The add-on works by updating an internal database once per week from the collaborative coupon sharing website- retailmenot.com
Load a page from a website such as amazon.com and a notification bar will appear informing you of available coupons.
No data is sent back to the retailmenot.com website nor will it adversely affect your browsing experience.
Updated Nov 17, 2008
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Shopzilla :: Firefox Add-ons
First to recommend
Description
from Mozilla:
Simple yet powerful search and save tool to make online shopping fast, easy, and cheap! It's also great for market research! Quickly access popular sites like eBay and Amazon with all international sites and Froogle, Epinions, PriceGrabber and many other auctions, stores, deal finders and consumer review sites all via the right-click context menu and optional toolbar button.
Updated Nov 17, 2008
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Comparison shopping online
First to recommend
Description
Shop smart and shop fast at Shopzilla! Read reviews, compare prices, and get the right product at the right price every time.
Updated Nov 17, 2008
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