Make Your Last Minute Presents A ‘Hit’ This Year

Have you ever opened a holiday present and wondered what your family was possibly thinking when they thought you would love that gift?

Say goodbye to the wallet that’s not your style, a perfume that smells like your grandparents and the t-shirt that was so last year. Get what you want without hurting anyone’s feelings this holiday season… eliminate the ‘unwanted gifts’ pile at the corner of your room.

This year, give your friends and family a choice. How? It’s so simple with your PC.

Create a holiday gift registry…by YOU, from YOU, for YOU.

Look at gift giving this season from two ways: what you’d like to give, and what that special someone would like to receive. Copy and paste images of the items you’d like to give from the internet and save this in Windows Live Photo Gallery. Share your images and ask family and friends to narrow down their choices. You can even suggest that they upload their own suggestions or photos of it! When it’s time to shop, use Windows Live Search to find the best possible price and where to buy your gifts. You will save both time and money in making the most of your shopping outing.

Your gifts are sure to be a hit, and still have that element of surprise.

Here’s how to get Windows Live Photo Gallery – if you don’t have it already:
· Go to http://get.live.com/ and click the option to download Windows Live, which includes the Photo Gallery. It’s available for free.
· Search for online image of your gift choices using live.com or snap one with your Windows Mobile phone.
· Upload the images into your Windows Live Photo Gallery album and share it with family and friends by sending them the link to your album. They simply need to have Windows Live installed (download it from http://get.live.com/) to view it.
· Have a chat on your Windows Messenger and see which ones they like best.

The next time your Aunt plans to buy you an ugly t-shirt, politely ask if she can share the choice of patterns through Windows Live Photo Gallery. Your Aunt doesn’t know how to use Windows, you say? Here’s a piece of advice that can win you brownie point with her: pop by her place one day and show her how. You just might get more than one ugly t-shirt… two cooler not even close to ugly t-shirts.

Decorate Your Windows – Digitally, Of Course

The season to be jolly has arrived! Do you have time to spread holiday cheer to friends and loved ones? Year-end madness may keep you glued to your office desk, but don’t let that deflate your festive mood. If your computer has to be your closest pal, spread the festive sprit online!

Here are some tips to spread joy…at your finger tips.

· Decorate your Windows Live Messenger with holiday colors and themes…consider it the latest version of a holiday greeting! Simply click on the “Tools” option at the top of your screen and it’ll show you several choices to decorate your online personality.

· In addition to colors and background, you can also customize and create new emoticons (J). Turn a J into a special holiday themed version. The “Emoticons” function under “Tools” allows you to import any holiday image – Christmas tree, Santa hats, gifts, cakes – and will make your holiday chat even more fun. Use custom emoticons to drop hints of what’s on your holiday wish list…and subtly use during conversation to make all your wishes come true.

· Store bought cards can be so impersonal. Wish your family and friends happy holidays your way with a personal audio holiday greeting. Record your very own holiday-hello with Windows Live Messenger. It will spread joy every time you start an IM conversation. You can easily do this by clicking the “voice clip” option, record a message and click Send. You can do this on your mobile, too!

Start spreading holiday joy straight away. All you need to do is log on to your Windows Live account. To download Windows Live, go to http://get.live.com