Last Minute Holiday Gifts, Gets and Getaways

Like untold millions of others, amid the rapidly approaching holiday you may be frantically trying to find that perfect gift for someone special but your mind is drawing a blank. This pressure is exponentially harder when shopping for that person who “has it all.” Keep calm and read on, as here are a few diverse gift ideas that, given easy online purchasing, can still swing the time crunch for the impending exchange.

“Robin Williams: Comic Genius” DVD Collection

Robin Williams started performing stand-up comedy in the mid-1970s, amazing audiences with his frenetic energy and razor-sharp wit. He was graced with comedic brilliance, rapid-fire improvisation and a deep well of warmth and compassion that translated to everything he did. Unsurprisingly, America quickly fell for him in his first role as the naïve and hilarious alien from the planet Ork in the Mork & Mindy sitcom. Rocketing to stardom, Williams would go on to do five HBO stand-up specials and dozens of feature films, performing steadily for nearly four decades and entertaining audiences across the globe. Time Life celebrates his inimitable 40-year career with Robin Williams: Comic Genius. Decades in the making, this singular 22-disc set collects all his most memorable stand-up and television performances in one singular collection featuring more than 50 hours of uproarious entertainment with all of Williams’ HBO specials, as well as never-before-released shows, his best talk shows and late-night TV appearances, 11 episodes of “Mork & Mindy,” James Lipton’s Emmy Award-nominated 90-minute interview with Williams on “Inside the Actors Studio,” plus deleted scenes, a comprehensive collection of Williams’ USO shows and the acclaimed 2018 HBO documentary “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind.” All of that comes included with hours of additional bonus features! If you have a Robin Williams fan in your life, you can’t go wrong with this amazing tribute.

“The Best of The Carol Burnett Show: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition” DVD Collection 

Coming from the same company that brought you some of Robin Williams’ greatest hits comes The Best of The Carol Burnett Show: 50^th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. On Sept. 11, 1967, Burnett and her madcap cast launched a variety series that combined sketch comedy, singing and dancing. Little did they know that The Carol Burnett Show would become an Emmy winner and survive the changing tastes of TV audiences to last eleven seasons. The Best of The Carol Burnett Show: 50th Anniversary Edition brings together the best of the best—60 hand-picked episodes covering every season—into one uproarious set. Spread across 21 discs are three volumes: The Best of The Carol Burnett Show (10 Discs), 11 Years, Together Again (10 Discs) and The Final Show; and viewers can celebrate the landmark shows’ anniversary with the series’ most memorable episodes, including “Mrs. Wiggins,” “The Oldest Man,” “The Family,” “As the Stomach Turns,” a marathon of movie and commercial spoofs and bloopers, amazing guest stars and lavish stage productions! Adding to the festivities, the Time Life TV DVD archivists have created an inspired collection of bonus programming, including interviews with Carol, Vicki, Tim, Don Rickles, and more; a cast reunion and backstage tour of Studio 33; never-before-seen outtakes and featurettes including “11 Years of Laughter,” “11 Years of Style,” and “The End of 11 Years: Saying So Long.” Treat a Carol Burnett fan this holiday season with the perfect giftable, a tribute in her honor.

CASIO SLIM XJ-A257 LampFree Projector

Casio’s SLIM LampFree XJ-A257 Projector can run all day, every day and is perfect for projecting vibrant, larger-than-life images through any game, movie or TV show. Boasting a wide range of features and benefits, the XJ-A257 is great for any home viewing experience—and also a stellar option for presentations in the workplace. Weighing in at just five pounds, Casio’s SLIM XJ-A257 is only 1.7 inches thick, requires little to no setup time, and provides projection at maximum brightness in as few as five seconds allowing for a truly immersive viewing experience. At the heart of the XJ-A257 is Casio’s laser and LED light source, which generates brightness up to 3000 lumens, produces clear and brilliant colors, and has a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours without the need to change a lamp. It also boasts a 2X zoom lens and WUXGA resolution for crisp, large images making it impossible for viewers to miss a second of their favorite film, show or sports game. With this model, Casio has applied its unique new Laser & LED Hybrid Light Source to achieve breakthrough development of a mercury-free high-brightness projector. Adopting a new semiconductor-based light source system combining a blue laser, phosphor and a red LED, the company has achieved both high-brightness performance enabling projection in well-lit rooms and environmental friendliness with mercury eliminated from the light source. The 20,000 hours of source life far outshines that of conventional projectors that require mercury lamp replacement. It saves maintenance labor and contributes to a significant reduction in operating costs. Since brightness degradation is more gradual than with mercury lamps, moreover, it maintains vivid image quality through long-term use. The dramatic improvement in color purity achieved by the new light source has significantly improved color reproduction. Not only are the colors clearer and more beautiful, but the projected images also look brighter due to the visual effects of the high-purity colors. Users benefit from clearer, more powerful images than conventional projectors can achieve.

Discovery Cove All-Inclusive Resort

Also for those who love to travel, consider an experiential gift sure to make marvelous memories. For that, look no further than Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida—an all-inclusive day resort where once-in-a-lifetime thrills happen every day. Give the gift of a day of exhilaration and inspiration that brings you closer to the animal world than ever before to the whole family. Enjoy a one-of-a-kind opportunity to get “nose to bottlenose” with a new dolphin friend. Then, hang on for the experience of a lifetime across the tranquil lagoon. The dolphin swim at Discovery Cove creates unforgettable moments your family will surely cherish forever. Snorkel among thousands of tropical fish and even get the chance to graze the back a velvety ray. The day resort starting price is just $149 and dolphin swim package starting price is $199. The Grand Reef at Discovery Cove gives you a whole new view of sea life. Make feathered friends from around the world in the free-flight aviary. Give the creatures a shoulder to land on and marvel at the countless colors as you meet and feed these amazing animals. Swim up close for an unmatched view of playful marmosets and frisky Asian otters in the Freshwater Oasis. Relax and explore rocky lagoons surrounded by lush landscaping, winding rivers and white, sandy beaches. Freshly prepared meals, snacks and beverages throughout the day and swim gear are all included as well! Guests will experience the most exciting animal encounters the world has to offer in a breathtaking tropical atmosphere all at Discovery Cove. Take advantage of this amazing deal—from now through Jan. 5, 2020, prices will freeze at the current rate, meaning guests can take advantage of 2019 prices for reservations in 2019 AND 2020.

Discover Crystal River Florida Manatee Festival

Also while in the Sunshine State (or gifting a vacation experience to another), jaunt on over to Discover Crystal River Florida. They welcome visitors all year long, but now through March 31 marks the return of the destination’s most honored guests, the manatee. Known as the Manatee Capital of the World, this is the only place in North America where swimmers can have an up-close encounter with manatees in the wild. Plan now for this bucket list adventure or join them January 18^th through the 19th, 2020 for the Manatee Festival. Now in its 33rd year, the Florida Manatee Festival, presented by the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Crystal River, is the epicenter of all thing’s manatee. And there is so much to do at the fest! Music on three stages, a Kid Zone with live entertainment, free tours of Three Sisters Springs, a Beer & Wine Garden, boat tours of the bay (for a nominal fee), two food courts featuring the return of International Alley and over 300 vendors featuring fine art, crafts and more.

Oscillococcinum

Speaking of travel, here’s a little something for the stocking of anyone planning to be out-and-about this holiday or in the New Year—for pleasure or business. Getting sick when traveling can put a damper on even the best of holiday plans. So, give the gift of health with non-drowsy Oscillococcinum. It helps in the worst moments of body aches, headache, fever, chills or fatigue coming. It’s ideal for travelers on-the-go as it comes in great-tasting, easy-to-take pellets that dissolve under your tongue, even without water. Everyone ages two and up can take it. The product has been trusted for more than 70 years and it continues to be a convenient and reliable first choice for relief. It has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce both the duration and severity of flu-like symptoms. Unlike other flu medicines, Oscillococcinum is non-drowsy and has no known interactions with other medications or supplements. It won’t mask symptoms that may develop or indicate a more serious condition, which is especially important due to complications that may be brought on by flu. It is available in boxes of six, 12 or 30 doses that you can select by preference.