Saturday, December 23, 2017

Holiday Gift Guide SL 2017, Kara's Recommendations

Kara's 2017 Second Life Gift Guide Recommendations

I have been doing an annual SL gift idea guide for years now and I am doing a last minute one here now because there is so much great stuff and ideas in SL to share with friends and loved ones. It can be hard to think of ideas sometimes especially for the person who has everything but here are a few of my favs.  I guess at this point this can be considered a last minute Christmas gift giving guide. LOL.  Anyway many of the first items are well known ideas but scroll further down for some more original or unique ideas.  (I will prob add to this list too)

1. GAMES! A few of my favs include:
 Truthball: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/27820
 Chatterbox: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/27820
 Greedy: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/2356
 Cards Against Humanity (this one is free!): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/BTI-Cards-Against-Humanity-Full-Perm-Game-Table/10334597?page=1
Soundquiz: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sound-Quiz-Gothic-theme-table-V2-boxed/13516624
Backgammon: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/products/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search%5Bcategory_id%5D=&search%5Bmaturity_level%5D=GMA&search%5Bkeywords%5D=backgammon
Speed Bump for groups of 4 or more by Brainz Torment inworld: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Finse/86/249/48/?img=Brainz+Torment+Inc+STORE&title=Brainz+Torment+Inc+STORE

2. Clothes and accessories. This can be a great idea especially for women or for ladies to buy for their men who don't like to shop.  Some of my fav brands are
Blueberry: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/113388
Just Because: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/22086
Addams: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/167972
Deadwool for men: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/22975
Jewelry Earthstones: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/17990

3. A homemade gift.  You can never go wrong with this idea.  Some ideas are pictures, possibly framed or in photo books (various types and prices on marketplace or inworld), or an intelli factory system for making books or photo calendars-the system is a little expensive but you can mass produce your own products to give to many and can be used for other things such as promoting your business or sim or group etc.  You can also buy templates for clothes on marketplace and texture them special for friends.  If anyone wants a free copy of a book I made in SL for gifts a few years ago just ask me and I'll send you one.
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/48260

4. Specially planned fun time or date.  This can really be a great gift if planned right.  Some people you can even schedule a dinner or cruise or special event that needs to be schedule in at a specific time while others like me aren't a huge fan of locking myself into a set time/date due to being busy RL so you can figure out something that's right for each individual depending on their likes and how they enjoy their SL time. Some of my fav fun times include inworld game places that include carnivals, bowling, game rooms, duck races, car and motorcycle track driving, dancing (tons of formal or casual places to go in SL or just buy a nice dance for home), skating, surfing, a game (such as a real SL football, wrestling, or other game), movies at a inworld theater or together at home with a good TV, private time in the Jacuzzi with candles, foods and maybe a date Truthball or Chatterbox game followed by the animations in the Jacuzzi, some calming beach vacation, plan some sim explores as there are many romantic, nature, artistic and amazing sims, hang out at live music shows or dj shows dancing and chatting with friends, putt putt or golf, visit some art galleries, tribute concerts, role play sims,  and sometimes I personally also enjoy just hitting up a good animation store like Abranimations which has some great funny, fun toys, dances and animations to play on.  You might find something you'd like to buy too.  Sometimes its fun just to share Youtube videos back and forth or FB memes or make a couples pose photo to share of Flickr or Facebook or challenge each other to make a certain costume then take pics. There are also some amazing dance shows in SL, theater, magic shows, comedy, book clubs, etc.  You could also introduce a friend to learning to make or do something new over at Builder's Brewery.  Most of the shows and events can be found in SL events or by googling whatever you look for then add Second Life at the end.  It also can be fun to visit a Madpea experience (some are hunts and others are more game-like or challenges with some amazing explore experiences)  together, which depending on their current event can take hours or days or some can be completed in fairly short time.

For movie night I highly recommend XControl TV.. I really can't say enough great things about this TV, it can be small for home or huge for a large group of friends, drive in, backyard, etc..just have to try it.. amazing: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/XCONTROL-TV-PROMOVIES-TV-SERIES-GAMES-LIVESTREAM-AND-MORE/6611035?page=1

For sim explores and various other fun things use the search button or scroll on my blog or click on one of my recent images and go to my Flickr for some sim explore pictures, or visit the SL Destination guide which is categorized well and shows new places too: http://secondlife.com/destinations And if you didn't already realize it or are new SL has a HUGE Facebook and Flickr presence where you can always get great info. on current events, new sims and products with photos, details, links all while communicating with or making new SL friends.

For live music I recommend checking out Whispering Sands Live Promotions Web site (or get on their daily mailer schedule list) http://wslpromo.net/

For Madpea: http://www.madpeagames.com/

5. If you want to buy an actual gift here are some fun quality ideas
-For musicians, event planners, artists who have shows, etc singer/musician, Gab, made this super cool brand new release Virtual Performer Hud, that handles most the things a performer or event presenter will need to manage all in one hud, check it out here: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Virtual-Performer-HUD/13581730
-For photographers there is the well known LumiPro lighting system found here: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LUMIPro/2585413

6. If you are on a budget and don't know what to make or do or don't like the ideas above.. you can always make the rounds for the free holiday freebies as there are ton of really great ones out right now and store group gifts.  Here is a link to a great blog SL Freebies: https://www.scoop.it/t/second-life-freebies-und-mehr  There are also a lot of wonderful hunts right now too.  Check out Hunt SL: https://huntsl.com/
Gacha's are also inexpensive yet fun items that can be re-gifted and even boxed up nicely for gifts, and here is a recent blog post about some shopping: http://karasecondlife.blogspot.com/2017/12/christmas-shopping-in-second-life.html
I also especially enjoy the Jian gacha type things that include pets and animals that are super cute. http://jiansl.blogspot.com/
For residents who have premium membership don't forget to pick up your free gifts from Linden Labs. The winter gift is super cute so gift yourself from SL: http://secondlife.com/destinations/premium/gifts

Then there are always the fun things to do for someone you live with or have rez rights with which I will outline my favs here. (this might spoil my fun for future ppl I get close to like this but then again.. that prob wont happen again LOL so I'll go ahead and share)  here you go.. enjoy:

Here is a list of fun things to do for a friend or loved one in SL. Most require that you have their land build rights to leave items as a surprise for them to find, but some you can just send to their inventory or plan/do with them. These ideas are great for special events such as Valentine’s day, birthdays, rez days, congratulation times, holidays, etc. Some of the items you can make yourself with a photo editing program (I use Picmonkey free online and download the images into SL for 10L) or purchase on Marketplace. Most can be accomplished very inexpensively.
1. Leave giant semi-transparent hearts filling a room. Purchase off market place inexpensive and color pink/red/make them somewhat transparent and phantom so the person doesn’t get lost or is unable to see when they rez in and they are able to walk through them.
2. Leave sticky notes purchased on Marketplace or home made in a photo editing program.
3. Leave a love note or friend letter and pen on their table.
4. Leave toilet paper rolls and tp the room (with or with/out hearts & I heart you on the paper)
5. Leave a cutout person image (of yourself?) possibly holding some sign saying I love you, I miss you, Thank you, get well, etc.
6. Leave a card
7. Fun pranks : Fill the house with water and float some floaties and a toy duck on the water
8. Drip paint down the walls and floor and leave a paint can/brush maybe paint hearts /initials etc graffiti with hearts, your initials or names etc. (purchase off Marketplace or make in a photo editing program or use mine)
9. pranks:   Leave an exploding something like TNT or exploding barrels or furniture or one of those activation teddy bears that do stuff when clicked or turn all the pictures upside down, or furniture, or leave some incriminating (porn) magazines laying around or blow up doll.
10. Hearts, balloons, flowers
11. Leave writing in the sand or snow.. via stones or sandwriter (Marketplace)
12. For guys it might be easy to buy clothes, jewelry, make a card
13. Think of something they like in rl and get it in SL such as a specific model of vehicle or bike they might have in RL
14. Make and leave a photo album or a photochange scene picture of images you’ve taken of the two of you over time
15. Leave some of their fav brand wine or foods or drinks, (can make these with alpha cutouts if needed)
16. Plan a picnic
17. Plan dates: duck races (search my blog for info/video), putt putt, greedy/games, then formal dancing, maybe a cool explore sim and take pictures, home to hot tub or movie, truth ball, go to a carnival, ride bumper cars, bowl, skydive, go to a drive in, skating rink, live music show, visit the Titanic where there is dancing, scenery, and a great front of the ship pose for pics, dance or other entertainment show etc.
18 Ask others what their ideal date in SL is
19. Ask others what their fav gift in SL was
20. Send a teasing amusing personal note after they have logged off so they get it when logging in
21. Carve the names/initials in a tree trunk (Marketplace product) or make in photo edit program
22. Make a dance or other fun video together or take posed/prepped pictures-post to Flickr/FB/YouTube or give them in a frame
23. Go shopping together if both like to
24. Make a tattoo with their name or both your names
25. Make a special YouTube song list just for the two of you.

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