For me, the most fun part of the holiday season are the little, unexpected treats that magically end up in my stocking. Sure, the big presents are grand and useful, but there is something to be said for the smallest luxuries that end up being cherished presents for the rest of the year. Until recently, I always thought of L'Occitane as the go-to company for shea butter products, but they offer so much more. If you're looking for last minute treats for the holidays or something extra special for yourself, try these little luxuries from L'Occitane.

Jewel Lip Palette

$26.00 at L'Occitane

In celebration of the new fragrance,  Fleur Cherie, L'Occitane created the Jewel Lip Palette. From the packaging to the gloss, this product is a treat. Is it a pocket watch? Is it a piece of jewelry? Is it makeup? That's all for you to decide. Inside the compact, the pink & bronze glosses contain orange blossom extract - plus, there's a bonus mirror. Honestly, what's not to love?

Pure Shea Butter Apricot Flower

$15.00 at L'Occitane

Last holiday season, I received a quarter sized tin of shea butter. Honestly, I had no idea how handy the tin would be. Since that day, I've carried it with me every day and I've applied the shea butter to heal chapped lips & skin, rubbed it into cuticles, dry elbows and even applied it as a lip balm in a pinch. This season, I'm not messing around - I'm spreading the joy of L'Occitane's shea butter tins with everyone I know. My pick is the Apricot Flower - it's fresh and feminine without being overly sweet or fruity.

What treats are you giving to those you love this holiday season?

Over the years, I've owned a lot of phones, computers, music players & various accessories that are supposed to make my life more enjoyable by promising to fulfill all of my entertainment needs. So many products, so many promises, so little delivery. Over the past few months, my working style has been in transition as my priorities are evolving. I'm spending as much time at home as I am running around the city and setting up "office hours" at a nearby coffee shop between appointments. These changes have necessitated that I not only adapt my mobile technology, but my home systems as well. That's when I discovered the Acoustic Research ARS2i Sound Dock - things have been much happier ever since.

What I LOVE about this device is that it is capable of so much more than it looks - a hidden gem. In addition to playing music from your iPod/iPhone, you can also connect additional devices through auxiliary input. For me, this means blogging in bed while listening to music or falling asleep while catching up on my favorite tv shows. As an added bonus, the ARS2i can also charge my iPhone, comes with a handy remote, has a built in handle and is complete with a backup battery.

There are similar products on the market (and have been for a couple of years), but after reading product reviews, I was always hesitant to buy them. The majority of complaints were about poor sound quality. To ensure that this product would not be one I would become disappointed in, I put it through an array of tests - from movies where things blow up to music engineered to make you feel the bass in places you never imagined. The speakers didn't fail and continue to impress.

If you don't have a blogger on your list this year, there are many others who would enjoy the ARS2i. In fact, I'm considering getting one for my mom - just don't tell her ;).

The holidays - well, they make me crazy. Not put reindeer antlers on my head or take outfit photos with tacky Christmas sweaters crazy, but obsessively applying Philosophy's Peppermint Bark lip balm and shower with Suave's Peppermint Bliss Shimmer Body Wash crazy.

Infused with peppermint extract and shimmer, this body was is enough to make your mornings jolly and keep you energized for your elf work throughout the day (I warned you - crazy!). Aside from how delightful this body wash is, the price tag is even more delightful. You can snag a bottle of holiday cheer of your very own for $1.99 at drugstores & superstores nationwide. I'm not one to point fingers, but there are similar products on the market that are WAY more expensive.

Bonus tip: Pick up a package of candy canes for a minty hot chocolate treat after you find your bliss. You won't be sorry.

Let's face it - it's December 22. If you haven't found the perfect present for someone yet, you're running out of time. A present should be clever, thoughtful and above all - useful.  That's why I love the Sandisk Sansa Clip+.

I know what you're thinking - if I were going to buy an mp3 player, I'd just buy an iPod. But consider the Sansa Clip+ for a moment. Not only is it offered in 3 colors (red, blue & black) but you can also buy it at varying size levels (2, 4 & 8 GB). Plus, you can listen to FM radio (your iPod can't do that!) and when you begin to run out of room for all your amazing music, the Sansa Clip+ offers an expandable memory slot (also something your iPod can't do). Also you can record your thoughts, soundbytes or other audio musings with the built in microphone & recorder.

The USB connectivity makes the Sansa Clip+ a no-brainer for even the most technologically challenged.  To load songs onto the player, all you have to do is drag & drop your music files from your hardrive to the player's location on your computer. Simple enough?

If you're in the last minute rush, you can pick up the Sandisk Sansa Clip+ at Wal-Mart, Best Buy & there's even still time to order from Amazon.

What's your idea of the perfect last minute present?

Peace Out

$12.50 at Origins

Admit it - every day is stressful, but that stress doubles during the Holiday season. Not only do you have to work to get everything done before you leave for the Holidays, but you have to shop for everyone's presents and deal with some sort of inevitable family drama. Origins realizes that stuff happens, but there is a way for us to deal with it all.

This Holiday season, they've paired their widly popular (and one of my personal favorites), Peace of Mind On The Spot Relief, with delighful mints in handy to-go packaging.

Holiday stress is no joke folks - pick this smart product up for everyone you know. Minty tingle, minty fresh breath and smiles for everyone. What else could you ask for?

These days, if you were to mention Guinness in fashion circles, people might instantly think of fashion icon Daphne Guinness, but there's another fashion Guinness that has been making quirky accessories since before the magic of the internet introduced us to Daphne Guinness.

Lulu Guinness is a designer best known for her signature clutch - a pair a bright red, lacquered lips. Her style is equal parts quirky, charming and delightful, with whimsical elements like flowers, birds, silhouettes and other feminine details. On top of producing darling accessories that any girl would be lucky to own, her line is affordably priced, making it accessible for almost everyone who wants a piece of Guinness.

My pick for this Holiday season are the Red Pave Crystal Lip Earrings. These studs pack a punch, lacqured & studded with red, they're sure to spice up any outfit that is needing that extra touch. Pair them with a classic red lipstick and you've made the quite the "read my lips" statement.

The Red Pave Crystal Lip earrings retail for about $65 at Lulu Guinness stores & LuluGuinness.com.