I had never heard of Niko before this week… now I’ve binged the entire season and my son is 1/4 the way through the show is that good. Think a super kid friendly version of Samurai Jack blended with Thundarr the Barbarian.
Niko and the Sword of Light follows 10-year-old Niko, the last of his kind in a strange, fantastical world, as he embarks on an epic quest to defeat the darkness and bring the light back to his land. Armed with his magic sword, brave Niko journeys to the Cursed Volcano, making new friends and powerful foes along the way, all while uncovering secrets about his mysterious past.
The show features the voice talent of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Andre Robinson (Doc McStuffins), Steve Blum (Star Wars: Rebels), Kevin Michael Richardson (The Penguins of Madagascar), Jim Cummings (Shrek), and Kari Wahlgren (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness). Based on the motion graphic comic by Imaginism Studios, Inc., the studio behind character and concept designs for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Men in Black 3; and Studio NX (The Carrot and Rabbit Show, Tree Fu Tom), Niko and the Sword of Lightis animated by Titmouse (Motorcity, Metalocalpyse) and executive produced by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Teen Titans), who also serves as showrunner.
The holiday season’s upon us, and as a dad and husband myself, I know it’s not always the easiest to sort through all the products out there and pick out a good present for your wife/help the kids pick out a present for mom. Let us help you figure it all out– check out our top picks for wives’/moms’ gifts in 2014:
If you’re looking for a new tablet for mom this holiday season, the Amazon Fire HD 7 Tablet is the one to pick! The Fire HD 7 comes packed with excellent features– front and rear facing cameras, unlimited cloud storage, a fast quad core processor (up to 15GHz!), and a great selection of digital content– that are sure to make it a staple of everyday life for mom. Pick one up today and make the 2014 holiday season her best ever!
Want the customization and quality of a DSLR with the on-the-go simplicity of a pocket digital camera? Samsung’s NX Mini is the world’s slimmest and lightest interchangeable lens camera, giving you great quality images with rich color, without compromising portable design. The large 1-inch 20.5MP BSI CMOS Sensor delivers shots which are bursting with sharp detail even in low light. The ultra slim & light design with a solid premium metal body makes the NX mini is exquisitely modern with just the perfect touch of analogue. And if you’re big on social media interaction (who isn’t these days?) the camera’s Smart Wi-Fi features let you share a just a quick touch!
What mom doesn’t love (and deserve) a good cup of coffee in the morning? The Keurig K550 2.0 Brewer allows you to brew larger amounts of coffee than a standard Keurig, so there’s plenty for mom to share too (maybe!) This coffeemaker puts your preference first, allowing you to brew over 250 varieties of beverages, including coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and more. This high tech coffeemaker also includes a large customizable color touch screen display. The standard kit includes a 4 cup starter carafe, 4 k-carafe packs, 6 KCup packs and 2.0 Water filter starter kit with one filter– everything you need to start brewing right out of the box!
The Dyson DC59 Motorhead is the latest Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum. It out-cleans most full-size vacuums across hard floors and carpets– without the hassle of a cord! In addition to its awesome cordless technology, the Motorhead also has a direct-drive motor in the cleaner head (hence its name). It generates 75% more brush bar power than Dyson’s DC59 Animal, and its centralized weight pushes the nylon bristles deeper into the carpet to remove ground-in dirt. The cleaner head also has rows of ultra-fine, anti-static carbon fiber filaments to remove fine dust from hard floors. And because there’s no belt needed to drive the motor, the entire width of the cleaner head can be used for cleaning – increasing coverage. As an added bonus, the Dyson DC59 Motorhead comes with additional tools for specialized cleaning– mom’s sure to love one this holiday season!
Perfect for when it’s time to kick back and relax, the supersoft crossback top and pj pant of our Pillowtalk Tank Pajama set are cute, comfy and just right for late-night—or all day—lounging. Glam graphics and punchy prints will make this duo your wife’s favorite way to unwind. The supersoft cotton pj pants and tank top combo also comes with a matching eye mask to make naptime even more relaxing for the woman you love. Surprise her this holiday season with a set of these pajamas and the gift of an afternoon or evening off– she’ll be thrilled!
A sweet gift for mom from the kids, the Helen Ficalora “Mom” Disk Charm with a Diamond comes in three varieties– 14K yellow gold, 14K white gold, and 14K pink gold– so you can pick the one that matches mom’s style the best! Just one of the wide array of Helen Ficalora Must-Haves, this charm would fit perfectly on a necklace or accent bracelet, and looks elegant and amazing whichever way mom chooses to wear it!
Just what mom needs in the flurry of holiday cooking, the KitchenAid Artisan Designer Series stand mixer performs various functions, from whipping to blending. This stand mixer has 10 speed settings, which can be adjusted as per the requirement. It has a 5-quart glass bowl, in which your food is processed to perfection. The included accessories like dough hooks, whisk and flat beaters enhance the functionality. The KitchenAid 325-watt stand mixer has a tilt-back head that lets you access the mixture easily. This mixer has a non-slip base that provides maximum grip during its operation. Some of its parts are dishwasher safe, so maintenance will be a snap!
Does your wife take a ton of cell phone photos? Groovebook is an app that prints up to 100 of your mobile photos every month, creates a beautiful 4.5″ by 6.5″ photo album from them, and mails it to you! Photos are printed on glossy paper, and each page is perforated for easy removal. You can choose which photos get used (and how many of each) and after your selection, receive your Groovebook in the mail within 10-12 days! You’ll never need to go to the store for professional-looking prints again!
The Sephora Favorites Rollerball Collection for Her is a collection of some of Sephora’s most popular women’s scents, each one enchanting, stylish, and luxurious. Inside this box, you’ll find five samples, including some of our most sought-after women’s fragrances plus a stylish Beauty Pouch. Choose your favorite, and then take the included scent certificate to any US Sephora store to redeem for a full-size bottle of your favorite featured fragrance at no extra cost! It’s a great way for your wife to sample some of Sephora’s best before picking her new favorite!
What mom doesn’t deserve some pampering from time to time? Give her the gift of wellness this holiday season with a gift card from SpaWeek.com! Available in whatever denomination you choose, SpaWeek’s gift cards are accepted at over 8000 locations nationwide– so mom can choose just where to take her day off!
Specializing in value-oriented wines, the Wine of the Month Club is open to anyone who has an appreciation of fine wine and is interested in a monthly wine club service. They offer quality wine delivered to your door, guaranteed!
The search for wine club selections never ends. Each month they taste over 400 Italian wines, German wines, California wines, Argentinean wines, Chilean wines, and wines from all the other regions of the world—and just two are selected to represent the best wine values in the world. This holiday season, give your wife a membership to the Wine of the Month Club, America’s favorite wine club.
A perfect pairing with the Wine of the Month Club, a subscription to the Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club will give your wife a tasty cheese in the mail every month! Every month, the club sends you three approx. ½ lb. Artisan Cheeses, as well as a monthly newsletter with detailed tasting notes, cheese profiles, cheesemaker histories, and serving suggestions. The Gourmet Cheese Club offers a variety of traditionally made, farmhouse cheeses from around the world every month, delivering hand-cut selections that have been carefully tended and aged directly to your door!
Surprise your wife this holiday season with a great getaway! Whatever exotic location you’ve got in mind, JetSetVacations.com has you covered– and for a great price too! Browse their hot deals for a last minute sale or choose your own vacation destination and book in advance… either way, JetSetVacations.com will help you find the best deals out there.
As earphones engineered for athletes, PowerBeats are the only Bluetooth enabled earphone designed to deliver premium sound on the court, in the gym, or on the streets. Stylish and functional, mom will love some PowerBeats to wear while working out or running– get her a pair of them this holiday season!
A great choice for keeping the temperature in mom’s room just right, the Dyson Hot + Cool fan heater provides the fastest whole room heating in winter and high velocity air to cool in summer. It uses Air Multiplier technology to amplify surrounding air for long-range heat projection and to produce powerful airflow for personal cooling. There are no blades – just an uninterrupted stream of smooth air. In heater mode, two PTC ceramic plates heat the air as it’s projected into the room. These plates never exceed 392-DegreeF, so they don’t burn dust and there’s no worrying burning smell. The temperature can be set to the degree, from 33F to 99F and the airflow velocity can be precisely adjusted – either at the base of the machine or from the remote control, which attaches to the machine magnetically. The Dyson Hot + Cool fan heater draws in up to 6 gallons of air per second, generating high airflow and air velocity, for improved personal cooling. The machine cuts out automatically if it’s tipped over and there are no visible heating elements or blades. Both visually appealing and effective, the Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater is a perfect pick for mom this holiday season.
Near and dear to my heart, Suzanne Cohen Photography is a great choice for your family’s holiday photo session– and what better gift is there for mom than gorgeous and high-quality pictures of her family? Suzanne uses her unique perspective to capture even the smallest moment transcending a stunning portrait that will be cherished and admired through time. Using New York City as her backdrop, Suzanne uses her photoshoots to capture her clients, big and small, in a natural and beautiful state. If you’re in the New York City area and want some family photos for mom this holiday season, Suzanne Cohen Photography is the place to go!
The holiday season’s upon us, and with all the toys and games out there, it can certainly be tricky to sort through all the products and pick out a good present. Let us help you figure it all out– check out our top picks for kids’ gifts in 2014 (and be sure to check out our gift guides for boys and girls as well!)
Looking for a durable and dependable tablet for your kids this holiday season? Check out the Amazon Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet! It’s got the technical specs covered– featuring a quad-core processor for great performance, a vivid HD display, front and rear-facing cameras, and Dolby Audio– and it also comes with an unprecedented 2-year worry-free guarantee from Amazon, as well as a year of Amazon FreeTime! The Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet includes a sturdy, lightweight “kid-proof” case so you don’t have to worry about your little ones breaking it… and with a free year of Amazon FreeTime, they’ll have tons of fun with unlimited access to 5,000 books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—at no additional cost! The Amazon Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet is a great tablet for you to give your kids without having to worry about damage, add-ons, or accessories.
For the first time ever, the full Skylanders console video gameplay experience is available on your tablet device! Now kids can bring the Skylanders to life, defeat villains and trap them wherever you go using the ALL NEW Wireless Traptanium Portal and Wireless Game Controller that comes with the Tablet Starter Pack. In Skylanders: Trap Team, Kaos has blown up the walls of the feared Cloudcracker Prison, freeing the most notorious villains in Skylands. It’s up to the Skylanders to find and capture them. Using Traptanium, a magic material that can harness the power of the Elements, your kids have the amazing ability to trap the villains and return them to Skylands to fight on the good side! As always with Skylanders, it’s a fantastic game and a holiday favorite with kids!
Everybody loves Minecraft, and with Jazwares’ new toys based on the game, your kids can bring their favorite elements of Minecraft into the real world! The Core Player Survival Pack includes Steve (the game’s main character) in his basic leather armor, as well as the game’s iconic Pick axe, Sword, Workbench, Bed, Chest (that opens to hold items!), and Torch. It’s got everything a Minecraft player could want to start their real-life Minecraft play!
Though its big draw is the addition of the new Marvel Super Heroes (like The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Spider-Man) there’s plenty of Disney fun for everyone to enjoy in the new Disney Infinity 2.0! Featuring new characters like princess Merida from Disney/Pixar’s Brave, Tinker Bell, Donald Duck, Aladdin and Jasmine, and more, Disney Infinity 2.0is a great choice for all the kids on your list this year! Kids will love the game’s myriad opportunities to explore and build worlds based on their favorite Disney and Marvel movies and tv shows!
What’s the hottest board game this holiday season? It’s SpinMaster’s Boom Boom Balloon, the crazy game where you take turns keeping the balloon from popping! Roll the die, and carefully push in a stick until it clicks. Watch as the balloon changes shape – will the next click make it pop? It’s the ultimate game of anticipation where you never know when the balloon will go BOOM! Pick one up and share some fun with your family by playing it after your holiday dinner– what a treat!
This holiday season, your little one can enjoy the magic of transforming ice cubes into tasty treats with the Disney Frozen Snow Cone Maker based on the loveable snowman Olaf. First, simply add the flavor powder and water to the flavor bottle to make a delicious, sugar-free syrup. Add ice cubes to the snow cone maker and crank the handle to make “snow,” to which your child can then add as much flavor as he or she wants. Ideal for making Frozen treats in summer or any time of the year, the snow cone maker is styled to look like Olaf from the hit Disney film for a toy that will melt hearts. It’ll surely become a year-round staple in your house if you’ve got kids who love Frozen (and who doesn’t?)
Your young rider will love the 360° electrical ride of the Razor PowerRider 360 Electric Three-Wheeler, which features dual inclined rear caster wheels for great drifting and 360° spinning action. The hand-operated front brake provides sure stopping, and the high-impact front wheel gives stability and power. Your young one can ride for up to 30 minutes per charge at speeds of up to 9 mph for three-wheeling fun– if you pick one of these up this holiday season, your child will be itching for the second the warmer weather hits so they can test it out!
Another great ride-on to check out this holiday season, the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dune Racer is designed for up to two riders and designed with two forward speeds and a reverse speed. This battery-powered ride-on is built with safety concerns in mind, and features a Power-Lock brake system and metal sidebars for your child to hold onto for support. The racer’s Monster Traction system allows the car to safely travel across wet and rough terrain, providing for an excellent and fun ride no matter where your child is driving it. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphics and colors, along with the faux chrome wheels and grille, help your little one drive in style!
This holiday season, splurge on your child’s creativity– with the Crayola See-Thru Light Designer! The Light Designer provides a fun, interactive creative experience that lets children add real-life objects to their art! The two reusable transparent panels provide plenty of space to draw and doodle light-up art. To take the fun to the next level, your child can place objects, pictures, or even family and friends behind the panels to combine their art with real life. A great choice for ages six and up, the See-Thru Light Designer takes three AA batteries (sold separately) and comes with four markers.
Ever wanted a good quality camera that’s easy for kids to control and can withstand the treatment they’d give it? Bemo to the rescue! This camera is designed to fit in the palm of your hand and shoot with a single touch.
Each camera is rugged, water-resistant, wonderfully portable and comes in three fun-loving colors: Moroccan Red, Manhattan Black, and Mykonos Blue. Whether you clip it on, keep it close with the lanyard, or slip it easily into your pocket, Bemo lets you capture the everyday, the epic, and everything in between. Get one for your kids this holiday season (or buy one for yourself too– we won’t judge!)
Any kid would love a robot as a present, and this holiday season, WowWee’s RC Robot MiP is just the robot for the job! MiP has an inquisitive and responsive personality communicated through motion, sounds, and RGB LED eyes. With his unique dual wheel balancing, MiP is able to navigate his surroundings, follow hand gestures, and even follow objects around! Unique dual-wheel balancing, fast speeds, on the dime turning, and hand gesture command recognition makes MiP a fantastic robotic friend for all! Also included is a tray accessory that can be plugged in so you can watch MiP balance multiple objects while moving or standing still. MiP has multiple robotic modes including Roam, Stacking, Dance, and Programming.
The above video gives an advance look at the upcoming Amazon exclusive children’s show Creative Galaxy. Made by the creators of Blue’s Clues, Creative Galaxy is a romp through various types of arts and crafts (like clay, pipe cleaners, crayons, and so on) that follows characters Arty and Epiphany as they travel across the Creative Galaxy and inspire kids to make art of their own. The show, now available on Amazon Prime Instant Video, features the voice talents of Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills 90210), Brooke Shields (Lipstick Jungle), Samantha Bee (The Daily Show), Jason Jones (The Daily Show), and Cloris Leachman (Malcolm in the Middle). Check it out with your child, and explore your very own Creative Galaxy!
Niko and the Sword of Light follows 10-year-old Niko, the last of his kind in a strange, fantastical world, as he embarks on an epic quest to defeat the darkness and bring the light back to his land. Armed with his magic sword, brave Niko journeys to the Cursed Volcano, making new friends and powerful foes along the way, all while uncovering secrets about his mysterious past.
Samsung NX Mini EV-NXF1ZZB4HUS Wireless Smart 20.5MP Compact System Camera with 2.96-inch LCD (White), $539
Keurig K550 2.0 Brewer (Black), $174.99
Dyson DC59 Motorhead Cordless Album, $420.11
The Pillow Talk Tank Pajama, $39.50
KitchenAid Artisan Design Series 5 Qt Stand Mixer, $299.99
Groovebook Photo Albums, $2.99 per book
Sephora Favorites Rollerball Collection for Her, $85.00
SpaWeek Gift Cards, $25, $50, $100, or Choose Your Own
Wine of the Month Club, Prices Vary
Dyson AM05 Hot + Cool Fan Heater (Blue), $319.00
A Photo Session With Suzanne Cohen Photography, Prices Vary
Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet, $119.00
Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack, $54.99 
Minecraft– Core Player Survival Pack, $16.99
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) Starter Pack, $59.96
Boom Boom Balloon Board Game, $15.26
Disney Frozen Snow Cone Maker Olaf, $26.99
Razor PowerRider 360, $159.99
Fisher-Price Power Wheels Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dune Racer, $249.99
Crayola Light Designers– See-Thru Light Designer, $14.98
Bemo, $129
