One of these things is not like the other

I ran across some great gift ideas and holiday suggestions, both fun and practical, while compiling the Cool Moms Rule! Holiday Gift Guide for you, and I put them all in categories, which hopefully made your shopping simpler (or at least finding giveaways easier!).

But there were a couple items that just didn't fit easily into categories, and I want to share them with you, too!

For example: The Johnny Light. When you first hear what it does, you'll stifle a giggle--and then you'll find yourself thinking, "You know, that's a really clever idea!"

Johnny Light is a soft green night-light, attached to your toilet, which is activated by a gravity switch that turns it on when the toilet seat is raised. Yes, really!

You can just raise the seat for enough light to see by, something that the guys in my family will especially no doubt appreciate, since it seems like they don't want to turn on the light in the middle of the night to "go".

Also, considering the results of a study I read recently indicating that guys, ahem, hit the mark more often when they have a target or guide to help them, you know, aim, this is a gadget that could be popular at my own house for cutting down on bathroom clean-up time. Women will like the that aspect of the Johnny Light, while guys will enjoy the end of the ages-old Seat Up or Seat Down controversy.

The Johnny Light fits 94% of all commodes, tucks out of harms way, and installs in a minute or less. And I just love that their website plays, "This Little Light of Mine" (Johnny Light, available nationwide in Lowe's Home Improvement stores, at www.johnnylight.com, or by toll-free phone, 888-566-LITE (5483), 13.95 including batteries).

When I think "Sherpa", I used to picture a trusty mountain guide. But now I think of Sharpie marking pens.

Why? Because the Sherpa is a new attractive pen holder from Paradise Pens built to hold your (sorry, Sharpie) ugly black marking pen, the one you use for putting the kids' names on their stuff or marking shipping boxes when you move. The pen case can also be used to cover highlighters.

My only complaint about the Sherpa is that, for its size and function, the price tag seems a bit high (Sherpa pen cases, 29.95).