big gifts

15 Stories

This Year's Golden Globes Swag Bag Tops $500K

The Globes says it might be the 'most valuable' swag bag to date

(Newser) - The 81st Golden Globe Awards are coming in January, and despite Americans feeling the pinch in their wallets, the creators are going all out with what they're calling perhaps the "most valuable" gift bag "ever." Offerings in 2024's swag bag are valued over $500,000,...

Barron Trump Gets Rather Large Gift From Mongolia

Horse named Victory will stay in the country

(Newser) - It's a "Victory" for President Trump's youngest son, Barron. The White House says Mongolia's government has gifted the 13-year-old with a horse, which has been named Victory. Press secretary Stephanie Grisham says the Trumps are "very grateful" for the horse, which will remain in Mongolia....

$232K Oscars Swag Bag Has 'Vampire' Breast Lift

Hollywood elite to also get expensive trips, $300 personalized candy, sex toy

(Newser) - If you thought last year's $125,000 Oscars' swag bag was ridiculous, look away. The 2016 "Everyone Wins" goodie bag, presented to top Academy Award nominees by Distinctive Assets, comes in at over $232,000 this year, Page Six reports, and there's something for everyone—especially if...

Perry's Haul as Governor: $23K in Gifts

...including 9 hunting trips and 22 pairs of cowboy boots

(Newser) - Rick Perry’s salary may be $150,000 a year—but his total haul as Texas governor also includes more than a couple pairs of cowboy boots. Perry has received at least 90 gifts during his tenure, together worth at least $22,500, Politico reports. Among them are the boots...

Grandparents Face Bitter Foe: Other Grandparents

Jealousy games amount to big consumer spending

(Newser) - Baby boomers are joining the ranks of grandparents, and as usual, they want to be the best—which includes outranking other grandparents in their mutual grandchildren's affections. The competition is so fierce that it's an economic stimulus unto itself: 42% of gift spending is by grandparents, the Boston Globe...

Wade Gives Displaced Family New Home

Florida family lost all in accidental fire

(Newser) - Christmas seemed destroyed for Dawn Smith’s family after her nephew accidentally burned down their Florida home, but Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has saved it. He helped Smith move into a new home on Christmas Eve, providing furnishings, clothes, and gifts for the holidays, the AP reports. Wade’s...

Just in Time for Holidays: No Job
Just in Time for
Holidays: No Job
Nov 30, 2008 5:03 AM CST

Just in Time for Holidays: No Job

Families struggle to save traditions on Tiny Tim budgets

(Newser) - Few things ruin the holidays like losing a job. Yet that's what's happening to thousands of Americans just as they were planning to treat friends and families to gifts and holiday gatherings. The turnaround is excruciating as families struggle to save traditions on extremely tight budgets, reports the New York ...

Stevens Pleads Not Guilty
Stevens Pleads Not Guilty
UPDATED
Jul 31, 2008 12:57 PM CDT

Stevens Pleads Not Guilty

Judge sets pre-Election Day trial date, but defers ruling on venue change to Alaska

(Newser) - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens pleaded not guilty today in federal court in Washington to seven counts of corruption, the Anchorage Daily News reports. At his lawyers' request, the judge set a tentative trial date of Sept. 24, more than 5 weeks before the Nov. 4 general election. He'll rule on...

Cruises Welcome Kidman's Kid
 Cruises Welcome Kidman's Kid  
Jul 11, 2008 11:34 AM CDT

Cruises Welcome Kidman's Kid

Baby gifts include Hermes goods

(Newser) - Tom Cruise’s clan sent a huge baby gift basket to his ex-wife Nicole Kidman in celebration of the birth of her daughter Sunday Rose, People reports. Contrary to reports that Cruise filled Kidman's Nashville hospital room with flowers, he and his brood—including their two kids together—sent the...

All I Want for Xmas is a $1.6M Concert

Private Kirov Orchestra show tops new Neiman Marcus gift catalogue

(Newser) - A $1.6 million concert by the Kirov Orchestra is just one eye-popping highlight of Neiman Marcus' brand new Christmas catalogue, which is chock full of super-extravagant gifts most of us can only salivate over. The private concert for 500 includes a Steinway Concert Grand piano autographed by the musicians....

UC Berkeley Gets $113M to Corral Profs

Gift will slow loss of good teachers to richer, private schools

(Newser) - UC Berkeley will announce a $113 million gift today, which the school will use to create 100 new endowed chairs—hopefully slowing the emigration of professors to the juicier paychecks offered by private universities. The gift is unusual in that it will go straight to ordinary activities rather than building...

Michael Moore Saves, Exploits His Enemy

The director cuts a check for rival's medical expenses, uses in film

(Newser) - The man behind an anti-Michael Moore website found himself on the right end of his target’s checkbook after the documentarian dropped 12K to cover the blogger's uninsured wife's medical expenses. Jim Kenefick received the anonymous gift after seeking help from visitors to Moorewatch.com, which aims to expose Moore's...

$100 Million Here, $100 Million There...

U of I gets second huge gift in as many days to Illinois universities

(Newser) - And, as Illinois' late Senator Everett Dirksen once said, you are talking about real money. Tom Siebel, University of Illinois graduate and founder of Siebel Systems, a customer management relationship software firm, pledged $100 million in his will to the U of I.

U Chicago Receives $100 Mil Gift
U Chicago Receives $100 Mil Gift
Jun 1, 2007 9:00 AM CDT

U Chicago Receives $100 Mil Gift

(Newser) - An anonymous donor has pledged the largest gift ever—$100 million—to the University of Chicago. The gift's purpose is to eliminate student loans for undergraduates from low-income families. The donor came from a family of modest means and has, quite obviously, done well for himself . The university identified the...

Marquette Snags $51 Mil Gift
Marquette Snags $51 Mil Gift
May 4, 2007 3:00 PM CDT

Marquette Snags $51 Mil Gift

(Newser) - Raymond and Kathryn Eckstein donated $51 million to build Marquette University a new law school.  The gift is the single largest gift to a Wisconsin educational institution, topping the $50 million John Morgridge and his wife gave to the University of Wisconsin.

15 Stories