Creative gifts for kids, annual public radio auction in latest Net Notes

Adventurous gift-giving, help with finding the right gift and a unique auction highlight this pre-Valentine's Day edition of Net Notes.

• Gift Venture (www.giftventure.com)

Your gifts will be long remembered if you hire Cupid himself to contact the recipient with instructions on how find the present. If you miss this chance, you'll have a pirate, princess, dragon, unicorn or Santa at your beck and call to pen personalized notes to children of all ages in advance of receiving a wrapped surprise.

Steve Mock, who describes himself as a long-distance doting uncle, is behind Gift Venture. He said he felt obligated to give his nieces, ages 9, 6 and 3, gifts each time he saw them.

"No matter what I gave them, they'd rip the paper off, toss it on their pile and go off and play," he said. "Whether it was an expensive or cheap gift, it was always the same response."

To change the gift-receiving experience, Mock said he decided to write his niece a note, saying a green leprechaun had stolen the gifts, and he needed her help to find it.

"Every couple of days I'd send another letter with information about the stolen gift," he said. "This lead to great anticipation."

The last clue led his 4-year-old niece to a letter on a tree in a local park, and the gift, Mock said.

"Those gifts (with letters) they never, ever have forgotten," he said.

Mock decided to give others the chance to make gift-giving more fun, so he launched Gift Venture in November.

"I can't tell who is happier, the kids or the parents," he said.

Cost of the service is $14.95 plus shipping, which includes three personalized letters with basic information like a favorite game, local landmarks and who the gift is from. The letters lead the recipient to the present, which is hidden in advance. The order form takes about five minutes to complete.

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, Mock said he's offering Nevada residents a 45 percent discount on the service and rush shipping charges. Customers should use the word "NEVADA" as the promo code in the checkout procedure.

• Gifts.com

If you're lost in a search for a perfect gift, start at this site's "Personality" tab, which will guide you through a fun survey to help pinpoint someone's style. This leads to creative gift ideas that you may not have considered.

The site is a portal to hundreds of merchants offering e-commerce on purchases for your favorite person or pet.

• Nevada Public Radio online auction (www.knpr.org)

It's the fifth time the local NPR folks are offering unique auction items. Bidding began Monday, and runs through Saturday.

Nearly 300 items are up for bid, including lunch with yours truly, so bid early and often.

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.