For the last few weeks, we’ve been highlighting great Olympic souvenires where proceeds go to support the athletes of the China Olympics Team.

* More ideas about how to give away a gift, pls see my site: www.123giftfactory.com

While most of us can’t jet off to Beijing for opening ceremonies today, you can get your own Olympics souvenir with various great gifts featured with Olympic Games Colors, such as the official mascot plush toys, Olympic pins, a metal replica Olympic torch, a Athens design paperweight or stress-balls, and so on.

So, let’s see which gift idea in this Olympics season we favorite?

For Your Little Kids

- Beijing Olympics Mascots (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Even if your kids don’t know badminton from taekwondo, they can still appreciate the Olympic spirit in the form of these cuddly fuwa (that’s Chinese for “good luck dolls”). These colorful critters represent some of China’s most popular creatures. There’s BeiBei the fish, JingJing the panda, YingYing the antelope, NiNi the swallow and HuanHuan the Olympic flame. Put their names together and you get “Welcome to Beijing.” These pocket-sized collectibles are certainly a step up from mascots in the past, and are great way to educate little ones about the Olympic games and Chinese culture.

Fuwa, The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carry a message of peace and friendship to children all over the world. Representing the five colors of the Olympic Rings, Fuwa express the playful qualities of children and are characteristic of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow — and the Olympic Flame.

For Your Friends

- Beijing Olympic Pins (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Olympics Pin Trading has been around since the first modern Olympics in 1896. The first “pins” were originally cardboard discs that were designed to identify athletes by their countries, officials, and the press. Some Olympians that year started to trade their own badges with others as gestures of goodwill, and a tradition was started. To the right, you see an image of a judge’s pin from the 1900 Olympics in Paris.

In the next few decades, more official pins were created to identify different groups, from the International Olympic Committee to members of the media. The pins started to become more stylized and resemble jewelry and eventually were produced for sale to spectators as well as participants. By the time of the 1924 Summer Games in Paris, the concept of the Olympic Village began, and so participants in the Olympics started to exchange their countries’ pins in earnest.

From 1933 to 1936, more than 1 million pins were sold to the public to help underwrite the games in Germany. To the right, you see the very rare pin from the 1936 Berlin Games. In 1940, even though the Olympics were cancelled during the war, pins were still produced.

In 1968’s games in Mexico City, the pin with a clitch to fasten the pin to clothing, which has become the norm today, was introduced. Pin collecting and pin trading took off in a big way in the Lake Placid Winter Games in 1980 and the Los Angeles Summer Games in 1984. Since then, it’s become an international event in itself.

Here are some pins from this year’s Olympics in Beijing, for sale from the official shop of the US Olympic Team. These all have the official Beijing 2008 logo. Unlike with other pin shops, you can be sure these proceeds will go directly to support our athletes. Just click on any pin, and you’ll be brought to the Olympic Store to buy it.

For Your Parents, Teachers or other Eldership Persons

- Beijing Olympic Torches (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Couldn’t get near the real Olympic torch as it made its way round the world? Still keen to hijack the sacred flame for your own political ends?

Hey presto – stage your own Olympic protest with this splendid metal replica torch – only £221.19, including a small Perspex base.

NB Heavy-handed policemen and ex-sportsman torch-bearer not included.

Or

- Beijing Olympic Paperweights and Stress-balls (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Paperweights and stress-balls are so Athens 2004.

The must-have desk toy of 2008 is a 1:1200 replica of Bird’s Nest in gold-painted aluminum – a steal at just £153.55.

If that’s not enough to impress the drones who work under you, splash out a little extra on a foot-long glue glass replica of the Water Cube on a classy glass and metal plinth (£298.23).

Then, when you bag an inflation-busting bonus, blow a chunk of it on a Beijing 2008-branded replica Ming vase in hand-glazed porcelain.

If you can’t manage to claim the £3,799 back against tax, you need to get yourself a new accountant.

For Your Babies

- Cute Baby Olympic One-piece and Bib for the Future Olympian (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Is there a little 0 to 6 month old in your life who already crawls at world record pace AND who already loves to hit, dive, jump, and dribble with the best of them?

Here’s the cutest little gift from the US Olympic Shop. It’s a little one-piece and bib for an infant with the Team USA Olympic Rings and the words “FUTURE OLYMPIAN” across the front in maroon on both pieces. Both are 100% cotton, and the bib has a velcro closure.

For Your Girlfriends

- 2008 Beijing china tea set (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

I believe that girls or women are sure to be impressed by a Beijing 2008 china tea set, decorated with illustrations of unisex tumbling gymnasts and straining pole-vaulters(about US50 ).

Then, for those big nights out the Cambridge Arts Theatre, what about a necklace of fake pearls with a Beijing 2008-logo clasp (about US30)?

The must-have look autumn/winter 2008? A poly-cotton lime-green tie with a discreet in-laid pattern of the Olympic rings. .

Considering of money saving, accessories it with a set of tinny Beijing-branded cufflinks in dull metallic grey – US$8 the pair.

For Your Boyfriend who like Football

- Want to also have an Olympic athletes T-shirt? (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

If you look at pictures of the Brazil or Argentina athletes in the Olympic Village, you’ll see them wearing these very stylish polo shirts, T-shirts …from Nike, of all companies.
The shirt has the official Olympics logo on the right chest, the Nike swoosh on the left, and the words ‘Beijing” on the left sleeve to commemorate the 2008 Games. It’s an extremely comfortable and light shirt, made of 65% cotton and 35% polyester (also known as NikeFIT DRY for its comfort and its ability to let your skin breathe).

At a reasonable price of $44.99, it’s certainly more affordable than the polo shirts with the horses. And of course, a portion of your proceeds goes to help the great USA Athletes who have been doing our country proud throughout these last 12 days.

For Yourself

- Have an Olympic Ball from China (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

These are three souvenir balls from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, specifically a souvenir basketball, souvenir soccer ball, and a souvenir volleyball.

They’re all regulation-sized, so you can use them for playing these three sports. But they also make great souvenirs from the Games, as they also come with the official 2008 Summer Olympics logo, the words “Beijing 2008?, and the Olympic Rings on them, as well as the official mascots BeiBei, JingJing, HuanHuan, YingYing, and NiNi. You can read all about the meaning of the logo and the story behind the mascots here.

If you are into war games then you are most likely going to find the airsoft guns the best bang for your buck, so to speak. Realistic, life like guns that fire small but safe projectiles that reduce the injury rate of BB guns or paintball guns. These are becoming the main staple for war gamers. Unless the gun is fired at very close range, these are the safe version for gaming all over the woods or in the fields.

Using your tactical experience and your ability to put together defensive and offensive plans with your team will come together to determine the outcome of the game. The realism of the gun adds to its accuracy. Once you get a handle on how far your gun will fire you will be able to fire with greater accuracy.

Using airsoft guns to play a safer war game is not the same thing as replacing your paintball gun with an air pump BB gun. In fact, these days you can get a BB gun in the airsoft version for safer and property friendly toy guns. An air pump BB gun can still do quite a bit of damage when fired at car windows, animals, and even people. Airsoft guns are not the upgraded version but a safer way to play.

Whether you choose the spring loaded, the gas charged, or the electric charged version, you are buying a newly accepted form of play gun. These simulated weapons have been around for a long time, and they are far from newly developed, but they are newly accepted throughout the war gaming community.

Gas powered guns deliver a high degree of power and simple component use that makes them the prime gun for the serious weekend warrior. Usually filled with an environmentally friendly gas element, there is a charge time needed to power up the gun before the beginning of the game.

These are more expensive airsoft guns than the spring loaded version, but they also don’t require loading for each and every round. They do have a poor reputation of reliability when the temperature drops. Some people have reported problems as warm as 50 degrees. Others have found that the gun delivers more than reasonable reliability in climates where frigid temperatures are rare.

You can have a lot of fun playing war games and practicing your tactical skills over the weekend, but remember that these guns look like replicas of the real version. Simply using some common sense will keep all of us out in the woods keeping the war games alive and well. Those who ignore common sense courtesies as well as laws risk the fun for all of us.

Airsoft guns are replacing the BB gun as well as the paintball gun, which naturally extends their use for target practice no matter which version you choose. While the safety measures have been received successfully by many war game enthusiasts, the realism of the gun is prime, and the various price ranges allow war gamers to play on almost any budget.

Author: Anthoy Carter enjoys the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

There isn’t a moviegoer in the world today, young or old, who hasn’t seen a gun yielding villain (or hero) in a movie and wished they could have been in at least one scene themselves. However, no one would want to cause any real harm to anyone else, which is where airsoft guns come in handy.

These guns are harmless copies of real guns, and an airsoft version exists for almost any type of gun out there, big or small. Airsoft guns are made in such a way that their usage imitates real guns as much as possible. They even let you experience blowback, which is the recoil action that persists after shooting a real gun. Airsoft pellets are used as ammunition in these guns.

While airsoft guns are technically classified as toys, there needs to be some understanding of their working and the risks they pose. The pellets are made of plastic and travel much slower than real bullets, which is why they cannot penetrate the skin and cause any real harm. Weak spots in the body, however, are the eyes, which need to be protected by eye goggles during all times of play.

It was in Japan that airsoft guns first went on the market. Naturally, because they were a brand new release, they cost quite a bit of money. However, they became more and more common, so the price came down drastically.

Manufacturers began to realize how much people loved airsoft guns and began working on how to improve their shape, shooting accuracy and overall performance. The result is that airsoft guns now look and feel so similar to real ones that even veterans have trouble picking the two apart.

Military and Law Enforcement: These guns are being used by government divisions as well. Their resemblance to real guns means they can be used effectively in real life situations, and their performance is good enough to train military personnel.

In places like Europe, some policemen aren’t allowed guns. Airsoft guns make a suitable substitute in such cases because they can be used as a scare tactic in case of a problem, and criminals can be caught without being killed.

There have been accidents though, such as when Bruce Lee’s son was killed when blanks in an airsoft gun were replaced by real bullets. They are now being used more cautiously on sets.

While initially they were seen as just gadgets for adults, they have come to much more important uses in many different areas. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is that using them has to be done carefully to prevent injury. Keep in mind the caliber of the gun being used, and use it in a safe environment. Always wear goggles and you should be just fine.

Author information: Anthony Carter enjoys everything about airsoft guns. If you want to find great airsoft gun then JD Airsoft Guns is where you should look.

Complexity of construction and uniqueness of design are the primary attributes of Airsoft Guns which serve as the nearest replicas of their original real counterparts, so as to provide maximum authenticity and exhilaration during participation in Airsoft Games that have a military war games flavor to them. However, instead of the lethal ammunition, these are loded with pellets and BBs.

You can get all the materials required for the game in the store in your locality and collect your airsoft gun and related accessories. You need high quality guns, AEGs and other equipment to be self sufficient in the game. You can also browse through the internet and find reliable websites to get these accessories at a competitive price.

You should know that each airsoft gun has an orange tip as required by the government guidelines and discarding it will tantamount to violation of government rules. The rule also defines that an airsoft gun can be purchased by a person only when he attains an age of 18 years.

Several varieties of guns are available for the lovers of this sport. People, who are keen to play games, usually go for the Airsoft Sniper Rifle to experience the adventure of the sport. The general types of airsoft guns include springers, gas and the electric. The Springer type of the gun requires the player to cock the firing spring before every shot is fired. In the gas type of the devise, compressed gas is used to push out BBs.

The electric type is the latest and uses a motor to do the pulling back of the spring between the shots. This one is favored by most of the participants both beginners and experienced. Many companies are engaged in the manufacture of airsoft guns and you can make your selection from them. You can choose from a wide range of real image pistols, assault rifles and big air soft rifles.

The collection of real looking but an absolutely non-lethal yet majestic replica of firearms for shooting sport is normally known as Airsoft. The purchase of an airsoft gun requires high degree of knowledge about the technical ability of a particular piece to deriver complete satisfaction. Price is always a factor for quality. If it is for the first time use, the beginner should go for a low priced model. Professional’s players, taking part in competitions, use the highly sophisticated models of airsoft guns which are very expensive.

Airsoft draws its name from the collection of non lethal authentic replica of weapons for shooting sport. Technical knowledge of the firearms will go a long way in the right selection of your equipment. As a thumb rule, beginners should preferably start with a lower priced model and work their way upward with experience. The beginners would do well to select a technically simple model, with a low price for their initial foray into this sport segment.

For the first time start practicing with an ordinary airsoft gun and get acclimatized with the sport. You need experience to do better in this game, so take a little bit of training form the seniors if you can mange one. This adds to your favor for enjoying the sport of airsoft guns shooting.

Author Information: Anthoy Carter is enticed by everything airsoft and knows alot about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find an airsoft gun.

At the initial stage of using an airsoft gun, you should concentrate on learning the various rules and tactics to use the devise perfectly. You come to recognize several functions of the sport so that you are able to participate in competitive sports. Starting with an ordinary gun like the airsoft rifle or a pistol would suffice your need.

Later, when you become friendlier with the sport and are willing to take part in a competition, you will need some powerful guns which are really expensive. There are several cheap kinds available in the market for your selection and you must know some details about airsoft guns. These guns are replicas of original weapons manufactured for entertainment purposes and use only non-metallic pellets. The mechanism is spring-driven, compressed gas driven or by an electric motor. It is an absolutely safe sport and suitable for the age group of 18 years or above.

They use different mechanisms in their operations and are know with different names. Several elegant companies produce these guns for purely amusement purpose for the young people. They look like the real weapons and fire plastic bullets known as pellets. These pellets do not injure the skin normally and are safe as a sport. The main thing of interest in the gun is the resemblance to the real-life weapon.

The manual type is the spring powered model which needs the manual action to pull back the cock with the firing of the shot like the ordinary rifles seen elsewhere. The pistol model also needs manual pulling of the slide to get ready for the fire. This sort of gun is perfect for the newcomer in this line to get used to this sport. They are known as low-powered guns and come very affordable. The beginner finds it extremely suitable to start with the game of airsoft guns. You just have to drop in a store in your vicinity to collect a devise like this and begin your training.

There are low-powered replica guns which cost lesser than the high quality guns and are used by the new candidates to learn the game of airsoft guns. There are several benefits for the spring assisted guns, which can be used both in cold climate and underwater. This is not possible for the battery assisted replica guns. It is the spring assisted guns that you should purchase to get accustomed to this sport so that you can take part in tournaments and use sophisticated replica guns in future.

The spring assisted replica gun uses one shot and for every shot, you have to pull the cock to launch the pellet and bolt it to make a shot. This mechanism is used in all ordinary guns and is suitable for practice by a fresher.

The classic airsoft guns resemble older type of guns and are gas powered. They cost a little bit more than the usual AEG and are generally fitted with long range barrel. All the guns bear red dot sights for short range and telescopic sights for long range fire. Magazines look like the real ones with metal stamped or plastic coated materials. Magazines are of three types’ standard, low-capacity and high-capacity.

Hybrid guns are new improvements on previous models as the classic ones are replicas of older rifles. Hybrid guns use the latest shell casings and red cap to throw sound and smoke with every shot to create a real atmosphere. The birth of airsoft gun is mainly for recreational purpose and it makes young generation happy by creating a real-life appearance.

Author: Anthoy Carter loves everything about airsoft guns. Visit here to find the best place to get airsoft guns online.