So you want to buy a gift and you find two websites, with similar products. One has video footage showing you the products in action, the other doesn’t. Which website would you buy from?

Let us know! Fill out this quick poll at http://polls.linkedin.com/p/29902/gvezw

Little Librans (and Taureans too) have a real sweet tooth. (If CSI took the DNA from the little noseprints on the cupcake display window, I’d be willing to bet they’d find a bunch of wide-eyed Librans. And that’s just the adults.)  So they might like the pretty, swirly name plaques from Celebrations n Sweets. Another gift they’d swoon over is a makeover party (although it’s best if they’re over 5 or they might start eating the eyeshadows).

Scorpio children can be a little hard to read, being irritatingly good at keeping secrets. You can always get plenty of insight into them with a BabyStars report. They love to know how things work and will get right into Where Did I Come From type books, playing Doctors and Nurses or Mothers and Fathers from a very young age (and then never stopping, really). They’ll enjoy poring over those endlessly fascinating cutaway books, such as ones on the Titanic, and other mysteries.  Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie and other detective stories will thrill your pre-teens.

Little Sagittarians are impatient to see the world and meet its inhabitants. Even if it’s just an overnighter up to the Central Coast, they’ll be thrilled to have their own bag. They might enjoy learning a new language while homebound kids could have a blast playing cowboys and Indians with their own teepee. Do save your sanity and washing machine from exploding by ensuring these tots wear only machine-washable clothes. Mud, grass, food and other stains stick to them with alarming regularity.

Capricorn children are a bit like Brad Pitt’s character in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: born old, becoming more childlike as time goes on. They usually adore their grandparents so something that helps them understand where they came from (ah, not in the same way your Scorpio child wants to know), could be a cute way to help them bond. They cringe at overtly cutesy, “babyish” stuff and take themselves rather seriously, wanting to hang out with the adults. Take them to an antiques market to let them to select something for their birthday. They’ll feel very grown-up and you’ll be in no danger of them bringing home a 7-foot purple Dorothy the Dinosaur toy.

Aquarian children are always a little bit different. Even as babies, there will be something about them that will stand out from the sea of little faces – and their parents often dress them uniquely, too. They’re surprisingly humanitarian and egalitarian at a very young age. Why not give them something that helps support a community? The older ones are a little suspicious of mass-market items.

Pisces children can spend HOURS daydreaming and being off in their own world. A dress-up chest full of fancy dress costumes could be a big hit! These soft-hearted creatures would adore saving and selecting an unwanted puppy or kitten from the local RSPCA. They also respond well to murals and music – anything that takes them out of reality. A little aquarium could be a favourite present although they will need to be old enough to understand Nemo needs feeding.

The very cool blog Cool Baby Kid has just compiled The Ultimate Personalized Gifts Ideas for Kids Guide - and I’m thrilled that my BabyStars gift reports for parents has been included in the list which gathers the best around the world in monogrammed, personalised and/or customised gifts for children.

I had a great time checking the product reviews on these products! Here’s my take on what sorts of gifts for babies and children would suit the different Sun signs.

If you have a little Aries munchkin, they’re pretty unlikely to sit still during feeding time in their high chair, at the dinner table – or come to think of it, when they’re adults as well. You might increase the chances of them hanging around for a more few nanoseconds of “here’s the MiG fighter plane” as you attempt to spoon in another serve of pureed pumpkin with the personalised plates from La Plates. Watch them wolf it down to see their name on the bottom of the plate!

Snoopy’s Linus and his blanket were probably based on a Taurus child. Cuddly, snuggly tactile little Taureans love their security blankets, taking them everywhere, shrieking if you try to wash that mud-infested old thing. They love anything soft to touch and will quite happily suck their thumb and/or blanket. Give ‘em one that’s personalised all about them - 200 characters in total (that’s almost a bed-time story in itself) on all four satin-trimmed edges from  Fill In The Blankie.

I gave one of these personalised story books from Storybook Stars to my Pisces niece and Leo nephew and they were a big hit (as I imagine they could be with all children going through that “the whole world revolves around me” stage which lasts until they’re about, oh, 23). Nevertheless, it should thrill your Gemini child who loves to read and it’s a nice way to stave off the “But why, Mum?” and endless knock-knock jokes that can bring on wine-o-clock a few minutes earlier every evening.

The child who winds him/herself around his/her mother’s legs and won’t let go at daycare, is often a little Cancer child. Shy, sensitive and afraid of strangers, Cancers prefer to size people up quietly before befriending anyone. Anything that makes them feel safer is always a lovely gift. They can be slow to get off the boob (ahem, nothing really changes for the men) which makes these personalised dummies at My Pacifier a cute, inexpensive gift. A nightlight would be good, too.

Leo children were born ready for their close-up. And you might be one of those parents who take endless photos on their digital camera and never get around to printing them, or you have printed them and they’re in a shoebox or something. It’s hard to go past the service from Little Star Video which turns your photos (and even their favourite songs) into a family video that your Leos will watch over and over and over, giving you a temporary break from The Wiggles. Plus, you can screen it at their 21st or whatever.

When I saw the incredibly spotless children wearing monogrammed pinafores, I thought, “who ARE these children? Mini Stepford Wives?” and then thought hey, this would appeal to a lot of little Virgo children. Unlike Aries or Sagittarians who seem to find new sources of mud every day, Virgo kids can stay surprisingly clean, making one of these outfits not such a waste of money. They also enjoy helping you around the house, doing their homework and eating their vegetables. Although one day you might come home and they’ve alphabetised your spice rack and colour-coded your CDs… Anyway, one of those toy vacuum cleaners could be a bit hit, too!

Next post: Baby gifts for Libra through Pisces

Genetically blessed pair, supermodel Gisele Bundchen and footy player Tom Brady are getting married for the second time in as many months with a two-day wedding celebration in Costa Packet (sorry, Costa Rica) this weekend.

Gisele has Venus (love, beauty) opposite Neptune (glamour, photography, illusions) so she can be a bit of a romance junkie but she’s no fool for love, with Venus square Saturn, pointing to some tough relationship experiences.

But perhaps she should have left well-enough alone with their first wedding date.

This Saturday’s wedding date features a retrograde transiting Venus in Aries opposite her natal Mars in Libra (which suggests relationship issues over jealousy, flirting etc will be a regular theme) and the transiting Mars in Pisces in her second house of income opposite her natal Jupiter in Virgo in her solar eighth house of shared resources suggests squabbles over excessive spending as a couple. Someone  may be waaaaaay too enthusiastic about dipping into their joint bank accounts.

I was delighted to see Han Solo (sorry, Harrison Ford) FINALLY proposed to Calista Flockhart on Valentines Day!

These two have been dating for 8 years – a lifetime in Hollywood standards – so congratulations! I wonder if Han/Harrison took along a little pre-engagement present on their weekend away to spice things up?

Right now we’re all undergoing Venus retrograde in Aries – the key time to resolve recurring relationship issues. And the last time Venus was retrograde in Aries was oh – EIGHT years ago! – in March 2001. What was happening for you this time 8 years ago?

If you’ve been holding a torch for someone who’s unavailable/non-committal/been dangling you on a string for the last 8 years, the time to make a choice is between now and 18 April. (Come on, you must have read or seen He’s Just Not That Into You by now.) And if you’ve been incredibly, unbelievably single with no real partner of your own in that time, that too could be coming to an end by late April.

And this just in: Bruce Willis has married his stunning dark-haired model girlfriend Emma Hemming in the Caribbean. Lots of people get married under Venus retrograde. I wonder how many men marry someone who looks just like their ex-wife.

Mariah Carey has put in an undisclosed offer on the world’s most expensive mansion, Fleur de Lys in Beverly Hills, ahead of her birthday on 27 March, letting one real estate agent retire immediately.

Listed at $US125 million, the 15-bedroom pile is inspired by the Vaux le Vicomte palace outside Paris. Mariah and her new husband, rapper Nick Cannon like that there is “nothing to do” to the home which features Italian marble walls, French limestone floors, gold-embossed leather wall coverings, gold-leaf crown mouldings, two kitchens and a screening room for 50.

Mariah’s a super-competitive Aries with Mercury (communication) and Venus (love, beauty) also in Aries which can make for a real look-at-moi! behaviour.

With her Mars (drive, energy) in Taurus (money, possessions, music), conjuncting a super-driven Saturn (fears, insecurities, weaknesses to be overcome) also in Taurus which in turn opposes a spending-knows-no-bounds Jupiter in Scorpio, this is a classic combination of never knowing when enough’s enough.

In September 2010, transiting Saturn in Libra will oppose her natal Sun in Aries and conjunct her natal Uranus in Libra which could mean a lot of stomping around on those marble floors for her and Nick. Luckily, they have a lot of bedrooms in which to sulk.

In the meantime, they’ll probably have to buy a lot of furniture to fill up all those rooms. With her Venus in Aries and Moon in Scorpio combination (you look at the Venus and Moon signs in decorating choices – I’m guessing Nick won’t get much of a choice), she’ll want decor that evokes drama, sex, even more gold and “I’m ready for my close-up” mirrors everywhere. I’m also expecting a lot of leopard print.

Her poor friends! It’s not like you could turn up with a pot plant as a housewarming gift.

If you’re a keen shopper and like to buy gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Halloween, Christmas (any gift excuse at all, really) throughout the year (ahem, like me), Sunday 22 March is a GREAT day to buy electronic items with the very helpful Mercury conjunct Uranus in Pisces aspect.

This is ideal for finding unexpected bargains in those JB Hi-Fi/Apple/Radio Shack type places full of electronic gizmos and I’m sure you’ll find a) a salesperson jumping out of their skin to give you a bargain, b) something new and amazing to impress your gift recipient (that is, if you can keep your cotton-pickin’ hands off it before you get home), or c) both.

Try your luck in the morning up until lunchtime while the aspect stays strong.

PS You know how there always seems to be a Star Trek convention on somewhere in the world? Today would be ideal for it. And it just so happens to be James T.Kirk’s (aka William Shatner/Denny Crane’s) birthday which seems very fitting.

If you have an Aries in your life, the Sun moves into Aries on Friday 20 March which means it’ll be their birthday soon enough.

So what does an Aries like? If they’re a typical little Ram, in conversations they’ll joke, “Enough about me – what do you think of me!?” When they’re excited and on a roll, it’s hard to stop their excitement about their plans. And if you haven’t made any plans for their birthday, they’ll be crushed.

Aries of a “certain age” might appreciate a do-it-yourself autobiography while others would be happy with personalised items. Red is usually their favourite colour – what about a red handbag, gym bag, shirt, t-shirt, or killer boots? Or get them something cool from the RED range and support AIDS vaccines getting to the people in Africa? (Or, ahem… LoveStars reports have a red hardcover and they’ll be all about your Aries and you…)

Most of them fancy themselves as GI Joe action men/Bond girls on the loose etc so give them something that makes them think they’re out conquering the world or at least polishing up their spy skills (hmmm, well to be honest, Scorpios make better spies as they can keep a secret – most Aries are painfully honest).

They tend to have a high sex drive. like to be seen as sexy and appreciate lots and lots of ego-stroking so a sexy novel in which they star, could be music to their ears (come to think of it, it would be a great gift for read-everything-in-sight Geminis, too).

Do NOT under any circumstances, give them something you’ve re-gifted, gotten at a garage sale or dusted off from your mum’s attic. It’ll kill ‘em. They prefer brand-new – every time.

Gifts and inheritances – as well as deceased estates -  attract capital gains tax in Australia. and death duties in other countries.

I was thinking about Australian businessman James Packer who inherited the very weighty gift of a multi-billion-dollar estate by his father, the late Kerry Packer when he died on Boxing Day, 2006.

Like other mutable signs this year (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) born in 8-18 March, June, September or December,  Virgo James is being affected by the Saturn in Virgo-Uranus in Pisces opposition. Unlike other signs, he also has a lot more to lose – billions, in fact.

On Today Tonight, they profiled the progress of his Crown Casino in Macau, and his yet-to-be-finalised City of Dreams Casino opposite. It seems the only thing that is being hammered is his super-sized wallet. Building has paused thanks to the global financial crisis, and China is cracking down on the exit of funds from its banks.

James has natal Jupiter (fun, generosity, enthusiasm) in Leo (love, children, recreation and gambling). He is a generous-spirited man who really puts his heart into his pet projects. While he is not a actual gambler like his famous Sagittarian Dad, he IS gambling on the casino being a huge financial success.

In February, transiting Neptune (illusions, glamour and addictions) opposed his natal Jupiter suggesting there are elements to his massive casino project that he’s not aware of. In mid-April, his natal Jupiter will oppose transiting Jupiter in Aquarius. Jupiter rarely knows when to say no and stop which suggests his exuberance for the project may get him in trouble.  He could easily “go for broke”.

Also in February, his natal Pluto (power, obsessions, taboos) conjuncted with transiting Saturn (the stern school principal/cop/grumpy grandfather of the zodiac). It’s likely people behind the scenes were warning him to stop or at least reduce his expansion plans (or were secretly undermining his ability to succeed). As Saturn is retrograde until 19 May, he can ”look forward to” a re-run of this in August when Saturn has retraced its steps.

This month, James is also currently being hammered by transiting Saturn in Virgo conjuncting his natal Sun (a prime time when everyone wags their finger at you disapprovingly),  and Uranus in Pisces opposing his ntal Sun (making him incredibly impatient to be independent and blast his own course).

It’s hard enough right now to be a mid-month-born mutable sign, feeling frustrated or disappointed thanks to the lingering Saturn-Uranus opposition effect, but when you’re a famous figure like him with all the world able to see and judge your mistakes, my bet is he cannot WAIT for 2009 to be over.

When it comes to baby gifts, it’s really quite hard to beat the simple act of kindness by Salma Hayek. She married billionaire luxury goods company CEO Francois-Henri Pinault on Valentines Day 2009, so she’s in a powerful position to change lives.

During her recent visit to Sierra Leone, Africa to see the poverty first-hand, she came across a starving African baby boy.

Salma is a well-known advocate of breastfeeding, but it wasn’t the couple’s 16-month-old daughter Valentina that she breastfed, but the starving baby, while the cameras for the current affairs show Nightline rolled.

Salma is a Virgo, which is the sign of service, health and work. And her Jupiter (the planet of abundance and generosity) is in Cancer (the sign of home and family). When you get helpfulness, generosity and nurturing rolled into one, it’s no real surprise she decided to give the most practical, generous gift of all.

Virgo is a real roll-your-sleeves-up-wade-in-and-do-something-useful type sign. Someone with a similar planetary line-up might choose to build or repair houses, or provide child care services, for example. Baby gift ideas closer to home could include giving the new mum a break with home-cooked pasta meals that can be quickly reheated when she’s too tired to make anything.