Listening for Astral Gift Vibrations

Would Mom prefer a pair of fuzzy slippers or a cell phone for Christmas? Psychic Suzanne Wyman claims her sixth sense, a “God-given gift,” will be helping her guide holiday shoppers this weekend.

And, says Wyman, she doesn’t even have to meet Mom to know what she wants.

“Gift giving is usually about what the giver wants the other person to have,” said the Fullerton seer. “The fun is going through step by step how you feel about the person you are gifting.” (A birth date is also helpful, she says.)

We gave her service a trial run the other day, using our father as a potential giftee. Wyman deemed him a “visual person” and a “good communicator.” Hmmm. Not too sure about that, unless by visual she means an avid reader of the financial pages, and if, by communicator, she means handy with e-mail. She did say he has been a great supporter of our work, which is true.

After a brief phone consultation, Wyman suggested a new camera or a photography book for Dad. Wouldn’t have been our first thought, but hell, beats the usual tie or PJs.

The psychic shopper will be available for free consultations from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the town of Orange’s Block at Orange mall. Her colleague, Stephanie Hayden, will be at Ontario Mills from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.

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Not willing to brave the mall? Cyber holiday shoppers can always consult a Magic 8 Ball for gift-giving help. And now there’s one online, believe it or not, at https://www.astrohoroscopes.com.

We logged on and asked the virtual advisor if Dad wants a photography book for Christmas. To our surprise, it said yes. Either our dad has a hidden photography fetish (no, not that kind) or these psychics are in cahoots.

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While we are on the subject of mysticism, a comment about power-bead bracelets, the elasticized strands of stone beads that supposedly bring health, success, courage and so on: The trend is getting a little out of hand (pun intended).

At Robinsons-May the other day, we spotted power-bead watches and even earrings, and we fear it won’t be long before we see power beads on pooches.

Jeez! People will believe anything at the end of a century. Maybe if we all wear garlands of dried figs around our necks it will keep the Y2K bugs away!

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Happy birthday to L.A.-based Fashiondish.com, celebrating its first anniversary this weekend. For the dishiest free gossip about who in Hollywood is buying and wearing what, this cyber spot and its queen bee, Anne Marie Otey, are stylin’. Check out the “gala” best- and worst-dressed issue, which Otey says will be posted today after noon at https://www.fashiondish.com. We can hardly wait.

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Although the Supreme Court may be wary of classifying tobacco as a drug, children aren’t. Seven of 10 kids want the federal Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco, according to a poll conducted by Scholastic, a global children’s publishing and media company. More than 165,000 children voted in the poll.

Booth Moore can be reached at booth.moore@latimes.com.