Nov 10
15
Christmas Gift Ideas For Hikers
It’s that time of year; the air is crisp and cool and the leaves are falling when thoughts turn to the holiday season. Many of us are anxiously awaiting the first snowfall of the season. Inevitably, this brings thoughts of Christmas and Christmas gifts. To some this causes a bit of stress, to others excitement and to most of us a mixture of both feelings. If you have an outdoor enthusiast in your life, read on for some great Christmas gift ideas.
It’s such a great feeling to come up with that perfect Christmas gift idea for those you love. You know it when it happens, that warm knowing feeling of the perfect gift selection. Just imagine the look on the face of the gift recipient. Genuine joy and happiness shows on their face. You know you did a great job of choosing the perfect Christmas gift. Other family members are thinking, wow, I wish I would have thought of that gift. The key to great gift giving is knowing the person you’re giving to. Knowing what they do in their day-to-day lives, do they love to read? Do they cook? Love wine? Travel? Are they outdoorsy? If so, what type of activities do they engage in? Are they into hiking? Cycling? Backpacking? Skiing? If you learn the answers to these questions, it’s a cinch to make a great Christmas gift choice.
When you find out that the person you’re buying for is an outdoor enthusiast and in particular a hiker or backpacker it opens up a whole world of Christmas gift ideas. For hikers, a new backpack from Osprey backpacks is a sure hit. Socks from Smartwool are great stocking stuffers. What about a ten essentials gift stocking? Take a extra large hiking sock and pack it with some or all of the ten essentials (see list on the left). A hiking GPS device would really pack the prize-winning Christmas gift punch. Hiking apparel is another idea that can’t go wrong. The avid hiker can never have too many fleece jackets, rain jackets, hiking pants, hiking shorts, base layers, hats and gloves. Does your friend/family member hike with their dog? If so, there are dog backpacks, hiking booties, traveling water bowls and hiking snacks for their best friend.
Many of these gift ideas can apply for backpackers, rock climbers, cyclists and skiers. If you give some thought to the person and their interests and hobbies, you will become a gift-giving hero and your thoughtfulness will be remembered for years to come. Christmas gift ideas are not necessarily easy for some but with a little thought and effort it is so rewarding for the gift giver.
