Here’s a Thought: Gift Guide 2009

Yes, the crack staff here at NCV has your best interests in mind when it comes to gift-giving 2009. Check out Time Out columnist Patty Elder's Top 10 Novelty Gifts for Christmas. That’s a solid list. (And virtually all of our 2008 Gift Ideas are still available from our NCV Christmas Store!)

For those of you with more time and more questions about what to give, allow us to relieve you of the pain and angst that go hand-in-hand with Christmas shopping in our oh-so-crazy world. Well-researched and personally-tested ideas for this year!

HANDERPANTS
Yes, you read it correctly. “Handerpants” are fingerless gloves that go on your hands, but have the look and aesthetic of a pair of men’s underwear.

Are they weird? Yes. Are they offbeat? You betcha. Do they work? I have worn them twice to the gym and used them as workout gloves, and people laugh when they see them. Is that worth it? I don’t know.

I don’t even recommend them as workout gloves, although they’ve handled the strain well so far. It’s a gimmick, it’s kinda wacky, and I wouldn’t have bought them for myself. They ARE attention-getting and people laughed. If you’re looking for something fun, cheap ($11.99) and easy, click on the link below or vist Baron Bob’s website for more off-the-wall gift ideas. Or go all out and get the Handerpants and Undercap ensemble!

UCREATE
This rates as the “Gift Of The Year 2009.” I can’t believe how much bang-for-the-buck you get with this gadget.

I have no idea how to describe it. A tiny music studio, about the size of a stack of CDs, or a small sponge cake. It weighs a few ounces and it has the look of a cheap plastic gizmo. DO NOT BE FOOLED!

It’s digital, so whomever you give this to has to understand the basics (i.e., it is marketed as a kids toy playing directly into their easy access to all things digital and web-related. However, DO NOT BE FOOLED! Teenagers who like music will love it; adults who make music, professionally or not, will be fascinated; working musicians will find it exciting and cutting edge!) Once you’ve acquired basic working knowledge of the system (about 20 minutes of use), you are writing songs, building tracks, editing music and producing stuff. Amazing!

It's available online via The New Christian Voices Clean Comedy Store (I haven’t seen it in a retail store because I don’t go shopping) for less than $30. And there's a version for creating your own interactive computer games that costs only about $10 more.

KINDLE
OK. I hate myself for even suggesting this one. But I have a Kindle (actually, I gave it to my wife for Christmas last year and she gave it back to me because she “likes the feel and the heft and the texture of a real book”) and I use it all the time and it’s great. I have sheet music and novels and all sorts of reading material packed into my Kindle DX. It is truly a superior product (NO. I am not being paid by amazon.com) and comes in a couple of formats and sizes, depending on your budget and who the recipient is. I won’t go into all the details here. It’s a pricey item (about $250 to nearly $500) but for avid readers of the digital age I think it’s a can’t-miss. Which is what I thought when I bought it for my wife…

PACO
Still looking? Go to my website at www.taylormason.com and order a “Paco Pig” puppet. $29.95 includes shipping. Swine Flu jokes. Puppetry. He's the ideal partner. (He will always agree with you, He will say exactly what you want him to, and he will sit in the corner quietly when you want peace and quiet). Get ‘em while they last!

Merry Christmas!

Read more of Taylor Mason's Here's a Thought columns.