I have a feeling that the following information and ideas will not help anyone this holiday season but if you have a friend/relative that is, well, like me, I have some great gift ideas for you. So really, if you have someone that is either a wife, hippy, cook, farmer, or/and poor, you may want to keep reading. Below are some of the items in my life that I couldn't live without, hopefully they help in your quest for the perfect gift for someone else.
The Farmer's Veggie Wife Holiday Gift Guide
For the Wife:
1) The Hammer/Screwdriver Pack: My mother couldn't live without hers when I was young, now I can't live without mine. It is a hammer with 3 different sized screwdrivers in the handle. Genius! My mother had one that wasn't so ridiculously decorated though.
True Value Hardware: $8.99
2) Extension Cord: So, your friend/relative is married. That means her husband hoards all the extension cords and most likely has lost them somewhere. She needs her own. You could even tape her name to it.
True Value Hardware: $3.99
3) Amateur Art: Go ahead and buy a canvas. Paint something. Get some ideas off pinterest. Frame it all nice. I am starting an amateur art wall in my house. My collection includes some local person who used to volunteer at my work and my uncle. Hopefully Mr Pep's work will be included soon.
Yourself (the best gift): $ however much a canvas and frame cost. The latter is probably a pretty good price depending on what you go with.
For the Hippy Dippy:
1) Bio Bags: These can be used for produce, dog poop, compost bags, and so much more! These puppies biodegrade, which is nice. Stocking stuffer?
Grocery Store: $6-9
2) Goodwill Gift Card: You can get a lot of good shit at goodwill. If it grosses you out, you obviously haven't found vintage mason jars, pyrex, sweet lamps, etc. Your hippy will definitely use it, even if it is for bras.
Goodwill: whatever amount you please
3) Nourishing Traditions Cookbook by Sally Fallon: This is the ultimate awesome cookbook. It has traditional ways of cooking things that include butter, chicken liver, fermented vegetables, and so on and so forth. Definitely a good choice.
Bookstore/Amazon: $20
For the Cook:
1) Pyrex: I LOVE my pyrex. I love my vintage pyrex bowls and I love my glass pyrex with lids. Can't go wrong with pyrex. That's my motto.
Amazon/Macy's/Penney's: $5-30
2) Kitchen Scale: I didn't know I needed one of these until I had one and I use it all the time. Mine is an old scale that I love the look of but you can get electronic ones nowadays for the more modern people.
Home-type Store/Online: $20-50
3) Knives: You may use your knife set that you got on Black Friday three years ago from Penney's but a real cook should really have a good set of knives. Like knives that cost $100 for one. My loving husband bought me good
knives years ago and they are still amazing (and will be for many more years)! Totally worth it. My knives are called Global and originate in Japan. You can research other brands but I can tell you mine are awesome.
Amazon: $50-250
For the Farmer/Gardener:
1) Hori Hori: This is another Japanese wonder that is amazing. This is a weeding tool that makes weeding not so horrible (if that's really possible). Any American weeding tool doesn't even compare with these babies.
Amazon: $30
2) Muck Boots: I don't actually have muck boots yet but I want a pair. Mr Pepperworth has them. He has the big ones that weigh about 50lbs each. I prefer the mid-calf ones that don't make me feel like Bigfoot.
Garden Store: $60-80
3) Garden Gloves: I may have 3 pair of garden gloves but a good pair is very important! I like gloves that serve different purposes. I have my gloves lined in cloth for the colder days. My thin gloves by Atlas for the warmer days when I don't want my hands to sweat. And, my leather gloves for pulling up those bitchy blackberries and sticker weeds. An assortment is definitely important.
Garden Store: $10-30
For the Poor Person:
1) Restaurant Gift Card: Your poor friend doesn't get to go out to eat much, at least not to some place nice. They probably frequent your Subway or Mickey D's when they venture for a meal. Get them a gift card to a nice place. Somewhere they can't wear their sweatpants.
Be nice go for $50+.
2) iTunes Gift Card: Hopefully your poor friend has an iPod/iPhone (but not an iPad, unless they won it in a contest or something). They need music and apps to pass the time away. Get them a gift card.
$25 would be thoughtful.
3) American Apparel Gift Card: Your friend probably shops at Target a lot. Hey, that's cool, I like too. But give them something new. Give them a taste of American made clothing, not those Chinese garments. American Apparel is edgy but they have some practical things and amazing t-shirts. Give your friend/relative a taste of America.
American Apparel: $40-75.
There you have it. The FVW 2012 Holiday Guide. Now go out and get something for someone else. Don't buy anything for yourself today.
