Preparedness Gifts for Your Christmas List

Here's the obligatory Christmas gift list, targeted towards the survivalists on your list, of course...

• Firearms.  Fortunately there aren't any anti-gunners in our family so giving firearms as a gift isn't an unusual--or shocking--occurrence.  When kids are younger they get a BB gun and as they get older they usually find a .22 rifle under the tree.  For the kids who develop a real interest in competitive shooting or hunting, they will eventually find something much nicer from "Santa Claus" (like a Mossburg, S&W, H&K, Sig, etc).
• Knives.  Everyone should own a good knife.  Even grandma should carry a small pocket knife in her purse for simple things like opening packages or peeling an apple while on a picnic with the grandbaby.  A pocket knife will be something that people will own for a lifetime so make sure it is of good quality.
• Outdoor gear.  There are plenty of people in the family who participate in outdoor sports which makes Christmas shopping a lot more fun (meaning I would much rather spend my time perusing gifts at Bass or REI than at the mall).  Whether you buy some fancy new long underwear for the hunters in the group, a snowboard for Junior, or the latest gadget for the long-distance bicyclist or runner in the family, quality outdoor gear is yet another item that will be used for years and years so makes an excellent gift.
• Emergency gear.  I know.  I've been told that buying flashlights and Bug Out Bag stuff for Christmas doesn't make people say "wow!" but how can a person resist the lure of a new Maglight or a comprehensive first aid kit??  I am sure these kinds of things will be much more appreciated during an emergency than a tie or a sweater.
• Experiences.  By far one of the best gifts that you can give someone, especially the person who has everything, is an experience.  Experiences--everything from a deep-sea fishing trip to a guided hunting trip in Alaska (or something less costly and closer to home)--will be something that a person remembers forever with the added bonus that the lessons learned on these types of trips are skills that a person will be able to keep--an use--forever.

The bottom line--in my mind anyway--is that giving gifts shouldn't be something that one does just to check a name off a list but it should be done with purpose in mind.  The main purpose being that the gift has some sort of usefulness that would come in handy during every day tasks as well as during an emergency situation.