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Holiday gift ideas

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Contributed by: Tri-County Health Department on 11/20/2006

With the holiday season upon us, shoppers are always looking for a unique present, and Tri-County Health Department has some creative suggestions for everyone's gift list.

"Most of the gift items we suggest are not very expensive, but they can have great benefits for the health and safety of your family," states Dr. Richard Vogt, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department.

"Some of these items might also be given as stocking stuffers or as part of a gift basket."

Toys are the most popular gifts for kids, so choose those that keep a child's mind and body active. Some toys can be dangerous so parents must read warning labels for age recommendations and avoid any items that can choke a young child.

Gifts other than toys include warm winter clothing, reflective sneakers, ID bracelets engraved with important numbers and colorful battery-operated toothbrushes.

Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate gifts of warm winter gear, camping equipment, an all-in-one survival tool, GPS tracking device, sporting goods or a bicycle.

"Always include a safety helmet with the gift of a bicycle. Helmets are proven to reduce the risk of traumatic head injuries by 85 percent. Also consider a headlight, bell, blinking safety lights and reflective clothing," Vogt adds. "Appropriate helmets, wrist guards and kneepads should also always accompany all other active sports equipment."

Recent health-oriented books include What to Eat by Marion Nestle, Healthy at 100 by John Robbins, The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Healthy Aging by Dr. Andrew Weil and It's Easy Being Green by Crissy Trask. Kid's books include The Great Big Book of Tiny Germs by Bill Nye the Science Guy and Chew on This by Eric Schlosser.

DVDs include Who Killed the Electric Car?, An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore, National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth and the tobacco industry satire Thank You for Smoking.

Health and environment magazine subscription gifts include healthy living, gardening, parenting, active seniors, cooking, organic lifestyles, environmental sciences and nature publications.

Nature calendars are a nice gift, along with a membership in a favorite environmental organization. Or you might consider a donation to a favorite charity-one that fights a particular disease, supports the earth, provides disaster relief, or offers public health services like immunizations, clean water and basic nutrition to underdeveloped countries.

Drivers will appreciate a winter car safety kit consisting of warm gloves, cellphone, ice scraper, collapsible shovel, kitty litter for tire traction, jumper cables, first aid kit, bottled water and a spare blanket.

Seniors and aging baby boomers might like warm clothing, sturdy bathtub handrails, shower massages, comforters, heated booties, or motion-activated lights and timers. Large print items include books, magazines, calendars, crossword puzzles, address books and playing cards.

"Talking" gadgets that compensate for vision impairment include a watch, thermometer, clock, calculator, bathroom scale and books on tape.

The do-it-yourself person would enjoy a programmable thermostat, insulating replacement windows, an earth-friendly garden composter, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, energy-efficient appliances, household fire extinguisher, rechargeable batteries, emergency generator or a kit containing work gloves, earplugs and safety glasses.

The gourmet cook might like healthy cookbooks, a BBQ fork with temperature gauge or fat-free cookware. Food baskets make great gifts, but they don't have to be full of fattening cookies or candy. More nutritious items include fresh fruit, meats, cheese and crackers, canned goods and wholesome home-baked goodies.

Donations of non-perishable food are always welcome at food banks, and go a long way to help needy families in our own area. Santa could stand to lose a few pounds, so physical fitness gift ideas include sporting goods, exercise equipment, step counters, health club memberships and exercise videos.

And don't forget the family pet, with an ID tag, a reflective collar, microchip, healthy chew toys, or a donation to a shelter or clinic.

A complete section of gift ideas as well as warnings from the Consumer Product Safety Commission are available on the Tri-County Health Department website at www.tchd.org.

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