Happy Holidays! The season of gift giving is upon us, and for so many of us this is a complicated event. Some families have spending limits, some have no-gift policies, some have a "secret santa/buddy/angel" and only buy gifts for one person in the group, and some have no regulations whatsoever.
However you celebrate this holiday season here are a few ideas for gifts (either to give or put on your wish list)
1) Are you going on an Adventures in Good Company trip this year? Get our packing list early and put a couple items that you need on your gift wish list. Or help out someone else with their equipment for a trip. Outdoor gear can be expensive, so help with this is always appreciated. A new sleeping bag, synthetic or wool long underwear, zip-off pants, a nice fleece jacket or rain gear are all useful items. Don't know what would be someone's style? A gift card to REI or your local outdoor store is a useful alternative.
2) Magazine subscriptions. There are plenty of outdoor magazines (Backpacker, Paddling, Outside) or travel magazines (National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure) that the adventurer in your life (or you) can spend hours pouring over and dreaming of future trips. Magazines also help the doldrums of working out on cardio machines at the gym. Recycle it at the gym - leave it for others to read.
3) Donations. Instead of gifting each other - why not give a donation in the name of someone to help others? Pick an organization that matches the gift receivers interests (or pick a couple for yourself and let others know you want donations made to them). Do you have a real foodie in the family? Donate to Second Harvest, a hunger relief agency. An outdoor enthusiast? Try Sierra Club or World Wildlife Fund. Or, for every gift you buy for someone offset the carbon emmissions with a donation (see carboncatalog.org for more detailed information).
I am sure there are many more eco-friendly and helpful suggestions for gift giving and celebrating the holiday season. These are just a few to get you started. Think outside the box this holiday season.
Deb
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
insulated mug
On the trips that we require everyone to bring her own dishes, we often list to bring a "cup or mug". But I highly recommend to everyone to bring an insulated mug.
Plastic camping cups are small, and I have seen women who love tea or coffee fill and refill these cups many times to get an adequate amount of beverage. Plus they do not keep hot drinks hot for very long. And when you make hot cocoa or tea an entire packet/bag makes it too strong.
Metal camping cups are often a little bigger, but when you put a hot beverage in it, the metal typically gets really hot and then you are in danger of burning your lips. Again, when it is cold out, the metal cup does not keep your drinks warm. Though it does a nice job of keeping cold drinks cold.
An insulated mug is the perfect choice, even for lightweight backpackers. It may not be as small as some of the camping cups, but it doesn't take up much more space or weight (except maybe compared to the origami cups). If you get a mug with a handle you can even carabiner it to the outside of your backpack.
An insulated mug keeps hot drinks hot - really great for cooler weather camping. It keeps colder drinks cold. A whole packet of hot chocolate is perfect for your mug of cocoa - thus avoiding the refolding/saving of the packet for future use. If you are dittering about camp throughout the morning you can set your mug down with the lid on, and then come back from time to time and still drink a hot beverage, one without any extra sticks or bugs in it.
They are definitely not expensive, and I am sure we all have a couple of them in the kitchen cupboard. So, next time you go camping throw the insualted mug in with the dishes.
--Deb
Plastic camping cups are small, and I have seen women who love tea or coffee fill and refill these cups many times to get an adequate amount of beverage. Plus they do not keep hot drinks hot for very long. And when you make hot cocoa or tea an entire packet/bag makes it too strong.
Metal camping cups are often a little bigger, but when you put a hot beverage in it, the metal typically gets really hot and then you are in danger of burning your lips. Again, when it is cold out, the metal cup does not keep your drinks warm. Though it does a nice job of keeping cold drinks cold.
An insulated mug is the perfect choice, even for lightweight backpackers. It may not be as small as some of the camping cups, but it doesn't take up much more space or weight (except maybe compared to the origami cups). If you get a mug with a handle you can even carabiner it to the outside of your backpack.
An insulated mug keeps hot drinks hot - really great for cooler weather camping. It keeps colder drinks cold. A whole packet of hot chocolate is perfect for your mug of cocoa - thus avoiding the refolding/saving of the packet for future use. If you are dittering about camp throughout the morning you can set your mug down with the lid on, and then come back from time to time and still drink a hot beverage, one without any extra sticks or bugs in it.
They are definitely not expensive, and I am sure we all have a couple of them in the kitchen cupboard. So, next time you go camping throw the insualted mug in with the dishes.
--Deb
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