Adventure gift ideas

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