Christmas Gifts (any holiday gift)

[Swing]

Since we are almost at Christmas, do you give any presents that could be considered a survival or prepper item?
I need to make some jerky for some family that always enjoy it. And a small radio for a grown grandson for local area communication.
I like to also give good flashlights. And any type of solar small battery so they are available for recharging phones and tablets.

 

[Cindyd]

I tried to get all useful things this year and giving things like ammo, good quality knife, tools for my boys that I don't they have already, other items like food I have canned myself (apple butter, jelly/jam, fresh homemade bread) for friends, might make some candy/fudge. I made some jerky not too long ago and it's almost gone already, doubt I'll make any more before xmas though. Was going to to go in and get my oldest a new gun he wants, but have decided he can get it on his own, (too expensive), plus I need to get a new one for myself, LOL.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I made some jerkey and smoked cheese recently and several jars of fire pickles. Today I'm making up a batch of ketchup and tomorrow I'll make some smoked habanaro hot sauce, laced with ghost and scorpion peppers. We make up gift baskets for the kids and bil and sil. For the grandson I bought a trapper pack basket and traps. Wooden models for both grandkids, fishing poles and walkie-talkies. Plus we're sending some cash for their investment accounts.
The grandkids birthdays are in March, they'll be 7 and 8. For their birthdays we're getting them kayaks, a rock tumbler, GPS and metal detectors. Plus I'm making them a small wooden boat, 10 footer.
Everyone else buys them cheap plastic Chinese junk. Whatever we get is quality made and meaningful stuff.

 

[DrHenley]

I often give flashlights, knives, multitools, that kind of thing. Male relatives are getting multitools this year.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Last year I gave my wife an Aerogarden. I think she’s up to 5 now.

Son is getting a set of restored 100yr old cast iron this year. Old ones are much better than the new ones to cook in.

 

[Dani]

When Granny came to live with us, I inherited her handwritten cookbook along with her mother, Great Mother. Granny had copied all of Great Mother's recipes and then added in her own over the years from different family members and friends along with newpaper/magazine clippings. This year, we have made copies of all of Granny's recipes to put in notebooks for the boys. This will be a very special gift for them. They all thought very highly of their Granny. We have one, son #2 that loves to cook. My plan is to give him her original, and us keeping the copy notebook.

 

[bill harrell]

Dang, I got mine new sticks.

 

[Survivor_316]

Pretty much all of our gifts are pepper gifts except the kids each get a couple things that are just for fun. We usually give them things to learn a new skill- leather working kits, sewing kits, etc. This year, they're also getting new "backpacking" packs because they've outgrown their others.

My husband is getting a book on gunsmithing. I'm getting more row covers and one surprise. Another loved one got some random reloading items and one got a stoneware fermenting crock.

And my husband bought himself a new pistol.

 

[Mister Krinkle]

https://odditymall.com/bat-and-shield-self-defense-nightstand

 

[DrHenley]

Now we can read stories about people who brought a night stand to a gunfight.

 

[Bacon112179!!]

Now we can read stories about people who brought a night stand to a gunfight.

I love lamp.

 

[ameliaaria]

A small radio, flashlights, and solar-powered battery chargers are all great gift ideas for people who are interested in survival or preparedness. These items can help them stay informed and connected in an emergency situation, and ensure that they have a reliable source of food and light. Additionally, solar-powered battery chargers are a great way to ensure that electronic devices stay charged even when the power is out.

 

[Survivor_316]

Any new ideas for 2023?

I feel like my kids are good on prepper stuff. I might get them each a new knife.

My husband is so grumpy when it comes to gift giving, he never wants anything. It drives me crazy. But I still haven't gotten him that crossbow. I am thinking about getting my pa a new shotgun.

My mama, I can't figure out, though.

 

[GaRp58]

Too early for me still

 

[Survivor_316]

Oh, man. I like to have everything done by Thanksgiving so I can enjoy all the Christmas festivities. I love Christmas time, but I don't like shopping with crowds.

 

[DrHenley]

When I was working, we always went to my parent's house in Mississippi for Christmas. I'd leave after work on the Friday before Christmas so I could hunt Saturday, and the wife and kids would come later.

I'd stop by a Walmart on the way late Friday night and pick up a hunting license and buy all my Christmas presents. No crowds. Just me and the late crew most of the time.

 

[Psalm7]

I go to Midway USA each year and see what Cold Steel items they have on sale . Get several for extra Christmas gifts . This year I got a few of the Bushman knives . Last year it was the roach bellies and micro bowie knives .

 

[Proud Prepper]

I'm giving all my conservative family and friends a silver round and a jar of hot pepper jelly.

 

[Oddcaliber]

My great nephews are getting Swiss Army Knifes and great niece gets a gift card.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

As an Swiss and just an half hour driving away from the factory of Victorinox i have to say it's an excellent choice.

 

[Oddcaliber]

I have quite a few Swiss Army Knifes myself. One is a Wenger.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Wenger belongs to Victorinox too since a few years.

 

[GaRp58]

I enjoy the companionship of a Victorianox type leatherman tool with an additional screwdriver set and a leather pouch that I got in Germany at a fleamarket. The widow was selling this special edition to the company of BMW where her husband had worked and gotten for 30 years of work in the same company. It will go to my son one day, maybe for Christmas.

 

[Helen Back]

All nice to have. I am going to be gifting cans of spray foam. If nukes, or chemicals are dropped, they will be great for sealing off a home. Don't forget to seal off any outdoor venting for your HVAC. In WA, you have to have a 10% fresh air intake on your HVAC. They will also help keep your home warm if the power goes out. Also, keep your chimneys in mind.

 

[Proud Prepper]

All nice to have. I am going to be gifting cans of spray foam. If nukes, or chemicals are dropped, they will be great for sealing off a home. Don't forget to seal off any outdoor venting for your HVAC. In WA, you have to have a 10% fresh air intake on your HVAC. They will also help keep your home warm if the power goes out. Also, keep your chimneys in mind.

You need air. Be ready to have filtered air for your home. Filter out the fallout particles.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Got the granddaughter a pocket knife and a small trappers basket. We got both gkids tackle boxes full of tackle. And a book on weather. We're thinking about getting the gkids metal detectors, sluice box and gold pans too. Also going to open up brokerage accounts for both kids and a few shares to get them started investing. The gkids are 7 and 8 so it's time to get them started. 2 years ago we open up bank accounts for them. We add $$ to them every Christmas and birthdays.
We have never bought them any plastic junk for Christmas or birthdays.

 

[Dani]

Who knew?? I have my oldest that is turning 8 tomorrow. This may be a great Christmas gift.

https://sewingfromhome.com/best/childrens-sewing-machine/
Honestly think an adult basic machine would be better as an after thought.

 

[Helen Back]

Who knew?? I have my oldest that is turning 8 tomorrow. This may be a great Christmas gift.

https://sewingfromhome.com/best/childrens-sewing-machine/
Honestly think an adult basic machine would be better as an after thought.

We know you are planning your sweatshop. . .

 

[Dani]

Sorry this story is late. Just ran acrossed it and yeah, I got teary eyed. Beautiful story.

https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/the-christmas-rifle/Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or for those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve, 1881. I was 15 years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me, because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted so badly that year for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace, waiting for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself, and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read the Scriptures. But Pa didn’t get the Bible; instead, he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out, because we had already done all the chores.

I didn’t worry about it long, though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold, clear night out, and there was ice in his beard.

“Come on, Matt,” he said. “Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.”

I was really upset then. Not only was I not getting the rifle for Christmas, but now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at dragging one’s feet when he’d told them to do something, so I got up, put my boots back on, and got my cap, coat and mittens.

Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn’t know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be short or quick. I could tell; we never hitched up the sled unless we were going to haul a big load.

Pa was up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me, and I wasn’t happy.

When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off, and I followed.

“I think we’ll put on the high sideboards,” he said. “Here, help me.”

The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood—the wood I’d spent all summer hauling down from the mountain and all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing?

Finally, I said something.

“Pa,” I asked, “what are you doing?”

“You been by the Widow Jensen’s lately?” he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.

Sure, I’d been by, but so what?

“Yeah,” I said, “why?”

“I rode by just today,” Pa said. “Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They’re out of wood, Matt.”

That was all he said. He then turned and went back into the shed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.

Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading and went to the smokehouse, where he took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.

 

[Dani]

“What’s in the little sack?” I asked.

“Shoes. They’re out of shoes. Little Jakey had gunnysacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy, too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little candy.”

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn’t have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn’t have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn’t have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house, unloaded the wood as quietly as possibly, and took the meat and flour and shoes around to the front door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?”

“Lucas Miles, ma’am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?”

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

“We brought you a few things, ma’am,” Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children—sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.

I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn’t come out.

“We brought a load of wood, too, ma’am,” Pa said. He turned to me and said, “Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let’s get that fire up to size and heat this place up.”

I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat, and, as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes, too. In my mind, I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn’t speak.

My heart swelled within me, and a joy that I’d never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing, and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy, and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn’t crossed her face in a long time.

She finally turned to us.

“God bless you,” she said. “I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us.”

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I’d never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it, I could see that it was probably true.

I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit, and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord, the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen’s face again when we stood up to leave.

Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn’t want us to go. I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door, Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, “The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We’ll be by to get you about eleven. It’ll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn’t been little for quite a spell.”

Widow Jensen nodded and said, “Thank you, Brother Miles. May the Lord bless you. I know for certain that He will.”

Out on the sled, I felt a warmth that came from deep within, and I didn’t even notice the cold. When we had gone a-ways, Pa turned to me and said, “Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn’t have quite enough. Then yesterday, a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunnysacks, and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand.”

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen’s face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night; he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

This story is from the book Christmas Prayer written by Rian Anderson.