Do you know someone who likes practical gifts? Then these timely recommendations are for you given that Christmas is on the horizon. If none of the below recommendation strike your fancy, then there’s also the list that I made last year. The nice thing about practical gifts is that they tend to remain good gifts from year after year. This year’s list mostly concerns home-goods.
#1: High Lumen Candelabra Bulbs
I didn’t build my house. And whoever installed the light fixtures had the poor foresight of choosing ones with candelabra bulbs (smaller bulbs with smaller plugs). They are much less bright. I like a nice bright room because it makes everything feel cleaner, neater, and there’s always enough light. I can always provide accent lighting with lamps, but the overhead light needs to – well – enlighten the room. I found these 800 lumen candelabra bulbs and they are pricey, but they are better than the daily resentment of a disappointing overhead light.
If you liked last year’s custom length Velcro recommendation, then you’ll also like this year’s worm-gear clamps. Have you ever needed a heavy-duty fix that’s also fast and easy? It’s the same clamp that’s used in to affix dryer exhaust ducts. It’s great for any project that needs a quick and secure solution. It’s super easy if you have a drill, and relatively easy if you just have a screwdriver. I used mine for some mechanical elements of my golf card.
#3 Hitch Rack
What with crazy car prices, maybe you’ve avoided upgrading to a larger model. Indeed, I have a Toyota Highlander and 4 kids. It’s not bad, but going on a road trip would be hell without a Hitch Rack. It attaches to your vehicles hitch (not included) and let’s you cart stuff behind your vehicle without obstructing your license plate or your back-up camera [much]. There’s also a version that includes a weather-proof bag so that your luggage doesn’t get wet or exposed to the elements. I strongly recommend this more than the cartop containers. Those add a lot of drag while driving on highways, which costs fuel and money. A hitch rack fits nicely behind your vehicle (with no wiring necessary). It also folds up, which is nice for when you reach your destination and want a more maneuverable vehicle. But folding it does block your back-up camera. Lastly, it comes with a lock, so that nefarious characters don’t steal it off your vehicle.
When I was a kid, I mowed the lawn with a heavy, gas-powered push-mower for years. And I know that we never sharpened the blade. I recently inherited an electric push mower that I use every 2-3 weeks. It’s lighter than its gas-powered substitute, but it’s also less powerful. Whether you have less torque or just an old mower, I strongly recommend that you sharpen the blade. I did, just to see what effect it would have, and now I recommend it to everyone who will listen. It shaved about 25-33% off my mowing time.
When I was a kid, my grandma had one of these. It’s just a shovel with a long, narrow blade. I used to think that it was a superfluous adjustment to a perfectly functional standard shovel. WRONG. The standard spade-shaped shovel is great for digging and moving moderate amounts of dirt. But I recently dug up about 16 bushes that my home’s prior owner had planted. It took me nearly half an hour to remove two bushes with the standard shovel – and I nearly broke the shovel. Using a transplanting spade nicely cuts through the roots by focusing all of the power into a small area. It trebled my productivity. And this one is welded together to prevent weak points.
That’s it! Make sure that you package these in some really nice wrapping paper because they’re not much to look at on their own. The recipient may like practical things, but they still want to feel loved and special. Who doesn’t like a well-wrapped gift?
Economist Writing Every Day 