As the song says, it’s that time of year; Christmas is just around the corner and you have no earthly idea what to get for your outdoor-loving girl. This girl may be your wife, significant other, daughter, or sister, and you are stumped when it comes to finding the perfect gift. Let’s explore some options, shall we?
What Type of Outdoors Girl is She?
A person may love the outdoors in many ways. The key to choosing the perfect gift is to know how your girl chooses to love the outdoors. So, ask yourself some questions: is your girl a serious climber? As in, ropes and harness and big cliffs or mountains? Does she love to hike serious nature trails, like the Appalachian Trail, or is she more likely to walk trails in the woods close to home? Is she a biker, as in mountain biking, or a street rider? Does she love to hike the trails in a national forest or park? Is she interested in tent camping in primitive campgrounds? Does she enjoy rafting down white water rivers? Is she a shutterbug, who takes a camera wherever she goes and takes pictures of the natural beauty? Is your girl an athlete who spends all her outdoor time on a tennis court? Determine how your girl loves the outdoors, and then start researching gifts.
Find Out What She Already Has
If a person is a serious outdoor nut, he or she will already have at least the basics of what they need to support their passion. A camper will have a tent, some cooking equipment, rudimentary lighting, a sleeping bag, and a backpack. If your girl is a camper, check out her gear; maybe she needs a new tent, or a better lantern, or a canteen – find out what she has and what shape it’s in, and this will give you ideas of what to get.
If your girl is a hiker, check out her boots. A new pair may be just the ticket. If she’s a climber, new climbing gear is also a possibility – see if she needs new harnesses, ropes, or pitons. Backpacks and canteens are also welcome gifts for a hiker.
A new life jacket is one good gift for the girl who rafts white water. A new kayak, or new oars are good choices too. New camping equipment is also in the cards, if your girl goes on long rafting trips, where overnight stays are common.
Be Creative
If you don’t want to go down the equipment route, plan an outdoors trip for your girl and surprise her with a pre-paid package, where all she has to do is go and have fun. You can get on the Internet, and search for dream trips suitable for your outdoors girl. You can also contact travel agents and have them put together a deal.
If you don’t know what your girl needs in the way of equipment, consider getting her a camera. Almost everyone has a good digital camera in their cell phone these days but they are limited in the quality of the pictures. A good digital SLR camera, or a good SLR that uses film are good choices. And yes, you can still buy film for a manual camera.
Give a Gift of Time
It’s entirely possible your girl has all the equipment she needs, and doesn’t need a new camera either. What she may appreciate the most is a gift of your time. Plan a trip for the two of you, or if you have small children, a family outing, in her favorite wilderness. Or, offer her a trip to someplace she’s always wanted to go, and go with her. However, only agree to go if you can really participate; staying in the camp while she hikes or rafts or climbs is not exactly going to thrill her.
However you choose to fill her stocking on Christmas Eve, or have Santa bring her a gift Christmas morning, giving her a gift supporting her love of the outdoors is sure to make her holiday a bright one.