I’M UP TO MY NECK in “stuff,” which means my filter for any purchases these days—whether for myself or for holiday gifting, even—is all about their utility factor. I’m the kind of person who gives my favorite mousetrap as a stocking stuffer, even. (Not always a crowd-pleaser at first but once they use it…converts!) My test: Does the item really do something for me, and do it really well? The things on my 2018 list meet that mandate.
(The wreath up top, meant for indoor use, was made for me by my friend Pam of RetroRenovation from vintage ornaments, like this, should you be feeling crafty.)useful gifts for giving (or for you) Nitecore P12GT 1000 Lumens Compact Tactical Rechargeable LED Flashlight: We have no streetlights where I live, and power outages seem to be a regular thing, too. Maybe that’s why I’m always in search of the ultimate flashlight.
This one weighs very little (just over 3 ounces without the battery in it), but packs an incredible punch of light. (Be sure to get a “bundle” that includes the charger if it’s your first Nitecore purchase.) Looking for a lower-priced torch? I like this one from Slyde, too; not as lightweight, or bright, but plenty bright for most situations.ARS 18-inch Vineyard Lopper: As in the case with my choice of snips versus pruning shears (see them farther down the page), I got tired of over-efforting when pruning slightly larger branches with the wrong tool for the wrong job.
My big old lopper, about 10 inches longer and a pound heavier, hardly get used any longer since I bought the ARS Vineyard Lopper at just 1.8 pounds (and just 18 inches long). Much more cutting control…and the same brand as my snips and my long-reach pruner and …Cookbooks galore: Cookbook author and food blogger
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