‘95 Gift Guide For The Home: Functional And Fun

A lot of people head straight for the housewares department when it comes time to shop for Christmas. And why not? In theory, buying gifts for the home should be easy. After all, there are so many rooms and so much stuff available for those rooms.

The trick, however, is buying a Christmas gift that’s neither too practical (and boring) nor so utterly useless it simply joins other knickknacks on a dusty shelf.

To that end, here are just a few ideas for gifts that are either aesthetically pleasing, educational or downright different:

Sometimes the best gifts are those which are meant to be opened before Christmas. For instance, the nature lover on your gift list might enjoy a set of silk and paper tree ornaments from The Bug Store. There’s a gift package of 10 ornaments that also includes a spring shipment of beneficial bugs for the garden. Called the “Stalking Stuffer,” it sells for $38. There are also smaller packages available. Contact The Bug Store, 4472 Shaw, St. Louis, MO 63110; (800) 455-2847.

Putting up the Christmas tree can be a chore. Make the job easier with a pre-Christmas gift of Swivel Straight: The One-Minute Christmas Tree Stand.

Here’s how it works: Put the tree in the stand, step on the foot pedal and swivel the tree, release the pedal, and the tree is locked in place upright. When it’s trimmed, the foot pedal can be concealed within the base.

Swivel Straight is available in the area at Home Base, Ernst, Target, Mervyn’s, ShopKo, Fred Meyer, Emporium, Montgomery Ward and Kmart in two sizes ($70-$80).

If there’s a wood carver on your list, a new book with patterns for fish might be met with enthusiasm on Christmas morning. “Pattern Book for Carving Fish” includes 18 game fish such as bass, trout, perch and sharks.

There are illustrations and step-by-step instructions, including how to paint the fish.

The 96-page soft-cover book is $14.95 plus $2.95 shipping and can be ordered by calling (800) 929-5844.

For the patriotic, order a Freedom Ring flag guide.

It adapts to standard 3/4-inch flag poles and prevents the flag from wrapping around the pole in the wind.

The Freedom Ring is $8 plus 50 cents for shipping; for ordering information, call the manufacturer, Brewer Design Service, at (800) 763-9929.

The Home & Garden TV network has produced a series of videos for its HGTV Video Library.

The topics range from “The Best of English Design” and “Great Gardens of England” to “Growing Good Roses.” Other topics include dogs and cats, doing faux finishes and decorating for holidays.

Most of the videos, which run about 45 minutes, are $19.95 (although the faux finish video is $24.95) and are available by calling (800) 448-8275.

What home doesn’t need improving, or at least repairing?

Among the many books new to the home-improvement genre this year, at least two warrant close consideration for gift lists: Home Magazine’s “How Your House Works” ($23) and The Home Depot’s “Home Improvement 1-2-3” ($34.95).

While “How Your House Works” technically is not a repair manual, it’s helpful because things are tough to fix if you don’t understand how they are supposed to work.

This book explains homes literally A to Z - attic ventilation to zone heating systems.

“Home Improvement 1-2-3” is a true home-improvement book.

Topics range from shelving to insulation, painting, plumbing, wallpapering, floors, ceilings and exterior maintenance.

Each job is illustrated with step-by-step instructions and includes a tips-for-working-smarter box, a list of tools and materials needed, and a rating of the skill level needed to do that job.

But for those with a computer with CD-ROM capability, the “Home Improvement 1-2-3” CD-version ($45.95) is even better than the book.

The format’s the same as the book plus there’s narration and animation. It’s so much fun looking at the “Home Improvement 1-2-3” CD, however, that it’s tough to actually start the project.

Both book and CD are available at major bookstores and at Home Depot.

Here’s a gift idea that will keep the recipient comfortable all winter long: a programmable thermostat.

The devices range from $50 to about $100 and, once set, they’ll turn the heat down at night and back up in the morning. That means energy savings, too.

The thermostats are easy to install: All that’s needed is a screwdriver.

When shopping, look for a model with memory backup to avoid having to reset the thermostat after power outages.

One company that manufactures programmable thermostats is the Hunter Fan Co.; for information, call (800) 971-3267.

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