More Low-Budget, High-Impact Gifts
IT’S TIME TO ETCH
By Reed Jackson North Central
The Etch-A-Sketch Magic Screen Wristwatch is the perfect gift for anyone. If this watch could talk, I bet it would say “Look out Rolex, the new breed of watch is here!”
It not only makes a fashionable timepiece, with its clunky big shape, bright color and white knobs, but it also flips back to reveal a small working Etch-A-Sketch. It displays the time, month, date and second and also can keep anyone entertained for hours on end.
It’s great for those times in school when the teacher starts talking about stuff you don’t care about.
Too bad it’s not a bit bigger; it could come in handy during finals week, too. Just sketch in some crib notes the night before and sneak a glance during the test. If teacher sees you, quickly flip the watch face forward to avoid detection.
It’s almost like something out of James Bond. Sure, it doesn’t conceal a deadly laser beam, but the Etch-A-Sketch is almost as good.
You can find one at Boo Radley’s on Post for merely $8.95. The only drawback I can see is that you have to shake your arm like a maniac to get it to erase, but I’m willing to pay that price.
GOOD-TO-GO GEAR
By Betsy Querna
Lewis and Clark
For outdoorsy folks, REI and Mountain Gear have a plethora of gifts. Both stores have headbands for less than $6.50 and Bison Belts starting at $9.95. Mountain Gear sells hacky sacks for $6.95, Rollerblade hockey pucks for $4.50 and key chains for $3.50. For those who are outside often, you can also find handwarmers for $6.95 and water bottles with a carrier for $9.95.
REI has sunglasses for $8 as well as some ski hats for $9. They also have puzzles and games, many of which cost less than $10. For those gift-givers very low on funds, REI has bandanas for $2, map-notes blocks for $2.95 and trail-mix packets from 95 cents to $2.50.
The Eddie Bauer Outlet Store has many gifts under $10 and tons of sale items. Men’s plaid cotton shirts are on sale for $9.99 and pants are 50 percent off their original $19.99 price. Boxers, always a popular gift, are $7.99 and turtlenecks are $9.99. For friends who seem to live by espresso, Eddie Bauer sells a 16-ounce insulated coffee holder with cover for $4.99 and a travel mug for $6.99.
Books are also an excellent present, even if your friend doesn’t like to read. You don’t have to give them “War and Peace”; anything that deals with something they are interested in makes a thoughtful gift. Humorous books, such as David Letterman’s “Top Ten Lists,” Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts,” comic strip books (Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, etc.) make great gifts for just about anybody.
One of my personal favorites is “14,000 Things To Be Happy About,” a list of quirky things that make people happy. It sells for about $7.
And what to do if you’re running very, very low on Christmas funds? Make your own gifts. Even if you are artistically incompetent, you still have the potential to make great gifts.
If you have to give to many friends, make your own cards and attach a candy cane or satchel of candy. Frame a picture of you with the person for a very personalized, inexpensive gift. You could also bake batches of Christmas cookies and give them to friends. This works especially well for sending gifts to those away at college. Use what you know about their preferences or experiences you have shared to select the perfect gift.