Outdoors with Don Q: Some suggestions for 2013 Christmas gifts

With all of the crazy “Black Friday” shopping madness (shootings, knifings, fights, etc.) now behind us, we can begin, once again, to think rationally about ideas for Christmas gifts for that special person(s) in our lives.

So, if you were not part of that frenzied mob scene on the day after Thanksgiving, or if you are still scratching your head about what to get for that person, here are some “Don Q” suggestions for Christmas gifts:

Alaska Magazine
The magazine subscription rate is only $18.00 a year which includes 10 monthly issues plus a very attractive Alaska calendar.
Call Alaska Magazine customer services at 1-800-288-5892, or go to their website at www.akaskamagazine.com, click on "Subscribe," and then just fill in the required information. You won’t go wrong…I guarantee it.
It's a great way to visit Alaska, all year long, from your easy chair.

Backpacker:
A little clip light that fits on the bill of his/her baseball cap. It's a great way to find your way around in the dark of the night.
You can get the lights in different colors and they can operate for up to 30 hours on two tiny lithium batteries.
One of those is just the ticket for when nature calls in the middle of the night and you have to get out of your toasty-warm sleeping bag. I know!

California Non-Resident Annual Fishing License
This is a big ticket item that I buy every year. I buy two (one for myself and one for Elaine), plus I also buy the Second Rod Stamp for myself.

The cost goes up about five percent every year, but it is well worth it to be able to fish in the Golden State for an entire year. The 2014 version costs $124.77 for the annual license and $14.30 for the Second Rod Stamp.
Geez, I can remember complaining when that annual license was $35.

Gift certificate for an overnight stay away from home
There are some very nice choices for comfortable places to stay away from home during the summer fishing months or the fall color months, such as: Bishop Creek Lodge (www.bishopcreekresort.com) (760-873-4484).
Caples Lake Resort (www.capleslakeresort.com) (209-258-8888).
Convict Lake Resort (www.convictlake.com) (800-992-2260).
Parchers Resort (www.parchersresort.net) (760-873-4177).
Virginia Lakes Resort: (www.virginialakesresort.com) (760-647-6484).

Gift certificate to his/her favorite dinner restaurant
This is a very nice gift for the lucky recipient. It can be used at any time during the year, plus as a bonus, you can also benefit from that gift by accompanying them to their favorite place to eat dinner. It’s a “win-win” situation for you.
Our favorite eating-out location is Garibaldi’s in Carson City and a gift certificate to that great Italian restaurant is always a pleasant treat for us.

Gift certificate for the outdoor enthusiast
A gift certificate at their favorite sporting goods store. With that precious gift certificate, clutched in their sweaty hands, they can go crazy trying to figure out what to buy because the choices are overwhelming and someone else is paying for them!
My favorite store is Cabela's and if you go to their store at Verdi, be sure to say "Hello" to my friend Jamie Klund, the Retail Marketing Manager.

Hiker or backcountry traveler:
A home-made survival kit in the event they should get lost.
Be sure to include all kinds of useful items such as: a small signaling mirror, whistle, small flashlight, sharp knife, at least two ways to start a fire (flint, waterproof matches, candle, etc.), 9 X 12 plastic tarp with light cord (for making a shelter), extra socks (can be used for gloves) and munchies (beef jerky, candy bars, nuts, and packets of crackers and cheese).

Wildlife figurines:
These are great stocking stuffers that can be found on the Internet at www.bigskycarvers.com .
Big Sky Carvers’ whimsical, woodsy creatures bring humor to any stressful day with their playful charm! From Bearfoot Bears to Mountain Moose, with figurines to home décor, these popular friends delight and inspire!
Over the years, we have collected a number of their bearfoot bear figurines.

Finally
There you have it: Some Don Q suggestions for Christmas 2013.
No matter what you give that special person, remind him/her that it is not the gift that counts; it is the thought behind it. It is a gift from the heart.
Have fun shopping this Christmas season.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon he can't tell you what Don Q wants for Christmas.
If he grins and says, “Don would like to return to Valdez, Alaska to catch salmon and halibut," he has been peeking at my Christmas wish list.