Give a Warm, Healthy Holiday
December 06, 2011
If you’re still looking for gifts to show others that you care, choose a gift to keep them warm or improve the quality of the air they breathe and you won’t need to hand over a gift receipt. As usual, the next three months will be filled with freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and chilly toes. If you have someone on your list that loves to stay warm but hates to pay high heating bills, there are several great gift options.
- Pajama warmer. Plug this fleece bag in, place pajamas, socks, towels, blankets, etc inside for 10 minutes, and they are just as warm as if you’d pulled them from the dryer.
- Slippers that can be microwaved. Sounds odd, but these slippers are made to be warmed in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and will keep tootsies toasty for hours.
- Battery-heated socks keep feet warm for up to 12 hours
- Fleece slippers, slipper socks, thick pajamas and robes.
- Hand, toe, and foot warmers--those little pouches that you just snap for hours of warmth. Great to keep in a car, purse, or backpack.
- Thick, fuzzy throws. Heated throws, similar to electric blankets, are readily available as well.
- Electric blanket or mattress pad. Make sure it has dual controls if it’s a double or bigger.
- Sweaters are a traditional gift for a reason. They’re warm! Think about giving a cardigan for easy layering.
- Space heaters warm just one room instead of the whole house.
- Heated car seat cushion. Anyone who’s ever had to leave a car outside in February knows why.
Another gift that everyone can use is better air. Air quality is one of the top five concerns of the EPA, so it’s something everyone should be concerned about. Show someone you want them to stay healthy by giving:
- An air cleaner/purifier that will remove 40 times more air pollutants than the best furnace filter. Especially good for those with breathing problems or allergies, the elderly, or new parents. You can buy whole-house models or smaller units that clean one room.
- For office use, a desktop air purifier makes a great gift. Think of all the dust, viruses, and mold you’ll be saving your loved one from.
- Humidifiers. Winter air is dry and causes dry skin, eyes, and throat. Humidifiers can also reduce the severity of respiratory illnesses such as colds.
- Radon and carbon monoxide detectors may help save lives.
- If you want to give one of the most efficient, yet low-tech, ways of improving indoor air, give a plant. Some of the best for the job include English ivy, peace lilies, Boston ferns, and rubber plants.
These gift ideas may not be as fun as some others, but they will be appreciated. Who wouldn’t want to stay warm all winter long while knowing the air they breathe is clean and healthy?