By Bill Sniffin, publisher
The Christmas season is a wonderful time of year. And besides the obvious religious reasons we celebrate the holiday there are gifts to give and to receive.
When Christmas gets close, here are the Do’s and Don’ts of gift buying for men in Wyoming. Buying gifts for men is not nearly as complicated as it is for women, according to my witty friend Aggie.
First, remember the three rules of shopping locally – first, it helps the economy; second, you will see all your friends; and third, you will be stunned to see the outstanding selection being carried by your local stores.
Next, always keep in mind that not everyone is having as good a Christmas you are. Is there someone you can help? Of course, there is.
And finally, my wife and three daughters say that I am impossible to buy for. Because of this, I am including some tips for last minute Christmas shopping for Wyoming men, which were sent to me by my friend, Aggie. Although these guidelines sound suspiciously like an old Dave Barry column, she contends it was anonymously sent to her through the Internet with some Wyoming editing.
So here, are last minute tips for buying gifts for a Wyoming man:
#1: The best gift of all is a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. Aggie says she has a friend who owns eight and he has yet to complain. As a Wyoming man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why.
#2: If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love saying those two words. “Hey George, can I borrow your ratchet?” “OK. By-the-way, are you through with my 3/8-inch socket yet?” Again, no one knows why.
#3: If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car, a 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of deicer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.
#4: You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money buy your man a big-screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips, and flips, and flips.
#5: Do not buy any man industrial-sized canisters of after-shave or deodorant. Wyoming men do not stink – they are earthy.
#6: Buy men label makers. Almost as good as cordless drills. Within a couple of weeks there will be labels absolutely everywhere. “Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink.” You get the idea. No one knows why.
#7: Men enjoy danger. That’s why they never cook – but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100-pound propane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. “Oh, the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?” Men love chainsaws. Never, ever, buy the man you love a chainsaw.
So, there you have it, Aggie’s seven rules for buying Christmas gifts for Wyoming men. However, this really does sound like a Dave Barry column so he deserves the credit, I think. Have a wonderful Merry Christmas, everyone.
This is also a time for me to plug all those groups who are raising money this time of year for the needy. My wife Nancy has spearheaded the annual Christmas Food Basket drive here for decades. Over 300 teeming baskets of food are delivered by the Elks Club. Folks running the program are Deanna Trumble, Kevin Green, and Dick and Julie Lefevre.
Check out your town for local food banks, Salvation Army efforts and food pantries. Also toy and coat drives for the needy.
John Davis of Worland sends along a nice list of local Wyoming books. “I’m a member of the Awards Committee of the Wyoming State Historical Society. Every year we meet to give awards, which is a fun exercise, because we get to review all the best books written about Wyoming in the previous year.” He recommends the following award winners:
Fiction: Great Lonesome, by John Nesbitt, Torrington. Nesbitt is a first-rate fiction writer.
Biography: George W. T. Beck: Beckoning Frontiers – the Memoir of a Wyoming Entrepreneur, by Lynn Houze and Jeremy M. Johnston, Cody. Buffalo Bill Cody was not the only exceptional character in early Cody. George W. T. Beck was one of the giants of the era, and working closely with Cody he framed the vibrant community we see today.
Non-Fiction Book: Homesteading and Ranching in the Upper Green River Valley by Anne Charles Noble, from Cora, Wyoming, and Jonita Sommers from Pinedale. A good overall history of one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in Wyoming.
Other great books are by the Gears of Thermopolis, Craig Johnson of Ucross, CJ Box of Saratoga, Sam Lightner Jr. of Lander, Karen Schutte (formerly of Big Horn Basin), Jordan Peterson, Steve Horn, Cat Urbigkit, John Washakie, Mary Billiter, Gayle Irwin, Zac Pullen, John Davis, Dave Bell, and others. I apologize for those whom I have omitted.
