I am starting this post with the definition of "handy." Why? Because I posted over on Care2 about the semantics of gender words and "handy" was one of the hot words. Here's the definition:
Handy - Skillful in using one's hands; manually adroit.
For those of you who are scratching your head and totally ready to ditch the whole post if I don't give you the meaning of "adroit," here it is:
Adroit - skillful or dexterous
OK, vocabulary lesson over. What can I say? Once a teacher, always a teacher.
We know that people who love to work with their hands have their fair share of aches and pains. Rejuvenating gifts like heat applications, lip balm and moisture cream are the perfect soothing gifts for all the "handy" people on your list.
DIY Heating Pad and Hand Moisturizer
Using an old pair of pants, a sewing machine and rice, Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made created this heating pad with pockets to tuck a book or reading glasses in. Here's her tutorial. Add a DIY holiday tag with heating instructions and include some DIY moisturizing hand cream and a DIY lip balm and your gift is complete!
Note about the cartoon: This drawing was used with permission from New Yorker Cartoonist, Danny Shanahan. Danny's a good friend of mine and when my "handy" husband, Ted built a deck to surround our wood-fired hot tub, Danny gave us this cartoon. Danny and I also worked on a humor book together called, Some Delights of the Hudson Valley (I've got a short story included in the collection). Wow, this would make a fine non-DIY gift, don't you think?
Photo: Cathe Holden