by Eric Harris
Another year another TTDILA Holiday Gift Guide! This year’s holiday guide is the most expansive yet and features the best and most interesting gift ideas the TTDILA team encountered during 2022. Gifts range from the practical to the lavish and most items are made in the USA. We didn’t plan the USA emphasis, it just worked out that way. There’s also a bit of a Western tilt this year. Enjoy!
Adventuring Gear
Fisher Space Pen #400 - Chrome Bullet Space Pen
$34+
The Fisher Space Bullet Pen is an iconic example of American industrial design and makes for a fantastic stocking stuffer! Fisher Space Pens are built for the rigors of space travel and have been featured on every NASA manned space flight since the Apollo 7 mission in in 1968. These pens can write on most surfaces in almost any condition (e.g., water, grease, upside-down, etc.). Space Pens can also handle extreme heat and cold (-30 to +250 F/-35 to +121 C) which means you can leave them in glove compartments and not worry about leaks. These are great for adventures, vehicles, emergency kits, tool chests, or other environments where one needs a low-maintenance, reliable writing instrument (that’s not a pencil).
SIDEKICK Waist Pack
$68
1980’s fashion trends are going through a bit of a resurgence right now and few things scream “Eighties Style” more than a fanny pack in an ugly color. Tough Traveler fanny packs are among the best options out there and are available in wide variety of colors and styles.
Pulsefire LRT
$629
Does a loved one need the capability to vanquish hordes of the zombie undead and/or aliens? An Exothermic Technologies Pulsefire LRT flamethrower under the Christmas Tree can make this dream come true!
In full disclosure, this cool looking device is not a weapon, but rather a long-range torch. The Pulsefire is legal in 49 US States (sorry Maryland) with no background check required! Local laws may vary. Envision a lucky gift recipient as a bald space Marine with the power of fire and an itchy finger. The possibilities are endless.
Kratos Portable (flywheel training device)
$999
It is widely accepted that the best accessory to a shiny new flamethrower is a good-looking set of arms. This applies to both men and women. So, if the beneficiary of said flamethrower is looking soft or scrawny, help beef-up those arms with the gift of the portable version of the Kratos Portable flywheel training device. The Kratos is compact enough to fit into a gym bag or picnic basket and is the ultimate travel-friendly flywheel training device.
Luxe Camp Stove
$199.99
Wielding a flamethrower builds up an appetite! Get your loved ones outside more often with a premium camp stove! Your social media feeds and family and friends will thank you for the stove’s 12,000 BTU heat output, 9.5-inch (24 cm) diameter pot/pan capacity, and sturdy, yet luxurious, design.
Gifts for Children and Pets
Celebriducks
$15+
Celebriducks is the only USA-based manufacturer of rubber ducks and offers dozens of models of rubber ducks ranging from classic rubber ducks designed for kids to celebrity, college mascot, and character-themed ducks for kids-at-heart.
Elastic Precision Model 1911 Rubber Band Gun
$39.99
A semi-automatic rubber gun is sure to warm the cockles of the heart. Be sure to add little army men for targets. Get some!
Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks with Canvas Bag
$48
Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks are classic wooden block for babies. Blocks are available in twenty-five languages and 100% made in America using sustainable Midwestern basswood and printed with safe-to-touch inks. For 2+.
National Park Dog Throw and Pal Gift Set
$66
Four-legged “children” will love this two-piece gift set that includes a dog plush toy and a machine-washable fleece throw from Pendleton’s National Park stripes series.
Little Buckaroo Chuck Set
$110
Consider the charming Little Buckaroo Chuck Set featuring Till Goodan's whimsical cowboy art for the little cowboys or cowgirls in your life. Yee Hah! Includes 9½" Plate, 12" Bowl & 6 oz cup. Dishwasher/microwave safe.
Gifts for Home and Office
Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie in a Wooden Box
$54
Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie was voted as the best mail order pie in America by Bloomberg! Serves ten.
American Cowboys (book) by Anouk Masson Krantz
$80
Sometimes it takes an outsider, in this case, a French photographer, to help remind us of what makes it great to be an American. This handsome picture book is sure to please.
"Not Fried Chicken" Ice Cream Bucket - 9 Pieces
$99.95
This looks just like a bucket of fried chicken drumsticks; however, everything is actually ice cream! The 3 oz. ice cream bars are made from waffle ice cream, a chocolate-covered cookie “bone” and a coating of white chocolate and crushed corn flakes.
14-ounce Ember Mug²
$149.99
Ember mugs are the world’s first commercial temperature-controlled mugs. Ember keeps beverages warm ALL DAY long using the charging coaster and up to 1.5 hours using built-in battery power. There is even an app that can set the temperature between 120°F - 145°F (50°C - 62.5 °C). We truly live in fantastic times.
Extō Smart Chip USB Type C Power Cord
$159
Say no to ugly and poor-quality power strips and extension cords and give the gift of electricity with colorful, high-quality electric extension outlets by Conway Electric! The Extō USB Type C extension cord features USB Type A and USB Type C charging ports and two AC outlets. Conway Electric products are proudly made in Los Angeles, CA.
The Good Life
Bailey Silk Women’s Long Dressing Gown
$1,160
And now something nice for the ladies! Derek Rose is perhaps best known for its traditional British men’s pajamas and dressing gowns. However, the company also makes women’s clothing too! The Bailey Silk Women’s Long Dressing Gown available in blue, green, navy, and pink. Lovely.
Barky Turntable
$1,850
Looking for a rustic, yet elegant turntable? Consider Audiowood’s Barky turntable.
FatStack Smokers FS-80 Smoker
$3,900
The Fatstack Smokers FS-80 is the king of the backyard barbeque smokers! Is it ugly? Perhaps. However, this is one of the finest compact “stickburner” smokers on the market. The basic smoker configuration weighs a ridiculous 750 lbs.! All that thermal mass ensures that it is brisket season all year long! The FS-80 features 1,200 square inches of cooking surface and has the capacity to smoke two or three briskets. (Step up to the larger FS-120 for six brisket capacity.) Made in California.
Buffalo Fur Jacket
$3,800+
We spend so much time researching and reporting on the “Hollywood” West that our sartorial taste is starting to reflect the wide-open spaces that we love so much. The humble buffalo (bison) coat is a classic piece of Americana, and is sadly, a garment that is lacking from most men’s wardrobes. Merlin’s Hide Out has two excellent buffalo outerwear offerings —a mid-thigh length jacket and a mid-calf length coat.
Minimoog Model D Analog Synthesizer Reissue
$4,999
The Minimoog Model D is Moog Music’s latest synthesizer hotness — a reissue of the world’s first portable music synthesizer the LEGENDARY 1970-era Minimoog Model D. An American classic for more than a half-century, the Minimoog Model D features the original component placement, through-hole design, sound engine, and signal path of the classic Model D, but includes several modern features such as MIDI integration, and a spring-loaded pitch wheel with center deadband.
