For better or for worse, the day after Thanksgiving now marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. This year, so that you may enjoy the more important aspects of the Christmas season (faith, family and friends), we at C21 have ever so graciously decided to assist our readers in compiling gift ideas for their loved ones. Ranging from the expensive to the frugal, from movies to books, from the frivolous to the serious, this list of gift ideas should greatly assist you while you shop for the discriminating and selective conservative consumer in your life. So, in random order, here are some items that we believe would make great gifts this holiday season:
Jamie Cochrane
At the top of my list is a conservative T-shirt. You don't have to
buy one from us but we do have a large selection of unique conservative designs available. There are just so many great anti-Obama and pro-conservative t-shirts out there now. You might even have an idea of your own to share with your friends and family. I think 2010 may be the year of the tea party rallies as the next election cycle is upon us. This is the time for conservatives to show off their ideas proudly. Get yourself a t-shirt or a bumper sticker! Be sure to visit my
online store for unique and creative conservative designs and slogans!
Fun gift idea: Apples to Apples. No, this isn't exactly a new game, but lately I have been surprised to find that many still do not know this game's awesomeness. You can find it online at around $20 which is about the same amount you might spend on a gift-card, only this gift shows you actually put some thought into it Whenever I get together with family we now play this game. I think a game like this is a great for the holidays because it gets everyone involved in something fun together.
Bizarre Gift Ideas: Snuggie for Dogs. I tried to find the most ridiculous item for my last gift idea. At first I was tempted to post the Snuggie which everyone knows is a barrel full of fun in it of itself, but then I found an even more special gift: the Dog Snuggie. Wow, what an idea. Now you and your dog can both wear a Snuggie at the same time! I think this gift is the only item you could give to your crazy aunt that she would actually love. For the average person I cannot think of a more wasteful gift than this scrap of felt with a hole in it. I am all for new ideas and innovation but I think this one should be sent off with the Chia Pet (although that Obama Chia Pet is really something special).
Matthew Cochrane
Glenn Beck’s Common Sense is the perfect book to give to your moderate/politically-apathetic friend or loved one. The book is non-partisan, attacking Republicans and Democrats alike for wavering on a few key issues: budget deficits, gerrymandering, political corruption and term limits. It is purposefully short and readable so as to not intimidate non-bookworm types. It's small size and relatively cheap price makes for a great stocking stuffer too!
For the conservative nerd or policy wonk in your family or social circle, however, Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism makes for a perfect gift. Goldberg digs deep in the annals of history to uncover popular myths and the revisionist works of liberal academics to show that it is not conservatives who are in danger of turning America in a fascist direction, but liberals. He deftly and capably traces the history of the progressive movement showing where such policies lead when they are not stopped by a robust love of freedom.
Karen and I enjoyed watching the John Adams miniseries produced by HBO on DVD this past year. Based on the biography by David McCullough, the series had superb casting (led by Paul Giamatti as John Adams), a great score and brings alive the founding of our country in dramatic fashion. It was even historically accurate! I cannot recommend this series highly enough. I wasn’t even aware television could still be this good.
In this clip, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin review and edit Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence.
Since times are tight, here’s one inexpensive way to show Christmas spirit: Bake cookies. Since my wife and I can’t afford to buy nice gifts for all of our friends, Karen bakes a variety of delicious treats and prepares platters for families in our church. This saves us money while still letting our friends know we’re still thinking of them. A fun and cheap way to spread holiday cheer.
Todd Jaspers
If we were to be thrust back into the Dark Ages, and I could take only one book with me (other than the Bible), what would it be? William Bennett’s American Patriot’s Almanac. Ok, maybe I would take a Calculus book or a Chemistry book, but this would definitely be in my top five.
Jane’s Battleships of the Twentieth Century. Why? Because American battleships scream world dominance, and it makes the Germans and Japanese shake in fear.
Every American should own and read their own personal copy of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Why? Because everyone needs to know the restrictions and regulations that our founding fathers put on our government. If we forget them, or take them for granted, our government will start dictating what we can do, rather than the citizens dictating what the government can do. Oh wait, this has already happened…
