Tools
A UV Torch
30th October, 2021
If you’ve never played the “What’s UV-reactive in your wallet?” game, you’re missing out. Banknotes are a good place to start, sure - but ID cards, credit cards, and other things often light up too. Canadian passports are a full-on light show. Walk around the house in the dark, and discover what fluoresces. All for less than $5 including shipping (but not batteries).
Throw in a UV marker too. A permanent marker is good for adults, but there are cheaper versions for kids out there. (DealExtreme will sell you a 7-pack for $11; Amazon sells them for a little more.) For adults, this is now a security-conscious gift: you can postcode your expensive items. For kids, it’s a spy kit: invisible notes. Give the kid a magazine as well, and you’ve got a fun afternoon of “Guess how I defaced this celebrity”.
Penknives
30th September, 2021
I have a penknife in my bag. It’s useful, and has a pleasing physicality. The click of a tool snapping into place; the gentle weight in your palm. I mostly use it to file rough nails or trim horrifying finger skin.
This might be the perfect gift; even if your recipient already owns one, there’s always somewhere else to deploy it. Keep the new penkinfe in your car’s glovebox, or your office drawer, or the bedside cabinet.