Christmas is almost here which means it’s time to get the holiday shopping out of the way. It’s a great feeling when you finish all your holiday shopping, so why not get it done as soon as possible? To help you get started or finish your holiday shopping here is the top ten gifts in no particular order that will help scratch off the Canucks fan on your Christmas list.
Jersey – A jersey is always a fantastic gift for hockey fans, however there are a few rules to follow when buying a jersey for someone:
1) Make sure the person you’re getting the gift for is a fan of the player, don’t just “assume” they will like it. For example, a Roberto Luongo jersey may be very popular and you may love him BUT there are just as many people in Vancouver who hate Luongo. Luongo haters would not be pleased if they received his jersey as a gift, and instead of it being worn it could have the potential of being burned – especially during playoff season.
2) Don’t cheap out and get a fake jersey, no matter what you try to tell yourself it is always going to be noticeable. Nothing bugs me more than seeing an incredibly obvious fake jersey, such as one with “BEISKA” on the back. I’d rather do an imitation of Ryan Kesler’s naked photo than lose my dignity while wearing that jersey.
3) Make sure you get the correct size. Always get about 1 size larger than they would normally be. Most people like to wear hoodies underneath their jerseys for warmth, that way the jersey is always noticeable. Don’t let your friend be one of those douche bags who wears super tight jerseys that they have probably had since they were 10.
Tickets to a Game – Every fan would love a pair of Canucks tickets for Christmas. Some people such as myself like to give pairs of tickets as gifts implying that they will be tagging along to the game. Make sure this is clear; I once had a friend who bought tickets for her dad and herself for Christmas. He misunderstood, when he received the two tickets he assumed he was free to take whoever. He ended up going with his girlfriend. So points of advice, when giving tickets as a gift – only give them one ticket and keep the other for yourself. This way your intentions will be clear right away and you will avoid confusions.
If you don’t know hockey too well then have someone who does help you out when picking which game to buy tickets for. Don’t take a wild guess and buy tickets to a Columbus game because those games are never very entertaining. Personally, I’d rather avoid paying $100+ a ticket to sit in an uncomfortable seat for 2.5 hours watching a boring game and getting fat off of hot dogs and beer. Some suggestions for Canuck tickets include when they play against the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and LA Kings. Getting tickets for those games are fantastic because they are almost always guaranteed to be entertaining.
Bar Gift Card – 2.5 hour hockey game + bar food + alcohol = fat tab. Help out a Canuck fan and get them a bar gift card for Christmas. Now that I think about it, do bars do that? If not then simply stick a bow on a six pack and call yourself Santa.
Canuck Blanket – Most Canuck fans live in Vancouver and in the Winter it gets very very cold. For Christmas get a Canuck fan a warm comfy Canuck blanket to snuggle up with during a game. If you find a big enough one it can be used as an extra blanket on top of your bed. You can find Canuck blankets at almost any sports store in Vancouver and don’t forget to check online! In Vancouver, you can never have enough blankets. This is a great gift that can never go wrong.
Canuck Scarf – The 2010/2011 Canuck season was the debut of the very popular Canuck scarf. It is green and blue just like the Canuck colours. It looks great on men, woman, and kids too. They were so popular last season that they were sold out everywhere, but fortunately more were ordered and most stores have them in stock. Keep your neck warm, look stylish, and support the Vancouver Canucks with this scarf.
Christmas Ornament – This is a simple gift someone can enjoy every year. You can get great Canuck Christmas ornaments around Vancouver and also online. You could even get creative and find a regular hockey related ornament and stick a Canucks sticker on it. A touch I love adding to my tree every year is a Canucks Santa hat; I put it on the top of my tree instead of an angel or star. Just make sure the lights aren’t touching it– unless you want to burn down your house.
Framed Canuck Picture – Got a friend with a sports room? Or some naked walls? Why not get them a framed picture of their favourite player? The Canuck store at Rogers Arena has a lot of pictures than can be framed and some that already are framed. If you look around enough you may be able to find a beautiful picture at a good price. Two years ago I was very excited when I opened a gift of a framed sketch of Ryan Kesler, it is beautiful! Looking for a gag gift? Get a naked Ryan Kesler picture framed, a girl may laugh at it but she will secretly love it. She may even place it on her bedside table – awkward.
Canuck Flag – Another great way to fill a naked wall is getting a giant Canuck Flag, there are some that are over 6 feet tall. Don’t forget car flags, during the playoffs cars in Vancouver are always covered in car flags. The more flags you have the more Canuck spirit you show and it’s also the more likely that they’ll get stolen – only in Vancouver.
Area Rug – Got a beer stain on your carpet from spilling your drink after Burrows’ overtime goal against the Blackhawks? Why not cover it up with a great Canuck area rug. The ones I have seen are a bit pricey – so make sure you have a big wallet.
Jewellery– Here is something to get for the ladies. To follow the cliché that
jewellery is a girl’s best friend, what would be better than adding in their favourite team? It’s a perfect match and normally isn’t too expensive.
I know December can be a stressful and busy, just remember to relax and only plan to shop on off game days. There’s nothing worse than having to miss a game to do last minute shopping. I hope I gave you some ideas for your Christmas shopping this year, best of luck and Merry Christmas!