Fitting In Some Fun Shopping

Okay, I admit it: I'm a procrastinator when it comes to holiday shopping.  I don't shop on Black Friday and I certainly don't plan ahead and buy Christmas gifts in July.  The truth is, given the chance, I'd much rather be playing outside than spending the day indoors at the stores.  Luckily, there are some places where I can combine my love of skiing with a little shopping, like TreeTop Sports at Bretton Woods.

The top of my list includes my favorite winter gift: hats. Everyone could use another fun hat to add to their collection. They are easy give: you don't have to guess at sizing and they're easy to wrap and ship.  Last year I sent Skida hats to my family in Colorado.  Skida has a great story: they are made locally in Vermont by a skier and student, and the company donates hats to cancer patients as well as proceeds for Olympic racers.  Here's my friend Nicole and me with our Skida hats on for a Nordic ski day last spring:

For the kids, I love these Sesame Street character hats and mittens.  Perfect for my little Cookie Monsters!

Animal hats with ear flaps have several benefits: in addition to keeping their ears covered, with a fun animal on their heads, imaginations run wild and Mom doesn't have to convince the little angels to keep them on.

For the skier in your life that needs a gorgeous sweater, I love the Core Sweater from Spyder.  Spyder offers sizing all the way down to 2T, so even the little guy can warm up with this one.  The Bitsy Virtue Fill Zip is cut slim enough to layer under a ski jacket, but the mid-weight fleece will keep her warm on extended laps on the bunny hill. 

 

You may, like me, also need to find some last minute stocking stuffers!  How about some ski socks from Darn Tough (another local company, and they also come in sizes for the little skiers),  or a Turtle Fur Totally Tubular that can be worn as a neck warmer, headscarf, or headband?

If you want the full luxury treatment, head to the Bogner shop at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel.  The Munich-based company, known for its high-end sports fashions, now offers a virtual clothing store where you can select custom clothing, gear and accessories electronically, and your order is mailed directly to you.

Still stuck for the perfect gift?  For the thrill-seeker on your list, I think a Canopy Tour gift certificate would make their Christmas morning!