Your Christmas Gift-Giving Guide

Now that we're into December, it's time to focus on that big day towards the end of the month. Commercialism aside, the holiday shopping season always focuses on Christmas despite there being another major holiday - Hanukkah - during the month. Well, Hockey Blog In Canada is gearing up for the Christmas season, and this writer is hunting for deals and discounts in order to save the pocketbook from the Christmas season. But what do you give the hockey fan who has everything? What possibly could someone unearth that hasn't already been given? That's why you're reading this, and I guarantee there are some great gift ideas on here that may warm your hockey fan's heart for years to come.

We all love watching hockey, or I hope you do. If you do, you probably enjoy classic games that will be remembered in history for some reason. If that's the case, I suggest you check out the Classic Hockey DVD website. All of these DVDs are priced at a reasonable cost, and there are some classic games available. Know a Penguins fan? Grab the 2008 Winter Classic DVD. Does your hockey fan have a soft spot for Wayne Gretzky? Grab the DVD of Gretzky's last game or the DVD of Wayne Gretzky's 99s team who travelled to Sweden during the 1994 lockout. There are lots of different games, and a few sets, that can be purchased, and none are ridiculously priced.

I purchased the 2008 Winter Classic last week, along with the DVD of the 1987 World Junior Championship game between Canada and the USSR that became known as the "Punch-Up in Piestany". If you're interested in how these games look in terms of quality, feel free to email me and I'll let you know.

Also, if you have any sort of interest in something that isn't NHL-related, I highly recommend the movie Sledhead for your hockey fan. This movie aired in Canada on October 4, and it is a fantastic look at a sport that not many people have noticed. If you've seen and liked Murderball, the story of wheelchair rugby, you'll love Sledhead. Excellent movie in all aspects.

I'd also recommend some reading material for your hockey fan. There are a number of fabulous hockey publications out on the market right now, and any of them would be suitable for a hockey fan. Does your fan like the Bruins? Black and Gold: Four Decades of the Boston Bruins in Photographs by Steve Babineau and Rob Simpson is highly recommended. If you happen to pick up the 1987 World Junior game that I purchased, you may want to pick up Gare Joyce's When The Lights Went Out as a companion gift. These two would compliment each other nicely. For other book ideas, check out the list to the right under "Teebz's Book Club" for book reviews on these titles and other literary gift ideas.

If you're interested in a practical gift that can be used to generate a winter's worth of memories, hockey tickets are always a good idea. If you're looking to take your hockey fan to a place where you have the best chance to see the home team win, I suggest you look at the Minnesota Wild for tickets. Since 2005, the Wild are an incredible 67-6-2 at home when they score three-or-more goals in the game! Otherwise, hockey tickets to your local team - whether it be an NHL, AHL, ECHL, USHL, IHL, NCAA, WHL, OHL, or QMJHL game - are a great gift.

Maybe you're done your shopping already? If so, good on you. That's phenomenal. But what if you want to give more this holiday season? I suggest looking at a charitable organization that works to help others. The NHLPA is associated with a lot of charities, and some are devoted to helping kids. If you're a Minnesota resident, 21 For Kids was started by Mark Parrish at Christmas 2004, and works to help kids attain more through grants and funding in Minnesota. Live in Toronto? Matt Stajan and Cardiac Kids could use your help. There are a pile of charities that you can donate to, and a good starting point is the list to the right under "NHLPA Charities". Check out those fabulous organizations and help kids be kids at Christmas if you're able to.

Lastly, if you want your hockey fan to feel like a kid again on Christmas morning, you might want to check out Classic Old School. These guys specialize in creating old jerseys from photos. Literally. You want your husband to go back to his peewee hockey days? Send them a photo and let Classic Old School get cracking. Want to relive your college hockey days? They can do that too. Maybe you didn't play hockey? No worries... they've got that covered too. Great business, and it would light up someone's Christmas like nothing else.

If there are any other websites that you think someone should hit up when looking for a special Christmas gift, add the site to the comment section. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what's under the tree come Christmas morning, and hopefully your hockey fan will get everything they've ever wanted... and maybe something they never thought they'd ever see again!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!