It’s no surprise that retailers predict technology will be at the top of many holiday wish lists again this year. But if you are not tech-savvy, or not comfortable with the expense of high-tech gifts, there is good news: low-tech and no-tech gifts can still fit every taste and budget. You can also gift practical, useful gifts that won’t just collect dust on the shelf.
Simple, non-tech gifts will always be in style. Items like food, linens, cookware, lotions and scents, and old-fashioned toys can be wonderful gifts to give and receive for people who are not necessarily plugged in to the high-tech trend.
Here are tips for low-tech gifts sure to enhance any holiday wish list:
- Low-tech doesn’t mean leaving good engineering behind. A Case knife, for example, is an engineering marvel and still a great gift for practically any guy in your life.
- Food is a very personal gift. While chocolate Santas are always welcome, your food gift can be anything the person loves, from their favorite homemade granola to something that may evoke memories of childhood and a simpler time, like the Shoofly pie.
- Items that help cooks make their own pasta, cider and ice cream blend a personal touch with practicality and nostalgia. Lehman’s hand-crank ice cream freezers and noodle makers are always popular sellers at the holidays.
- Organic and green gifts make both the giver and the recipient feel good.
- Everyone needs a little pampering now and then, and personal care items can do the trick, like Pure Emu Oil, or one of many Goat’s Milk soaps.
- Choose children’s toys that exercise their imaginations and their whole bodies, not just their video-game control fingers. The lowest tech toys like an old fashioned wagon, kazoo or hand-made doll can provide maximum imagination-building.
To find low-tech gifts like Shoofly Pie, tried-and-true kitchenware or nostalgic children’s toys, visit Lehmans.com.
Editor’s Note: This post was a favorite, so we updated it to include the most relevant content (first posted in October 2008).
