I received an e-mail the other day that has the perfect excuse for all you Scrooges out there. Consider this my gift to you:

Psychologist Glenn M. Johnson, who has a North Dakota telephone number, says Christmas gift-giving stress can be damaging to mental health. He recommends no Christmas gift giving for anyone struggling with finances.

Johnson, a clinical psychologist with 20-plus years of experience, is recommending that anyone who is experiencing extreme stress or stress symptoms related to Christmas expectations simply announce to all friends and family that they are not going to participate in Christmas gift giving.

“As a society we should all stop contributing to the idea that it is worthy of shame to find one’s self in this kind of difficulty. There are far too many people these days finding themselves in financial difficulty no matter how hard they work,” he advises.

For all of you who feel otherwise, that you need to give others gifts for the holidays, have I got a few ideas to ponder.

Once again I’ve prevailed upon Brad Ryder and his staff at Epic Sports in Bangor to lead me by the hand and show me what the best-equipped outdoors person is expecting under the tree this year. Dave Vavro II was one of my guides on the store tour – talk about a kid in a candy store. I’m jealous.

Innovative yet useful

Since I tend to lean to the more practical, I’m starting off with the Lightcap by SolLight. It’s basically a quart polycarbonate water bottle with a special cap containing a solar panel, battery, and a couple of LEDs (one red, the other white) that turn it into a lantern with light diffused by the bottle’s curved sides and translucent surface. The 4.5-ounce, sealed solar panel/cap recharges Ni-Cad batteries up to 1,000 times. A 12-hour charge in sunlight will power the white LED 8-10 hours and the red one 16-18 hours. The individual lamps can be turned on or off and the bottle and cap weigh 11 ounces (empty). It costs $24.95.

Want to keep your water bottle cool or hot? The maker OR is offering a newly designed water bottle parka that uses soft foam for insulation and has a waterproof zipper for $19.95. For those who want something that can have more than one use, photographers can put a telephoto lens inside and protect it as well as any lens case and I’ll bet you won’t find a camera-specific case as reasonably priced.

Coffee or lunch on the trail? I’ve written about the Jetboil stove. This handy all-in-one burner and cook pot now comes packaged in a “java kit” that includes the stove, a French coffee press, a canister of fuel, and Paul Newman’s coffee for $89.95. The stove alone sells for $79.95, the coffee press is a $19.95 option, and a canister of fuel costs $3.99. That’s about $103 without the coffee.

Jetboil is now offering an optional pot support and canister leg set that allow you to use the stove’s burner with your own cooking pan. This two-piece option costs $19.95.

I got a kick out of Mapdanas – four large, colorful bandanas imprinted with the Appalachian Trail map – you need all four to cover the entire trail. I’m told you can use them as reliable maps as well as the multitude of ways you use your regular bandanas. They’re $12.95 each.

Another idea for illuminating the darkness around camp is the Brunton Glorb-LED. This little powerhouse takes up the same space as your typical candle lantern, yet it puts out way more light and runs up to 250 hours on four AA batteries. I’ve got one and it’s part of any overnight trip. It has two brightness settings and a cool, 360-degree reflector. It costs $34.95.

For night illumination, check out the UFO LED by Coast. The key chain beacon comes in either bright white or blue and its sleek, metal housing, which comes packaged in a UFO-type tin, promises to last for years. It costs around $13.

And while we’re being enlightened, check out Petzl’s line of headlamps. New this season is the Tikka XP that runs on three AAA batteries. The power-boosted beam will nearly blind you if you shine it in your eyes. It has a diffuser you can slide back to turn the lamp into a night-piercing ray up to 150 feet or so. It tilts and has three brightness settings as well as a strobe setting. Best of all it has a battery strength indicator. If you’re afraid of the dark, grab one of these $49.95 babies and laugh. Other headlamps run from around $30 up to about $90.

I know I mentioned durable, waterproof storage boxes last week, but these items are useful off the water as well for keeping your electronics or smaller items safe. Pelican makes all sizes and the cost runs from $14.99 to $24 for the smaller sizes.

Hikers and kayakers always want a dry sleeping bag at the end of the day. Sea to Summit is offering a compression dry bag that will reduce your bag to a bread loaf-sized package. There are three sizes – small, medium, and large – and cost $25 to $35.

Peak bagging

Some folks don’t let a lot of snow bite into their outdoor fun. Our friends at MSR recently designed a snowshoe that will take you to new heights. The Lightning Ascents are all business with a set of teeth on the whole perimeter as well as the typical crampon-like teeth underfoot. They’re low-profile and will pack neatly. Best of all, there’s a heel lift for those steeper inclines. These beauties run about $250 and tip the scales at 3 pounds, 11 ounces. That’s a little more than $4 per ounce!

Of course there are winter-friendly backpacks to carry your winter toys. Check out the innovative Osprey Switch Series line. They’re designed to zip open while on their front side thereby keeping the part next to your back snow-free. The hydration pocket is next to your back to keep the water from freezing, and the drinking tube runs through the shoulder straps. There are goggle pockets as well as ski tie-downs. The 55 plus 5 has a removable pocket that doubles as a fanny pack, and all the models have a removable hydration pack that uses the pack’s harness system.

Once you’ve climbed that peak, you may want to camp out, and the Mountain Hardware Annapurna two-person tent would make a winter camper aficionado’s head flutter. This bombproof shelter has storage nets everywhere, a rear storage vestibule, and so many tie-outs you’d be hard-pressed to blow away in a gale. This orange beast costs $425.

On the more practical side, you could buy your favorite tent camper a set of four sand/snow anchors. These parachute-shaped rigs are buried in the sand or snow to form a solid anchor at each corner of the tent. They’ll cost you only $8.

Everyone needs to eat on a camping trip. Check out the varied line of individual meal offerings from Enertia Trail Foods. These vacuum-packed, dehydrated meals can be prepared in their own plastic bag or in your own cook pot. Most need only hot water and a few minutes for rehydration. They cost $3.99 per serving. When you’re done, you have only a plastic bag to carry out. With offerings such as Teton Teriyaki, Maple Bulgar, Beartooth Beans, Silverton Scallops, Switchback Spaghetti, Moosilauke Goulash, or Wind River cheesecake, how could you go wrong?

Another idea that has universal appeal is the line of messenger bags from Timbuk2. They come in a variety of sizes and prices, but the best idea, I think, is a Bag in a Box that costs $100. It provides the recipient with a Web address for the company where he or she can design their own bag. “A unique secret code on the back of the card unlocks the $100 value on our Web site – just the right amount for a custom messenger bag, one accessory and express shipping,” the site says. The company claims to have the completed custom bag on our doorstep in 48 hours or so. You can check out www.timbuk2.com for more details, or skip that and check out the store offerings. Your recipient can also use the gift card for other purchases on the Web site.

Staying warm, etc.

After Vavro’s magical mystery tour at Epic, I needed to get back to work, but the next morning I hastened back to meet with Merri-Beth Bumpus for a look at the softer side of the outdoors. We began at the bottom with Darn Tough Merino wool (nonitchy) socks made in Vermont. There are styles for everyone and, best of all, they’re durable and not too expensive – $12-$15.

After a day in the outdoors, Bumpus said, there’s nothing quite as comfortable as a pair of winter clogs. The suede Primo-Chill from Merrill is lined with super-thick fleece and the all-terrain sole is air-cushioned. They cost $89.

The Isis line of women-specific underwear and outerwear is the cat’s meow. High-tech long underwear ($45-$50) is seamless where it needs to be and designed to wick perspiration. Vests are down- or Primaloft-filled ($109-$125). While you’re in that part of the store, check out the PolarMax base layers as well. These polyester double base layers come in two weights, are U.S.-made, and cost about $42.

On my way over to the next section, I grabbed the Porter Press “Desk Press,” a vacuum mug and coffee press in one. Running late for work? Throw in a scoop of ground coffee and when you get to work, pour in some hot water. In minutes you’ll have a steaming mug of hot, fresh coffee. It comes with the press as well as a separate top you can use on the mornings you get up early and make your own coffee at home and want a mug for the commute. It costs $29.95.

Next we landed on the Dale of Norway rack. Dale makes really fine ski sweaters with a chafe-guard neck and zipper guard. The tightly knit, wind-resistant sweaters feature a Nordic design across the chest and are part of the U.S. Ski Team apparel. A matching knit cap is available. Be sure to deposit some money in your checkbook because these critters don’t come cheap at $279 for the sweater and $50 for the hat. But then again, aren’t you worth it?

And while you’re treating yourself, why not consider a pair of Native polarized sunglasses. They feature vented and interchangeable lenses, and one model has interchangeable temple pieces and retaining strap. They all wrap around the eye to offer full protection. They’ll run you $100-$130.

Finally, to top off your outdoor ensemble, why not consider a Tilley winter hat. The wool Aussie-style hat comes with a fold-down band that keeps the ears, neck and forehead warm. The price may seem steep at $84.95, but you get a lifetime guarantee with it that offers 50 percent reimbursement if you lose it.

And finally, don’t forget the idea of giving a gift certificate for a special trip in the outdoors. Outfitters such as Castine Kayak Adventures offer evening, half-, and full-day kayak trips and will reserve you a spot for next summer’s schedule. Prices run from about $45 to $105.

Jeff Strout’s column on outdoor recreation is published each Saturday. He can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.