I love Christmas! I’m just as enthusiastic as when I was a kid about the holiday spirit, yard and house decorations, a tree glittering with garland, ornaments, and lots of lights, family gatherings, and oh, of course, the gifts. As I pull ribbons and rip paper, it’s still a thrill to see each present, and if possible, I’m even more eager to see how my outdoor companions react to the gifts I got them. It really is as much fun to give as to receive!

I still make a Christmas list, but it’s not for Santa anymore. Like most Maine sportsmen I have quite an inventory of outdoor tools and toys, so with a wish list, my family and friends don’t need to guess or even ask what gear and goodies I want. Personal gift lists also narrow down returns by specifically listing sizes, colors, calibers, gauges, and other specifics needed to identify a full range of cast and blast items. Just in case the outdoorsman you’re buying for doesn’t have a list, I have a few suggestions that should put the ho, ho, ho in holiday.

Bushnell binocs

While wandering the aisles of a local sporting goods store this past summer, reveling in the array of rods, guns, and gear, and occasionally wiping the drool from my chin, I came across an outstanding set of binoculars. The more I examined them the more impressed I became, and once I saw the great price, my willpower crumbled. After several months of hands-on experience I have to say that any outdoor enthusiast, be they birdwatcher or boater, angler or archer, hunter or hiker, ought to own a set of Bushnell PermaFocus binoculars.

As the name suggests, these fantastic binocs maintain crisp focus with absolutely no adjustment necessary regardless of who looks through them or at what distance. PermaFocus can be widened or narrowed to fit the user’s eyes, but don’t even have a focusing ring, yet can be passed from viewer to viewer with instantaneous sharp focus and clarity. As you can imagine when quick assessment of a game animal is necessary or when cold weather stiffens fingers, not messing with a focusing knob is an exemplary feature.

Bushnell PermaFocus have fully coated optics which yield superior light transmission and exceptional brightness, they also offer nonslip rubber armor coating to absorb shock and provide a firm gripping surface. Compact 8 X 25 models are perfect for carrying in a vest or coat pocket. Two mid-size versions have 7 X 35 and 7 X 50 magnification and lens objective, while the full-size binocs are 10 X 50 and 12 X 50. All four larger models are tripod adaptable and each set of PermaFocus comes with a neck strap and a padded carrying case with strap.

Ranging in price from $45 to $75 per set in area sporting goods stores and outdoor catalogs, this is a set of binoculars that can go in the boat, truck, or backpack for everyday use. For more information or to view them online, check www.bushnell.com or call 1-800-548-0445 to order direct or locate the closest dealer.

Sharp light

Buck knives, nationally known and respected cutlery manufacturer, joined forces with world renowned mountaineer Peter Whitaker to develop a set of folding knives with built-in LED lights. This array of lightweight yet durable knives can be used for opening a letter in the office or opening a moose in the field, and plenty of indoor and outdoor chores in between. Best of all, these blades can perform all of these duties in the dark if need be since they contain a built-in small but powerful directional light.

About the size of an old-style silver dollar coin, at 23/8 inches, the Metro LED model has a 11/4-inch blade in a stainless steel frame covered by hard, oval nylon panels. Just the flick of a thumb opens the blade or activates the sealed on/off pressure switch of the LED, leaving the other hand free for other chores. A solid steel lanyard hole allows the Metro to be attached to a key chain, zipper, pack basket, knapsack, neck strap, or zip-line retractable lanyard for quick, easy access.

Operated by a pair of 3-volt lithium batteries, which are included, the LED unit itself should have a lifetime of 100,000 hours. To save power, this unit has an automatic shutoff after three minutes. Available in red, blue, green, and smoke, the Metro retails for around $22.

Buck’s Lumina LED is the Metro’s big brother and offers more features and greater outdoor diversity thanks to its larger configuration. Also a one-hand assisted-opening knife, the 3-inch drop-point blade is partially serrated for multi purpose cutting. The Lumina also offers a stainless frame with a choice of four translucent side colors and has a large, sturdy lanyard hole. The more powerful LED has a 5-minute auto shutoff as well as four programmed functions: low-, medium-, and high-intensity beams and a pulsing flash setting for emergency location purposes. All of this unique illuminating cutlery can be seen online at www.buckknives.com or call 1-800-326-2825 for more information.

Winter reading

On stormy days and long winter nights when we can only daydream about past hunting and fishing trips, I get a lot of comfort and contentment from reading about my favorite pastimes. Krause Publications offers one of the most extensive lines of top-quality books on outdoor activities in the U.S., and several of this year’s new publications are about whitetail deer hunting. Charles Alsheimer’s “Strategies for Whitetails” offers a wealth of information on all aspects of deer hunting and land cultivation to attract whitetails.

Brothers Mark and Terry Drury have combined their many years of experiences into a tome labeled “Giant Whitetails: A Lifetime of Lessons.” This pair has produced more than 100 films and 75 percent are about their whitetail adventures. Each chapter tells a story and teaches an important lesson in how to harvest big bucks. The large color photos are phenomenal. Bowhunting enthusiasts would all enjoy and learn from Mike Hanback’s Bowhunting Mega Bucks and Greg Miller’s Bowhunting Forests and Deep Woods. Each of these books costs between $25 and $30, and that’s cheap entertainment for several winter evenings.

Not a year passes that I don’t request the annual Gun Digest. This thick, soft-cover perennial details all the currently available firearms, delves into optics, reloading, and service companies, and features more than a dozen articles as well as field-testing writeups. This is an all-season publication for any serious hunter or target shooter. For any outdoorsman with interests in older firearms or aged fishing equipment, I highly recommend the Gun Digest of Modern Gun Values and Old Fishing Lures and Tackle. Each is a wealth of information for only $25 to $35. If any or all of these great books aren’t available at your local book or sporting goods store, just call Krause Publications at 1-800-289-0963 or e-mail requests to FWCINorders@Fwpubs.com

Stocking stuffers

If the bulk of your holiday shopping is done, but a few small items for the Christmas stocking need to be picked out, I’ve some ideas to share. Anglers can always use a half-dozen dry flies, a couple of tandem streamers, or a few rolls of leader material. Bass casters never have enough soft plastic baits, top water plugs, or rolls of monofilament for their reels. How about a container of insect repellent or sun screen?

Hunters can always use an extra box of shotgun or rifle shells, a bottle of cover scent, or a container of attractant scent for deer or bear. A super-size pack of batteries makes a great gift since cameras, GPSs, range finders, flashlights, and two-way radios all need power. Wool socks, battery-operated stockings, boot inner soles, and chemical hand warmers are all much-appreciated creature comforts.

A small, sturdy steel thermos or insulated nonspill coffee mug are useful to all sportsmen for cold, pre-dawn outings. There’s no such thing as too many compact, powerful flashlights. A yearlong subscription to a favorite outdoor magazine gives 12 months of pleasure, and since the New Year is looming, every rod and gun enthusiast needs an updated fishing, hunting, or combination license for 2007. If all else fails, purchase a gift certificate from a local sporting goods store or preferred mail order catalog and let that special sportsman select his own favorite gift.

There’s still plenty of time to do some last-minute shopping, and if you’re stumped about what to get a close cast-and-blast companion, follow two rules: first, think what you would like to have, and second, consider what you could borrow if you gave it as a gift! Enjoy the holiday spirit, and whatever you get or give, share a smile, some personal time, and the true spirit of the season.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com