My feet are propped high upon the desk, there is a wee bit of Kentucky Holy Water close at hand and the dog is placidly chewing a rawhide under the desk. The Christmas tree twinkles merrily in the other room while the house is peaceful and serene as a snowfall in the woods because I am home alone. Until bedlam returns in the form of a wife and two wonderful but noisy children, I am in Contemplation mode.
During this rare few moment of silence in an otherwise hectic season, I sit back and think about the Christmas holiday. Setting religious implications aside for a moment, December 25th is truly the highlight of the entire year for small children and those who closely resemble them, such as hunters and fishermen.
For many years I have realized that there is one thing even better than bagging a trophy buck, landing a monster fish or watching a magnificent sunrise from someplace most people will never set foot. Those things fill you with a warm glow of satisfaction that is hard to describe, but in the Sheer Joy category, it is hard to beat finding outdoor gear under the Christmas tree.
Most of us can remember the first time we found an unexpected fishing rod or BB gun under the Christmas tree. In my case, it was a nifty bamboo fly/spinning rod combination complete with fitted wooden case and several hand-tied flies. I cherished that gift so much, right up to the moment I learned why bamboo rods have a reputation for being more delicate than frosted spider webs. I even kept the stump of the rod around for many years until it became apparent that I could, with training, learn to perform brain surgery but would never be skilled enough to repair a split-bamboo rod tip.
That rod was the first in a line of outdoor gifts that continues unbroken right up to this year and I can say that the excitement hasn’t diminished. I can’t even imagine being so old that your pulse doesn’t quicken a little bit as you tear open wrapping paper to find that gizmo or gadget that you wanted dearly but couldn’t justify the purchase. In practice, Christmas is the time to receive those things that are really just toys for big boys and girls.
After all, outdoor enthusiasts are the ultimate in gadgeteers. Though we wax poetic about the beauty, wonder and challenge of the outdoors, we also go home and begin thumbing through well-worn catalogs while wishing for that last piece of equipment to make our stable of accouterments complete. Regardless of how many things you own, there is always something else that we desperately ‘need’.
For example, I really wanted a clay pigeon thrower even though I infrequently shoot trap or sporting clays. It did seem highly important, I reasoned, for an avid hunter to have a thrower just to “keep in practice before season” even though there are several professional trap and skeet ranges within a reasonable drive of my home. I couldn’t justify spending the money for a thrower in light of other priorities such as mortgage payments so it was relegated to that mythical December wish list. Upon hefting one package last Christmas morning I knew that my wish had come true and I was ecstatic.
It may seem silly that we want things such as that pigeon thrower that has only been used once or twice, but it was still a wonderful gift. Our family and friends do not understand is that outdoor sports are equipment-dependant and if you don’t have the right gear, you can’t participate in the sport. That is what makes outdoor-related gifts so special: they open the door to new adventures yet unknown.
An outdoors gift also means the giver and recipient are directly connected through all the days and experiences whenever that gear is taken out of the closet. While trying to get my fly on a perfect drift down the creek channel to fool that big smallmouth I know is waiting at the current seam, I think of my parents who gave me the fly rod for Christmas. Neither one of them has a clue as to what “double taper 5-weight line” is used for but I think of them every time that rod is brought into play. In a sense, it is a perpetual gift that was given on Christmas and every enjoyable day on the stream thereafter.
I’ve been given gifts ranging from pen knives to huge tents but each serves as a reminder that someone cared enough about my happiness to spend time searching for the things you wanted even if it seems less useful than a solar-powered sunlamp.
I hope you find something for the outdoors underneath your tree.
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The gift of outdoors
Posted by Brent on 1/01/09 • Categorized as Out in the Open columns
During this rare few moment of silence in an otherwise hectic season, I sit back and think about the Christmas holiday. Setting religious implications aside for a moment, December 25th is truly the highlight of the entire year for small children and those who closely resemble them, such as hunters and fishermen.
For many years I have realized that there is one thing even better than bagging a trophy buck, landing a monster fish or watching a magnificent sunrise from someplace most people will never set foot. Those things fill you with a warm glow of satisfaction that is hard to describe, but in the Sheer Joy category, it is hard to beat finding outdoor gear under the Christmas tree.
Most of us can remember the first time we found an unexpected fishing rod or BB gun under the Christmas tree. In my case, it was a nifty bamboo fly/spinning rod combination complete with fitted wooden case and several hand-tied flies. I cherished that gift so much, right up to the moment I learned why bamboo rods have a reputation for being more delicate than frosted spider webs. I even kept the stump of the rod around for many years until it became apparent that I could, with training, learn to perform brain surgery but would never be skilled enough to repair a split-bamboo rod tip.
That rod was the first in a line of outdoor gifts that continues unbroken right up to this year and I can say that the excitement hasn’t diminished. I can’t even imagine being so old that your pulse doesn’t quicken a little bit as you tear open wrapping paper to find that gizmo or gadget that you wanted dearly but couldn’t justify the purchase. In practice, Christmas is the time to receive those things that are really just toys for big boys and girls.
After all, outdoor enthusiasts are the ultimate in gadgeteers. Though we wax poetic about the beauty, wonder and challenge of the outdoors, we also go home and begin thumbing through well-worn catalogs while wishing for that last piece of equipment to make our stable of accouterments complete. Regardless of how many things you own, there is always something else that we desperately ‘need’.
For example, I really wanted a clay pigeon thrower even though I infrequently shoot trap or sporting clays. It did seem highly important, I reasoned, for an avid hunter to have a thrower just to “keep in practice before season” even though there are several professional trap and skeet ranges within a reasonable drive of my home. I couldn’t justify spending the money for a thrower in light of other priorities such as mortgage payments so it was relegated to that mythical December wish list. Upon hefting one package last Christmas morning I knew that my wish had come true and I was ecstatic.
It may seem silly that we want things such as that pigeon thrower that has only been used once or twice, but it was still a wonderful gift. Our family and friends do not understand is that outdoor sports are equipment-dependant and if you don’t have the right gear, you can’t participate in the sport. That is what makes outdoor-related gifts so special: they open the door to new adventures yet unknown.
An outdoors gift also means the giver and recipient are directly connected through all the days and experiences whenever that gear is taken out of the closet. While trying to get my fly on a perfect drift down the creek channel to fool that big smallmouth I know is waiting at the current seam, I think of my parents who gave me the fly rod for Christmas. Neither one of them has a clue as to what “double taper 5-weight line” is used for but I think of them every time that rod is brought into play. In a sense, it is a perpetual gift that was given on Christmas and every enjoyable day on the stream thereafter.
I’ve been given gifts ranging from pen knives to huge tents but each serves as a reminder that someone cared enough about my happiness to spend time searching for the things you wanted even if it seems less useful than a solar-powered sunlamp.
I hope you find something for the outdoors underneath your tree.
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