Perfect gifts for the armchair meteorologist!

So this is it! The Christmas countdown is on. The little ones in your home could tell you there are only 10 more sleeps until Christmas! That’s cute, but more importantly, there are only nine more shopping days … if you don’t count today.

Some people are easy to buy for and they’re probably already taken care of, but we all have one or two people on our list who are very hard to buy for. My love for “all things weather” has allowed me to compile a list of weatherrelated gifts that, over the years, has gotten me out of many a lastminute bind.

I think my favourite weather gift is the Mariner’s Weather Glass. Many years ago, these were state-of-the-art barometers. They were used on ships to warn sailors of impending storms. They work just as well today! You simply fill the glass with coloured water and hang on the wall, out of direct sunlight. Water slowly rising in the spout forecasts a storm up to 24 hours away. Rapidly rising water indicates a local storm and a quick drop again means the storm has moved off. It comes with a mounting bracket and is available at Lee Valley Tools.

I also love to give pretty umbrellas. We’re so particular about accessories, why not have a few colourful umbrellas to brighten up an otherwise dull day? I love a nice umbrella, in fact I collect them!

For the gardener on your list, a digital indoor/outdoor weather station is a neat gift. Across Atlantic Canada, local topography is such that microclimates exist. You can’t always count on the overnight low for the nearest town to be exactly the same as the low temperature in your backyard.

When I go into schools to speak to grade 5 students who are studying the weather unit, I see some pretty fancy homemade rain gauges. One young lady at Joseph Howe Elementary in Halifax bedazzled hers! I suppose you could make your own or pick one up at a garden centre of the hardware store.

Now that my offerings are in print and online, why not pick up a newspaper or online subscription for that person who doesn’t want any more “things” but loves to stay informed. It’s a perfect gift for someone who has moved away – and there’s no parcel to post!

Last, but not least, may I also suggest a copy of Grandma Says! They’re back on store shelves, and pretty easy to wrap. You can also order them online through amazon.ca

I hope I’ve been able to help with some of your last minute shopping.

Judy LeBlanc-Brennan’s glass barometer or storm glass was right on. This photo was taken in her home on Nov. 29. A storm crossed Cape Breton Island, N.S., the 28th and 29th, dropping 80 mm of rain and wind gusts peaked at 104 km/h.