Last year my son started playing with our local amateur hockey association and I was introduced into the world of morning practices, bad coffee, cold arenas, and writing cheques. Many, many cheques…
But he really enjoys it and its awesome exercise so I embrace it as cheerfully as possible. I have discovered, however that there are a few things that can make the hockey season a lot more comfortable for the bevy of parents who schlep their kids to the rink 3 times a week. So here are some of my suggestions for Christmas gifts for the hockey mom (or dad!) in your life.
Stadium seat & blanket
If your rink is anything like mine, it has cold, hard benches and heaters that work intermittently. This amazing contraction is compact to carry and will keep the bum & legs warm and comfortable. Other parents will look at her and wonder why they don’t have one.
I got mine at Costco ages ago but they are also available at MEC or online at Amazon.ca where you can find one that has a rechargeable heated seat! Mmmm seat warmers…
A jaunty yet warm toque or ear warmer.
Photo Courtesy Mrs. Brits
Those pre-dawn wake up calls come dark and early in the Canadian winter so freshly washed hair is the first priority to go out the window. Get a warm funky hat for her to wear and she’ll be the most chic mom in the stands. Ear warmer headbands are another great gift, especially if you love to knit/crochet, but you can find them in many mall kiosks, craft sales and online!
Gloves with tips for using on touch screens
Because while we watch with baited breath every time our kid is on the ice, we also check our email when they’re not. These gloves are great for keeping hands warm but still navigating the touch screen.
A Travel mug
For keeping those endless cups or coffee, tea or hot chocolate nice and piping hot. Add a gift card for her favourite coffee shop and maybe even a small bottle Baileys and you’ll be a star!
Warm fuzzy boots
Boots like Uggs or faux Uggs (from Costco, Wal-Mart, etc) are great for keeping the tootsies warm. Confession; I think they’re really ugly. But dang it if they aren’t warm and toasty! So despite the fact I hate the way they look, I have a pair which I love madly and wear them all winter long. Yes I am a hypocrite. No I don’t care. I just can’t quit them!
If you’re feeling generous…
A car with a gigantic trunk and heated seats. So maybe this might be a bit out of the price range but never underestimate the allure of a big trunk. Cramming that bulky bag into a sub compact isn’t easy, so a vehicle with a big cargo space is greatly appreciated. I usually just toss the bag in the back of my hatchback but I test drove a Huyndai Genesis a while back and got serious trunk envy. It has a Giant Trunk. And even better it had heated seats front and back! Heated Seats! Getting up at 6 am combined with minus 20 temperatures are not fun but when you have a toasty tootsie, oooh it makes those mornings nicer. I truly think we should lobby for heated seats to be mandatory equipment on all vehicles sold in Canada.
A cow bell or noise maker to cheer on all the kids
This is an awesome sign at our local rink reminding spectators how to behave.
We are all grown ups so it shouldn’t be necessary yet there it is. So far we have had good experiences in the stands with parents respectfully cheering on both their team and the opposition. I was inspired when I read this post by Maija’s Mommy Moments about wanting to cheer every child at her son’s hockey games! So get her a noise maker so she can loudly and proudly cheer on both teams!
