Emily Lees: Useful Christmas gifts are farming luxuries
© Adobe Stock It’s December, which means the countdown to Christmas is on.
For anyone over the age of 12, the Christmas period can bring mixed emotions.
There is much to look forward to: a stocking from Santa (I am only 28…), Mum’s famous trifle and, importantly, a day of completing only the basic farm chores and not feeling too guilty about it.
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But with the countdown comes the debilitating pressure of finding Christmas gifts in your non-existent spare time.
From scouring the Screwfix catalogue to scanning the aisles in the local hardware store, thoughtful gift ideas can be hard to come by. There was a time when a multipack of Lynx Africa would serve at least 50% of the family exceptionally well, but those happy days seem to have passed.
Last Christmas, my husband bought me my very own pitchfork. Thoughtfully, baby blue in colour so it wouldn’t clash with my bright pink boilersuit.
Although possibly taken aback on the day (it wasn’t quite the bread machine I had hinted at), I have grown to absolutely love my new tool.
It is lighter and sharper than any of the other pitchforks on farm, with a much better handle. And, because it was gifted to little old me, I get first dibs on it when mucking out the feed alley, while my husband lumbers about with the old heavy ones. Ha!
So perhaps this year, instead of dashing round the Lidl middle aisles in a festive frenzy, lean into the simple truth that farmers often appreciate the useful above all else.
A waterproof jacket that’s actually waterproof? A Christmas miracle! Or even some handwarmers to shove into pockets, for use before the day is out.
A gift that lightens the workload, survives a winter in the yard, or saves five minutes on a frosty morning can feel downright luxurious.
And if it brings even half the joy my baby-blue pitchfork has brought me, then you’ve chosen well.