The flurry of activity during the holiday season keeps us plenty busy. Time seems to melt away while we bake goodies, gather with our friends and, in general, uphold all the festive holiday traditions. The one tradition that sometimes causes the most quandaries is the gift exchange.

Of course, gift ideas are plentiful for children. And stores are filled with suggestions whether you need something for your boss or your mom.

Knowing something about a person makes it a little easier to decide what kind of gift to give. You may be lucky to have a gardener or do-it-yourselfer on your list. In that case, you will most likely find yourself at a garden center or hardware store.

Gifts for gardeners

These come in all sizes and all price ranges. A few packets of seeds tucked in a small terra-cotta pot wrapped in tinted tissue paper and tied with some curly ribbon will gladden a gardener’s heart. Larger, more expensive gifts, including the potting table or bench, can be hidden in the garage or basement. Send the gardener on a scavenger hunt following a trail of clues until the gift is found.

Other gift ideas for a gardener:

¢ Bamboo stakes

¢ Barometer

• Basic how-to gardening book or specialty book, such as one on herb gardening

¢ Bird or butterfly house

¢ Clippers

¢ Cut flower vase

¢ Garden trowel

¢ Gardening gloves

¢ Gardening journal

¢ Hand lotion

¢ Herb starter kit

¢ Hummingbird feeder

¢ Kneeling pad

¢ Leaf rake

¢ Loppers

¢ Outdoor thermometer

¢ Plant stand

¢ Plant markers

¢ Pruners ” hand held

¢ Rain gauge

¢ Root starter

¢ Shoe & boot brush

¢ Small houseplant tools

• Subscription to a garden magazine

¢ Sun hat

¢ Sunflower seed wreath

¢ Sunscreen

¢ Tool bucket

• Trip to a botanical garden

¢ Twine

¢ Vermiculite

¢ Windchimes

Gifts for do-it-yourselfers

For the do-it-yourself person on your list, the ideas are just as plentiful and just as wide ranging in price. Who could resist another roll of the very versatile duct tape? And what honest-to-goodness handyman would ever turn down yet another cordless drill? Now, if you’re looking at the more expensive end, thrill someone with a table saw.

Other gift ideas for the do-it-yourself person:

¢ Batteries ” all sizes

• Books on home repair, electrical repair or plumbing

¢ Carbon monoxide alarm

¢ Caulk

¢ Chalk line

¢ Clamps

• Extension cord for outdoor use

¢ Fire extinguisher

¢ Flashlight

¢ Four-in-one screwdriver

¢ Framing square

¢ Garage door opener

• Goggles ” a must for many home improvement projects

¢ Hacksaw

• Hammers ” ball peen, tack, ripping claw, curved claw
• Ladders ” step stool, six-foot step ladder

¢ Large trash bags

¢ Level

¢ Putty knife

¢ Sandpaper

¢ Screwdriver set

¢ Set of pliers

¢ Sharpening stones

¢ Space organizer

¢ Sponges

¢ String or twine

¢ String level

¢ Stud finder

¢ Tape measure

¢ Tin snips

¢ Tool belt

¢ Trouble light

¢ Utility knife

¢ Work gloves

• Yardstick or metal straight edge

Oh, and just to be on the safe side, toss some Band-Aids into the stocking.

Of course, you can also give a gift certificate to the garden centers and hardware stores with the offer to drive. If you’d rather spend your time rather than your money, wrap up your promise to mow the lawn, paint the bedroom or otherwise help out.

My best suggestion when a gift idea remains elusive, is a contribution in someone’s name to a favorite charity, such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Multiple Sclerosis Society or any other deserving organization. With their needs so great, not only will you have the satisfaction of giving a wonderful gift, you will help ensure a brighter future for others.

” Carol Boncella is education coordinator at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and home and garden writer for the Journal-World.