Andy's 8th Annual Online Gift Guide

Welcome back for another edition of my annual online gift guide. 2020 has been quite the year, and I'm sure more of you will be hitting the web this year to do your holiday shopping. So I'm here once again to offer more great gift ideas. So strap in, and let's get started:

Arrowhead Vintage & Handmade Goods

Sitting at Goodwills, old hotels and estate sales nationwide are boring pieces of art that no one wants to buy. No one except Dave Sherrill, an Ohio artist who went viral during the pandemic for his "altered art." He takes these otherwise nondescript outdoor scenic paintings and adds things to them to increase their desirability. He'll add characters and scenes from Star Wars (apparently his favorite subject matter), UFOs, Xena, Joe Exotic, Star Trek, Godzilla and more. He'll take commissions for new works, but you can easily buy prints of his past works online.

Game-Used Baseball Watch

MLB has a whole line of game-used stuff available, but this watch might be the coolest item. The face doesn't have any numbers, but it's made from a game-used ball. You can check the number on the hologram sticker to learn specific details about the game in which the ball was used. It doesn't say much about the origin of the leather band, but I sure hope they made it from game-used gloves.

Sports shoes for women

Perhaps there's a sports-loving lady in your life who doesn't like watches. Good news, Charis Doxa has a line of sports-themed shoes made with material from real balls. They have flats, heels and wedges for baseball, football, basketball, soccer and softball fans. How do they do it? I don't know, but I hope they start making men's dress shoes soon.

Pandemic pin

Everyone has reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic differently. But one thing's for sure: it has offered up a whole new line of items not available in 2019. For that person in your life who's a germophobe or immunocompromised or antisocial, there's this simple little pin. Attach it to your lapel or the front of your face mask to let people know they are not welcome here.

Pandemic Patches

If 2020 has shown us anything, it's that we need to celebrate the small things in life, like "I got dressed today" or "I didn't greet the mailman in my underwear." The team at Pandemic Patches has a whole line of patches to celebrate our small achievements. Patches include "Clorox Queen," "Homeschool Hero," "Hunter Gatherer," "Sewed Masks," "Quarantine Birthday," "Showered Sometimes," "Victory Gardener," "Still Married" and "Wore Pants." So stuff those stockings with patches and hope your family members know how to sew.

Covidopoly 19

A COVID vaccine, or two or three, is on the way by early next year, but until then another shutdown could still happen. So stock up on new board games to play. Games like Covidopoly 19 where you can travel the world, buy clinics and hospitals, be a world leader (or an object like toilet paper) and get money for good conduct. Instead of Community Chest cards like in Monopoly, there are Ventilator and Mask cards designed to provide facts about the coronavirus. Game pieces include a sanitizer bottle, a ventilator and aerosol spray.

Endless bubble wrap

The pandemic have you stressed out? You feel like you need a stress ball at all times? Well, give it a rest with this silicone phone case that mimics bubble wrap ... bubble wrap that never runs out. That's right, you can pop the same bubble over and over again. Some reviewers say they don't feel or sound anything like bubble wrap, but I imagine the enjoyment is the same. If you've already got a phone case you like, similar endless bubble wrap products are available in keychain form, too.

Crib pack

How about that person on your Christmas list who is still in charge of a tiny human? Check out this all-in-one diaper bag and bassinet. While I'm not sure it has great use as a bassinet (who would want to sleep in that), it could work in a pinch. More likely, I see it being useful as a diaper changing station. The bag itself, however, seems really useful. It has room for clothes, diapers, baby wipes, bottles and more. It even has a USB charging station and straps so you can attach it to your stroller.

Geeky Candles

According to the folks at Geeky Candles, you can "enhance your quality time with unique scents, engineered to replicate the atmospheres of your favorite films, books and video games" with their products. These all-natural, vegan (does that mean they're edible?) soy wax candles will burn for hours as they fill your house with the scent of "Cabin in the Woods," "Local Coffee Shop" or "Old Bookstore." Just beware that they ship from Canada, so order them soon.

KFC Firelog

Maybe you enjoy fire, but candles aren't your cup of tea. Enter the KFC Firelog, which allegedly smells like fried chicken. Made with 100 percent recycled materials, the limited-edition 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog is "less wasteful and significantly more effective at making your home smell like fried chicken than burning actual fried chicken." The log can last for up to 3 hours, just be sure Fido doesn't try to take a bit while it's burning.