‘Tis the season once again, and we can’t think of a year when we needed some Christmas cheer more than this one!  So we’ve sent our gift-giving trolls out across the Interwebs to look for some of the best gift ideas suitable for someone who loves boating, the water, fishing or just being outdoors in the sun.

Of course, the boss wants to first remind everyone that our maine store at Fay’s Boat Yard offers gift certificates for almost everything we sell, and they fit nicely into a stocking hung by the chimney with care. So give us a call, or stop by, and we can help find something that will be appreciated by the grinchiest boater on your list.

But while gift certificates are fine, and accomplish the task of gift-giving, some of you want to make a bigger bang with your nautical gifts. So here’s this year’s selection of wow-makers.

Tow for Two.   Most kids love being towed around the lake, whether on a tube, a raft, anything inflatable that floats. But the Big Mable Double Rider from Airhead caught our eye. This well-designed tow tube has a high backrest and all cushioned sides for riding comfort. Dual tow points allow passengers to choose different riding positions: sit, lay, stand or kneel.  Heavy duty full nylon cover. Priced around $279 at Amazon.

Party Sounds.  You’re out on the lake with several buds, and everyone ties up together for an afternoon of music, food, drink and good times. But who chooses the tunes? If you’ve got the West Sounds A-Link, you can stream and broadcast your music to everyone’s sound system (as long as there’s line-of-sight) within a 100-foot radius. Lithium-ion batteries give you hours of play time, and there’s a micro USB charging cable to top it up. Two units included, priced at around $161 at Amazon.

The Bean in Marine.  Beanbag chairs are great. Beanbag chairs on the stern deck of your boat are greater.  We found a tough marine-worthy line from E-SeaRider that are teardrop in shape and made from 24 oz. marine-grade heavy duty vinyl. The teardrop shape provides extra support for back and neck and the double-lock stitching will hold out for years. Available in several colors.  Around $135 at Amazon.

Recycled Rope Mats.  This is the feel-good gift of the year. Some years ago, the government banned floating lobster rope (because of whale entanglement issues) and the lobster industry switched over to sink ropes. But what to do with all that floating rope, destined for the landfill? New England Trading Company got a bunch and turned it into these lovely…and extremely durable…door mats. They are ruggedly handsome, evocative of our nautical heritage and very effective at being door mats!  Priced from around $70 at Amazon.

Gear for Anglers.  Fishermen can be hard to gift. They all have their particular likes and dislikes, so buying them something they’d like can be tough. But here are a few gift ideas that any fisherperson would appreciate.

The Rapala Fish Fillet Knife is a classic, featuring a full-tang Swedish stainless steel blade in the classic Rapala reinforced birch varnished handle. It comes with a genuine leather sheath and a single-stage sharpener. Anyone who catches fish will love having one of these in his tackle box.  $30 from Amazon.

Five-in-One Tool.  These fishing pliers are anodized, futuristic, corrosion resistant and heat treated.  They’ll handle heavy-duty crimping, cut wire and fishing line, open split rings, remove hooks and much more. Indentations on the handles fit your fingers, and the coiled wire lanyard and clip will keep the tool handy when you need it. Great deal at $20 at Amazon.

Odor Rub Away Bar.  The problem with fishing is that your hands can start to smell…like fish! And then when you cook up some fillets, there may be some onions and garlic involved. Help is on the way with this fascinating stainless steel hollow bar that looks like a bar of soap, and when used the same way (with or without water) it magically removes all odors from your hands and fingers. How does it work? Who cares…it just does!  $9 at Amazon.

And finally, a very merry jelly.  We had to include this glow-in-the-dark jellyfish tree ornament, because, why not? It’s festive, it’s different and it’s a jellyfish. Kinda perfect for the year we just lived through, no?  Ten bucks, free shipping and at Amazon.