This holiday season will be the first in which I can make a gift for my granddaughter; she was born on the last day of January this year. As you may expect, I am more than a little jazzed about the opportunity, but in truth, the number of potential gift ideas I’ve come up with is actually a bit ridiculous. With that in mind, through strenuous effort I have winnowed the choices down to two. 1. A child-sized kitchen set: range, oven, cabinet and kitchen table. This idea is much favored by the female cohort in my life. And 2., a rocking horse: a trusty trail companion used to work off extra energy.

Why do I bring this up, you may ask? It’s because I am looking for your feedback. I am sure that many of you have crossed this threshold before me, and I want your experience to help me to make a final decision. Are you up to it? I trust that you are.

Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal