Oh the holidays. The time of year when I spend my weekends wandering aimlessly around the hated mall trying to figure out what to buy my mom, only to be faced with a gladiator showdown in line for the register. Anyone else so over dealing with absurdly stressed out people? Here's my quick list of what to buy as it relates to the outdoors. And Godspeed out there people.

Stocking stuffers

Discovery Pass: It's probably the biggest bang for your buck you could buy. An entire year of access to our parks and trails, basically everything cool. You can buy one at the Auditor's Office as a gift for $30 cash or check.

Washington Trails Association Hiking Guidebooks: My copy of the Central Cascades is dog-eared, rain splattered and has lead to more hours of entertainment than I could list. WTA publishes volumes regularly by geographical area. Check out King's Books in Tacoma or your local bookseller.

Hats, gloves, and scarves: The Alpine Experience in Olympia has the best hat selection for women I have ever seen, especially for non-wool hats. But seriously, everyone needs these and the newest smartphone compatible ones will make the techie in your life very happy.

The person who has everything

Patagonia Better Sweater: I impulse purchased one of these with my Christmas money a few years back. Holy cow. I never looked back. Every brand (North Face, REI, Columbia, etc.) makes a knock-off now, but the original cannot be imitated. Seriously, it's my favorite thing. Available at REI, patagonia.com and at the Patagonia store in Seattle.

The newbie

Waterproof anything: I have waxed poetic in the Outdoor Addict more times than I care to admit about the realities of rain around here. Buy the new outdoor enthusiast some good waterproof pants. They make life around here so much more enjoyable. Visit REI or the Alpine Experience.

The guy who never buys anything new

Long underwear: We all know someone who has had his or her gear since 1986 and takes pride in that fact. While I support not buying the latest trends just because they are trendy, technology has made huge improvements over the last 15 years. Long underwear, also known as a base layer, is a crucial element to being outdoors. Smart wool leads the field for wool, and Patagonia makes an amazing synthetic base layer called Capilene. The Alpine Experience in Olympia and REI have a broad selection.

The maniac

Have you heard of cyclocross? No? If you know someone who likes bicycles and is completely insane, then visit Tacoma Bike and splurge on a bike suited for cyclocross. This sport is half Tough Mudder, half circuit race and totally awesome. I recommend checking out Steelman Cycles.

The runner

So true confession of the Outdoor Addict here: I am not a runner. I actually hate running. But I know a number of running fanatics. So here's my advice. Any runner will tell you about their shoes. The ones that fit like a glove and are perfect. Ask them about it and then hightail it to South Sound Running in downtown Tacoma, downtown Olympia and downtown Puyallup. The store is totally awesome. Every runner I know would be ecstatic to wake up to a South Sound Running gift certificate on Christmas morning.