Studies shows that the amount a person reads usually correlates with his income level. When your Kindergarten teacher told you that “readers are leaders,” she wasn’t pulling your leg.

If you want to grow spiritually, practically, or economically, you need to read…often!

Check out the new Kindle Fire HD. It’s $79 right now at amazon. That may sound like a lot, but when you realize that you can get almost all of the great English classics and spiritual classics for either $0.99 or FREE, then you’ll save lots of money in only a matter of months! You can also get the great spiritual classics.

It’s easy to use – even Grandpa can use it since you can make the text bigger and it will robotically read all your books through its built-in speakers.

Explore the Kindle Fire here.

[callout]

SHAMELESS ALL CAPS PERSONAL PLUG:

My new super-manly novel Sword and Serpent is out on Kindle this weekend.

This Kindle version includes a map and other cool stuff. If he likes war, Rome, history, battles, legend, etc. then he’ll love Sword and Serpent. 

This historical fictional novel is 100% but it does have some blood and death it. Not recommended for audiences under the age of 12.

Read a sample or read over 100 5 star reviews about Sword and Serpent by clicking here.[/callout]

5) A Nice Leatherbound Pocket Bible

This is another great gift that makes the list year after year. About 30 years ago, people starting making lame paperback Bibles. If it’s the inspired, inerrant Word of God, at least wrap it in real leather and gild the page edges…

Here is the one you need to get him. It’s Douay Rheims (Catholic, yet old school language), but it’s only Psalms and New Testament published by Baronius. It fits perfectly into the side pocket of a suit or blazer. I carry it in my sports coat, and it holds up to use. It’s absolutely beautiful and has a ribbon to mark your place.

Did I mention that it’s only 12.99?

[callout]UPDATE: Either they have sold out already or they have hiked the price for this nifty little Bible. The deal that was there is gone. Instead I recommend this Bible until they can get the New Testament back in stock: Full Douay Rheims Leather Bible.[/callout]

Oh, and please buy him the black leather version. If you buy him a white Bible, you might as well throw in ballet lessons.

Baronius also makes an impressive real leather Family Bible. I’ve done a lot of research and this is the one that every Catholic home should have. Baronius makes wonderful Bibles.

4) A Hip Flask

Here’s the situation: Life in the American South calls for attending Baptist weddings. Baptist wedding receptions are dry. Yes, I know, if Our Lord Jesus Christ were there, he would turn the water into wine, but that policy is not observed at teatotalling wedding receptions…so…he needs this:

An 8 oz hip flask. It’s stainless and the perfect size.

Let’s do the math, a normal serving of scotch is 1.5 oz. So 8 oz / 1.5 oz = 5.33 servings. With this hip flask, you can save the day for your man and four of his friends. How cool is that. Scotch sold separately.

Get this perfectly sized hip flask on amazon.com.

PS: Don’t forget to also get the hip flask funnel or he may get irritated trying to fill the tiny mouth of the flask and spill some! Here’s the funnel – sold separately.

Your Top 3 Manly Christmas Gifts

Like last year, the top 3 Manly Christmas Gifts are Knives. The knife is the most popular manly Christmas gift – year after year. I tried to think of something that would knock it out of first place. I couldn’t do it.

A man without pocket knife…woe is he. You can use a pocket knife to cut string, pull out splinters, slice apples on a picnic, etc. Growing up, my dad always carried a knife in his pocket. And if a thug jumps you, you’ve got something rather than nothing.

You can slip a knife into his Christmas stocking and he’ll be thrilled when he discovers it. It will be the first time in a long time that he had a toy to play with on Christmas morning. If you have a son who’s coming of age, you should slip a Swiss Army knife into his stocking. If you get your husband a knife for Christmas, he can use it all morning to open up Christmas gifts, toys, cards, and packages. He’ll be happy to use his new gift all morning.

I’m recommending three knives this year depending on your need:

1) A Fancy Gentlemen’s Knife for the pocket of his suit or slacks
2) An Every Day Carry Knife for the pocket of his jeans and khakis
3) Swiss Army Knife for your 8-18 year old young man

3) The Fancy Gentleman’s Knife

I call it the “gentleman’s knife.” It’s the very nice wooden or bone handled knife.

This is a knife that he only carries for special occasions. Think of it like this, this isn’t a knife that you wear in your jeans, you wear it in the pocket of your slacks or suit. It’s the kind of knife that is passed from Grandfather to Father to Grandson. An artifact. An heirloom. Usually, a manly-man won’t buy himself this knife (he buys useful knives for himself as tools – see knives below), but he loves to receive a fine knife like this as a gift.

It’s the perfect manly Christmas gift and I  recommend this for your dad or husband. Ladies, think of it as the closest thing to masculine jewelry.

I like this nice Hen and Rooster with Burl wood and Damascus blade. It’s a beautiful tool.

If Hen and Rooster above is out of your budget, go with this nice Case knife with Smoothed Bone Handle 40.26:

Case is the old school man’s knife brand. Your grandpa probably owned one like this at some point in his life. Here it is at amazon.com.

2) The Everyday Carry Knife

This is the knife that a man carries in his pocket every single day. With this knife he opens mail, cuts string, cuts tags off clothing, removes splinters, and all the other odd jobs suited for a knife.

My one criteria for an “every day carry” or “EDC” is that it have a pocket clip that keeps it from falling out of your trousers at the baseball game. The other important thing about an every day carry knife is that it be lightweight. You don’t want to carry a heavy lump in your jeans pocket. The pocket clip also keeps the knife high in your pocket so it’s comfortable whenever you sit down or drive.

This is the one in my pocket! I recommend the Kershaw’s Ken Onion Tactical as your every day carry.

1) Swiss Army for Younger Men and Boys

If your man is a gadget guy then he’s probably a fan of the multi-tool or Swiss Army.

These are the knives that have many, many other tools attached: bottle opener, saw, tweezers, toothpick, pliers, etc. The Swiss Army knife if perfect for a boy’s first knife (age seven). If he’s reached the age of reason, he should have a knife.

PS: If you want your man and/or boy to get out into the outdoors and use their knifes, then check out our new Catholic apostolate for men and young men: The Troops of Saint George! He’ll learn how to use a knife, start a fire without matches, and prayers in Latin. It’s legit and fun.