If you've spent hours searching for a great gift for a firefighter, you've come to the right article. Is your firefighter about to graduate from he USFA or IAFF programs? How about reaching a critical anniversary, or that big promotion? For important moments such as these, ordinary gifts just won't cut it. Have you tried the shopping malls and search engines only to find cheap teddy bears and knock off badges? Unfortunately, this is the experience for everyone trying to find a great gift. That's the bad news.
The good news is that you don't have to settle for cheap knock offs and meaningless junk; there are some great gifts and collectibles available. The criteria I had for choosing these items are as follows:
The item must be of very high quality. No plastic toys or cheap t-shirts with iron on graphics.
You must be able to customize the item. This allows the gift to be unique and very personal
Nothing cheesy. No engraved flasks or firefighter mini-kegs allowed
Unique Firefighter Gift #1 - Firefighter Award Plaques
A plaque or statue with a personal message is a great gift. I particularly like the serve and protect plaque available on firecatalog.com. This award shows a firefighter carrying a child down a ladder on top of a maltese cross with the words to serve and protect engraved on it. There is a plaque below which allows for 3 lines of text, each 40 characters wide.
Unique Firefighter Gift #2 - A Customized Firefighter Journal
Firefighters spend lengthy hours around the station. A great gift idea is a journal where they can write down their thoughts and experiences. There are a plethora of personalized leather journals available online. I recommend taking a look at the Monachorum Leather Journal on JenniBick.com
Unique Firefighter Gift #3 - Embroidered Leather Jacket
Everyone loves leather jackets, and they can be tastefully personalized in many ways. Some of the options I researched include:
Embroidering the firefighters badge on the right lapel, and last name on the left lapel
Sewing the fire departments patch, or any other patches on one of the sleeves
Embroider or design a patch with the fireman's prayer
Embroider or design a patch with their engine company's motto
Unique Firefighter Gift #4 - Engraved Firefighter Watch
Watches are always a great gift. If you're shopping for a fireman, a watch might be his only piece of jewelry. Just about every watch you can find can have the underside engraved, and, depending on your budget and taste, just about any nice watch will do. If you're looking for a watch design that includes elements of firefighting, I found this stainless steel fireman's watch with a Maltese cross face on PersonalCreations.com
Unique Firefighter Gift #5 - A Custom Maltese Cross Pendant
The Maltese cross is the symbol of firefighting. Originally given to the original firefighters, the Knights of St. John, and an award of courage and valor for saving their fellow crusaders from the Saracens fire.
Custom jewelry is always a great gift. FiredogJewelry.com offers custom Firefighter Maltese Cross Pendants in solid (not plated) silver, white and yellow gold, and platinum. The pendants are custom made to order and can be personalized with details such as department name, ladder unit number, firefighter name, St. Florian, firefighter scramble, IAFF number, and more.
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