Seems kind of early to be “last-minute” already, doesn’t it? But given the sluggish state of the global supply network, we’re taking an uncharacteristically proactive approach to our holiday shopping in 2021. We figure we’ve got about another week to place our orders; after that, who knows whether the merch will get delivered before the end of this year.
We’re also labeling these ideas “last-minute” because they’re coming on the heels of suggestions we’ve already shared earlier in the season. The current print edition includes nearly a dozen reader-submitted gift ideas for people with limb difference, and we sent out a special advertising supplement a couple of weeks ago with some excellent swag from Amplitude‘s sponsors. All those products remain in play, so you might want to go back and refresh your notes. For that matter, last year’s amputee gift lists (one from November, the other from December) are still relevant.
Whether you’re just starting your shopping or crossing the final items off your list, we hope the items below add some extra cheer to your gift-giving and -getting for 2021.
Neo Walk Sticks
Founded a few years ago by left AK amputee Lyndsay Watterson, this UK-based company took off in 2021. Their stylish walking sticks have caught on among people with a wide range of mobility needs, including (but hardly limited to) amputees. “I want everyone to have the freedom to choose colorful mobility aids that are functional and shout: ‘Look at me,'” Watterson explains on her Instagram page. “You’ll hear me say things like ‘We were made to stand out, not to fit in’ and ‘Claim back your right to be stylish.’ I feel as a genre, people with disabilities are forgotten, ignored and undervalued. Neo Walk is proud to be one of a growing number of designers injecting practicality and style into accessible fashion, celebrating our differences not ignoring they exist.”
Neo Walks come in a wide range of colors and are sized to fit your body. Prices range roughly from $60 to $100. Order at neo-walk.com.
ClipDifferent Pro
This baby won a prestigious Gold Edison Award a couple of years ago in the Consumer Goods category—entirely fitting, since inventor Tom McMullen was literally named after none other than Thomas Alva Edison. Billed as the world’s first one-handed fingernail trimmer, this patented device serves anyone who’s dealing with upper-limb difference, arthritis, nerve damage, stroke recovery, or another manual dexterity challenge. Emily Ladau’s Accessible Stall podcast bills the Clip Different as a “game-changer,” and the product has won kudos from various corners of the limb-loss community, including Hanger Clinics and the No Limits Foundation.
ClipDifferent Pro retails for $149. Order at clipdifferent.com.
Intimately
This adaptive fashion marketplace curates inclusive lingerie for women from a variety of brands. Launched a year ago via a Kickstarter campaign, Intimately.co operates on the premise that functional, fashionable undergarments shouldn’t be so difficult to find. “One of the issues with adaptive intimates is that, historically, they have looked medical,” founding CEO Emma Butler told Forbes recently. “Undergarments are tied so closely to our sexuality, confidence, and desirability. People who need adaptive intimates do not necessarily want ‘granny panties.’” Currently featuring garments from a variety of brands, Intimately is getting ready to launch its own line in early 2022.
Currently available merchandise is priced between $20 and $60. Place orders at intimately.co.
Cool Crutches
Although they’ve been around for more than 10 years, Cool Crutches has only recently caught fire, thanks in part to high-profile adopters such as Scottish amputee football captain Brian Murray and Great British Bakeoff judge Prue Leith. Company co-founder Amelia Peckham created the product after sustaining a spinal injury. Not only were standard walking aids uncomfortable, she tells podcaster Natasha Lipman, “they made me look and feel disabled. At a time when my mental health as well as my physical health was at its most fragile, my crutches were seemingly offering more hindrance than support. Choosing a pair of shoes or a handbag is personal and reflective of personal style. It seems almost archaic that mobility aids don’t seem to offer the same variety. “
Prices range from about $95 to $125. Order at coolcrutches.com.
I Am Sheriauna, Book 2: We Are Able
At long last, the followup to the highly successful I Am Sheriauna has appeared. The first book, you may recall, follows a limb-different youngster’s one-person crusade to create a more inclusive and tolerant world. The second installment continues in that vein, says author Sherylee Honeyghan, who based the series on her real-life experiences as the parent of a child with limb difference. “It is important to me that my daughter and other children with disabilities and children of color see themselves represented in literature,” Honeyghan explains. “The next generation of children [will] create a new idea of what ‘normal’ looks like.”
At the moment, We Are Able is only available in Kindle format. It costs $6.99; order at Amazon.
Groovy Alien Art
“I make groovy art for groovy people,” declares Lex, the bilateral amputee proprietor of this one-person shop. We can’t tell you much about the artist, other than that she’s from Omaha, Nebraska. But we do really like her vision, which is heavy on fluorescent inks, psychedelic patterns, and crystal pendants. Give some joyful vibes to somebody you love while supporting this young artist with limb difference.
Most canvases are affordably priced at $50 and below; crystals fall into the vicinity of $65 a pop. Browse images on Instagram @peacefulalientart; order at groovyalienshoppe.space.
Wheelchair Mafia
OK, we admit it: We included this suggestion solely on the basis of the name. This Dutch organization brings a gangster’s mentality to disability/accessibility culture, ruthlessly rubbing out ableism and dumping the corpse into the harbor. When they say, “We want to create more awareness and understanding among able-bodied people, so that [wheelchair] rollers can better participate in an equal society,” what they mean is: “We’re gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.” It’s a successful racket: Wheelchair Mafia’s monthly digital audience exceeds 10 million people around the world. If you’d like your holiday gift-giving dollars to support the global inclusive/adaptive familia, browse the Mafia’s online emporium of shirts, hoodies, hats, and other gear. (Editor’s advisory: brass knuckles and bulletproof vests are back-ordered.) Shop at wheelchairmafia.myspreadshop.net.