Gift-giving can be a source of stress (the pressure, the expectations, the advertisements) so I thought I’d compile a little list over the next 12 days (hey, why not?) of some gift ideas – some are unique, some are fun and some you can make yourself. But remember, at the end of the day, it’s not about what you brought home from the mall.

So, idea number one!

Gosworth Belt Design

The folks at Green Man Leather are not only a pleasure to work with, they also make some fantastic products. Like Viking-inspired belts. A little time back I was on the hunt for a belt with a viking motif, but was unable to find anything I liked. So I designed my own, based on actual Viking artifacts, and presented the design to Green Man Leather. They were able to take my design and make a belt out of it – and I made a few more designs for them to use too! I also have a few bracers made by them, using the design seen above. It’s based on carvings found on the Gosforth cross in Cumbria, England. These items are of high quality, are truly unique, and are perfect for any Viking fan. (But they also do a bunch of other stuff too! Check ‘em out!)