A sneaky way to save money, or help someone you know save money, is to ask for or give something practical for Christmas.

Now, this does not have to mean “socks and underwear,” although I did have a high school classmate whose mother put new socks and underwear into Christmas packages. They had such tight budgets when he was growing up that he was glad to get anything new, even if it was something you’d think Momma should be buying anyway for the kids.

There is actually quite a selection of items that are considered acceptable Christmas gifts, and very practical indeed. They’ll either save you from making a purchase later out of your household budget, or save you money in the long run.

Here are 70-plus ideas for practical gifts, many of which have been featured in sales fliers this holiday season or can be found very inexpensively:

• Tool set, tool chest, tool bag, power drill.
• Ham, turkey, fruit basket, jelly gift box, cheese and sausage box, baking mix in a pretty jar, flavored tea bags, seasonal flavor coffee beans, spice set, hot cocoa set, popcorn tin.
• Hat, scarf, mittens.
• Luggage, duffel bag, book bag (consider bags with a favorite sports team logo).
• Slippers.
• Flannel sheets.
• Fleece shirts or hoodies (another good one for a sports fan).
• Battery recharger set with rechargeable batteries in popular sizes (good for those with techie toys like digital cameras and hand-held video games).
• Pajamas and bathrobes. Pajama bottoms are fashionable attire for casual use anyway, but remember the flannel or footie sets for winter wear.
• Slow cooker, hand or stand mixer, tabletop griddle, coffee pot, coffee grinder, fry pan, popcorn popper, kitchen utensils, bread maker, blender, knife set, tea pot.
• Cake decorating supplies, baking pans in assorted sizes and shapes.
• Navigation device (especially useful for those families who need to travel for sports and kids activities).
• Paper shredder, recordable DVDs, recordable CDs, photo paper.
• Blank greeting cards, assortment of stamping inks, assorted rubber stamps.
• Photo album or scrapbook with tape and archival paper.
• Sewing box, perhaps stocked with commonly used sewing tools and supplies.
• Tray table set or card table set.
• Air bed, camp stove, camping lantern, emergency radio, sleeping bag (these are not only good for camping, tailgating and hunting … some of your outdoor gear can be used when you have guests or when the power goes out.)
• Cookbooks, especially those with basic “beginner” instructions for home cooking. (You want someone to save money when she is cooking at home, not be forced into purchasing pantry items she doesn’t normally stock.)
• Tickets or membership to a music concert, theater show, ballet, museum, zoo, fitness center.
• Shower gels and hand lotions. If you don’t know someone’s favorite variety, ask the clerk what’s the newest or most popular scent in the collection.
• Dinnerware, serving glasses, flatware, table linens (these are often featured in holiday sales).
• Bicycle.
• Bedding and sheet sets. If you pick a “theme” set, remember you can buy a couple of pieces from the pattern and add in cheaper solid colors that match.
• Potted plants.
• Gift card for an oil change or a year’s worth of oil changes for the vehicle (I’ve seen them at a local dealership).