The cold wind from the north, the layer of brine on the streets (and cars), the bell ringers in red hats in front of the big box stores, kids so amped up that they are practically vibrating, and the proliferation of decorative lights on houses all point to one fact: it is time to start panicking about what to get the lineman in your life for Christmas. Nevermind gifts for your husband or your wife or your kids or your mother-in-law (as long as they aren’t linemen). In this season of lights, there is no person more important to the success of your holiday season than the one who keeps the lights on.

Forget all the sappy Christmas movies with their misplaced notions of “belief” and “family” and “holiday spirit.” Try having holiday spirit with no lights on the Christmas tree or heat in your house or electricity to power your laptop.  How else are you going to watch your fifteenth greeting card movie about a high powered lawyer from the big city who gets stranded in a small town over the holidays only to fall in love with the handsome bookstore owner she was supposed to sue for all he is worth?

The Grinch got it wrong when he attempted to ruin Christmas by stealing all the gifts and decorations from the Whos down in Whoville (Whovillians? Who-villains?). He would have had a much more successful and less laborious time if he had simply cut the power lines. Imagine the Whos holding hands and singing while suffering the effects of eating spoiled roast beast due to the lack of electricity to their refrigerators? No one, not even the Whos, would be in the Christmas spirit with food poisoning.

All of this is to say, if you enjoy things like food safety, warm showers, cheesy movies, and Christmas lights, make sure the electrical utility workers you know are treated well this Christmas, and we at Tallman have some great ideas on where to start with this great gifts for linemen:

For the lineman with a sense of style

These Richardson 112 snapback trucker hats feature a PVC shield patch with the Tallman logo. Available in four different color combinations, these hats are the epitome of cool and are the perfect opportunity to show off the brand that really understands linework. The only downside is the possibility that any linemen seen wearing these hats may be approached by agents offering modeling contracts. So on second thought, if you do not want the linemen in your life walking the fashion runways in New York City, Paris, or Milan, you might not want to get them this hat.

For the lineman with a need to hit things

Much like drummers think every long thin object is a drumstick, linemen seem to believe every tool doubles as a hammer. That is why Milwaukee designed this Lineman’s High Leverage Ratcheting Wrench with a strike face built in to the wrench head. The durable ratchet wrench features a bolt-thru design that fits 3/4″, 1″, and 1-1/8″ square sockets. Sometimes you need to tighten things and sometimes you need to whack them. Get your lineman a tool that can do both.

For the lineman who appreciate the classics

There’s a reason the name Klein’s has become shorthand for lineman’s pliers. Give the gift of a fresh pair of Klein Journeyman Lineman’s Pliers and the lineman in your life will know you really understand them. These also make a great gift for mafia enforcers and dentists looking for a better way to pull teeth.

For the lineman with cold fingers

Linewives, do you ever rush to greet your husbands, as they arrive home from another heroic effort to save Christmas for all the good little girls and boys, only to shrink back in horror from the touch of their icy claws? Warm those fingers up with insulated gloves or work mittens from Youngstown Glove Company. Don’t let Jack Frost’s icy touch get in the way of showing your lineman how happy you are to see him.

For the lineman faced with a lot of clamshell packaging

One of the banes of Christmas morning is clamshell packaging. Many tears of been shed and fingers lost to efforts to cut through those cursed containers. Think ahead and make sure your lineman has a pocketknife like this lockback knife from DDIN in order to make dealing with all those Christmas morning cutting tasks a breeze. Besides, everyone needs a good pocketknife. The only downside: it also comes in clamshell packaging….

For the lineman in need of a cold (or hot) beverage

Do you ever make yourself a hot cup of coffee (or pour yourself a cold lemonade) then proceed to get distracted by life for the next two hours before rediscovering your, now sadly, room temperature drink languishing on your counter? The solution: the RTIC 30oz Tumbler. The sealed vacuum tumbler keeps hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold for hours. But don’t mix them. Or do. You do you. Just know that this defeats the purpose of having an insulated tumbler. This tumbler is even dishwasher safe*.

*Any jokes about your wife being the dishwasher make this statement void and increase the odds of the tumbler being used as a projectile.

For Everything for Linemen, Trust Tallman

If you are still looking for some additional gifts for linemen friends and family, explore the rest of our selection at Tallman Equipment or call our tool experts at 877-860-5666, where you will talk to a real live person who can help you find the best solution for your needs. We have over 70 years of experience in the electric utility industry and are dedicated to always doing the right thing for our customers. Our appreciation for the linework profession runs deep, and we pride ourselves on being able to provide the best service in the industry to the men and women who keep the grid connected.

For more information about Tallman Equipment, check us out here. We offering a wide range of services to the electrical utility industry, including: equipment sales, rental, repair, rubber goods testing, rope splicing, and ground set and jumper set assemblies.