It’s been a hell of a year. Some say 2009 braved the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. And it still doesn’t feel like Christmas, does it?

Even though some say the recession is over, it takes some sang-froid to spend big bucks on holiday gifts knowing your money might more wisely be spent on a six-week medical-transcription course, an age-defying makeover, or a big-city headhunter—all in the hopes of finding a job before they come to repossess your Segway.

Thus, this year’s gift guide is grounded in the practical reality of survival. You don’t need to mortgage your future to take pleasure in the holidays. Learn a few valuable skills and help others learn them, too. And you might just have a surprisingly merrier, mirthier time of it.

How to Grow a Garden
By Scott Renshaw

How to Race
By Ted Scheffler

How to Build a Gingerbread House
By Jamie Gadette

How to Arrange Holiday Flowers
By Stephen Dark

How to Brew Your Own Beer
By Eric Peterson

How to Pick Mushrooms
By Jesse Fruhwirth

How to Hunt & Kill a Wild Turkey
By Josh Loftin

How to Intonate Guitar
By Bill Frost