Although one in ten people is left handed, left handedness is still often considered something of an oddity. The prejudice against those who favour their left hands all but disappeared by the end of the 20th century. However, in this right-handed-centric world, certain tasks, particularly those that require specific tools such as knives or scissors, are often more difficult or physically uncomfortable for left handers than their more numerous right handed counterparts.
Celebrating left handedness by giving a left handed gift not only makes life easier for the left handed receiver, but demonstrates a thoughtfulness and observation that any left hander will appreciate. What follows are some practical ideas for left handed presents.
Tools for the Left Handed
- Left Handed Scissors: Traditional right handed shears can cause a left handed person discomfort and difficulty, particularly when used over a long period of time. While a seemingly trivial idea, left handed scissors are a perfect gift for the left hander who does not already own a pair. Regular scissors are the one product that truly causes the left hander problems, and left handed scissors will make a real practical difference to a left hander’s life.
- Left Handed Pens: Left handed writing is what defines the handedness of a person, so a natural way to celebrate this distinction is with a specially designed left handed pen, such as the Yoropen, available from Anything Left Handed. With its angled design, the Yoropen relieves strain, clears the obstruction of vision caused by the left hand and banishes all possibility of smudging that is common in left handed writing.
- Left Handed Knives: Left handed knives, with the cutting edge on the right side of the blade, are safer and easier to use for a left handed person than right handed knives. Using such knives as those from the Taylor’s Eye Witness range allows for a clean and straight cut when used in the left hand.
Instruments for the Left Handed
- Left Handed Acoustic Guitar: A left handed acoustic guitar need not be an expensive purchase, as models are available for under $50 from specialists such as Left Handed Acoustic Guitars. With a reversed neck, a left handed acoustic guitar is designed to be more comfortable for a left hander to play than a right handed guitar.
- Left Handed Violin: Unlike the left handed guitar, left handed violins became available only in recent years. The entire design of the instrument is altered to accommodate the left hander, including the chin rest, and a left handed bow will also be required for a left handed violin player to get the best from the instrument.
- Music Lessons for the Left Handed: Having the instrument is one, thing, learning to play it is quite another. It is often difficult for a left handed student to learn the practicalities of playing an instrument from a right handed teacher, so an excellent gift idea for the left handed is music lessons, taught by a left handed teacher.
Products for the Left Handed
- Left Handed Watch: Left handed watches make for interesting gifts. The face of a left handed watch is a mirror image of a regular watch face, and effectively runs anti-clockwise, giving left handed watches the name “backwards watch”.
- Left Handed Golf Club: Let a left hander play the game on equal terms with the right handed competition by gifting them a set of left handed golf clubs.
- Left Handed Computer Keyboard: This computer accessories will make life infinitely easier for any left handed computer user. With a standard QWERTY layout, the function keys, cursor keys and numerical pad are switched to the left on a left handed keyboard, making it easier for a left hander to navigate the web, play video games left handed and type.
Giving Left Handed Gifts
Giving a left hander a left handed gift is appropriate for any occasion, be it a birthday, a Christmas present or simply as a token of appreciation. One such gift giving event that is particularly appropriate for the giving of a left handed gift is International Left Handers Day, which falls on the 13th of August each year.
