A Great Gift for the Little Ski Enthusiast in Your Life

(ARA) - The holiday season is upon us, and if you're looking for the perfect gift idea for a youngster who loves to ski, not to mention his or her parents, this classic line from the Wizard of Oz, "Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My" should serve as inspiration.

"Many ski resorts require children 14 and under to wear helmets when enrolled in ski classes, but unless you dress them up a little, it's hard to tell your kid from the next one on the slopes," says Margaret Spiegel of Port Washington, New York. A few years back, after someone asked if the panda hat she was wearing was a helmet cover, an idea was born.

"I had designed the covers for my family myself because I couldn't find anything out there that would comfortably fit over a helmet. Once I realized there was a market for my crazeeHeads, I took my designs to a patternmaker and started marketing them," says Spiegel.

That was in 2002. Four years later, crazeeHeads are in stores across the country. Made of cuddly, soft polyester with a cotton lining, they are available in five different designs for kids: panda bear, monkey, tiger, raccoon or lion helmet covers ($31.99). There are additional designs available for adults: leopard, snake, zebra and cow faux animal skin helmet covers ($23.99), along with quilted black and white nylon helmet covers ($26.99) that coordinate well with most ski parkas.

The helmet covers fit over helmets of all sizes, thanks to a clever elastic drawstring adjustment feature. They are hand-washable or you can dry clean them as well.

"By wearing a ski helmet and cover, kids and adults can play safe and look smart," says Spiegel. "We also suggest that parents wear helmets, because they serve as role models to encourage their kids to wear helmets."

crazeeHeads helmet covers are available via the company Web site at www.crazeeheads.com, or you can call toll-free, (866) 4-CRAZEE (that's (866)427-2933) to place an order. In addition, they are available in select ski shops across the country.

Courtesy of ARA Content