A gift under the tree that points at the sky

Most holiday gifts are forgotten by spring. The Moon is the one present the recipient will see again on almost any clear night, for the rest of their life, and every time they do they will remember who gave it to them.

Winter is also the best season to give it. Sunsets come early, so even young children can see the Moon before bedtime, and in the Northern Hemisphere the full Moons nearest the winter solstice ride higher in the sky than at any other time of year. December's full Moon has long been called the Cold Moon, and January's the Wolf Moon: two names worth knowing for the first nights out with a new Moon map.

The package is designed to be shared. Children get an activity color poster to fill in and a passport booklet to stamp; adults get a collectible, personalized certificate recording the coordinates of a named territory; everyone gets a Moon map and a facts flyer to read by the tree.

It is a gift that leads somewhere, too. After the wrapping paper is cleared away, the natural next step is to go outside together, find the region on the map, and look for it in the sky. Few presents come with an activity that costs nothing and lasts all winter.

Many of the world’s celebrations are set by the Moon itself, which makes a lunar gift a thoughtful choice well beyond December 25. The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, and Hanukkah falls on some of the darkest, moonless nights of the year. Diwali is celebrated on a new Moon night. Lunar New Year begins with a new Moon in late January or February, and the Mid-Autumn Festival gathers families under the full Moon.

Whatever your family celebrates, the Moon is the one sky object every culture shares, and the certificate records a place on it in the name of someone you love.

Every certificate is personalized against a specific registry entry, so each order is made for one recipient. Orders typically ship within one to two business days of payment, and the delivery estimate for your address is shown at checkout before you pay. Standard US shipping is free, and an expedited option is offered at checkout if you need it sooner.

Holiday mail is busier than at any other time of year, so for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts we recommend ordering early in December rather than waiting for the last week.