The bad news is that there are only 13 shopping days left for that skier on your Christmas list. The good news is that the ski shops are stocked with everything your skier might want, even if your skier is like me and has almost everything a skier could want.

Knowing that, the folks around me don’t buy ski stuff. But there are still things I could use or would like, and I have plenty of ideas for other skiers.

The first item is one for others. It came to mind when a fellow member of the Ski Museum of Maine Board, Tom Hanson, set out on a personal fundraiser at the beginning of the season. He is asking for pledges per 1,000 vertical feet that he will ski this season. His goal is to ski over 3 million vertical feet (mostly at Sugarloaf, although he hopes to visit some other areas to gather additional pledges).

If he hits that number, it would make a one-cent pledge worth $30. I believe he is keeping track of his progress with a special application on his phone. I can’t tell you how much it would cost to have such an app added to your skier’s cell phone, but the Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS Sports Watch will keep track of his vertical for $360.

Don’t get one for me. The reason I like skiing better than golf is that I don’t have to add up my score at the end of the day.

To pledge for Tom, contact the Ski Museum at www.skimuseumofmaine.org. You could also give the gift of a museum membership at the same site for $25.

Another source of gifts for the skier is the New England Ski Museum catalog, which has a variety of gifts including books, posters, art, calendars, jewelry and other items.

A pair of books will make good gifts for Sugarloaf and Sunday River skiers. John Christie’s “The Sugarloaf Story” ($50) can be found in the shop at Sugarloaf and my book, “Sunday River, Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future” ($19.95) can be found in the ski shop at Sunday River. Next Saturday I’ll be on hand to sign the book at Sunday River from noon to 3 p.m.

Buying skis for Christmas is tough unless you know exactly what your skier wants. There are so many models on the market that it would be easy to make a mistake. If you do want to buy skis, start by learning exactly what he is skiing now — brand, model and length, along with bindings. Take this information to his ski shop, where they know what will work.

There is a lot of new technology such as the “Rocker” that make skiing easier. This will work especially well for the skier who likes to ski off piste and in ungroomed snow. Ski prices with bindings can run as high as $,1200, but there are some very good ski/binding packages for $400 to $600. Naturally, novice and intermediate skis may be purchased at the lower end.

The only way I would buy boots for someone is if I could actually take them to the shop to be fitted. If they are like me and have skied in the same brand for a decade or two, buying that brand would probably work, but some fitting would still be required. A suggestion for boots would be to visit his favorite ski shop and purchase a gift certificate for a fitting session. Often boots pack out after several seasons, and a fitting session can return the snug fit that is needed for good control. If the present boots don’t have a custom footbed, a gift certificate for having one made and fitted into the boots could add more in comfort and performance than new boots. Cost: About $150.

One thing every skier could use is a tuneup. Just as cars need to be properly tuned to keep them running and starting easily in cold weather, skis need to be tuned for maximum performance. If your skier simply stood his skis in a corner at the end of the last season, they definitely need some work. For $25 to 50, depending on the shop and the amount of work needed, the shop will make sure the base is flat, the edges are smooth and sharp with the proper edge geometry. A good tune includes structuring the base and applying a coat of universal wax.

While starting the season with a good tune is important, it’s equally important to keep them tuned. Some shops have deals for a set fee and will tune them at certain intervals through the season. The shops also sell tuning equipment for the do-it-yourselfer. For about $50, you can get a kit with an edge bevel tool and a diamond stone. For another $50 you can get a wax iron, plastic scraper, nylon brush and a 120-gram block of universal wax. With this your skier can maintain the skis between shop tuning. How often the skis need tuning depends on how hard and how often your skier skis. Discuss this with your shop.

You can spend a lot more on tuning equipment, but what I have suggested will get anyone started and with fairly foolproof stuff.

There are many other items that will be on skiers’ lists. Helmets are one of the most popular and start at around $50. The new OSBE Proton Sr. includes interchangeable visors eliminating the need for goggles for $259. For the traveling skier the Sportube hard case with wheels protects those valuable skis and poles. A two pair model is $179.95.

Your ski shop has a lot more ideas, so use the next 13 days wisely and we’ll see you on the slopes.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.