Although it stops short of calling oil and gas “the George Bailey of the holiday season,” the Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Association’s recent post about how many popular gifts are derived from oil and gas seems to point in that direction. Much like the aforementioned protagonist of the classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life, a world without hydrocarbons would have less holiday cheer.

Considering the sheer expanse of consumer products that oil and gas make possible—such as the petroleum-enabled perfumes, hand bags and heels that will be unwrapped this year—PIOGA had a vast array of items it could choose to spotlight, but the group narrowed its focus to three categories. “Guides to this year’s top toys and gifts for the outdoors and do-it-yourselfers have been published by a number of independent sources, and the big winners—hands down—are oil and natural gas, produced in the United States,” opens the December edition of the association’s Just the Facts series. “In fact, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and even New Year’s Eve would be pretty dismal without these essential products.”

To illustrate hydrocarbons’ essential role, PIOGA cites Target’s list of 10 items on kids’ wishlists:

• Gabby Dollhouse Purrfect dollhouse play set;
• Lego succulent plant décor building kit;
• Pop It! Pro light-up fidget toy;
• Magic Mixies Moonlight Magic crystal ball;
• Nintendo Switch—OLED model with white Joy-Con;
• Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats interactive toy;
• Kinetic Sand Swirl N’ Surprise play set;
• Xbox Series S console;
• MetaQuest 2, an all-in-one virtual reality headset; and
• Bluey Ultimate Light & Sound playhouse.

Every one of those toys counts plastic as its primary—and for some, exclusive—material from which it is made, PIOGA observes. Although Target’s website gives shoppers the option of browsing toys made with other materials, including fabric, linen, metal and paper, petroleum products quietly predominate.

“Sadly, a search finds only one item made from each of those materials among the top toys for 2022,” PIOGA notes. “Meanwhile, the number of toys derived from oil and natural gas is quite a bit higher: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (12), plastic (51) and polyester (17) are the materials of choice among toy manufacturers.”

New bikes often have frames made of steel or another metal alloy that requires energy to manufacture (unless parents opt for carbon fiber, which is derived from oil and natural gas). “There is also the option of buying a new igus:bike, the world’s first urban bicycle crafted almost entirely from recycled polymer,” the association allows. “Made by Igus, a German-based manufacturer, and MTRL, a Dutch company, the igus:bike retails for about $1,430.”

Outdoor Gear And DIY

For insight on another popular gift category, PIOGA ponders the 24.5 million member Recreational Equipment Incorporated Cooperative (REI), which it describes as a top seller of gear to explore the great outdoors. The association notes that CNN’s “The Ultimate REI Gift Guide for 2022” demonstrates how important oil and natural gas are to such activities:

• Outdoor Afro + REI Co-op fleece pullover;
• Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzle sneaker;
• AutoPress Go Trail coffee press;
• Nemo Stargaze recliner luxury chair;
• BioLite Alpenglow 500 lantern;
• Black Diamond Moji lantern;
• REI Co-op Wonderland X tent;
• Rumpl Original puffy recycled blanket;
• Nomadix Original towel; and
• Eno SingleNest hammock.

“People who gravitate to a thirsty towel made from 100 percent cotton may be surprised to learn that the Nomadix towel here is made from recycled plastic bottles, which is also listed as a feature of the Rumpl blanket,” PIOGA relates. “And the Allbirds Wool Runner shoes do include an upper made from Merino wool, but the rest of the shoe—just like all the other gifts listed—is made possible with oil and natural gas.”

Turning to gifts suitable for a do-it-yourselfer, PIOGA highlights a list of affordable options from Popular Mechanics:

• Bosch laser distance measure;
• Skil self-leveling crossline laser;
• DeWalt right-angle attachment;
• Irwin Quick-Grip clamp set;
• LoriMag neodymium rare earth magnets;
• Worx ZipSnip cordless electric scissors;
• Skil rechargable cordless screwdriver;
• Rak telescoping magnetic pickup tool;
• Nordic pocket saw; and
• Dixon Industrial Reach deep hole mechanical pencil.

“There was a time when many of these tools and others were made with bulky, heavy metal housings, or in the case of clamps, were made of 100 percent steel,” PIOGA considers. “The use of high-density plastic to house most hand tools makes them lighter and more affordable, without sacrificing durability. In most cases, the plastic exteriors likely withstand routine drops during usage much better than those made of metal. Only one gift on the Popular Mechanics list—the rare earth magnets—does not include some type of plastic, although 3M-made plastic discs to make the separation of the magnets easier are included with the purchase of the 12-piece magnet set.”

Ultimately, the association concludes, the facts are clear. “Products made from the processing of oil and natural gas are all around us during the holiday season. In addition to the popular gifts, light strings, artificial Christmas trees and wreaths, inflatable yard decorations, and noisemakers, banners and balloons for New Year’s Eve celebrations are just the start of that list,” PIOGA says. “Whether you are staying home for the holidays or traveling—in a gasoline-powered car, a jet-fueled airplane, or an electric vehicle that’s made of 50% plastic—PIOGA wishes you a safe and enjoyable holiday season!”