Looking for an unusual holiday gift this season? Want to give a gift that says “local” and celebrates your Kane County community? Are you a bit of a procrastinator, like the Kane County Connects editor who’s just now getting around to the holiday-gifts story?

With only a few days left before Christmas, here are five last-minute ideas.

(1) Tickets to the NCAA Golf Tournament at Rich Harvest Farms

This is my personal favorite. Click on this link to find out more and sign up for tickets!

The 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will be held at Rich Harvest Farms and hosted for the first time by Northern Illinois University, with play taking place from May 19-24 (women) and May 26-31 (men). And tickets are on sale NOW!

It’s certainly one of the biggest sporting events in Kane County history. The Sugar Grove-based Rich Harvest Farms, named one of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” by Golf Digest Magazine, is an experience in and of itself, and you’ll see — pretty much guaranteed — a future all-time golfing great. (Think Jordan Speith.)

Tickets are just $10 for a single day. The real bargains are (a) $30 for the men’s or women’s full tournament series or (b) $50 for grounds tickets for the full length of the event.

BUT, if you really want to give the “experience” as a gift, the single-day experience is $55 and includes breakfast lunch and dinner, plus two drink tickets. The ultra-cool weekly pass includes all of the above for a full week and goes for $275.

(2) City of Geneva’s Pewter Emblem of The Little Traveler

Obviously, this one’s a little Geneva-centric, but The LT is really a destination for a lot of folks. The beautiful pewter ornament is just a great way to celebrate the history and appeal of our Kane County communities.

The ornament is being sold for $12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday at Geneva City Hall, 22 S. First St. People can also visit the city’s website at www.geneva.il.us and click “Shop The Geneva Store.”

(3) Kane County Cougars Swag, Tickets

OK, here’s where I messed up. In observance of Christmas, the Cougars Ticket Office will close at 5 p.m. today (Tuesday, Dec. 20), and reopen at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4.

But don’t despair! You can still buy stuff online. The Cougars’ Official Online Store has virtually (Get it? “Online” stuff “virtually” — I crack myself up.) everything you need, from an Ozzie doll to lapel pins to caps, apparel and more.

My personal favorite, and I wouldn’t complain if this were to end up under the Nagel family Christmas tree, is the Yoda/Kane County Cougars tee shirt. Because, you know, rocks Yoda does.

Of course, if you really want to have some fun, buy tickets for a 2017 Cougars game. Christmas packs, available through Dec. 31, include four undated box seats, one undated general parking pass, $40 in Cougars Cash. The purchaser also receives two Opening Night reserved seat tickets and $20 in Cougars Cash. The contents of the packs will be mailed to you.

(4) Fermilab Gifts Galore

You know, Fermilab is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. So a hot holiday gift idea would be just about anything that has to do with quantum physics, relatively speaking. (“Relatively?” “Physics”? I am slapping my knee as I write this.)

Click here for a universe of Fermilab gifts, including but not limited to (and we are not making this up, as evidenced by the cap-and-lowercase typography) Large Hadron Collider Flip Flops, the Fermilab 50th Anniversary Calendar, the Quantum Mechanics Dog Tee Shirt.

Want some more ideas? Sign up your child for a Science Adventure, share some of the best Physics Books of 2016 or Bake and Gift Some Science-Related Cookies.

(5) Historic Gifts

There are wonderful gifts to be had at any of Kane County’s many historic societies and museums.

Whether you’re looking for a stocking stuffer with an old-fashioned flair, a cozy sweatshirt for the winter we’re having, or a thought-provoking book on local history, visit the Museum Store at the Aurora Historical Society.

The Aurora-themed merchandise is pretty special and includes ornaments with the 1937 “Goddess Aurora” and the 1964 “Andy Aurora,” at $9.95 each. Or you can get a set of 10 Randy Benzie postcards of Aurora for $8, or $1 each. Sweatshirts are $30. Reprints of the 1890 book on Aurora go for $18.90.

The AHC’s history-themed calendars have become a tradition in themselves, and make a useful and fascinating gift for just about anyone —  $14.95 plus tax.

Don’t forget, a membership makes a great gift! Visit aurorahistory.net to sign up.

For more information, visit www.aurorahistory.net or www.facebook.com/aurorahistory. The Museum Store is located in the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer.

… And More

I ran out of time. If possible, we’ll do a follow-up article on more awesome, last-minute, Kane County-type gifts. But a few more gift ideas that we’ve received via email and/or off the top of my head are:

• Waubonsee Community College 50th Anniversary Swag
• Adopt a Pet From Kane County Animal Control
• Theater Tickets at The Paramount or The Hemmens.
• A Kane County Health Department Emergency Preparedness Kit
• Gift Certificates for Hughes Creek or Settler’s Hill Golf Courses