‘Tis the season to celebrate -- and a time to eat! Most of us gain a few pounds during the holiday season. With family dinners, holiday parties and gift baskets loaded with goodies, who thinks of staying fit?

Instead of giving a pyramid of chocolate, a basket of tempting treats or a bottle of bubbly this year, why not be different? Give your loved ones a Holiday Health Kit to start out the New Year right.

With so many inexpensive or low-cost fitness products available, it’s easy to combine several items into a customized Get-Fit Gift. Louise Roach, marketing director at SnowPack, a New Mexico-based company that manufactures ice therapy kits, has several suggestions:

“If you have someone on your Christmas list who likes to walk or run, think of items like a pedometer, a gift certificate to your local running specialty store, energy bars, a water bottle, a portable CD player, books on stretching, sunscreen, and lip balm. Plus an ice pack just in case they overdo it. Put it all together in a nifty duffel bag and you have a very thoughtful gift.

“Maybe someone you know needs motivation to get up and get going. Why not give a ‘home gym in a bag’? A few suggestions to include are: free weights, a jump rope, resistance bands, workout videos, a yoga mat, a BMI scale, a heart rate monitor, sport drinks, and protein bars. Of course every home gym needs first aid in the form of an ice therapy product to take care of strained muscles. Then wrap it all up in a bright tote bag for giving.

“Several other themes for Get-Fit Gifts could be biking, hiking and backpacking. A visit to your local athletic store can offer many ideas such as a day pack, water carrying system, socks, hats, compass (or GPS system), utility tool, first aid kit, a spa product and destination books.”

With a little creativity, you can put together healthy, useful gifts that will be well appreciated throughout the New Year.