my friend practices Astra and i would like to get something that is meaningful. but i have no idea what kinds of tools are used or anything like that. for example, us witches have our cauldrons and Thames and besoms, but what do they have? or if they dint really use anything, what sort of thing could i get that connects somehow to those beliefs?
I think an edged weapon is a fine idea, actually. But - beware of giving edged weapons. There's an old superstition that says if you gift a blade, you sever the friendship. The way around that is to ask them for a penny or a nickel (whatever works) and then give them the gift. That makes the gift a transaction and forfeits the possibility of the gift severing the friendship.
Another idea might include an Axe or hammer amulet?
A drinking horn would be a welcome gift for any Asatru.
A set of Elder Futhark runes, preferably with a cloth or leather bag to hold them in.
I'm not certain if Asatru have any prohibitions on giving of knives, but I'd choose something else, just in case. In some Pagan traditions, giving a knife to someone means that you are severing the relationship, unless there is an exchange for the knife - a knife for a knife (which is exactly the opposite of severing a relationship - it's creating a strong bond of loyalty), or in some traditions, a penny or other coin for the knife. I'ts best to have the coin be an unalloyed metal.
A Thor's Hammer pendant would probably be a good choice, but *some* Asatru ore Odinists, so you'd have to know about this person's specific loyalty and practice. They are widely available on the Internet:
Of course, if the person is of the Lokean type, a large foam salmon suitable for smacking someone about the head and buttocks would not be amiss. http://www.stuffedark.com/salmonchincc.htm
A poster, book or DVD showing the Aurora Boreas.
Goat's milk soap. There are a number of goats throughout Norse legends. http://goatgifts.com/scandinavian.shtml
You can also get a chocolate Loki at http://www.chocolatedeities.com
You could get them a Thor's hammer. (Be careful which ones you buy, some of them have runic inscriptions with meanings your friend might not like. I for one wear a solid silver one, after losing one of the fore mentioned offensive Thor's hammers.)
Or else, there are lots of good heathen metal bands, perhaps a CD?
Ritual tools are pretty personal, I'd steer clear.
Rune Sets, with either the elder fut hark (for a German), the younger fut hark (for a Scandinavian, or the Armanen Futhark (for a Nazi) are always pretty cool, though some Astra prefer to rist their own, I for one would just sprinkle some of my blood on the set before use If I had a friend who got me one.
yule present ideas for someone of asatru...?
