Because it's adjacent to a large lake, Chicago's winters are always cold and damp, but this winter has been especially brutal. The weather is wreaking havoc with my friend's arthritis, so when Christmas came around, I naturally wanted to send her a gift that would ease her discomfort.

She's been spending a good deal of time on the couch, resting and watching TV, and when I asked what she would like for Christmas, my friend said "Have you seen those ads for the blanket with sleeves? It looks so cozy.  I'd love to have one of those."

If you live in the U.S., you can hardly have missed the television ads for this product. One particular company offers to deliver two of the blankets with sleeves, along with two reading lights,  for under twenty dollars plus the cost of shipping.

At that price, I really didn't expect a quality product. Still, when the package arrived, I had a moment of hoping I would be pleasantly surprised. I was not. When I opened the bag, out slid two thin "blankets" made of the very cheapest kind of fleece. They had a distinctively chemical smell.

There was no way I was going to give this as a gift, but it was what my friend had specifically requested, and with barely a week until Christmas, what was I to do? I turned, as always, to the internet and after some searching, I found my answer–the Nuddle Blanket.

The Nuddle  (NuddleBlanket = Nap + Cuddle)  is exactly what I wanted to give my friend–the blanket equivalent of a warm hug. The Nuddle is made from a luxuriously soft and thick ultra-plush microfiber, so deep and soft you can't resist sinking into it's embrace. It has slits for your arms, as well as a wide outer pocket for your hands. That way, your hands stay warm while you can still easily reach out to hold a book or the TV remote. The Nuddle is long enough to cover your body from your neck to your feet, and it has a pocket at the bottom to keep your feet tucked in. It's altogether warm, cozy and top quality-something that will hold up well for several years of use.

This cuddle blanket was exactly what I wanted for my friend-something to give her an extra measure of comfort and pleasure.

.With Christmas just a week away, I had no time to lose. I sent my friend a big, fancy card telling her Santa would deliver my gift a little late-but it would be worth the wait. When the Nudddle arrived at my house, I packed it up with two paperbacks and some specialty cocoa and took it to United Parcel Service, who delivered it in Chicago two days later. My friend called me immediately to tell me how delighted she was with her gift. And she called again yesterday to tell me how much pleasure she's getting from her cuddle blanket.

"I don't like to lay around in my bathrobe, like I'm sick," she told me. "Now I can be up and dressed, but when I need to rest, I curl up on the couch with my Nuddle. It's so soft and cozy. Just wrapping up in it helps me relax."

It's exactly what I wanted to give her-comfort and joy. And I have the satisfaction of knowing she'll use it for several years.

What happened to the cheap " blankets with sleeves," the ones that looked worn out right out of the bag? I would have spent a total of $16 in postage if I'd returned them ($8 to mail them to me, another $8 to send them back) so rather than throw good money after bad, I donated them to a charity thrift store. That way, at least someone will get some good from them.

If cold and damp add to your pain, check out the Nuddle blanket. I think you'll enjoy it every bit as much as my friend is . Click here to see the NuddleBlanket: Cuddle Up In Comfort It comes with my highest recommendation. After all, it single-handedly saved Christmas!

### Bonnie Boots publishes Pain Health News to provide information and motivation to people living with chronic pain.  You can stay in touch with her by typing your email address into the subscribe box in the upper right corner of this page.