A piece of advice to the holiday shopper: When contemplating a gift purchase out there in mall-land, ask yourself this question: Is this gift a solution to a problem that actually exists?

It’s a question that’ll do wonders in evaluating Frontgate’s hilarious “Shaving Pedestal.” Also known as item #1061 in the Frontgate catalog, this is a simple-enough innovation, as the company writes: “Perch your foot upon this graceful, non-chip ceramic Shaving Pedestal for the most comfortable shave imaginable. The sculptured foot rest’s angled design allows you to balance your leg and shave with ease.”

Again, think about problems and solutions. When’s the last time you failed to shave your legs? Now think of the reason you failed to shave your legs. I am just betting that the no-shaved-legs episode is traceable to one of the following factors:

1) Rushed—-not enough time to deal with a leg-shave;

2) Yuck! Razor so dull that it hurts too much. Must buy new razor before doing it;

3) Forgot. It’s holiday shopping season. Spaced out around shower time and just never got to it.

But never, ever, in the whole history of hair and legs, has anyone spoken or e-mailed or written or mouthed or otherwise conveyed the following thought: Jeez, I really should have shaved my legs this morning but didn’t do it because there was nothing stable upon which to prop my foot.

Toilet, side of tub, countertop—-there are just too many places to get this done.

Yet Frontgate is charging nearly $30 for the same service. Plus, and get this, it supposedly sticks to the wall via adhesive strips and silicone seal. Meaning that this sucker is coming down after just a couple of shaves.