By Sedora Tantraphol
Is your goal is to win Best Gift award at your family/friend/office holiday party this year, but you find yourself stressed out and gift-less as you read this? Because let’s face it, who’s got time to brainstorm, find, research, buy and gift wrap Best-Gift-Ever!-worthy gifts before December?
(Those rare people who thoughtfully collect gifts throughout the year or space it out so they don’t go into debt and are forced to eat instant ramen and cereal throughout January in order to pay off their credit card balances are unicorns, and you should not let them make you feel bad about yourself.)
You can totally win Christmas this year because #TeamMoonsail is here to save you with what is probably the most amazing gift list ever compiled.
So hurry up and check “buy Christmas presents” off your to-do list with this handy shopping guide, so you can get back to the fun part of the holidays, which is drinking eggnog and eating lots of cookies and chocolate.
We’ve grouped our gift list to make it an even handier guide:
- Gifts to Inspire Creativity
- Gifts that Keep on Giving
- Gifts That Will Start Interesting Conversations and Give You An Excuse to Tell All Your Amazing Stories
- Gifts That Will Show How Well You Know Them
Gifts to Inspire Creativity
Adult Coloring Books
They’re all the rage this year! They’re a great stress reliever, and fun, too! A few #TeamMoonsail staffers own some, and love them. They make great stocking stuffers, or you can package them up with colored pencils, a cute pencil box, and your favorite coffee, tea or wine and give someone hours of relaxing and fun creativity. There’s a themed book for whatever your friend is into: paisley, geometric patterns, flowers, and more! Get it at Amazon, book stores or craft stores.
*Photo credit: Amazon.com
Quote Calendar
Everybody needs a little motivation. And sometimes, the quote fits perfectly with the type of day you’re having.
*Photo credit: Amazon.com
Gift Certificate to a Wine & Paint Night.
Spending an evening drinking wine, listening to fun music, and painting something frame-ready is a pretty good way to spend a night! It’s a fun way to spend time with friends, or a good way to escape for some quality you-time. The painting’s super easy – even Moonsail North-er Sedora can do it! Hint: look for a Groupon or similar coupon deals!
*Photo credit: Pinot’s Palette (Tustin, CA)
Gifts That Keep On Giving
Mindful Art Cards
Start every month with an inspiring piece of art. Holstee’s Mindful Art Subscription comes in 6- or 12-month packs. Each month’s letterpress card is delivered along with a pre-stamped envelope for you to share the experience. Get it at Holstee.
*Photo credit: Holstee.com
A Netflix subscription
Because who doesn’t like to binge-watch “The Office?’” As we hit the winter months, you’ll want an excuse to Netflix and chill ;D
*Photo credit: Netflix.com
Bacon of the Month Club
Bacon is awesome. You can never have too much bacon, because you can put bacon on, in, or around anything and make it more delicious. So gift that bacon aficionado in your life the most delicious present one human being can give to another. We love the Zingerman’s Bacon Club because they ship a different fancy bacon each month, along with educational literature about the history and making of each type of bacon. You can feed your stomach and your brain with the hickory smoked Duroc bacon, the Balinese long pepper bacon or the dry cured bacon from Tennessee. Be right back, going to go eat some bacon….mmmm!
Beer/Wine of the Month
Old Ben Franklin nailed it when he said that “Beer is proof that God loves us!” #TeamMoonsail appreciates a good craft beer or a finely aged wine, and we love to gift that happiness to others, too. We love places like the Craft Beer Club or Lot 18 – where they send you a tasting set, you rate your preferences online, and they ship you wine tailored to your palette. Your friend will love being surprised by styles of libations he or she wouldn’t normally try.
Gifts That Will Start Interesting Conversations and Give You An Excuse to Tell All Your Amazing Stories
Travel scratch map
Track your travels with a gorgeous scratch-off-where-you’ve-been map that charts globetrotting in a visual, colorful and innovative way. Scratch off the gold foil from the places you’ve visited to reveal pops of color that show off all your adventures in far-away places. You can get this map from Uncommon Goods or Amazon.
Fruit Keg Tapping Kit
If there’s a hostess with the mostess in your life who likes to really wow their guests, get them this easy-to-use kit that turns summer melons and pumpkins into all-natural kegs. It’ll be a big hit! (If people can remember what happens at the party…) Get it at Uncommon Goods.
*Photo credit: Uncommon Goods
Library Card Tote Bag
Help those friends who still have a soft spot for their dusty bookshelves and old libraries fly their bookworm flag in public! Get it at Uncommon Goods.
*Photo credit: Uncommon Goods
Gifts That Will Show How Well You Know Them
For the music lover
Sennheiser PX 100 Headphones (or any decent, affordable pair): Your favorite artists poured their blood and sweat into their music. Friends don’t let friends listen on cheap laptop speakers — give the gift of higher fidelity. Get it at headphones.com, Amazon, Best Buy, or other stores.
*Photo credit: Headphones.com
For the Beer Lover
Drink your IPA the right way with this Centennial IPA Pub Glass from Founders Brewing Co. And, you’ll be supporting one of Michigan’s finest breweries. (If you love all beer equally, get a whole beer glass set so you’ll have the right glass for every beer! You owe it to your taste buds and your nose.)
*Photo credit: Founders Brewing Co
For the Coffee Lover
A gift card to someone’s favorite coffee shop is always a great gift because you’re actually giving 2 gifts in one: the gift of caffeine and a cool place to work with free wifi.
Stock photo
For the Star Wars Lover
Millennium Falcon Drone: Too expensive? Maybe. No practical value? Probably not. Still totally awesome. Let’s be real – the internet is swimming in Star Wars memorabilia right now, but you could have your own Millennium Falcon DRONE! If you find anyone’s lack of cheer disturbing, you can annoy them by following them around with your drone!
*Photo credit: Amazon.com
For the New Parents or the Newlyweds:
Order a personalized bracelet with the date or location coordinates of a wedding, birth, graduation, or other special occasion they can wear and cherish forever. Get this on Etsy or other specialty stores.
*Photo credit: NiciLaskin on Etsy
For the Adventure Seeker or Lifelong Learner
Try a unique experience gift, like a lesson with a professional photographer, a flight lesson, glass-blowing class, or hot air balloon flight.
*Photo credit: Pexels.com
For the Introvert
Sometimes, you just can’t with people anymore. More specifically, you just can’t with extroverts trying to steal your energy! Every introvert needs this in their closet. Or, try these other fabulous introvert gear.
*Photo credit: Look Human
For the Pun-Lover
You’ll be sure to get a chuckle from these great finds:
Get them from Look Human or Zazzle.
*Photo credit: Look Human, Zazzle
For the Social Media Obsessed
My Social Book turns your posts from Facebook and Instagram into a magazine-worthy book, so you can capture all the beautiful moments of your life without any hassles. It’s perfect for anyone who is great at uploading photos, but terrible at taking the time to arrange them in a photo book or print them out.
*Photo credit: My Social Book
There you have it! Pick up a few of these items, and you’ll be ready to dethrone Santa as the best gift giver in 2015. (And don’t forget to pick up a few gifts for yourself, because as Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle have taught us, you’ve got to Treat Yo’Self!
For more gift ideas, check out our Gorgeous & Geeky Office Gear Pinterest board.
Photos taken by Sedora Tantraphol unless otherwise noted.