It’s time once again for my Holiday Gift Guide for Graphic Designers! This is one of my favorite videos to make all year long, and this year I’m actually giving away almost everything I’m showing in the video. Somebody out there is going to have a very Merry Christmas (or happy whatever holiday they celebrate). Keep reading to watch the video, get links to everything I talked about, and learn more about the contest!
I’m so happy with everything I picked out this year, and I’m so jealous of whoever wins the contest! Check out the video above to learn more about everything I picked, and click any of the links below to buy anything you might like to give or get this year.
1. Ampersand Coloring Book – $16 through Monday, $20 after that
This is my own merch, so of course I had to put it first. I’m obsessed with coloring books for adults, so I had to make my own, and make it all about ampersands! Learn more about it in this blog post.
2. Ampersand Coloring Poster – $8 through Monday, $10 after that
Again, my own merch, but I love how this design came out, and I think it would make really fun wall art for any designer’s wall. Learn more about it in this blog post.
3. Crayola SuperTip Markers – $4
It would be really thoughtful to give a pack of markers along with a coloring book, and I love these Crayola markers because they’re cheap but you still get a variety of colors.
4. 1000 Colours Puzzle – $40 AUD
I am OBSESSED with this gorgeous puzzle and you guys seem to be too every time I post a photo of it on my Instagram. Note though that the website from the company who makes it is based in Australia, so if you’re from the US, a few other online shops are stocking it for a little cheaper. And if you’re not quite ready for the 1000 piece puzzle, they also have a 100 piece version perfect for kids learning their colors.
5. Pop Chart Lab Jigsaw Puzzles – $25
I could do jigsaw puzzles all day and look at infographics all day, so these infographic jigsaw puzzles are my new favorite things. They’re not big, only 500 pieces, so they’re definitely accessible to even people new to jigsaw puzzles.
6. 3D Doodler – $100
At $100, this definitely qualifies as a “big” present, but it’s definitely a unique gift that I’m sure everyone would love playing with. It comes with plastic strands that you feed into the pen like a hot glue gun, and then you can doodle in 3D and make miniature sculptures!
7. Pantone Storage Box – ~$30
I am obsessed with anything Pantone, and these storage boxes are no exception. They are a bit pricy, but not as bad as getting a set of the ornaments or mugs, and I think they would make a really nice box to hold another gift inside. After the holidays, I’m definitely getting a few in various colors to decorate my apartment!
8. LEGO Architecture Trevi Fountain Set – ~$42
I love all of the LEGO Architecture sets, because the muted colors mean you can display them in any setting after you’ve put it together. I chose the Trevi Fountain, but they make tons of sets that range between $30 and $50, as well as the huge LEGO Architecture Studio that Amazon has for $160.
9. RetiCAM Phone Stabilizer with HandGrip – $35
I think a phone stabilizer would be a great gift for any aspiring YouTuber or filmmaker. It lets you hold your phone a lot more steady when out and about, and fits any size phone, even ones with a case.
10. Kate Spade Punctuation Paper Clips – $12
If some of the other gifts are a little to extravagant for you, these paper clips make a great stocking stuffer for any designer. Of course my favorite is the ampersand, but it’s Kate Spade, so everything is beautiful.
11. Risa Rodil 8″x10″ Print – $15
I am a huge fan of Risa’s lettering work, and I think this print is a pretty universal sentiment. If you don’t love this one, she has tons of designs on Society6 and DFTBA with shirts, pillows, posters, and tons more.
12. First & Then by Emma Mills – $10
To be honest, this book doesn’t have much to do with graphic design besides having a beautiful cover, but I had an extra Advanced Readers Copy that I wanted to give away so I decided to include it in this gift guide. Emma is a friend of mine, and I’m so proud of her for writing such a great YA book.
13. The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in 2 Semesters by Chip Kidd – $10
This is one of my favorite books of all time and it’s perfect for anybody who just got accepted to art school or is in art school right now. I made a full review of the book on my channel if you want to learn more about it.
14. Super-Modified: The Behance Book of Creative Work – ~$40
I got this book in a gift bag when I sent to the Adobe MAX conference over the summer, and it’s one of my new favorite coffee table books. It compiles some of the best work that’s been uploaded to the site Behance, and there’s a ton of inspiration to be found in its pages.
15. In Progress by Jessica Hische – ~$20
I’m a big fan of Jessica Hische’s lettering work, and this year she released a book showing her process and her best projects. If you’re interesting in hand-lettering, this book is an amazing resource.
16. Hello I Am Erik Coffee Table Book – ~40
This book is a look back at the amazing life of Erik Spiekermann, who’s one of the most important people in modern typography. Plus it’s a giant bright orange book, so it’ll definitely be a point of interest in any room.
For the first time, I’m giving away almost everything on this list to one lucky viewer. The winner of the contest will get everything above except for the last three coffee table books, which are from my own library and are expensive both to buy and to ship. To enter to win everything else, all you have to do is leave a comment on the video telling me why you’re most excited for the holidays. You can read the complete rules in the video description, and good luck!
Legally I’m not allowed to make you subscribe to me or follow me on Instagram or anything else in order to be entered into the contest. However, think of it as your Christmas present to me if you want to subscribe to my channel and follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr. Or, buy any of my merch (including the Ampersand Coloring Book above!). If you’ve already done all of that, show a friend who you think would enjoy my content!
If you want even more gift ideas for graphic designers, you can check out the previous gift guides from 2014, 2013, and 2012 Part 1 and Part 2. If you know anyone even a bit artistically inclined, I’m sure you can find them a great gift in one of those lists. Happy Holidays, Happy Black Friday, and I hope you get everything you want this holiday season!
