Every time I hear the term, I can’t help but think of the plague. And I suppose it is in way, some sickness that bursts up from our deep psyche every year, like a zombie, able to only utter the phrase “Must shop!”
I picture hundreds of mothers, their kids in tow, already crying and screaming, cold and uncomfortable, standing outside a Mall or whatever store they decide to start with, shifting from leg to leg, their breath coming out in rapid, ragged puffs of white. The crowd thickens and the sound increases to a near deafening roar, until finally, a clock somewhere show’s oh-seven-hundred and the flood gates open. Chaos reigns as men, women and children vie for discounted goods, the last of this or that, the prestige of being home early with all Christmas shopping done, in one fell swoop.
Personally, I would have thought the internet would have put an end to all that. For me, it did. I’m pretty sure it can for you as well.
Anyway, every year, I write about a post about the best gifts to get for writers, who are, by far, the most troublesome and difficult group to buy gifts for. I see no reason to change the pattern quite yet.
So without further delay, here are this year’s top five gifts for writers:
1. Gift Cards
I know, it feels like a cop-out. But the simple fact is that music, movies, video games, even larger ticker electronics are so intensely personal, that the recipient will appreciate the insight that brought you to this choice.
2. Reference Books
As always, an excellent collection of desktop reference books makes the list. In addition to a Dictionary of Theories and a Medical Dictionary/Anatomy guide, let’s add a Dictionary of Astronomy (good every year, since science keeps updating itself, and we wouldn’t want to seem left behind) and a World Mythology Reference.
3. Livescribe Pulse Smartpen
This particular technological gadget has been on my radar for some time. Essentially it’s a pen that allows direct download of whatever you’ve written or recorded aurally. Pretty nifty huh? It almost completely replaces the need for the writer’s handy notebook. There are two draw backs however – it requires special paper (yes, the technology isn’t that good yet), which comes in many forms, but makes you beholden to LiveScribe for refills, essentially, forever. The second draw back might be an imagined one – but I see a man standing up in a board room, saying “Hold on everyone, my Smartpen just ran out of battery.”
4. Magazine Subscriptions
Artistic types, especially writers, require continuous input, stimulation of the senses to jar ideas, to get the juices flowing. Magazines are perfect for this. Not just publishing industry magazines, but many others – design, photography, fashion, economics, science. These are monthly blasts of ideas and concepts delivered right to the writer’s doorstep!
5. Desk “Gear”
Desk gear includes everything from the desk itself to storage shelves or a new chair. Of course, I’d recommend asking before replacing your writer’s beloved chair with a new one, but there are about a dozen other desk top appliances and accoutrements that can be given to the writer who supposedly has it all. This is also an excellent opportunity to delve into the personal preferences of your giftee. Candles, desktop water fountains and other relaxation items are good choices. Take snoop around your writer’s desk and see what’s missing, what’s old. Are they still using a wired-ball mouse? Go get them a wireless optical mouse!
Take some of the hassle out of holiday shopping this year. At least for one person on your list, you’ve got it covered.