At first, we thought we’d go for practical this year. After all, journalism is serious business. Then we thought about what a tough year it’s been for many and thought “fun” would be a better road to go. Then again, what about stylish gifts? We could all use some elegance in our lives. Ultimately, we decided to open our gift guide up to all of those. We hope you find something here to make your job easier, to bring a smile and/or add some beauty to your holiday season or to give you inspiration for the perfect gift for the journalist in your life.
George Orwell Pen ($20)
The man behind “1984” is not only known for his thoughtprovoking novels but also his great quotes and career as a journalist. This refillable black ink pen features Orwell’s engraved signature and a quote relevant to fact-checkers, journalists and anyone who follows SPJ’s Code of Ethics — “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
Mondrian Puzzle ($20)
Inspired by artist Piet Mondrian’s abstract creations, this simple puzzle lets you make your own work of art. His work places an emphasis on large planes of red, yellow, blue and white with black gridlines as does this home version, with square and rectangular blocks of nine different sizes. Pro tip: Satisfy yourself rather than worry about what the critics will say.
Typewriter Pen/Pencil Holder ($25)
Manage your writing implements, old school, with this typewriter pencil/pen holder. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s Royal Quiet De Luxe, this sturdy five-inch piece will not only hold your office supplies, it’ll make a statement. It features a full QWERTY keyboard just like the classic typewriter, a sizeable spot for your pens, and stoppers so it doesn’t scratch your desk.
Universal Travel Adapter ($16)
Know journalists who always seem to be reporting from another country? Well then, this gift is for them. The universal travel adapter has two USB ports and input and output for European, UK, Australian and U.S. plugs. Downside: It’s a little bulkier than your standard adapter. Upside: It comes in three colors.
Hues And Cues Game ($25)
There are lots of tabletop games that appeal to wordsmiths but too few aimed at the art department. Here’s an exception. Using only one- and two-word cues, players try to get others to guess a specific hue from the 480 colored-squares board. It’s a great party game for three to ten players — who may all have a different idea of what exact color “bright sky” is.
Portable Scanner ($62)
Digitizing court documents, receipts, book pages and photographs just got easier with this handy gadget. The lightweight scanner comes with a bag, of course, but also with an SD card and USB cable so you have multiple options for uploading your PDFs or JPEGs.
Quotation Mark Earrings ($17)
“Can I quote you on that?” That’s the question these earrings from North Star Pendants ask. The 10-mm-diameter earrings each feature a bright silver pendant hanging from sterling silver wire hooks. They’ll make a great gift for the journalist always asking if things are on the record.
Word Clock ($31)
And now for a timepiece completely different. The Word Clock tells the approximate time without numerals. Okay, so it isn’t terribly practical. Still, it’s a conversation piece. The electric clock is fairly large at almost eight inches and, when powered down, looks like a word search puzzle. But when the LED display lights up, it’s a functional — readable — clock.
Laptop Cleaner ($11)
Keep your laptop and smartphone reasonably spotless with this useful tool. It features a double-sided cleaner with a microfiber pad to remove fingerprints and smudges from screens and a soft brush to sweep away dust and dirt.
Dual Camera GPS Drone ($272)
Storytelling can be enhanced with photos and footage from the sky. This remote-controlled GPS drone is capable of capturing 4K resolution content with dual cameras. It’s on the pricey side for our gift guide but if you’re looking to splurge for your person, this is sure to be useful in the fi eld. Or, more accurately, above the field.
Personalized Birthday Newspaper Book ($99+)
This unique gift showcases front pages from the recipient’s date of birth and every birthday thereafter. Choose from one of five major publications — Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Seattle Times or The Washington Post — for this 15-by-12-inch book with a black, brown or green leather cover. It gives a look back at the history throughout your giftee’s life, with some events they’ll remember and some they won’t. Alternatively, you can also buy a full newspaper from their birthday from the same shop.
Tea Infuser With Camera Charm ($14) OR Shaped Like Microphone ($8)
Trying to stay caffeinated for those late nights of reporting? Make your tea more fun — and keep the leaves out of your drink — with these multimedia-themed infusers. We found two charming ones: a camera and a microphone.
The New York Times Book Review: 125 Years of Literary History ($5 Kindle/$45 Hardcover)
It’s not just the authors of the books being reviewed that are impressive in this lovingly designed literary celebration. The reviewers themselves make up a who’s who of terrific scribes including Nora Ephron (writing about Jacqueline Susann), Kurt Vonnegut (on Tom Wolfe), Margaret Atwood (on Toni Morrison) and Stephen King (on Elmore Leonard and… Louisa May Alcott?).
Mini Projector ($90)
“You gotta see this!” If you know someone who has said a version of those words to a group, here’s a great gift. This lightweight projector allows for sharing in the office, at home or on the go from a phone, laptop, PS4, DVD player, Fire Stick, Roku device and more.
SPJ Merch From Shop SPJ (Varies)
Got a favorite member of your favorite journalism organization? Consider a gift from the wide variety of high-quality branded products in SPJ’s online store, Shop SPJ. The new site includes men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, beanies, aprons, baseball caps, masks, mugs, pillows, bags and more.
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