adults
Gifts for Photographers
16th November, 2021
Photography is an eye-wateringly expensive hobby, so you’re unlikely to buy your photographer a new camera or lens. Fortunately, there are a handful of affordable options. Photographers can be an opinionated group; brand preferences are often closer to a tribal identity. I’ll share my suggestions, but double-check their relevance before you buy. Duplicate items aren’t useful to photographers, so also make sure they don’t own a similar thing already. One near-universal recommendation is this pocket tripod from Manfrotto.
A Cuddly Mushroom
14th November, 2021
Cuddly toys are often poor gifts. Children have loads already; the line between “cute” and “horrifying” can be surprisingly blurry; there’s no way to tell whether a given cuddly toy will sing to their hearts. For adults, they take up space, and generally don’t double as cushions or pillows. They’re just large cute lumps. Still, for the right recipient, this sleepy little mushroom is adorable. $49 from Urban Outfitters.
S
10th November, 2021
I’ve never read S, but I’ve always thought the concept was fun. It’s a story within a story: there’s the book itself, but it also includes letters, inserts, margin notes, and others which tell a larger story about two readers of the book and the mysteries around the author. It was written by Doug Dorst, but originally pitched by JJ Abrams - so it has a solid storytelling pedigree. This New York Times interview gives a good taste of it, along with a couple of photos.
Vintage Adult Magazines
8th November, 2021
This definitely isn’t a universal gift and is tough to find, but a vintage Playboy magazine is an excellent gift for the right person. For a start, there’s no way they own it already. But mostly it’s a time capsule: the topics, the photography, the design, the adverts. The adverts! Reel-to-reel tape players, cigarettes, clock radios. And the quality of the writing might surprise you - the canard “I buy it for the articles” is rooted in truth.
A Yard of Popcorn
31st October, 2021
Popcorn’s easy to make on the stove. Get some oil as hot as possible1. Add enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan, then put the lid on. Now keep the pan moving - shake it in circles2. It’ll start popping in a few minutes; when it stops popping, remove from the heat. Done! Great as-is, with a dusting of salt, or a dusting of icing sugar. A yard of popcorn is a fun way to package popcorn.
A UV Torch
30th October, 2021
If you’ve never played the “What’s UV-reactive in your wallet?” game, you’re missing out. Banknotes are a good place to start, sure - but ID cards, credit cards, and other things often light up too. Canadian passports are a full-on light show. Walk around the house in the dark, and discover what fluoresces. All for less than $5 including shipping (but not batteries). Throw in a UV marker too. A permanent marker is good for adults, but there are cheaper versions for kids out there.
Chocolate
29th October, 2021
Chocolate is a great gift, for several reasons: Everybody likes chocolate. It’s an affordable luxury. It’s easy to find a story. You must spend more than you usually would. Most people would never spend £20 on a 150g bar of chocolate for themselves; that’s needlessly extravagant. Receiving a £20 bar is a treat: you can savour a few squares over several nights. You could also pick up 2 kilos of chocolate for £20 in the supermarket.
Peaches the Mouse
24th October, 2021
Peaches the mouse is a sewing pattern created by my-darling-boy. It’s an easy craft project: print out the booklet, visit a fabric store for the material, Michael’s for a bag of stuffing (remember: never go in without a voucher), and the dollar store for a bag of buttons and needle & thread. It’s fun to make a mouse with your partner! Put on a good album, sit around the table, and make a cuddly toy each.
Pebble birds
30th September, 2021
Pebble Birds I stayed in an AirBNB recently that had these pictures in the bathroom. They’re cute. You could replicate this yourself. This would be a great keepsake for a trip to a beach. (You can also buy similar pictures on Etsy, but… why? The charm is in the DIY.)