Internet Merch

5th December, 2025

The cover of the Great Art Explained book.

You and your beloved probably have some internet-based creators you both enjoy. A YouTube series, or a podcast, maybe even a webcomic. Those creators probably have merch, and your recipient is predisposed to like it.

A couple of ours have books out this Christmas. Great Art Explained makes calmly insightful art videos, free of gurning and whats-up-guys. There’s a coffee table book with the same title.

Gifts for Guitarists

20th November, 2025

An electric guitar with some plectrums and a box of strings.

Remember: your beloved guitarist is an enthusiast. This means your gift recipient has strong brand preferences and can discern details you can’t. Thus: ask them what they want! And they might not want anything! Making music is not a hobby that requires constant purchases.

Some things are almost always bad gifts:

A new instrument. You should definitely discuss this first. They probably like their current guitar, and a cheap guitar is generally crap. Even if their current guitar’s crap they probably have an emotional bond with it.

A Gluggle Jug

20th November, 2025

A blue, medium-sized jug shaped like a fish

This is not a gift for everybody. As a jug, it’s impractical: it doesn’t hold a lot of liquid, and is tricky to clean. As a vase, it’s usable but not great. Not many people need a jug in their lives. And some people would look at this jug and think it’s hideous.

But listen: the jug gluggles. It makes a glugging sound as you pour water in and out. It’s delightful and unexpected.

Pebble birds

30th September, 2021

Pebble Birds

Three framed pictures of birds. The bodies are pebbles glued to the paper; the rest are simple stick figures.

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.)