74 Inspired Gifts for Everyone on Your List

A highly personal gift guide from your friends at Huge.

Gifting is highly personal. The presents we choose reflect how well we know the person on the receiving end while revealing our own interests, quirks, and generosity.

But gift guides are typically impersonal. They’re catalogs of the newest products, whether they’re special or not. So at Magenta, we took a different approach to assembling a gift guide. We asked our colleagues at Huge what they were giving and what they wanted to receive — and why.

Along with the usual life-enhancing tech gadgets, we got everything from a world-unifying, Buckminster Fuller–designed map to a “Golden Girls” puzzle that celebrates friendship. This holiday season, in particular, the overriding message was clear: Let’s focus on the humanity that binds us together, rather than the differences that drive us apart.

Happy holidays!

—Team Magenta

Derek Fridman

Chief Design Officer

Oculus Quest

$399
Shut out the world and escape. The Oculus all-in-one Quest goes far beyond last year’s $199 Go, bringing everything you want in a VR headset with the addition of inside-out tracking to incorporate the world around you. Dropping Spring 2019.

Focals by North

$999
The battleground for the next great hardware war? Your face. It’s inevitable, as speeds and feeds increase and hardware gets more compact, the idea of holding a phone up to augment your world will feel barbaric. Many companies have dipped their toes in the water, creating products we wouldn’t leave the house wearing (all leading with technology, not thinking about form and function). Enter North, which approached our inevitable head-mounted display future with style, aesthetic, and personalization over hardware — creating an experience that delivers just the information you need in a format that feels premium and considered.

Stephen Barros

Experience Design Lead

Exto extension cord with USB

$149
With a braided cotton cover in a retro pattern, this is the most beautiful extension cord I’ve ever seen. The powder-coated metal enclosure has a couple of three-prong outlets and two USB chargers, which share a smart chip that shuts off automatically when your device is fully charged to protect the battery from excess heat.

Tech Dopp Kit 2

$229
Face it, we’re always connected to multiple devices, and these devices need chargers and cables that we carry with us when we travel. This dopp kit has neatly arranged compartments — inspired by bento boxes — to hold all your chargers, cables, and dongles. The best part? The Italian leather comes in a variety of colors — black included.

Mike May

Vice President Business Strategy

U.S. Women’s National Team Tobin Heath jersey

$90
The U.S. women’s soccer team just punched its ticket to the World Cup by winning a qualifying tournament. National pride and soccer fever will conspire this summer to turn the conference rooms with the biggest TVs in your office into ad hoc beer gardens. But whose jersey to wear? There’s no wrong answer, but if you want someone to root for, choose the positively electric Tobin Heath.

Steel HR Sport

$200
I love the functionality of my Garmin Vivofit activity tracker. But it looks like a Livestrong bracelet with a built-in thumb drive. I want a watch-flavored watch that looks like something a grown-up would wear on purpose, and that’s exactly what the Withings Steel HR Sport is. It checks all the boxes of my Vivofit, has a REMaware vibrating sleep alarm, and syncs to a phone for notifications.

Tadeu Magalhães

Senior Art Director

Drink rocks

$35
These platonically shaped stones are simple, beautiful, and endlessly reusable for classy on-the-rocks drinks that will never get watered down.

Acne Studios round sunglasses

$310
The color and shape of these glasses are about as stylish as they come — and will look great against winter white.

John Ferguson

Design Director

Typographie: A Manual of Design

$60
An essential guide from Emil Ruder for all designers and design students, because you can’t get where you’re going without knowing where you’ve been.

Leica SOFORT Black

$299
It’s no surprise that the sleekest instant camera ever made comes from Leica.

Stephanie Loffredo

Senior Social Marketing Manager

OrganiCup

$26
Think about this: You use the plastic applicator of a tampon for about four to five seconds before throwing it away. Because the applicator is exposed to bodily fluids, it can’t be recycled, so it ends up in a landfill and sits there for the next 400 to 500 years, eventually becoming microplastic. So, this year, I’d like to give OrganiCup, an award-winning menstrual cup that lasts years.

TAPP water filter

$59–$89
Speaking of plastic, studies show that 94% of tap water in the United States contains microplastics. Yikes. TAPP, a biodegradable water filter, is designed specifically to remove contaminants like microplastics. Boom.

Jennifer Bonhomme

Vice President, Strategic Planning

Burton Skeleton Key Snowboard

$500
My husband already has his eye on this directional camber board for his quiver (the term for a collection of snowboards — yes, it’s a thing). The Burton Skeleton Key is on the wide side, giving it immense carving power. Hand-shaped and with a shovel-nose, it sinks a bit in powder, making it super playful on pillowy snow days. And those graphics? Deadly.

Anon WM1 goggles

$240
The holidays means the start of snowboard season for me and my husband. These goggles have magnetic lenses that make for an easy swap depending on where we are riding. The SONAR pink lenses are perfect for low-light Vermont weekends, and blue can be clicked in on sunny West Coast powder days. These Anons also have magnetic face-mask technology for bitter-cold weather, which means no red nose or fear of frostbite.

Jason Schlossberg

Managing Director, Strategic Communications

Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion Map print

$30
Products tell stories, and no product tells a more detailed (and biased) story than a map. Maps literally shape our view of the world, which in turn, individually and collectively, shapes our experience of it and our behaviors within it. The Dymaxion Map depicts our planet as one island in one ocean, without obvious visual distortions of the shapes and sizes of the land areas. This year, I can think of no greater gift.

Pocketalk

$299
Although I’ve enjoyed studying Japanese for a number of years, I am still able to communicate only the most basic ideas while speaking it. Pocketalk is a remarkable device that lets you get beyond the superficial and have real, meaningful conversations — and therefore connections — in 74 different languages. It’s real-time, more convenient than passing a phone back and forth, and let’s be honest, 綺麗そう！

McLean Shaw

Senior Product Manager

The Litter Robot

$500
In 2017, when my fiancée and I moved in together with two adorable little kittens, we divvied up the housework. I ended up being responsible for the litter box. After several months, I jokingly wondered how I could automate my chore. A Google search later, I discovered what would become the only thing on that year’s wish list — the Litter Robot. Nearly a year after getting one, I have yet to scoop poop.

Filson Rugged Twill Original Briefcase

$325
I’m due for a work-bag upgrade. Right now, I’ve got a staid black nylon shoulder bag and my backpack from high school. I’ve been looking for something that will be equally suitable with jeans in our Brooklyn office as it will with some of our more formal client meetings. This bag is everything I need and should go well with my shameless affinity for cowboy boots.

Genki Hagata

Senior Web Engineer

GoPro Hero 7

$400
Believe the HyperSmooth footage: This is the best GoPro yet. Waterproof, rugged, and equipped with a microphone that isn’t trash, it’s an all-around beast of a camera. Anyone who doesn’t have one — especially if they’ve tried an older GoPro — needs to get one.

U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus turntable

$289
I’m in love with the idea of using records as a Pomodoro timer, and this minimal turntable checks off all the boxes for an affordable, good-looking hi-fi setup. The acrylic platter ensures speed stability and cuts down on unwanted resonances for finer tonality and punchier bass.

Jennifer Lee

Senior Manager, Business Development

Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave

$13
As my weekends fill up with kids’ birthday parties, I’ve become a bit of a gifting pro. Famed illustrator Jessica Hische’s new book, Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave, has helped me reach that status. Hisch wrote and illustrated an inspiring book about being comfortable with yourself, open to possibilities, and ultimately brave — a message I’m proud to share. I pair it with a cape and mask, which children and parents both love. It’s also always fun to support a local Oakland artist and fellow mom.

uBiome SmartGut

(Doctor-ordered)
More and more research points to the importance of the microbiome — the microbes in your body — for physical and mental wellness. For augmented-self–curious folks like myself, uBiome — kind of like the 23andMe for your gut — is the perfect tool to get deep-down insights into what’s impacting your health.

Sean McInerney

Group Vice President, Technology

Tile Pro and Slim

$35 and $30, respectively
These trackers are life savers, or at the very least, convenient life enhancements. Attach them to anything you could lose — your keys, wallet, or briefcase — and activate their locating sound through the Tile app. The Pro version is loud, waterproof, and has a replaceable battery, while the Slim is only slightly thicker than a credit card.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

$350
Bose’s latest model of wireless headphones offers improved noise-cancelling algorithms over its predecessors, including adjustable levels of noise cancelling. There is now full integration with a voice assistant, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, for voice command and control. In keeping with Bose’s consistently high marks for audio performance, these headphones sound good, too.

Rachel West

Senior Strategist

Strata National Park puzzle

$145
My family loves hiking, but we don’t make it out as often as we’d like. A wall sculpture of the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Zion, or the Great Smoky Mountains is a reminder of the beauty we experience when we visit national parks.

Hungry Harvest subscription

$15–$50 per week
Hungry Harvest is a Shark Tank–funded produce-subscription service that delivers surplus and “ugly” produce that grocery stores reject. The company reduces waste by selling imperfect fruits and veggies, and the food it doesn’t sell goes to underserved communities.

Brandon Coleman

Senior Product Designer

Nike React Element 87

$200 and up
Sneakers are kinda my thing. I always give them as gifts, and some lucky person will receive a pair of Nike React Element 87 from me — if I can find them on Ebay. (Like other coveted Nike designs, these sold out in a blink.) They’re the perfect blend of hype, style, and comfort.

Beyerdynamic Amiron wireless headphones

$600
The best high-end wireless headphones out there, because I know someone wants the best for me.

Rich Bloom

Group Creative Director

Wooden TV stand

$380
This gift idea popped up when I was doing some research on cutting the cord for good. For me, it was a bit of an “Oh, shit” moment of realizing how complicated our entertainment setup had gotten over the years. Now, with just Sonos and a smart TV (and decent streaming games around the corner with 5G), we won’t need a clunky, cluttered “drawer based” TV stand anymore. Minimalism begets minimalism.

Ember ceramic mug

$80
We all need coffee. In all forms, at all times. I love making espresso drinks at home, but as we all know, adding milk (no matter how hot) quickly lowers the temp, and we rarely get to finish a drink without it becoming lukewarm and, in turn, shitty. I’m surprised this wasn’t invented earlier. Add to cart.

Chappell Ellison

Content Strategy Lead

The Golden Girls puzzle

$15
For the holidays, I like to find a small gift that I can give to each person in my wider circle of friends. But it isn’t always easy to find a fun, useful gift that won’t break the bank when you buy it in multiples. This year, it’s the Golden Girls to the rescue. Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia are a universal symbol of friendship and love. And a jigsaw puzzle is the perfect activity for winter, with the added benefit of taking your mind off all the craziness in the world. The puzzle says it all: “Thank you for being a friend.”

A donation to The Human Utility

All I want is compassion for each other. The Human Utility helps people pay water bills in cities like Detroit and Baltimore where water service has been tainted or disrupted.

Carlos Olivieri

Product Manager

Butchery class

$75
A fun, hands-on experience, a tasty meal, and some fresh food to take home — what’s not to like? Plus, you can finally say that you know exactly how the sausage gets made.

Beryl Laserlight

$142
Like many New Yorkers, biking is my primary mode of transportation. And like many New York cyclists, I’ve had my fair share of close calls with reckless cabs and pedestrians. For safer night rides, this blind-spot-eliminating light — encased in aircraft-grade aluminum — is a no-brainer.

Michaela Douglas

Senior Communications Associate

Gravity blanket

$249
While I don’t personally have one of these, I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about weighted blankets from friends and bloggers galore. They exude major Hygge vibes and can even soothe your pup during thunderstorms.

Wacaco Minipresso

$49
A portable espresso maker that gets four-star reviews for under $50? Count me in. This handheld beauty comes with a dainty built-in cup and scoop for spooning out any variety of coffee bean/roast you want.

Michelle Campbell

Group Strategy Director

Fellow Stagg electric pour-over kettle

$149–$199
I have the analog version of this kettle, and the only thing that would make it better is the ability to use Bluetooth to have it boiling before I get out of bed. The electric upgrade does that and more, with a beautifully minimalist design that any coffee lover would appreciate.

OFYR Classic 100–100 grill

$2,966
Imagine being able to combine the warmth and sociability of an outdoor open fire with a flattop grill for cooking anything from meat to veggies. The OFYR takes outdoor cooking and entertaining to the next level — not to mention, it looks more like a sculpture than a boring BBQ or firepit.

Bryan Le

Group Design Director

Somneo Sleep and Wake-up light

$200
I can think of a hundred better ways to wake up than my phone screaming at me. And I can think of a hundred better ways to fall asleep than closing my eyes and waiting for my screen fatigue to wear off. Here’s one: A therapy lamp that simulates a sunrise in the morning and delivers sounds from nature to ease me into sleep.

Amazon Smart Plug

$25
Why clap twice at your lamp when you can politely ask Alexa to turn it on or off?

Belinda Lanks

Editor-in-Chief, Magenta

Phoenix fire extinguisher

$81
I’m a sucker for Scandinavian style, and this fire extinguisher, designed by legendary Finnish glass artist Oiva Toikka, strikes me as the epitome of good design: It elevates an ordinary object to a thing of beauty. Not only that, it’s also environmentally responsible: The extinguishant is biodegradable, so it can be cleaned with water and a household detergent.

Colugo compact stroller

$280
A good-looking lightweight, foldable stroller is the holy grail for urban moms. Popular premium brands like Uppababy and Bugaboo are welldesigned but pricey; cheaper varieties are generally clunky rides and visual eyesores. Enter Colugo, which Fast Company hails as the “Warby Parker of strollers”: It has all the bells and whistles of the best compact models — a one-handed fold, machine-washable layers, and a roomy storage basket — without sacrificing quality engineering and aesthetics.

Vesna Jocic

Senior Interaction Designer

Girls Doing Whatever the Fuck They Want in 2019 keytag

$17
It’s (almost) 2019 and girls should be doing whatever the fuck they want, including giving this keytag to all their frenz.

Octavia Max bowl

$750
I have a thing for bowls, and this weighty, one-of-a-kind number by the Canadian atelier Concrete Cat has been at the top of my wish list for some time.

Trystin Bailey

Senior Manager, Employee Engagement

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts by Kevin Wilson and Matthew Reinhart

$65
I am obsessed with this thing. Do I like Harry Potter? Sure. But it doesn’t even matter! This is the pop-up book I dreamed of as a child, and I want everyone to have it, love it, pop it.

Rocko’s Modern Life shirt

$45
Because every day that my life isn’t a cartoon is a day wasted.

Kenny Chung

Director, SEO

Huawei E5770s-320 Mobile WiFi hotspot

$165
This little WiFi hotspot is perfect for globetrotters. Just purchase a SIM card, and you’ve got internet access via cell networks for up to ten devices at once. It works in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It’s far better than getting an expensive travel data plan, paying for itself after just a few trips.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon

$400
For the audiophile who doesn’t want to break the bank, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is widely regarded as one of the best entry-level record players. Plus, in addition to the standard black and silver, it comes in colors like cherry red, electric blue, and bright white to go with your modern decor.

Alison Kudlow

Associate Experience Director

Give Negative Space Study #8 by Janine Biunno

$600
I like to give beautifully crafted items and support living artists with my purchases. I wish I could afford to buy each and every one of my beloveds a truly one-of-a-kind piece of art, but editions are the next best thing. The Lower East Side gallery Yours, Mine, and Ours has an online shop full of delightful and affordable editions for everyone on my list. My boyfriend will be getting a Janine Biunno piece — which means that once it’s hung, I’ll get to see it every day, too!

Final Voyage of the Liquid Sky by Kelli Thompson

$800
Can someone please get me one of Kelli Thompson’s gorgeous oil paintings? Her otherworldly abstractions would undoubtedly bring about next-level epiphanies — while looking damn good hanging behind my sofa.

Wayne Deakin

Executive Creative Director

May Coffee Table

$1,150
Tom Raffield is a contemporary British lighting and furniture studio that blends traditional woodworking with modern technologies to break new ground using ancient but modern steam-bending techniques.

Royal Enfield Classic Bullet 500

$5,500
You can buy a motorcycle that makes over 200 horsepower. But the upright single-cylinder Classic Bullet 500 makes a good argument for needing only 27. Go on, embrace its throwback lack of power and timeless looks.

Stephanie Corona

Visual Designer

60-Minute Gourmet

$35
A Google search will give you hundreds of recipes in a few seconds — but to me, there’s nothing like a good cookbook, and this one is a classic. Pierre Franey wrote the 60-Minute Gourmet column for the New York Times starting in the ’70s, and his recipes focus less on fancy or expensive dishes and more on quality ingredients, tight cooking technique, and good organization.

Linen Cooking Apron

$85
Spills, spatters, and drips — I am not the neatest amateur chef, especially in my teeny-tiny city kitchen. I want an apron that will look beautiful hanging in my kitchen, and that will look great while I’m wearing it. This color-blocked linen is machine-washable, and the top loop and waist tie are both adjustable to ensure a good fit.

Sarah Whitmore

Associate Project Manager

Bottle of 350mg CBD oil

$55
I think we can all agree that hemp is having a moment. Cannabidiol ( better known as CBD) is gaining momentum in the health and wellness world for its ability to reduce anxiety and stress, inflammation and pain, as well as aid sleep and rejuvenate skin. Rosebud CBD, a New York–based, woman-owned brand, makes high-concentration CBD oil that is perfect for the stressers on my list.

Two nights of fresh air and smores “glamping” in the Catskills

$159 a night, Lushna Cabin
Eastwind offers minimalist retreats for city folk seeking respite. As someone who wants to be amongst nature without the bug bites, this seems like the perfect retreat.

Pilar Torcal

Senior Visual Designer

Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous candle

$108
This is the gift I’ve thought about for one of my best friends, a Portuguese architect named Andreia. She’s the person I thought about when I smelled this candle for the first time, so I want her to enjoy an object that evokes her personality and how I feel every time I’m with her.

Christian Louboutin Hongroise spike bootie
$1,395
Material things won’t help me feel good. But these boots might make life feel a little bit better. I’ve been renovating my style this year, and this would be the best addition I can think of to start having a solid wardrobe. Grown-up, first-world kinda stuff.

Jack Dylan

Senior Designer, Global Communications

Custom socks

$22
I must have become my mother, because I’ve somehow convinced myself that people will actually want to receive the socks I’m giving them for Christmas. But who wouldn’t want a custom pair of kitty socks, personalized with images of their own best fur-friend?

Donate to or visit a local cat café

Varies
With all the recent natural disasters, it’s been a tough year for animals, and the warmer weather has also meant a longer breeding season with more stray kittens that need homes. It’s easy, seasonal fun for a good cause.

Louisa Ferguson

Senior Business Strategist

Strangest Color Blue votive candle

$24
Buy this candle for your most poetic friend. It smells as elegant as it looks and is the perfect housewarming or host gift for the holiday season.

Fort Standard copper bowl

$235
Nothing says “I cherish you as a friend or lover” like a bronze standing bowl that will stand the test of time.

Ian Burns

Executive Creative Director

Aspect Plant Light

$199
I was inspired by an Airbnb I visited in London last year. It was a one-bedroom apartment full of plants. I counted 30 total. When I moved to my new place in New York City, I wanted to bring that life into my apartment, but I didn’t have the light I needed. I happened upon this light at a Stumptown coffee in downtown Brooklyn. It’s a beautiful, fairly inexpensive way to bring life into your home without compromising your aesthetic.

Mi Laser Projector

$1,580
I hate large TVs. Hate them. They are ugly, they dominate any environment you put them in. It’s also hard to maintain any intellectual cred with a 65-inch monstrosity in your space. But I do love “The Great British Baking Show.” A portable projector seems like the right way to go, and this one looks really powerful. I’ve never seen it in action but would love to take it for a spin.

Roslynn Tellvik

Senior Interaction Designer

Tokoname teapot and cups

$125 and $27.50 each
These Tokoname pieces are handmade using techniques dating back to 12th-century Japan. The black color of the teapot makes it feel modern, and the faceted cups supply a little whimsy. With any luck, I’ll be invited over for tea.

Tunturi blanket

$123
Using natural dyes and displaying a Finnish bird design, this blanket makes me feel close to nature. I’d be delighted to keep it in my living room for chilly evenings.

Carrie Cummings

Senior Communications Manager

Nadaam cashmere sweatpants

$175
I like giving people gifts that they’d never buy for themselves. And that’s what cashmere sweatpants are.

Urban Beekeeping class

$200
I live part time in New Jersey farm country, and I’ve resolved to take up beekeeping in the spring, because a) I want to make my own honey and b) I want to post photos of me in a beekeeper suit on Instagram. The New York City Beekeeper’s Association offers a 12-hour course over four alternating Saturdays. It promises you’ll walk away with knowledge about everything from basic bee biology to troubleshooting your own beehive.

Richard Swain

Group Vice President, Brand Strategy and Identity

Jungle tickets at Terminal 5

$35 each
There is no blueprint to Jungle’s irresistible, life-enhancing, report-to-the-dance-floor sound, but there are many ingredients: It’s the Beach Boys and Joy Division and Marvin Gaye and Can, all cut up and refracted in a London neighborhood where anything can happen.

Rapha annual membership

$200
A membership to the Rapha cycling club includes organized rides and events, complementary coffee at Rapha Clubhouses in key cities worldwide, and a range of other perks, including high-end Canyon road bikes available for hire from all Clubhouses for just £15 a day. Great for frequent travelers.

Channing Jones

Senior Brand Strategist

Simple: A Cookbook

$21
For my friends who love to cook, Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook serves up 100-plus recipes with Middle Eastern–inspired flavors and dishes like pappardelle with rose harissa and braised eggs with leeks and za’atar. The best part: Each dish takes around 30 minutes and uses ten ingredients or less.

Brooklinen linen sheet set

From $229
I’ve been hearing about Brooklinen’s sheets for the past couple months and am curious about giving linen a try. The sheets are thoughtfully designed with subtle yet thoughtful touches (like labeling the short and long sides) and a look and feel that’s soft, cozy, and casual.

Vidhi Shah

Creative Director

Muji socks

$4.90
In my house, the morning routine consists of a ten-minute shower followed by a ten-minute scramble to find two socks that could pass off as a pair. This year, I plan to gather every sock in the house — singles and pairs, sporty and dinosaur-printed, and send them all into the sunset. In their place, my husband and I will each get a dozen identical black unisex socks from Muji. Forty-eight single socks that match each other. That’s 576 perfectly wearable combinations. Or 2,304 if you’re not precious about lefties and righties.

Gradient Puzzle

$20
When I picture the 2019 version of myself, I’m spending a snowy January evening indoors — not scrolling through random subreddits on my phone—quietly piecing together this 500-piece gradient puzzle on my floor. Sorting, matching, and deliberately placing the near-identical pieces as I move from blue to green, from easily distracted to mindful. Will I ever actually do it? There’s only one way to find out.

Magenta is a publication of Huge.