A Holiday Gift Guide for the Whole Agency

The holidays are a tough time for procrastinators. If you’re like me (and I hope for your sake you’re not), you’re probably spending most of your evenings speed surfing the Internet for last-minute gifts. Finding that perfect mix of sentimental and substantial can be tricky, having endless options to choose from definitely doesn’t help and, with mere days left to shop, ship and wrap, the pressure is definitely on.

Lucky for you, I already did plenty of research on the best gifts for all the agency workers in your life. Whether it’s your copywriter cousin or your project manager BFF, I’ve found the most relevant gifts that speak to their interests and are much more fun than a re-gifted candle (because be honest, that’s your fall back).

Best For: The Colorful Graphic Designer

Pantone Products

Pantone does more than decide the color of the year and sells more than color swatches for your next home-improvement project. There’s something ridiculously adorable about their line of lifestyle products, from ornaments to notepads to espresso mugs, all featuring a variety of Pantone colors. This gift is an easy one to make personal and the graphic designer in your life will love to see their favorite hue sported on a Pantone item that speaks to them.

Price range: $6 – $50

Best For: The Tongue-Tied Copywriter

A Writer’s Block

Turn a writer’s worst enemy into their new best friend. This literal writer’s block is both a hilarious pun and a great idea for a personalized gift. Five sides of the block can be personalized with any messaging you want to include—quotes from famous writers, the recipient’s name, inside jokes, you name it. This gift is sure to become a desk accessory your writer friend will love to play with when the real writer’s block gets unbearable.

Price: $20.00 (plus free shipping to the US)

Best For: The Hardworking Project Manager

Work/Life Balance Keychain

Life as a project manager can get hectic. Between pleasing the client and pleasing the creative department, if there’s a project manager in your life, they’re probably pretty busy most of the time. Remind them that there’s a delicate balance between hardworking and overworking with an engraved work/life keychain. Every time they fumble with their keys, they’ll have a moment to reflect on whether or not that balance is maintained (and if it isn’t, they’ll have you to thank for being in their court).

Price: $28 (plus $1 from every purchase goes toward bringing paid family leave to all 50 states)

Best For: The Always Prepared Web Designer/Developer

Responsive Sketch Pads

There’s no substitute for seeing a finished web design on screen, but getting there is a lot easier with a responsive sketch pad. Made to mimic the look and layout of a website on a computer screen and a mobile phone, these sketch pads are a perfect gift for a web designer or developer who loves to plan out their work on paper.

Price range: $17- $76

Best For: The Typography-Obsessed Creative Director

Typography 2019 Calendar

Whether the creative director you know comes from a design background or a copy one, they probably have a love of typography, the perfect marriage between words and design. Give them the gift of an entire year of gorgeous typefaces with a typographic calendar sporting a new font every month. Not only will it speak to their love of lettering, but it’ll help keep them organized when things get so hectic, even the day of the week is tough to keep track of.

Price: $34

Best For: Any of The Creatives in Your Life

National Archives Patent Prints

When you’ve got a great idea, get a patent. When you’ve got no idea what gift to give someone, do the same. There’s a patent for everything, and the National Archives sells replica patent prints of some of the most iconic inventions on its store website. Creatives are often inspired by others’ iconic designs and groundbreaking ideas, so get any of the creative minds on your list a patent of their favorite creation of all time.

Price: $79.95

Let us know if you snag any of these gifts for your creative loved ones, or if you’ve found any other presents that are perfect for them. (Seriously, we’re all ears. Gift giving is tough.)