The gifting season is upon us. And with how rough this year has been for so many, we could all use a bit of cheering up! Whether you’re a UI/UX Designer searching for items to add to your own holiday wishlist, or someone who’s seeking gift inspiration for your creative friends and family, we’ve provided 60 ideas below to help you find the perfect gift.
For the Home Office
1. Start afresh in 2021 with a Stendig calendar that’s forever in style.
2. This super sleek and stylish dry erase writing board is ideal for creating to-do lists, empathy maps, or for quick note-taking.
3. Experience the joy of giving when you gift anything from Hoptimist — the Danish company company known for its bubble lamps and history of putting smiles on people’s faces.
4. This Vitruvi oil diffuser will fill your office with calming scents — and it looks good while doing it!
5. The Casper Glow Light can help you naturally wind down for better, deeper sleep — which means optimal creative productivity the next day.
Alexa Harrison
Content Writer
UI/UX Design Specific Gifts
6. A Designlab 4-week short course in visual, UI, or UX design is the perfect gift for someone looking to build their design skills or make a career pivot.
7. With UI Stencils you can quickly and efficiently wireframe with the most commonly used iconography and interaction techniques.
27. The Baronfig Confidant Hardcover Notebook is the only notebook we’ve found that opens flat, is small enough to go everywhere you go, and is big enough to work with all day long.
Health Must-Haves
28. For UI/UX designers that stare at a computer screen all day long, a Migraine Stick is a true savior.
29. One of these lavender-scented microwavable Warmies is great for stress relief.
30. Blue light glasses can reduce eyestrain, improve sleep habits, and prevent eye disease for people like UI/UX designers that look at screens for long periods.
31. This Manta COOL Mask will soothe your eyes, and can also provide migraine relief with it’s near-blackout design.
32. Sitting at a desk all day can put major stress on the lower back, but a monthly massage membership can help.
Promising Amazon Review: “Such a fantastic book for creatively minded people! It’s the kind of book that you can pick up and set down over and over again. A good book to have on your nightstand or—dare I say it—in your bathroom. (Yes, I’m a bathroom reader. ) I’d certainly give it away as a gift.”
34. The Pocket Universal Principles of Design: 150 Essential Tools for Architects, Artists, Designers, Developers, Engineers, Inventors, and Makers by William Lidwell
Promising Amazon Review: “Wow, what a great read. I went cover to cover in a few hours since I couldn't put it down. Get out your highlighter and sticky notes to earmark your favorite pages! Everything from archetypes and colors to decision making methods and design conventions.”
Promising Amazon Review: “This is a great book. As a UX Designer it's really opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about the why and how people use products. It's an easy read, not too thick. Laid out in logical, digestible chapters that are then broken into sections of information that'll turn you into the office expert in user psychology and get you testing new ideas in no time. Might also help win some pub quizzes!”
Promising Amazon Review: “MC24 coming out by chance in the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic has been a gift of optimism as well as a brilliant path to move forward in probably one of the most challenging times in human history. A must-read for anyone interested in change, sustainability and a very good account of the enormous body of work of this one of a kind designer.”
Promising Amazon Review: “If you make products and can’t answer ‘who am I excluding’, you should read this book. Every day people have to adapt to make products work for them. You’re one of those people. Think about it: we all experience challenges with objects in our lives because of permanent or temporary disabilities. Kat provides a framework for identifying exclusion and tools to make products that allow everyone to use them. She shares stories and anecdotes that help connect the methods described. Mismatch is an excellent guidebook for anyone creating experiences for customers.”
38. A Book Apart publishes books for people who design, write, and code — and they have gift cards!
Promising Amazon Review: “Writing is Design provides a warm welcome into the world of UX writing. Through interviews and real-world examples, the book shares tips to write effectively, demonstrates the importance of writing thoughtfully, and provides methods to partner with the wider team to co-create excellent user experiences.”
Useful Tech for Design Professionals
40. Never let your wires get tangled again; store your mouse, chargers, headphones, and more in a Bellroy Pouch.
55. Taking time to clean off the white board in your brain and get quiet is crucial for UI/UX designers. Try a meditation app subscription like Balance, Calm, or Headspace.
56. Brand Magazine introduces one well-balanced brand from around the globe in each issue.
60. The Horti Plant Subscription Box will provide you with hard-to-kill plants to keep you company while working from home.
We hope this list of gift ideas has helped you gain inspiration for the UI/UX designers and creatives in your life, and also helped you to create your own holiday wish list. Happy holidays!
If you’re interested in exploring a career in UI/UX Design, check out our career-change accelerator program, UX Academy. Or, if you’re new to the field of design, explore Design 101.
