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HOW on earth is it already the holiday season?!  2017 has come and gone, and it’s time to get a jump start on Christmas shopping.  I’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for creatives to give you an idea what to get your friends (or yourself, who are we kidding!).

Maybe this list is something you ever so subtly email to your friends.  Or, maybe this list will help you pick something out for your oh-so hard-to-shop-for sibling.  Whatever your situation, these gifts are sure to excite the creatives in your life!  Do you have something else that you’d just love to get?  Let me know and we can add it to this likely never-ending list.

1. Anything Pantone

Okay, this is maybe an obvious one.  But seriously, Pantone swatches will never get old.  Pantone swatch mug?  Check.  Pantone swatch shower curtain?  Check.  Pantone swatch painted car?  Well, maybe that’s a bit much.  In any event, here are a couple of my favorite Pantone-themed gifts.

Commemorate 2017 with the Pantone Color of the Year mug!

Carry your favorite Pantone color with you with a phone case

2. Blue Light Protective Glasses

Designers spend quite literally all-day, everyday staring at their screens.  Usually, they’re staring at more than one screen at once.  Blue light protective glasses filter out the harsh blue light from digital screens that is damaging to your eyes and your circadian rhythm.  Staring for so long at blue light can disrupt your sleep habits (ever wonder why creatives are up all night?!), so these glasses can help maintain good sleep habits.  Additionally, they help prevent long-term damage to your eyesight from staring for so long at a bright screen.

Here’s how the lenses work:

The glasses look like regular glasses, they’re not tinted yellow and will not stand out in any way.  These glasses from Pixel Eyewear are at the top of my list this year, and below are some that I’ve been shopping for.

3. A Witty Mug

Us creatives probably single-handedly keep the coffee shop business afloat.  All day and all night we’re drinking coffee, and usually out of a funny mug.  You can never go wrong with a relevant mug with a funny saying – it adds a lot to the desk decor.  Here’s a particularly funny one, as creatives are notorious procrastinators.

4. Pretty Notebooks

If the cover looks nice, there must be lots of really important things written inside… right?  A nice notebook can bring an element of design to desktop decor, and May Designs has some gorgeous covers!  Not to mention, all of their notebooks are fully customizable.  Choose a size, cover design, personalization and even choose what type of pages you want inside.  Blank pages, dots and lines, planners, to-do lists – you name it, they’ve got a book for it.  Customize a personal and unique notebook for that special someone that’s got a lot of thoughts to write down!

 5. Wacom Intuos Drawing Pad

Let’s be real – using a mouse is SO 2016.  This year, give the gift of a digital drawing pad!  This is perfect for the artist in your life, as this high tech little pad mimics drawing with a pen and paper and digitizes it instantly.  It’s affordable at under $80, but there are more advanced versions available if you’d like something more comprehensive.

What are you getting for your creative friends this Christmas? Share your thoughts and we can append this list!