Find the perfect gift for graphic designers! Explore everything from ergonomic tools to creative resources, in our holiday guide.
As a designer, I get it — picking the perfect Christmas gift for a designer, especially if you’re not in the field, can be like trying to decipher an intricate design without the key. This Christmas, I’m here to guide you through the maze of potential gifts.
My goal? To help you, the non-designers, select something that will genuinely resonate with your designer friends, family, or loved ones.
Let’s dive into some thoughtful, designer-approved gift ideas across various price ranges.
Table of contents
- Christmas gifts for designers up to $100
- Christmas gifts for designers up to $300
- Christmas gifts for designers above $300
Christmas gifts for designers up to $100
Notebooks and sketchbooks
Essential for capturing those spontaneous creative ideas, a quality notebook or sketchbook is a thoughtful gift for your graphic designer friend. It’s an ideal gift for sketching preliminary designs or noting down inspiration. These items serve as a creative sanctuary where every doodle or concept can evolve into something magnificent. A designer can never have too many, and each new notebook is a promise of fresh ideas and projects.
Pens and pencils
A set of professional pens and pencils can be an excellent gift for the artistic person in your life. They’re perfect for everything from detailed drawings to casual doodles. The right tools can make all the difference in bringing a design to life, providing precision and comfort. High-quality pens and pencils are a staple in any designer’s toolkit, appreciated for their reliability and the quality of lines they produce.
Inspirational design books
Gift a book that dives into the nuances of graphic design. It’s a life-saving gift for any designer looking to ignite their creative flow with new ideas for designers. These books can be a source of motivation, education, and inspiration, showcasing different styles, histories, and methodologies. They’re not just books; they’re gateways to new perspectives in the vast world of design.
Pantone merchandise
Pantone coffee mugs or similar items are a fun and practical gift for designers, bringing a touch of color and design to their everyday lives. These items resonate with a designer’s love for color and aesthetics, making them both a useful and stylish addition to their daily routine. Pantone merchandise also serves as a quirky nod to their profession, blending utility with a sense of designer humor.
Accessories
A stylish hip pack can be a surprisingly practical gift for a graphic designer on the go. Known for their compact design and convenience, these accessories are perfect for carrying essentials like sketchbooks, pens, and even small digital devices. A hip pack is not just a utility item; it’s a fashion statement that reflects the designer’s style and needs, making it an ideal gift for your creative friends.
Ergonomic cushion
An ergonomic cushion is a thoughtful gift, enhancing the workspace of your graphic designer friend with both comfort and style. These cushions help in maintaining a good posture during long hours of work, offering much-needed support. They are a subtle yet significant way of showing care for your designer friend’s health and comfort.
Stylus
A stylus, especially one with multipoint pairing, is an ideal gift for graphic designers who use a digital drawing tablet. It’s a practical gift that enhances their digital art creation. This tool bridges the gap between traditional drawing and digital artistry, providing a more natural drawing experience.
Music sampler
For a graphic designer who appreciates good music while working, a music sampler can be a delightful and unexpected gift. It’s a thoughtful way to enhance their creative flow, offering a curated selection of tunes that can inspire and energize their design process. Music can significantly influence a designer’s mood and productivity, making this gift both enjoyable and beneficial.
Christmas gifts for designers up to $300
Icons8 subscription
A subscription to Icons8 is an ideal gift for graphic designers, providing a plethora of tools and assets essential for high-quality graphic design work.
You can choose a subscription a bundle subscription to icons and illustrations, or a full set subscription with all our graphics, music, Pichon, Lunacy, and plugins.
We offer a wide range of resources that can drastically improve a designer’s workflow and quality of output, making it an incredibly valuable asset.
Custom font licenses
Custom font licenses are an excellent gift for designers, allowing them to experiment with new typographic styles in their graphic design projects. These fonts can be game-changers in a project, offering fresh and unique options beyond the standard typefaces. A custom font license shows you understand and value the nuances and importance of typography in design.
Earphones
Good quality earphones, particularly wireless headphones with noise-canceling features, are a thoughtful gift, allowing designers to enjoy their favorite songs with excellent sound quality. This gift can transform their workspace into an oasis of concentration, helping them to stay focused and inspired through long hours of work.
Portable hard drives
Portable hard drives are essential for file management and backup storage, making them a practical gift for any graphic designer. In a profession where data loss can be catastrophic, having a reliable means of backing up work is invaluable. Portable hard drives offer peace of mind and efficiency, crucial for any professional designer.
Creator keyboard
A creator keyboard is a fantastic gift for graphic designers, especially those who frequently work with complex software like Figma or other design programs. These keyboards often come with programmable keys, allowing designers to set up shortcuts for their most-used functions, significantly streamlining their workflow. It’s not just a keyboard; it’s a tool that enhances productivity and comfort.
Film camera
A film camera is a creative gift, offering a unique way for designers to capture images and gain new perspectives for their graphic design projects. It brings a touch of analog charm to a digital world, encouraging designers to explore different mediums and techniques. A film camera can be a source of inspiration and a fun way to take a break from the digital screen.
Educational books
Gifting educational books in the realm of graphic design can be the gift of education, providing valuable insights for personal and professional growth. These books can cover advanced techniques, industry insights, or even the business side of design, making them a comprehensive resource for any designer looking to elevate their skills and knowledge.
UI kits
UI kits are a creative gift, offering ready-to-use elements that can inspire new design ideas and streamline workflow. They are especially valuable for designers involved in web and app development, helping them to save time and focus on customizing designs to fit specific needs.
Christmas gifts for designers above $300
Ergonomic office chair
A premium ergonomic office chair is an excellent gift for designers, offering comfort and support during long hours of work. Investing in a designer’s comfort is not just thoughtful; it’s essential for their health and productivity. An ergonomic chair can significantly reduce the risk of back pain and fatigue, making it a valuable addition to any designer’s workspace.
Headphones
Premium headphones, particularly those with noise-canceling features, are an ideal gift for designers, allowing them to immerse in their creative flow with their favorite songs. These headphones are not just about listening to music; they’re about creating a personal work environment that fosters concentration and creativity.
Online course
Offering an online course as a gift is a thoughtful way to invest in a designer’s career, providing new skills and techniques in graphic design. This gift shows that you value their professional development and are willing to support their journey in staying relevant and skilled in a rapidly evolving field.
When choosing the perfect gift for your graphic designer friend or loved one, consider how each item can contribute to their work and well-being. Whether it’s a tool that enhances their creative process, a resource that expands their knowledge, or something that adds comfort and joy to their daily routine, the best gifts show that you understand and appreciate their passion for design.
With these carefully selected gifts, you’re sure to make this holiday season memorable and meaningful for the designers in your life.
