The Social Media Gift Guide
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it,”
- Edith Wharton, from Vesalius in Zante
Hunting for the perfect gift takes time. That’s why, with your help, I’ve created the social media gift guide.Hundreds of people on Twitter provided their recommendations, and I‘ve highlighted many of them below.And If you find it valuable, please leave a comment.
Happy giving,
Zachary Braiker, @quiverandquill
A big thank you to everyone who contributed and especially @caro_lina who helped with this entire process.
Gifts to wear
“Offensive apparel for the whole family!”
Recommended by: @JasonFalls, Blog
“Clothing for the top 2/20% of the population.
“Recommended by: @andrewhyde, Blog
“A gigantic fleece blanket with sleeves.”
Recommended by: @sandraproulx “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten”
Neighborhoodies
“Your hood on your hoodie” and other apparel
Recommended by: @socialmedium (Kelly Samardak), Blog
Gifts to read
“Real books. Made by you.”
Recommended by: @crystallyn, Blog
Daily Lit Book Sampler: Gift Ideas
“Taste and test lots of DailyLit books that are perfect for giving.”
Recommended by: @DailyLit “Like browsing a digital bookstore.”
and
Recommended by: @johnrivers, Blog
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
“So funny”and
“The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs”
Recommended by: @littlebrown, Website
Reality Check, by Guy Kawasaki
and
Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie
Recommended by: @quiverandquill, Blog
Gifts to hear (or for music folk)
Recommended by: @Whatleydude, Blog “I haven’t stopped listening to [it] all year.”
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim [Original Recording Remastered] Recommended by: @RSantiago, Blog
Audible gift cards
Recommended by: @alexa Blog 
Flocabulary.com
“Flocabulary uses the educational power of hip-hop music to foster literacy and promote academic success in the classroom and beyond.”
Recommended by: @quiverandquill, BlogGifts that give back
“Choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one and help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant”
Recommended by: @mojovator and @Pistachio
“An effort by Blend Creations to raise money for UNICEF by collaborating with artists for a special line of limited-edition stainless steel pendants.”
Recommended by: @anodyne2art, Blog
“The online destination for charitable giving™”
Reccomended by: @wilreynolds, Blog
Fair Trade Flowers, Chocolates or other proucts or support the development of Fairtrade Cooperatives
Recommended by: @felipearango, Blog
“Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.”
Recommended by: @felipearango, Blog and @kanter, Blog
“We make it as easy to donate and volunteer online as it is to shop online, and we make it simple and affordable for all nonprofits, of any size, to recruit donors and volunteers via the Internet.”
and
“Connects donors with community-based projects that need support.”
MyCharmsForCharity.com
“For every charm purchased, $3.00 will be donated to charity, but more than that, we hope that these Heathcock charms represent a positive future, where we can all give back.”
Recommendeb by: @jonray, Blog “Each charm represents a charity and starts a conversation.”Technology tools and toys
Recommended by: @astrout, Blog
“An interactive media player that constantly streams your favorite parts of the internet in a fun, always-on, always-fresh format.”
Recommended by: @adamcohen, Blog and @BestBuyCMO, Blog
“The world’s smallest HD camcorder.”Recommended by: @JamesonBull, Blog and @KrisColvin, Blog
For iPhone Users: RichardSolo 1800 Battery Extender
Recommended by: @ktoddstorch, Blog
“A robotic baby dinosaur.”
Recommended by: @TDefren, Blog
Recommended by:@RichardatDELL Blog
Domain names Recommended by: @purplecar, Blog. “Buy your lover’s domain name if you haven’t already. Type up instructions on how to renew it every year, but don’t be cheap. Register it for at least 2 years. This is also an easy gift after the 2 years are up!”
Thoughtful and/or free (mostly)
A Netvibes page
Recommended by: @andrewcherwenka, Blog “For the low low cost of free I set a buddy up with his own netvibes page, complete with my guesses on his preferred feeds and brand tools. Sounds simple but for most it’s a daunting task. he viewed his netvibes page daily. monitored his name and company.”
“Set up a blog for your parents / grandparents.”
Recommended by: @felipearango, Blog and @skinner, Blog
Collages (A how-to here )
Recommended by: @Aquentminister, Blog “One Xmas I was broke and I made everyone in my family collages – pre-photoshop so with scissors and glue”
“When you care enough to hit send.”
Recommended by: @Armano Blog “Can’t get more personality than that.”
Recommended by: @AmandaMooney, Blog
Pre-loaded iPod Nano
Recommended by: @FranMagbual, Blog “Load it with music you think the recipient will like.”
“We print your personalized message, scroll it, place it in one of our beautiful bottles and send it to the recipient of your choice.”
Recommended by: @GHollingsworth, Blog “A great idea that lets you add your own personality, a little pricey, but definitely worth it.”
Recommended by: @menatpausecoach, Blog “Gather person’s friends & plan elaborate living wake. Celebration of life while living vs. only in death. I discussed the living wake with some friends recently & we loved the idea.”
A Couples Blog
Recommended by: @Alexa, Blog “For geeky couples: a blog ‘just about you and me’ – populate the blog with favorite moments, photos, quotes – use it to chronicle the relationship.”A “personal” coupon booklet for your significant other
Recommended by: @sethgray, Blog
Membership at a local museum
Recommended by: @tinkugallery, Blog
Baked Goods
Recommended by: @ladyfox14 “Baking goods also works well. Tells them you took time to make them something.”
(Image – and recipe!- from the Food Network)
Experience and learning gifts
A 3-5 golf lesson package for a beginner
Recommended by: @Bloggeries, BlogSacramento Holiday Inn) “Introducing someone to the game of golf can be a life-changing gift.”(image from
and
Subscription to either www.vtc.com to learn Creative Suite/Logic Pro etc or the less expensive www.lynda.com
Recommended by: @anodyne2art, Blog
A sky diving pass
Recommended by: @lorenzsell, Blog
(image from skydiveorange.com)
Sites, guides and other lists
“Planet Earth’s premier creator & retailer of limited edition toys, clothing, mini-figures, artwork & books.”
Recommended by: @sethgray, Blog
and
Recommended by: @sazbean, Blog
Recommended by: @bizcoachdeb, Blog “My fav place to shop for gifts with personality. The Tao of Cat glasses rock!”, and @rosyblue
The Michael Olaf Montesori Company
Recommended by: @merichson “I always get kid gifts here.”
gtmcknight’s Online Shopping Guide
Recommended by: @gtmcknight Blog
Reccomended by: @markush, Blog and @pprlisa, Blog and @miketrap, Blog
and
Reccomended by: @markush, Blog
Nicky Digital’s Hipster Holiday Gift Guide (2007)
Recommended by: @NickyDigital, Blog “This year’s will be published early next week”
Recommended by: @rosyblue, Blog and @wisekaren, Blog
Recommended by: @rosyblue, Blog
Recommended by: @wisekaren, Blog and @ladyfox14
Recommended by: @wisekaren, Blog
Zeus Jones’ Holiday Gift Guide
Recommended by: @israeliwine, Blog
Yummy Gifts
Dancing Deer Gingerbread House Kit
Recommended by: @JennMorales “35% goes to end family homelessness”
The Oliver Ranch Company: Artisan Steak Tasting Pack
Recommended by: @OliverRanch, Blog
The Grateful Palate: Bacon of the Month Club
Recommended by: @jstorerj, Blog
“Charles Chocolates is the story of one man’s dedication to the art of chocolate, his pursuit of perfection and a complete and total passion for producing only the finest confections.”
Recommended by: @websrvnt, Blog
Recommended by: @meredithk1981, Blog “This year will be all about cost savings, so what better way to curb costs than with a multifunctional gift that is also decorative and a fun addition to any gathering.”
“Their passion is for creating the most incredible handcrafted tea blends found anywhere, globally sourcing the finest ingredients available. Paralleling the highest standards of quality at Mighty Leaf Tea is ongoing creative innovation.”
Recommended by: @tinkugallery, Blog “They look divine and have gift boxes at a range of prices.”
Dancing Deer gingerbread cake and ginger molasses cookies
Recommended by: @tinkugallery, Blog “One of things I miss most since I left Boston!”
ETC
Giant Plush Microbes
Recommended by: @jljohansen , Blog “I’m getting my wife one of these because she’s a Med Tech in a hospital lab.” 
Buy your friend a day on IWearYourShirt.com
Jason is outsourcing his shirts to a different person/company each day of 2009, and posting pic, videos, tweets and blog posts of him wearing it.
Recommended by: @jbruin, Blog
Recommended by: @PaulLevine, Blog “Coolest wine racks.”
Saeco Giro Espresso Machine
Recommended by: @stevenzenith, Blog “I call mine ‘Nancy Shortrun.’ I couldn’t live without her.”
Vertu Cell Phones
“A phone without equal”
Recommended by: @iankennedy, Blog
Breitling Emergency
Recommended by: @guykawasaki, Blog
Weapon charm necklace
“Unisex weapon charm necklaces are cool enough for the ladies or the fellas.”
Recommended by: @luckthelady, Blog “Not ready to pop a ring? Appeal to the charmed sociopath inside her”
Nabaztag WiFi-enabled Ambient Smart Rabbit
Recommended by: @stevebags “We have one here at work, but I would love one at home…”
Recommended by: @jayjojee
The Gangsta Rap Coloring Book
“A series of images in thick black lines of the most popular gangsta rappers from hip-hop.”
Recommended by: @heidirettig, Blog 
Recommended by: @philcampbell, Page
Sun Jar
“Have it sit in the sun during the day and see it radiate at night.”
Recommended by: @amoxcalli, Blog
Credit card underground maps
Recommended by: @kirbstr, Delicious “for that friend who always gets lost”
Recommended by: @mrinklin, Blog “To promote earth friendly trips to the grocery store”
Saks 5th Ave Polished Face Kit
“Tucked inside this Marc Jacobs leather clutch is everything you’ll need to achieve a fresh, polished face.”
Recommended by: @frankidurbin, Blog “One of the best gifts for a woman this season”
Recommended by: @purplecar, Blog
Egglings
“The precious, little eggling looks and feels like an extra large egg, but crack its top and discover a garden ready to grow!”
Recommended by: @andreamercado, Blog “There’s something insanely charming yet Zen about the tiny seedling that grows from a simple egg shell.”Virtual Assistant gift certificates
Recommended by: @EsteDiaVA, Blog “Give the gift of time. More time= More happiness!” and @ModernMarketing, Blog
Ugly Doll
“From the creative minds of two love struck artists David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim emerge the Uglydoll family!”
Recommended by: @sethgray, Blog
so much goodness here! thanks for the ideashare collection.
Comment by @cassondra — December 11, 2008 @ 12:56 pm