Holiday Gifts for Bloggers

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”If you have a friend or family member who is a blogger you may have no idea what to get them for Christmas, Hanukkah, their birthday or just to say, “I love you!”. I am putting together  this guide to help you get a helpful and meaningful gift for that special blogger in your life. Some of these are things I have or have tried other are things I dream of owning. I have also tried to cover a wide range of prices so there is something to meet every budget. Here is my list of gifts for bloggers.

Equipment

A new computer or tablet

My laptop is 5 years old. The video card is dying and I am dreaming of replacing it preferably before it dies. Personally, I am dreaming of a Mac mini but there are several PCs that would work great too. I have had my iPad Air for 6 months and it has made blogging on-the-go much easier.

A comfy office chair

I will soon be claiming the back bedroom as my office (yay!). My current desk chair is uncomfortable so I usally end up working from the couch. Now that I will have a designated office, a comfy Desk Chair is an important addition to help me have a productive day.

Camera

My iPhone takes great pictures, and I have used a lot of them on my blog. I have also been playing with my son’s Canon EOS Rebel T5i Digital SLR Camera Kit and his 50mm 1.8 lens. He is generous enough to let me borrow it but, he is moving out next week and using the camera on a daily basis is not going to be possible.

Subscriptions

There are often paid subscriptions to services that subscribers want, but can’t always afford. You, the caring friend would score lots of friend points for giving them an annual subscription to one of these sites.

PicMonkey

The annual PicMonkey Royale subscription is only $33 a year but it is gold to a blogger who works so hard to make pinnable images for their blog posts.

New Media Professionals Association

I am a founding member of the association and as we move forward in this blogging world we are working together to create a code of ethics as well as work together to deal with issues that arise in our profession. (click the image above for more info.

Blogging Groups & Forums

There are many premium blogging groups and forums that cost $8-25 a month to belong to. Currently there is one I’d like to join, which costs $15 a month. It doesn’t seem like a lot but on this blogger’s salary, it is currently impossible.

Continuing Education

Just like any other profession, bloggers need to stay on top of what is going on in their field. We do that by reading books, online classes and attending conferences. Here are some of my favorites.

Type-A

Type-A Parent puts on an annual conference, a bootcamp and now summits. I have attended 5 different Type-A events so far and I am dreaming of Type-A Vegas Bootcamp.

Classes

I have taken several classes online over my years of blogging and most have them have really helped to propel me forward. Most classes aren’t accepting registrations over the holiday season but you could create a homemade gift certificate or give a Visa gift card for $50-100 and tell them it is for them to use to register for a class to help them hone an important blogging skill.

Books

I’ve read lots of books on blogging and social media. Here are some of my favorites

Fun Stuff

How about some quirky office supplies or colorful folders? A gift card to Dunkin Donuts or their favorite coffee shop. A cool spill proof mug, a blogging t-shirt or inspirational wall art for their office wall. Get creative, have fun and bless your favorite blogger this holiday season.