Holiday Gift Guide 2020
Christmas time is almost here!! And I don’t know about you, but at the end of a very long and hectic 2020 Christmas is something I’m really looking forward to. Even though this year will be quieter and sans the family gatherings, I’m still really excited to pick out gifts for my friends and family members.
I’m also conscious of the people and businesses that have been hit really hard this year and am making a conscious effort to shop from small businesses which I will highlight here. Additionally, since relocating to Vermont I’ve become a lot more aware of environmentally conscious lifestyle choices that have a big impact on the environment (psst I see you fast fashion).
Women in Tech Owned
I’m super excited to feature these amazing shops that are owned by women in tech! They make amazing products that are inspirational, high quality, and perfect for everyone from a young aspiring technologist to YOU. All the images on this page have click-through links so you can start shopping!
$23 - Girls Who Code Women in Tech Mug 15 oz
I absolutely LOVE this mug in the 15oz which is the perfect size for a slightly larger than average cup of coffee. Plus, Ashley is the founder and designer for StudiobyAshley on Etsy and she happens to be my sister so I might be a tad biased. That aside, she has two mugs (I own both) and a really cute zip pouch that I love to use for organizing my filming gear - best part is it’s branded for women empowerment!
Now, what could be better to get for Christmas than a resume template? Don’t worry - Kim - founder of Lipstick and Tech has got you covered. Not only does she sell super cute shirts and stickers but she also has really beautiful resume templates. Plus she has named her resume templates after black women in STEM!
$40 - Lipstick and Tech’s Cloud Resume Bundle
SALE TODAY - $27 - Engineer sweatshirt
Since it’s officially wintertime and it gets CHILLY you want to keep cozy but professional and what better way to do that than with an inspirational sweatshirt?! Created by the amazing Steph - there is a whole variety for everyone in your family and I love how each design comes in multiple colors. Be sure to check out the rest of the StemBabe shop for additional designs!
Another great option for cozy merch is this crewneck sweatshirt by InTechSheTrust! Created to support black women technologists - really need I say more? Stylish and doing incredibly inspiring work increasing the representation of black women in tech!
SALE - $32
$26 - Girls Who Code Shirt in pink
Speaking of women in tech merch we HAVE to talk about Mary’s amazing marynguyenco shop which has an incredible variety of inspirational T-shirts, sweatshirts, and more. Plus, one of her shirts was recently featured by Miss Illinois USA so you know they’re stylish. She has so many cute designs I had trouble picking just one to feature for this post!
If you love cute and colorful shirts you won’t want to miss these artistic tech shirts By Hua Creative. Recently created by sisters Jessica Hua and Amy Hua I love that these shirts come in beautiful pastels and feature their very own artwork! Who doesn’t want one of these in their closet to keep looking nice and techie while working from home!
$29.99 - Engineering Queen T-Shirt
Eco Friendly && Women Owned
Here are some additional eco-friendly (and women owned!) recommendations that I think would make a great gift.
Blueland is all about making sure those cleaning bottles don’t just end up in a landfill after each use. The clever reusable pods make it so that you can fill it up with water, pop in a tablet and start cleaning. I bought these a few months ago and love that I can clean guilt-free knowing that my cleaning solution bottle won’t end up in a landfill. Co-founder and CEO Sarah Paiji Yoo was featured on Shark Tank and has the most organized home EVER.
Package Free Shop is all about - you guessed it - living package free! Who said that living an environmentally conscious lifestyle had to be hard? With these amazing products you’ll be able to transition to more eco-conscious decisions and save some money in the process! CEO Lauren Singer is an advocate for reducing waste and even explains what to do for each item’s end of life.
More Gift Recs!
If you’ve made it all the way here on this gift guide, wow thank you! At the end of the day I strongly encourage supporting local brands and businesses first, but I also acknowledge that it’s not possible to find every item at a local business. Here are some additional techie gifts that will be a great option for everyone else on your list!
Kindle -
I think I recommend this gift every single year but that just goes to show how much I love it. My Kindle is an absolute essential for me. I love to read and at a point I did start to feel bad about how wasteful the entire book printing process is plus toting around physical books was really inconvenient when I was traveling all the time (pre-Corona). The Kindle changed all of that for me. My favorite part about it was that whenever someone gave me a book recommendation I genuinely wanted to pursue - I could pull out my phone and purchase and send the book to my Kindle on the spot. Not to mention there is a backlight which I loved when I took long flights because it meant I could read without turning on the overhead light. Now, it means I can read while I’m sipping on wine with a couple of candles lit and Christmas lights on.
P.S. If you’re looking for good reads for the holidays check out my Book Recommendations!
In an era of work from home one of the worst things that can happen (aside from being off mute) is being on video without knowing! We’ve seen a lot of very publicly embarrassing um, reveals (need I say more?) due to people not realizing that their camera was still on. Give the gift of security with these webcam covers! There’s no way for your coworkers to see you if your camera is covered with one of these! Your friends and family will thank you big time for this thoughtful gift.
Ring light - $26.99
As the days get shorter and darker I’ve been really appreciative of my ring light. What I once thought was a Youtuber and Instagrammer product has become a staple of my work from home setup. It gets dark around 3:30pm where I live and I don’t enjoy looking like I’m living under the stairs like Harry Potter. This ring light comes on a tripod stand so you can move it around your workspace or carry it with you to the couch.
Me standing in front of my Flexispot desk
Flexispot Sit Stand Desk - $289
Earlier this year I was #gifted a Flexispot Sit Stand desk and I have to say I really love standing and working. It’s a great deal at under $300 for a motorized standing/sitting desk and if you want to win the gift giving jackpot (or #treatyourself for a long year!) you can’t go wrong with a standing desk!
Hopefully you’ve now picked out a gift for everyone on your list and supported some incredible small businesses while you’re at it! If you’ve enjoyed this article you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or sign up for my monthly newsletter where I share additional content. Thanks so much for reading!
