There are a handful of products purchased in the last year or two that I’ve really enjoyed. As you’re looking for Christmas gifts this year these are some of my favorites!
The list is broken down into three sections: work & tech, personal, and then books.
Work & Technology
Autonomous standing desk – $299
Standing desks are expensive and often more than you need. Not this one! For $299 you can get a great motorized desk with programmable presets. I have the home edition with just one motor. It works great! I did have a small issue once and their live chat showed me how to fix it in a couple minutes.
Baron Fig Confidant notebook – $18
These dot grid notebooks make great gifts. How do I know? Well, Shawn Blanc gave me one a couple years ago and I love him for it! It’s a perfect size, lays flat, and has a dot grid instead of lines. Did I mention I love the dot grid?
Airpods – $159
Yeah, I know. Nothing new here. But if someone you love hasn’t experienced Airpods yet, you can achieve a special place in their heart. I use mine every day.
DJI Osmo Mobile 2 – $119
When I started working to restart my vlog the first thing I wanted to fix was adding stable footage. For the super low price of $119 you can get the DJI Mobile 2. It works great with my iPhone X to produce super smooth footage.
Anker PowerCore Fusion – $26
This is a portable power charger recommended to me by James Clear. It plugs directly into the wall so it works as your regular charger, but is also a battery so you always have power on the go. Just a few weeks ago the person next to me on a flight was disappointed there weren’t power outlets as her phone battery was nearly dead. I loaned her this charger—which is always charged since I keep it plugged in—and she was thrilled!
Buy the Ankur PowerCore Fusion
Personal
Banana Republic Rapid Movement Denim – $118
Seriously, if there are guys you care about who haven’t yet made the switch to stretchy jeans, just buy them a pair. I don’t know why I waited so long to grab a pair. Now I can’t stand to wear regular jeans.
These retail for $118, but Banana Republic runs so many sales I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than $75 for mine.
Saddleback Card Sleeve Wallet – $25
I’ve carried this wallet every day for about five years. I love just having a few cards with me and not worrying about carrying a bulkier wallet. There are plenty of wallets available in this style, but the quality from Saddleback Leather is something special.
Cedar and Sail planters – $20+
My friend Josh who founded Baremetrics has an awesome side project making concrete planters, coasters, and more. Check it out!
Wifi Enabled LED lights – $30
For anyone with a DIY inclination these LED lights are a lot of fun. They come completely ready to go (no wiring required) and are easy to setup so they connect to wifi so you can control them from your phone or Alexa.
I used the 16ft strip of LEDs to add light to my build of a Create sign for my office.
Bang! – $19
Bang! is a wild west themed card game where the outlaws face off with the sheriff. You can play with up to 7 people, so it’s great for when you have more people over.
Though this isn’t a kids game, mine are obsessed with it. August, who is four, has every character and their ability memorized. It’s normal for them to play it five to ten times in a weekend.
A month ago we played it in Cerro Gordo, an old ghost town we invested in. Which just seemed so appropriate to play a wild west card game in an old mining town.
Hanabi – $10
Hanabi is my favorite two person card game. You can play with up to five people, but Hilary and I most often play it just the two of us. You are on the same team and work together to complete each firework to win.
Books
There are a few books that I give over and over again. I even have a dedicated shelf in my office to make sure I always have a copy handy when someone comes over.
Anything you want – $12
This is the book I give to anyone who might need a new perspective. It’s a quick read and always inspires out of the box thinking.
Atomic Habits – $17
James Clear just hit the NYT list with this masterful guide to changing your life through habits.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** – $14
With over 3 million copies sold, this book is as popular as it is irreverent and useful. I thoroughly enjoyed it and routinely gift it to friends.
American Kingpin – $12
Having followed news stories of The Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht it was really fun to read his whole story. It reads like a thriller and is a great gift to anyone who enjoys technology and great stories.
Harry Potter Complete Collection – $145
Oliver and I are slowly working our way through the entire Harry Potter series. This complete collection of hardcover books has made it even more enjoyable.
I am a blogger – $39
Okay, this is one of my products (the only one on the list). Over the last two years we traveled the United States with a film crew and photographers to document the stories of 17 amazing creators. The result is a documentary and beautiful coffee table book that I think you’ll love. This is the perfect gift for any family member who either doesn’t understand what you do or you think should be inspired to start their own journey as a creator.
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That’s it for this years guide! If you love one of these products, mention it in the comments below.
If you use OKR’s, the OKR Journal will eventually be perfect for this list too. Maybe next year!
@Nathan, let me know if you’re interested in a pre-release version.
Cool roundup Nathan, big fan of James Clear’s articles so looking forward to reading the book. Have you checked out Change Anything by Kerry Patterson? Takes a really good scientific approach to habit change – probably the best I’ve read and used for good results (although I haven’t checked out Clears yet!)
Nice list, Nathan. But my favourite was the “Create” sign. Forget the LED lights I wanted a link to that sign! :-)
Great list. Do you have a mobile-friendly recommendation for stand-up desks? My wife and I are currently nomadic I am looking for something that fits in a suitcase. And I second Anything you want, Atomic Habits, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***. All fantastic books!
I don’t know of any small standing desks like that. Best of luck finding one!
Hey John, have you seen the Levit8? It’s a super compact way to carry a “standing desk” with you on your travels. You can buy it on Amazon in multiple sizes, all under $35.
https://www.amazon.com/Levit8-folding-portable-standing-Medium/dp/B01LY0CE5C
For years I’ve always been reluctant to pull the trigger on a sit / stand desk as I was never sure about the quality or if it would work well…this one looks like a great value… So thanks for the recommendation. The also happened to be on sale today too.. bonus!
This are all fine and dandy if you’re in America, but we can’t buy from the Amazon.com website.
But you can copy and paste a product title into Google…
I love that you have stretchy pants on this! The rumors of your love for them made it all the way to London FYI :)