Have you ever struggled with gift ideas for journalists around Christmastime or birthdays?
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Sometimes it’s hard to buy gifts related to another person’s profession. If you don’t work in the field, it’s hard to know what would be most appreciated.
I’ve seen a lot of gift suggestions online and in stores for Teacher Appreciation Day, pastors, servicemen and police officers, but in my experience, it gets harder to find ideas for journalists or other professions. Journalism isn’t one of the more popular ones I’ve seen lists for, but I wanted to throw together a post to give a few ideas for gifts for men and women.
These gifts span a broad budget range and include everything from special jewelry to fun tours of news-related locations.
Jewelry for journalists
This beautiful newspaper bangle with a birthstone and stamped initial on Etsy would make a wonderful gift.
This Newshound charm bracelet contains many more charms. I like the above bangle for its simplicity, but this charm bracelet has tons of cute charms including a notebook, newspaper, typewriter and more.
I’m also in love with these quotation mark earrings. They’re simple and adorable. I would wear these all the time! These would work for any writer, not just reporters.
A camera charm, birthstone and initial make this necklace simple yet personalized. I love how it conveys so much with just three simple charms.
If your favorite journalist is on the radio, these microphone earrings would also work.
Books and movies
“Good Night, and Good Luck” tells the story of Edward R. Murrow and his work reporting on Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist methods. You can buy the movie or book.
I’ve read excerpts from, “The Elements of Journalism, Revised and Updated 3rd Edition: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect.” I loved what I read. I’m eager to read the rest. It’s written by two experts in the field, Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel.
“Moments: The Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs” is a gorgeous book filled with tons of prize-winning photographs. The hardcover edition could make a beautiful and conversation-starting coffee table book.
Mridu Khullar Relph is a fantastic writer, journalist and business owner to follow. I’ve been subscribed to her email lists for a long time and read a lot of her material. If you know a journalist who is considering freelancing (or even *whisper* content marketing) she is someone to follow.
She has self-published books, published novels and, in addition to her freelance writing, runs an online business. She is a great model for many types of writers. You can find her highly-rated books, most geared towards freelancers, on Amazon. Her books are clear, to the point, and inexpensive.
Shirts, pins and more
I can’t possibly be the only Sunshine Week enthusiast out there… right? Consider purchasing Sunshine Week t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, infant bodysuits, pins, laptop skins and more.
Amazon has plenty of fun journalism-themed t-shirts available.
A funny mug like this one with journalist “nutritional facts” could be a fun gift idea for journalists to keep at home or in the office.
I really love this pen with a quote by George Orwell: “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
I can’t end this section without pointing out these beautiful typewriter coasters.
Etsy and Amazon seem to have a lot of great gift ideas for journalists. I highly recommend checking for more ideas on both.
Experiences
If your favorite journalist lives in or near the Washington, D.C. area, consider tickets or a members to the Newseum. Private tours are also available. (The Newseum just announced that it will close its doors at the end of December 2019, so this is the perfect time to buy tickets.)
I think a CNN Studio tour in Atlanta, Georgia would also be a wonderful gift idea for journalists of any medium. There are several price levels available, ranging from general admission tickets to special VIP tours. There’s also a shop in the building with many souvenirs available for sale.
If you gift a CNN tour, consider purchasing a City Pass. These bundles allow the recipient to visit the World of Coca Cola, the Georgia Aquarium and more. I’ve used the City Pass a couple of times and really enjoy it.
BBC tours are also an option. They look reasonably priced and have options for children and adults. I haven’t gotten to take one yet, but it’s definitely on my list.
Tools of the trade
Pens, paperclips, sticky notes and more would make great gifts or stocking stuffers.
But sometimes, it’s hard to picture what someone else might use in their profession beyond the basics.
Most reporters I know go through notebooks like crazy. Unfortunately, it gets expensive to have to keep buying more. A 12-pack of Gregg-ruled notebooks should keep your favorite reporter stocked for what, a week? 😉
If you want to be a little more green and use less paper, consider a Rocketbook. It’s on my list to try. I love that it is reusable and sends notes straight to iCloud, Slack, Evernote, Google Drive and more. These are tools I use all of the time.
I dislike taking time to type up my handwritten notes and move them to, say, Google Drive since it subtracts from my billable time when I’m on a per-project or per-word fee. A Rocketbook could save a lot of time!
I constantly lose my voice recorder. I use an app on my phone a lot, but it sometimes cuts off if a call comes through or if my phone becomes too full. It can also be hard to record on it if I want to take photos or video clips, post to social media, etc. at the same time.
A separate voice recorder is a relatively inexpensive yet invaluable tool. It never hurts to have a spare. And if you gift it with batteries it’s extra special.
Services and memberships
If the journalist works with a company, they’re likely covered by the outlet’s insurance. But if the writer is a freelancer, self-published book author, blogger, etc., they may need a media liability policy. These are expensive, especially when you’re just getting started, but they can help protect your assets.
Insurance is something that will probably have to be discussed with the recipient prior to purchasing. But paying for a month, or some other portion of the policy, could help the writer cut back on expenses and make a bigger profit.
There are different places to get a policy, but one company to consider is AXIS PRO. Members of the Authors’ Guild can get a special rate.
Speaking of which…. a membership to the Authors’ Guild could also be a helpful, meaningful gift. Similarly, you might consider gifting a membership to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the reporter’s state press association, the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS), or others. Memberships can be a great gift idea for journalists since they can provide support, legal services, award opportunities and more.
I find this Poynter article helpful when it comes to choosing journalism or writing memberships.
What gift ideas for journalists have I missed? Journalists, what writing-related gifts have you received that you love and use?
This post was originally published on ImariJournal.com.
