Hello, dear readers of Jacob All Trades! Did you find my 2021 holiday gift guide helpful? Do you have ideas for thoughtfully made and delightfully cool items to get people this year? Have you seen something cool you want for yourself that I can drop into my newsletter so you can casually forward it to a friend or loved one as a helpful hint?
Let’s get a convo going about cool gifts and I’ll use it as inspiration for a 2022 gift guide!
I gifted my parents the annual National Park pass last year at your suggestion. It was a big hit and they've asked me to get it for them again this year!
If you read the newsletter, you know I'm generally pretty anti-'buy stuff to save the planet.' But there are things you can buy that lessen your impact. I'll start, but post your suggestions in this thread.
LOMI – Jesus Christ is this expensive. Lomi is about the size of a bread machine and 'instantly' composts food waste as well as other items that are typically only compostable commercially. It's gone down quite a bit since they came out, but it seems to be a revolutionary home appliance. I signed up for the waiting list when they were harder to get, but haven't used mine yet because its eventual kitchen real estate is currently occupied by baby bottles, bottle warmers, special bottle brushes, etc.
Anywhere That's Wild – this is a short little, beautifully bound, book with some of John Muir's journal entries from around the time he first encountered Yosemite
I gifted my parents the annual National Park pass last year at your suggestion. It was a big hit and they've asked me to get it for them again this year!
GIFTS FOR KIDS (AND PARENTS)
Can go in this thread. I’ll start!
A24 just released its first kids books from Daniel Kwan and they look amazing (thanks Michael Langan for the heads up)
https://www.creativereview.co.uk/daniel-kwan-children-books-a24/
ECO-HOME STUFF
If you read the newsletter, you know I'm generally pretty anti-'buy stuff to save the planet.' But there are things you can buy that lessen your impact. I'll start, but post your suggestions in this thread.
LOMI – Jesus Christ is this expensive. Lomi is about the size of a bread machine and 'instantly' composts food waste as well as other items that are typically only compostable commercially. It's gone down quite a bit since they came out, but it seems to be a revolutionary home appliance. I signed up for the waiting list when they were harder to get, but haven't used mine yet because its eventual kitchen real estate is currently occupied by baby bottles, bottle warmers, special bottle brushes, etc.
https://lomi.com/products/lomi
BOOKS! Starting a thread for books you absolutely love and recommend as gifts. I'll go first:
The Anthropocene Reviewed - maybe one of my favorite recent books and books ever?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59666195-the-anthropocene-reviewed
The Princess Bride – a classic; if you've only seen the movie, the book is even better.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21787.The_Princess_Bride
Make Your Art No Matter What – if you know an artist, get them this book. It has changed my life.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57412175-make-your-art-no-matter-what
Mike Nichols: A Life - fantastic and fascinating biography
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53479533-mike-nichols
Cribsheet – or any of Emily Oster's books are great gifts for new parents
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40121328-cribsheet
Anywhere That's Wild – this is a short little, beautifully bound, book with some of John Muir's journal entries from around the time he first encountered Yosemite
https://shop.yosemite.org/products/anywhere-that-is-wild-john-mu
Since my dad passed away this year I'm going to get these mini crystal urns for all my siblings so we can take a little bit of his ashes with us: https://www.etsy.com/listing/964334950/natural-crystal-mini-urn-small-memorial