Note From Tongal: “Tongal’s Holiday Gift Guide” is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
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Creative people are notoriously impossible to buy things for when holiday season comes around. Thankfully, your blog post author and gift-giving expert, Kyle, is on the case to let you know the best places to shop for those picky creatives in your life.
We've all got at least a dozen of those camera lens mugs from our friends and family over the years, so it's about time we start dropping hints on gifts we REALLY want, instead! With my helpful advice, you'll be skipping those long return lines and enjoying your gifts during your extended holiday vacation!
Gifts For Writers
1. Boozy (and other kinds of) Advent calendars ($70.00 - $200.00)
I’ll start with gifts that I think are perfect for the Writers of Tongal. I know what you’re thinking: “What could possibly be better than a bottle of alcohol for the shut-in who won’t leave their sofa until they’ve finished the 5th revision of of their script?” The answer is 24 DAYS worth of alcohol thanks to these adult Advent Calendars. With various options to choose from, you can pick the perfect option for the whiskey, wine, tequila, or gin-loving Tongaler in your life! If your Tongaler doesn't partake in alcoholic beverages, you can easily swap this out for the new Funko Harry Potter Advent Calendar or one of the many Lego Advent Calendars (I’d go for the Star Wars one).
2. Tongal-themed whiskey ball mold (a perfect combo with the whiskey Advent calendar - $2.00)
Along the same theme, two eBay sellers currently have the perfect Tongal-themed gift to go with your alcoholic advent calendar, the Tongal Whiskey Ball Mold! These bad boys have been on my “Watched Item” list for nearly 2 years now, so you’ll want to scoop these up as soon as possible! Given away as a gift at the 2nd Annual Tongie Awards, the Tongal Whiskey Ball Mold crafts the perfect circular ball of ice for any drink! It even makes a cool Tongal logo on the ball, adding to the deliciousness of your drink. I’ve gotten plenty of use out of mine, and you will too!
3. Tongaler E.V. Anderson’s novels (Kindle Edition $1.99 - $2.99)
If you’re a writer on Tongal, the name E.V. Anderson should be well known to you by now. He’s likely been on top of the Lifetime Leaderboard since before they started counting points. If you want to learn how to be a successful writer like Ervin, I’d suggest picking up a few copies of his books! Not only will you be entertained, but you may learn the secrets to beating him in the next Ideation Project! (Probably not, but you can still try). If your name is E.V. Anderson and you’re reading this, substitute your book in this list for a two week vacation to anywhere that doesn’t have internet so you can relax and not submit a thing to Tongal while you’re gone!
4. Humorously illustrated books of your favorite holiday movie “classics” ($14.00)
Every Thanksgiving, I try to spend the night watching the original Home Alone to get me in the holiday spirit. I always follow that up by watching the only Christmas movie that matters, Die Hard. What if the power goes out and I can’t follow through with my movie-watching traditions? Thankfully, “ and “Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Holiday Classic” books are here to save the day. Any real movie-lover will enjoy adding these to their coffee table to impress their friends, read to their children, or just enjoy on their own. These books also feature plenty of other classic movies, ensuring you’ll find at least one that any Tongaler would love!
Gifts for Filmmakers and Editors
1. Online drone certification classes ($149.00)
For people who are more adventurous and haven’t gotten their Part 107 Drone License yet, I’d suggest buying them the RemotePilot101 (or similar) online courses to help them get certified to fly a drone. Whether they’re already an expert drone operator or never touched one in their life, this course will teach them everything they need to know about the rules and regulations for flying commercially. Passing the Part 107 is mandatory if you want to get paid to fly a drone, otherwise you’re risking large fines and other legal liabilities if you get caught or reported by your competition.
2. Drones! (The next logical step, of course) ($1,799.00)
If you really love that Tongaler in your life, consider getting them an actual drone so they can gain a new perspective on the world around them. I’ve been flying with the DJI Phantom 4 and the DJI Mavic Pro 2, but it might be beneficial to start with something cheaper as they’re learning to fly. Find an empty field and practice simple movements before trying anything too crazy!
3. Palette Aluminum Expert Control Surface ($49.00)
For all the editors out there, the Palette Aluminum Expert Control Surface allows you to map out the buttons, knobs, and sliders to various functions in your preferred editing program. Everything is fully customizable, allowing you to take full control of your editing setup. Palette directly supports functionality in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro applications. This is a must-have for anyone who spends the majority of their days in the editing room.
4. A good pair of headphones ($40.00 - $300.00)
Something a lot of people slack on when it comes to their gear is a good pair of headphones. Whether you’re using them on set to monitor your audio or sitting in the studio doing sound design, it’s always nice to have a high quality pair of headphones at your disposal. With how easy it is to accidentally break headphones, it’s always good to have an extra pair to work with.
5. Portable power packs ($20.00 - $50.00)
Portable power packs have been a lifesaver when I’m running around all day for film shoots. I never need to worry about getting stranded with a dead cell phone and it lets me keep my phone on me at all times instead of needing to plug it into the wall and risk it being stolen. This cheap stocking stuffer should be perfect for anyone!
Gifts for All Creatives
1. Subscription to Ad Age ($109.00)
If you want to make sure your team is up to date on all the newest trends in the Ad Industry, the Ad Age website offers new content daily related to the Advertising and Marketing Industry. I find myself reading articles on Ad Age all the time, and the information available on the website can really help you see where the brands are coming from. It’s important to stay on top of the industry trends and see what the big names in the business are doing. A subscription to Ad Age could be exactly what a Tongaler needs to stay one step ahead of the competition!
2. Give a Masterclass, or a full year of Masterclasses ($90.00 - $180.00)
Another way to gain a competitive edge on the competition is to learn from the best. masterclass.com has a wealth of educational materials directly from the most creative people around the world. Learn documentary filmmaking from Ken Burns, Directing from Ron Howard, Comedy from Judd Apatow, Screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, or even Tennis from Serena Williams. There’s a class for almost anything you could want to learn. Who needs a silly college education when you could pay a fraction of the cost to learn from the pros?
3. “Lose Well” by Chris Gethard’s ($18.00)
If you’ve been on Tongal as long as I’ve been, you should have already gotten accustomed to losing a large majority of the time you submit to the website. With so many talented people on Tongal, losing is inevitable. I think everyone would benefit from picking up a copy of Chris Gethard’s new book “Lose Well”. It’s the motto he preaches to get through life. No matter how passionate and dedicated you are to your work, there are going to be times when you don’t win or can’t convince the brand to see your vision through to the end. Chris Gethard has spent the large majority of his career pushing to get The Chris Gethard Show onto television screens across the country. After years of paying to rent studio space and air his show on Manhattan’s public access channel and several failed pitches to major networks, he succeeded in getting his show on television. He is a true inspiration for what we can do when we believe in ourselves to be successful despite the adversity we see on a daily basis. It’s okay to lose, we’re all losers, it’s about how we pick ourselves up and keep pushing towards our dreams. Grab this book and learn how to “Lose Well!”
4. MagicPad ($26.00)
I was watching my television trying to think of cool ideas for gifts and saw an amazing infomercial for the MagicPad. When you’re behind the scenes on a film set, it’s probably going to be really dark. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a drawing pad that illuminates at the flip of a switch? What if I told you it already exists!? It’s the MagicPad, a cool tablet that illuminates whatever you draw on it. Make sure to order it online, because this amazing offer isn’t available in stores. I’m sure plenty of Tongalers would find a fun use for it on set or in their projects!
5. Lego Sets
If you’ve been on Tongal long enough, you’ll know that stop-motion Lego animations are always a great skill to have. With thousands of different Lego set options, there’s guaranteed to be at least one set that every Tongaler will enjoy. Who knows, maybe this gift will inspire them to pitch on the next Lego Stop Motion Project on Tongal! I’d suggest the 7541 piece Millennium Falcon set to keep them entertained for weeks.
6. Roomba ($300 - $950)
We all know you’re too busy doing Tongal work in your minimal free time to actually clean up the house, so get a robot friend who can do all the work for you.
If you want your gift to be just as creative as the person you’re giving it to, here are a few final out-of-the-box ideas:
Out-of-the-Box Gift Ideas
1. Mancrates Smash and Grab Gift Card ($130.00)
This industry can be frustrating at times. It’s always good to take your aggression out in a healthy way. What if I told you there was a gift card that could help you do just that? mancrates.com sells a gift card sealed in concrete! The lucky guy or girl who gets this also receives a hammer and a pair of safety goggles. With a little work, you’ll have your gift card in no time!
2. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate ($85.00)
If smashing things with a hammer isn’t your style, try a different kind of “Smashing” with Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. The newest Smash Brothers game is coming to Nintendo Switch in the very near future and it’s a great way to relax and de-stress after a grueling day on set. Thanks to the portability of the Nintendo Switch, you can even take it to set to keep you entertained while your interns do all the hard work.
3. Suits designed especially for creative people ($100.00 - $120.00)
If you want to stand out in a room full of creative people you need to go above and beyond. Check out creative brands like opposuits.com and https://www.artragousclothes.com/
to find the perfect outfit for your next industry event!
4. Monopoly for Millennials ($50.00)
If you’re trying to be funny with your gift, you can always get that Tongaler on your list the new Monopoly for Millennials board game. We all know most of us can’t afford real estate anyway, so it’s about time Monopoly did away with the traditional rules and created a custom game board for the generation of people who are living paycheck to paycheck. Maybe you can keep your copy wrapped up and sell it on eBay to put that cash towards next month’s rent payment.
If money is no object, any Tongaler would love a brand new sports-car so they could pretend that freelance commercial writing allows us to live these lavish lifestyles. Brand new editing computers, RED Cameras, and expensive studio lights are also greatly appreciated. Before you buy a Tongaler a gift just remember, it’s the thought that counts… so think before you buy us something stupid and pick something awesome from our lists instead!
