{"postID":139241786,"updatedAt":722911286.112894,"cachedAt":722911286.1129,"content":{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"👋 Hi, this is"},{"text":" Gergely","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/pragmaticengineer.com\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":" with the monthly, free issue of the Pragmatic Engineer Newsletter. In every issue, I cover challenges at Big Tech and startups through the lens of engineering managers and senior engineers."}]},{"content":[{"text":"Cyber Monday special:","marks":[{"type":"strong"},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"text":" The Pragmatic Engineer is 20% off for the first year, this Cyber Monday. You can ","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"text":"claim this offer here","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com\/26a7d318","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank"}},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":" – ending on Friday. Check "},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/pragmaticurl.com\/all-newsletter-articles","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":"all past articles"},{"marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":" and what ","type":"text"},{"text":"readers are saying","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/shoutout.io\/GergelyOrosz\/"}},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":". You could also gift this one-year subscription!","marks":[{"type":"em"}]}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Today’s issue is a little different than usual. Holiday season is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to think about gifts – which can be a non-trivial challenge in itself. With so many choices, what are the best presents for people working in tech? I’ve put together a list for the upcoming holiday season to make this process a little easier."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"For this list, I crowdsourced recommendations from "},{"type":"text","text":"Twitter","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/x.com\/GergelyOrosz\/status\/1725171379325014049?s=20"},"type":"link"}]},{"text":" and ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/gergelyorosz_what-are-some-good-fun-interesting-gift-activity-7130937988057821184-_KNW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop"}}],"type":"text","text":"Linkedin"},{"type":"text","text":", and also added some suggestions of my own. If you’re stuck on what to get for your nearest and dearest in tech, maybe this article can serve up some ideas…"}]},{"content":[{"text":"We cover:","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"ordered_list","attrs":{"order":1,"start":1},"content":[{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Books and creative thinking","type":"text"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Gadgets and tinkering","type":"text"}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Wellbeing"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"text":"Office equipment","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Decor"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Toys for adults","type":"text"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"text":"Board games","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Non-tech gifts"}],"type":"paragraph"}]}]},{"content":[{"marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":"As always, none of the links below are affiliates (meaning I make no money from purchases,) and I’ve not been paid to mention any product or category. See "},{"text":"my ethics statement","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/blog.pragmaticengineer.com\/ethics-statement\/","target":"_blank"}},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"},{"text":" for more.","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"1. Books and creative thinking"}]},{"content":[{"text":"Books are a tried and tested – and increasingly underrated – way to learn something new. See my newly updated list of ","type":"text"},{"text":"software engineering, engineering management, and product strategy books recommendations","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"href":"https:\/\/blog.pragmaticengineer.com\/holiday-tech-book-recommendations\/","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"While nonfiction books can teach you something new, fiction books are an excellent way to unwind by escaping into new worlds. Websites like "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/goodreads.com\/"},"type":"link"}],"text":"Goodreads"},{"text":" offer recommendations, as do lists like the ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.perpetualpageturner.com\/2023-new-books-adult-fiction\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}],"text":"most anticipated adult fiction books for 2023"},{"text":", or ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.aboutamazon.com\/news\/books-and-authors\/amazon-best-books-2023-list","target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"text":"Amazon’s best books of 2023 list","type":"text"},{"text":".","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Breaking creative blocks: ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":"Oblique Strategies is a set of 100 cards, each with a suggestion for how to break creative block. For example:"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"State the problem in words as clearly as possible"}]}]},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Work at a different speed"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Try faking it!"}],"type":"paragraph"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"These cards are popular in the creative professions and it’s a gift that could help software engineers get unstuck by prompting some outside-the-box thinking. "},{"text":"Get it here","type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.enoshop.co.uk\/product\/oblique-strategies.html","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}]},{"text":".","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"2. Gadgets and tinkering"}],"attrs":{"level":2},"type":"heading"},{"content":[{"text":"Flipper Zero","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"text":". The single most mentioned, most recommended gift idea this year. A multi-tool for security folks and those loving to hack around with signals and hardware.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"attrs":{"resizeWidth":null,"height":994,"alt":null,"srcNoWatermark":null,"imageSize":null,"title":null,"belowTheFold":false,"width":1456,"href":null,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/c759fb09-ceb4-41d8-b989-93c27011c2a2_1552x1060.png","fullscreen":null,"type":null,"topImage":false,"bytes":null,"internalRedirect":null},"type":"image2"},{"type":"caption","content":[{"text":"Flipper Zero","type":"text"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"You can use it to hack around with digital stuff like hardware, radio protocols or access control systems. It’s open source, accessible, and a lot of fun! It features:"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A sub-1 GHz antenna with a 50m range which can trigger things like garage doors, IoT sensors, and keyless systems"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"NFC module supporting all major standards"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"An RFID chip which can be used to emulate simple IDs for access control"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Bluetooth to connect to smartphones and third-party devices"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Infrared transmitter to control items like TVs, air conditioners, and stereo systems"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"MicroSD card for external storage"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"… and ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/flipperzero.one\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"text":"a bunch more"},{"text":" neat features to hack around with!","type":"text"}]}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Get it here.","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/flipperzero.one\/","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}]}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"Arduino"},{"type":"text","text":". An open source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Ideal for engineers looking to hack and build interactive projects. It’s considered a kit given its capabilities, and prices start at just under $100. Projects built with Arduino include:"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Bluetooth controlled car","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/samanfern\/bluetooth-controlled-car-c71cd0","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null}}]}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Auto open\/close trash bin","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/ashraf_minhaj\/arduino-trash-bot-auto-openclose-trash-bin-c81eff","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Quadcopter","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/robocircuits\/arduino-quadcopter-8cba8d","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}]}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/jayesh_nawani\/door-lock-system-with-arduino-54d18a","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}],"text":"Door lock system","type":"text"}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/kendfrey\/animating-an-led-strip-from-a-computer-531e36"}}],"text":"Animating a LED strip","type":"text"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"… and "},{"text":"thousands more","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/projecthub.arduino.cc\/","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank"}}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"!"}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Get it here.","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.arduino.cc\/","target":"_blank"}}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"3D printer.","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":" On the more expensive side (usually above $500,) but a gadget that can unleash a lot of creativity. One of the more popular hobbyist printers is the ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Bambu P1P","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/us.store.bambulab.com\/products\/p1p"}}]},{"type":"text","text":". More advice on "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.matterhackers.com\/articles\/top-3d-printers-for-hobbyists","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"3D printers for hobbyists"},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"USB data blocker. "},{"type":"text","text":"USB charging ports can be used to compromise your devices which you plug into them, such as phones and other smart devices. USB data blockers disable the ports used for data transfer, and only permit charging. This is especially useful when traveling and using random, potentially trustworthy USB charging ports. Search for "},{"type":"text","text":"USB data blockers","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=usb+data+blocker"}}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Raspberry Pi Maker Advent Calendar. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":"12 projects for “Codemas.” The box offers a fun introduction to Raspberry Pi programming, delivering increasingly challenging assignments. A surprisingly inexpensive gift given the contents. ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/thepihut.com\/products\/maker-advent-calendar-includes-raspberry-pi-pico-h","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}],"text":"Get it here"},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"heading","content":[{"type":"text","text":"3. Wellbeing"}],"attrs":{"level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Massage or spa voucher\/booking. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":"Gift someone special a massage or spa coupon to revitalize with. Gifting a pass to a salon or spa you can personally recommend based on your own experience makes it more personal.","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"text":"Most of us software engineers spend far too much time sitting at desks, so a professional massage can help mitigate the effects of a sedentary job.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"A back, neck or foot massager. ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"A"},{"text":" ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"massage in the comfort of your own home can be a great gift, and there are plenty of gadgets that provide a surprisingly good experience. Search for "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=back+massager","target":"_blank","class":null},"type":"link"}],"text":"electric back massagers","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":", "},{"text":"neck massagers","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=neck+massager","target":"_blank","class":null}}]},{"type":"text","text":", and "},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=foot+massager","class":null,"target":"_blank"}}],"type":"text","text":"foot massagers"},{"text":".","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"text":"Events involving physical activity. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Technical program manager Michael Davé "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7130937988057821184?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7130937988057821184%2C7132450470622625793%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287132450470622625793%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7130937988057821184%29"}}],"text":"suggests"},{"type":"text","text":":"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"“Most tech people (including myself) are too much in their heads. So, give something that gets them out of their head and into the moment (i.e. something that awakens or delights the senses).“"}]}],"type":"blockquote"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A few ideas:"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Indoor skydiving"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Climbing"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Sailing"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Winter sports"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"text":"Hiking or a guided trip","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Meditation subscriptions. "},{"type":"text","text":"Calm","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/","class":null}}]},{"type":"text","text":" and "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.headspace.com\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"Headspace"},{"text":" are two popular providers, but there are ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"plenty more","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/mental-health\/top-meditation-iphone-android-apps","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"content":[{"text":"WHOOP subscription. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"WHOOP is a smart band which tracks biometrics such as skin temperature, blood oxygen level, and more. It uses an annual subscription model, with the option to upgrade to the latest models. "},{"text":"Get it here","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/whoop.com\/","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"},{"text":".","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"fullscreen":null,"href":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"A WHOOP smart band and app","topImage":false,"resizeWidth":null,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/19938c01-e60c-4f37-8289-16237b5f0e44_1200x1163.png","title":null,"width":1200,"height":1163,"srcNoWatermark":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null,"type":null,"imageSize":null}},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"A WHOOP smart band and app"}],"type":"caption"}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"4. Office equipment"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"A rubber duck. "},{"type":"text","text":"“Rubber ducking” is a popular concept among software engineers, where you talk through a problem to a rubber duck, and through this process of explanation, you discover the solution to the problem (sometimes.) There’s no shortage of rubber ducks to choose from, and there’s also dedicated online rubber duck stores offering personalized ducks in "},{"type":"text","text":"Amsterdam","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/amsterdamduckstore.com\/","class":null,"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}]},{"text":", ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.duckstore.es\/en\/"}}],"text":"Barcelona","type":"text"},{"text":", and ","type":"text"},{"text":"Paris","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.parisduckstore.fr\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}]},{"text":". Search ","type":"text"},{"text":"rubber ducks","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=buy+rubber+duck","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Noise-canceling headphones.","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":" I swear by the "},{"text":"Bose Quiet Comfort 700","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=bose+quietcomfort+700","target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":" – and there are plenty of "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/wirecutter\/reviews\/best-over-ear-headphones\/"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"other recommended models"},{"text":". A great – if rather pricey – gift for any software engineer without a pair, or who’s in need of an upgrade.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Ember mug","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":". A drinking vessel that keeps its contents at a constant temperature, so your coffee stays hot for 90 minutes. This is handy for when you get distracted and absorbed by a problem, so that when you reach for your drink an hour later, it’s still nice and warm. Tech lead "},{"text":"Andrei Podznoev","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/apodznoev\/"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":" recommends it as “a life changer for any office worker.” ","type":"text"},{"text":"Get it here.","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/ember.com\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}],"type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Anti-stress ball. ","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":"Useful for hand and finger exercises, or just for squishing while thinking! Search "},{"text":"anti-stress balls","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=stress+balls"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"},{"text":".","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Ergonomic wrist rests. "},{"text":"These are tailored to reduce wrist strain and promote a natural wrist position. A few recommendations:","type":"text"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Caprio 2.0","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/deltahub.io\/products\/carpio-ergonomic-wrist-rest","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}]},{"type":"text","text":" ergonomic wrist rest. “I have been using it for the last 2 years and it helps a lot with wrist strain.” – Gourav Kambij, software engineer."}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A variety of wrist rests","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ergonomic-wrist-rest\/s?k=ergonomic+wrist+rest","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null}}]},{"type":"text","text":" on sites like Amazon"}]}],"type":"list_item"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"A felt & cork desk mat. "},{"type":"text","text":"A minimalistic desk mat to go under a keyboard and mouse. Search "},{"text":"for felt & cork desk mats","type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=felt+cork+work+desk+mat","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Laptop cleaning kit. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"text":"Get a kit that has a screen cleaner, and perhaps even an air blower for cleaning the keyboard. Most laptops are used for several years, making this a practical gift. Search ","type":"text"},{"text":"for laptop cleaning kits","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=laptop+cleaning+kit"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":".","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"text":"Desktop charger. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Plenty of engineers prefer to charge phones, smart watches and laptops at a desk. As most USB interfaces move to USB-C, chargers like the "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/eu.ugreen.com\/products\/ugreen-nexode-200w-usb-c-desktop-charger?variant=46973588275548","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"Ugreen Nexode 200W USB C GaN charger"},{"type":"text","text":" or "},{"text":"other USB-C desktop chargers","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=usb+c+desktop+charger"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":", are handy gifts for techies without one.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Wireless charging station.","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":" More smartphones, headphones and smart watches support wireless charging. If the person you are thinking of gifting has devices like these, then a charging station could be perfect for their workspace. Search ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"wireless charging stations","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=wireless+charing+station","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"PowerCube"},{"type":"text","text":". A power charger on your desk: "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.designnest.us\/products\/powercube-original-monitor","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null},"type":"link"}],"text":"the US version","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":" or the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.powercubes.eu\/en\/product-categorie\/powercube-en\/","target":"_blank"}}],"text":"European version"},{"text":". I have one of these on my desk, and it’s very handy.","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"A leg rest","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":". Especially useful if you work from home. Search "},{"type":"text","text":"leg rests","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=leg+rest","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}]},{"text":".","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"5. Decor"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Nixie clocks. ","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":"A unique clock built using neon tubes and Nixie tubes. Doubles as a neat conversation starter. "},{"text":"Get it here.","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/nixieshop.com\/store.html","class":null,"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"}]},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"bytes":null,"belowTheFold":false,"title":null,"imageSize":null,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/28ea2cb7-9b7e-4bae-bf72-564e1deef67a_680x453.png","resizeWidth":null,"alt":null,"internalRedirect":null,"href":null,"topImage":false,"srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"height":453,"type":null,"width":680}},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"A Nixie clock"}],"type":"caption"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Rotating globes","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":". Powered by light, with a variety of planets to choose from.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"href":null,"title":null,"bytes":16919595,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/85b78f0f-022c-4586-a5d7-772416039b31_878x664.gif","alt":null,"imageSize":null,"fullscreen":null,"height":664,"internalRedirect":null,"width":878,"resizeWidth":null,"srcNoWatermark":null,"type":"image\/gif"}},{"type":"caption","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Rotating globes, powered by sunlight. Magnets inside the globes cause the rotation"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"text":"A software engineer ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"notes","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/x.com\/SwiftOnSecurity\/status\/1725172021535924335?s=20"}}]},{"type":"text","text":" a globe like this “adds gentle movement to a room.” "},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/eu.movaglobes.com\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null}}],"text":"Get them here","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Code-inspired posters. ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Created by software engineer "},{"text":"Tomek Skupinski","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TomekSkupinski"}}]},{"type":"text","text":" and his wife, in Poland:"}]},{"content":[{"attrs":{"internalRedirect":null,"imageSize":null,"alt":null,"bytes":null,"title":null,"width":1278,"srcNoWatermark":null,"resizeWidth":null,"belowTheFold":false,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/17836342-70fc-4c60-a90b-db695ecffae5_1278x1014.png","fullscreen":null,"height":1014,"topImage":false,"type":null,"href":null},"type":"image2"},{"type":"caption","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":"Visual Studio shortcuts as a poster. Source: "},{"type":"text","text":"TheCode.xyz","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.thecode.xyz\/"},"type":"link"},{"type":"em"}]}]}],"type":"captionedImage"},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"There are plenty of neat designs that combine code and art to choose from. "},{"type":"text","text":"Get them here.","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecode.xyz\/","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}]}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Lots of sites sell software engineering-themed posters. Search sites aggregating products from artists on "},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/market\/developer_poster"}}],"text":"Etsy","type":"text"},{"text":" or ","type":"text"},{"text":"Redbubble","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.redbubble.com\/shop\/software+engineering+posters","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":", or "},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=software+engineering+poster","target":"_blank"}}],"type":"text","text":"Google"},{"text":" it. You can, of course, design a poster yourself and have it printed at many online shops that specialize in this. ","type":"text"}]},{"type":"heading","content":[{"type":"text","text":"6. Toys for adults"}],"attrs":{"level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Fidget toys. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"From staff engineer "},{"text":"Lee McKeeman","marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ACoAAADFOK4BPB6AhLp5Cr0h18HKMmvgC6cWF_o?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_detail_base%3BSeRIfgYpScSj%2Bz%2FEMrC5Fg%3D%3D","class":null,"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"type":"text"},{"text":":","type":"text"}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"“Not all people in tech have ADHD or Autism, but there seems to be good synergy. Even if people aren’t one of these neurotypes, I have seen a lot of people that love some sort of decoration or toy related to their interests. For the more neuro-distractible sorts, fidget toys are really solid. We forget to refresh these or use what we have, something fresh can be a good reminder. ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/stimara.com\/","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank"}}],"type":"text","text":"Stimara"},{"text":" are some of my favorites.”","type":"text"}]}]},{"content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Take-apart puzzles. ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Tricky puzzles where the goal is to take an object apart. Find examples on "},{"type":"text","text":"Art of Play","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.artofplay.com\/collections\/take-apart-puzzles","class":null,"target":"_blank"}}]},{"text":" and search for ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"take-apart puzzles","marks":[{"attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=take+apart+puzzles"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"attrs":{"resizeWidth":null,"width":1080,"alt":"Hexa Puzzle","internalRedirect":null,"href":null,"topImage":false,"title":null,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/85d2513e-9f85-47f0-a774-c43c3420f4e0_1080x1080.png","imageSize":null,"srcNoWatermark":null,"height":1080,"belowTheFold":false,"bytes":null,"fullscreen":null,"type":null},"type":"image2"},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The Hexa puzzle"}],"type":"caption"}]},{"content":[{"text":"One of the many take-apart puzzles is the ","type":"text"},{"text":"Hexa puzzle","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.artofplay.com\/products\/hexa-puzzle"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":", described like this:","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"“Part puzzle, part geometric torture device. The goal is to remove the hexagonal nugget of brass from the hexagonal bars of the steel cage. Of course, the chunky brass Hex doesn't seem to fit through any of the six-sided holes. This sort of puzzle can be particularly maddening since it's clear from the beginning what needs to be done yet it seems that every element of the object has been specifically crafted to work against you.”"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"blockquote"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Analogue Pocket. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"type":"text","text":"A tribute to portable gaming, compatible with the Game Boy cartridge library. Highly limited sets, and released in drops. "},{"type":"text","text":"Get it here","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.analogue.co\/editions\/pocket-classic"}}]},{"text":".","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"title":null,"bytes":null,"internalRedirect":null,"imageSize":null,"type":null,"width":1456,"height":1060,"fullscreen":null,"belowTheFold":false,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/c29cf151-4af6-46ac-b067-d50e8a526daa_1600x1165.png","srcNoWatermark":null,"topImage":false,"resizeWidth":null,"alt":null,"href":null}},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The Analogue Pocket: dive into the Nintendo Game Boy and retro gaming"}],"type":"caption"}],"type":"captionedImage"},{"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Playdate. "},{"text":"A new, tiny-handled system that’s a homage to old-school gaming. I own one and it’s a lot of fun. Shipping can take a while, though. ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/play.date\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"Get it here"},{"type":"text","text":"."}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"width":1456,"type":null,"title":null,"alt":null,"bytes":null,"href":null,"resizeWidth":null,"internalRedirect":null,"belowTheFold":false,"srcNoWatermark":null,"height":1324,"topImage":false,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/03bbb0f6-9158-4947-8c19-2baca54f735a_1600x1455.png","imageSize":null,"fullscreen":null}},{"content":[{"text":"The Playdate: a new handheld device with a definite retro feel","type":"text"}],"type":"caption"}],"type":"captionedImage"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"LEGO"},{"type":"text","text":". No longer just for kids, there are countless sets aimed at adults. "},{"text":"LEGO ideas","type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/themes\/ideas"},"type":"link"}]},{"text":" is a series of unusual sets like ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Sonic the Hedgehog","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/product\/sonic-the-hedgehog-green-hill-zone-21331"}}]},{"text":", or the ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"Home Alone house","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/product\/lego-ideas-home-alone-21330","class":null,"target":"_blank"}}]},{"text":", there’s ","type":"text"},{"text":"LEGO Star Wars","type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/themes\/star-wars"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":" for fans of that classic series, "},{"text":"LEGO architecture","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/themes\/architecture","class":null,"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":" which recreates iconic landmarks, and ","type":"text"},{"text":"LEGO Technic","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/themes\/technic","target":"_blank","class":null}}],"type":"text"},{"text":" which includes advanced mechanics that are satisfying to build.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"captionedImage","content":[{"type":"image2","attrs":{"fullscreen":null,"title":null,"height":1568,"srcNoWatermark":null,"src":"https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/54aa56c1-53e1-4a1b-ba8c-7708ef57699b_1486x1600.png","resizeWidth":null,"belowTheFold":false,"bytes":null,"imageSize":null,"width":1456,"internalRedirect":null,"topImage":false,"type":null,"alt":null,"href":null}},{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"LEGO PAC-MAN set. Image source: ","marks":[{"type":"em"}]},{"marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/product\/pac-man-arcade-10323","class":null}},{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":"LEGO"}],"type":"caption"}]},{"content":[{"text":"Check out the ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":"LEGO 18+ section","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"class":null,"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/categories\/age-18-plus-years"}}]},{"text":" for more ideas.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"heading","content":[{"text":"7. Board games","type":"text"}],"attrs":{"level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"There’s plenty to choose from, including evergreen games that are great fun with friends and family. A few lists for ideas:","type":"text"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/nymag.com\/strategist\/article\/best-board-games-for-adults.html","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}],"text":"The best adult board games","type":"text"},{"text":" by The Strategist (2023)","type":"text"}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"11 board games we love","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/wirecutter\/reviews\/board-games-we-love\/"}}],"type":"text"},{"text":" by The Wirecutter (2023)","type":"text"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/boardgamegeek.com\/geeklist\/275414\/top-25-board-games-all-time-right-now","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank","class":null},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"The top 25 board games"},{"text":", by The Board Game Geek (2020)","type":"text"}]}],"type":"list_item"}]},{"content":[{"text":"Board games for software engineers","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":" are a bit harder to come by. However, the Revelry team ","type":"text"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","class":null,"href":"https:\/\/revelry.co\/insights\/development\/best-board-games-software-engineers\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow"},"type":"link"}],"text":"has put together a list"},{"type":"text","text":" of ones which developers may enjoy even more:"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"content":[{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Dominion."},{"text":" “The game lends itself to a lot of strategy centered around the correct order of chaining different cards.”","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"Fields of Arle."},{"type":"text","text":" “The branching decision trees spanning multiple rounds when planning your future turns can get very complex and confusing.”"}]}]},{"content":[{"content":[{"text":"RoboRally.","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":" “It can teach us to plan for and deal with errors.”"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"Tzolk’in."},{"type":"text","text":" “Challenges our ability to plan ahead and manage resources.”"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"content":[{"text":"Burke’s Gambit.","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"type":"text","text":" “It not only improves deduction skills, but also social skills.”"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"}],"type":"bullet_list"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"On a "},{"text":"Reddit thread","type":"text","marks":[{"attrs":{"class":null,"href":"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/boardgames\/comments\/7kwyah\/5_of_the_best_board_games_for_software_engineers\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","target":"_blank"},"type":"link"}]},{"type":"text","text":" discussing these suggestions, users added more recommendations for games techies may enjoy:"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Zendo","marks":[{"type":"strong"}]},{"text":": “a game of inductive logic, where players work to ‘reverse engineer’ a moderator-designed construct to discover the rule.”","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Epic Spell Wars"},{"type":"text","text":": “another good one for this list because it has pre-programmed actions and lots of chaining. Plus, it's just goofy fun!”"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"AquaSphere"},{"type":"text","text":": “an eurogame with a cool underwater theme. You play as programming bots and program other bots in your resource chain.”"}]}],"type":"list_item"}]},{"attrs":{"level":2},"type":"heading","content":[{"text":"8. Non-tech gifts","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text","text":"Music and the arts. "},{"text":"Indulge the senses by gifting an experience. Don’t forget to take into account who an experience is for, to avoid disappointment:","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Musical show"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Theater tickets","type":"text"}]}]},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Light show","type":"text"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Concert"}]}],"type":"list_item"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"Food and drink. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"text":"There are plenty of options for gifting a tasty, culinary experience:","type":"text"}]},{"type":"bullet_list","content":[{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Cookery class"}]}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Restaurant vouchers"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"content":[{"text":"Wine tasting","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Home cooking kits, or vouchers for services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron"}],"type":"paragraph"}],"type":"list_item"},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Special or interesting food or drink"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Homemade food or drink as gifts"}]}]},{"type":"list_item","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"A cookbook","type":"text"}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"When gifting food and drink, you could consider going local and sourcing from small vendors. For example, in The Netherlands, "},{"marks":[{"attrs":{"target":"_blank","href":"https:\/\/www.thegoodbox.store\/","rel":"noopener noreferrer nofollow","class":null},"type":"link"}],"type":"text","text":"The Good Box"},{"text":" is a gift box with products from local startups and scaleups. Look for similar initiatives in your region, or just seek out local producers.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"A plant. ","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"type":"text"},{"text":"Plants are less conventional gifts, but in my view, they’re underrated. I once received one from a friend; and although at first I was surprised, I found it therapeutic to have to keep it alive. It was a nice, big, green plant which lasted a few years, and also reminded me of this friend.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"heading","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Takeaways"}],"attrs":{"level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"I hope you’ve found some inspiration for the holiday season. Going through the suggestions, one thing that comes to mind is techies may value non-tech gifts which get you away from screens.","type":"text"}]},{"content":[{"text":"And don’t forget that sometimes just spending time with family and friends may be a better gift than any single ","type":"text"},{"marks":[{"type":"em"}],"type":"text","text":"thing"},{"text":" you could purchase.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"I hope this guide is useful. If you have more suggestions, please put them in a comment!","type":"text"}]},{"attrs":{"text":"Leave a comment","action":"half_magic_comments_url","class":null,"url":"https:\/\/newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com\/p\/holiday-season-gift-ideas-for-techies\/comments"},"type":"button"}],"type":"doc"}}