Magenta staff.

December 20, 2021.

A roundup of presents to keep you and your loved ones inspired, entertained, and warm.

As we prepare for 2022, the creatives at Huge have been training their thoughts on the future of design, technology, culture, and experience. “What else is new?” you might say. But the brief for the 2021 Magenta Gift Guide was more exacting than that. We wanted our colleagues across the globe to consider the gifts they want to give—and receive—that put connection, accessibility, sustainability, and equity-mindedness on the same plane as desire.

We hope that this guide will help you to find gifts that make people’s lives easier, more exciting, and more vibrant. And we wish you all the best this holiday season.

01.

Allison Walker

Senior UX Designer

Give.

Em & Friends gift cards

Em & Friends empathy (and other) cards provide a way to say difficult things about difficult subjects in a touching, modern, and thoughtful—but no BS!—way. — $5.00

Get.

MUBI subscription

MUBI is a streaming service of curated films for serious movie-lovers and people who like to talk seriously about movies. Each day a new film appears, and each day a film leaves. It’s a cinephile’s dream, and has the right tonality, too. As MUBI says, “Popular doesn’t always mean good.” — $79.99

02.

Zeke Franco

Creative Director, UX

Give.

'Snail World: Life in the Slimelight' by Aleia Murawski and Sam Copeland

'Snail World' is extremely imaginative—easily one of the most visually appealing books I’ve seen all year. The little set designs, composition, and photographic lighting will definitely fire the imagination of the creative in your life. — $34.99

Get.

'The Meaning in the Making' by Sean Tucker

Sean Tucker, a UK-based photographer with a massive YouTube following, focuses not just on the process, but the value of the creative act. His book teaches you to see the beauty in the struggle to create, as well as the final output. — $20.00

03.

Lillian Warner

Copy Lead, UX

Give.

Helen Levi planter

Helen Levi hand-makes colorful, functional ceramics for the home. When you hold one of Levi’s pieces, you can feel the care that goes into crafting it. Get a Beach Planter for a loved one, along with a cheerful plant, for a gift that will feel special and thoughtful. — $225.00

Get.

Patagonia Men’s Jackson Glacier jacket

This would probably be my all-purpose winter jacket for the next decade-plus. Impossibly warm, impermeable against the elements, and super-durable. Could be worn in a snowstorm or on a chilly Sunday walk with your dog. It’s made from 100% recycled down, so your carbon footprint is a little lighter, too. Plus, Patagonia offers free repairs anytime, making your purchase well worth the investment. — $349.00

04.

Bryan Le

Executive Creative Director

Give.

USAG Workman's Toolbox

My father has a nightmare case that holds all his tools—a big hunk of plastic that seemed like a good idea back when he purchased a full set. But he's been asking for a more useful storage solution that isn't an eyesore. This USAG has a minimal design that sort of evokes a certain streetwear brand. I might even get one for myself. — $75.00

Get.

Riki Ring wall clock

The Riki Ring Wall Clock is a handsome timepiece that strikes just the right balance between minimal design and expressive typography. Someday I’d love to center it on a wall and build around it in my office. — $220.00

05.

Emily Wengert

Managing Director, Executive Creative Director, Experiential

Give.

Ornaments4Orphans

I adore these felted tree ornaments made with fair trade materials from Nepal and Peru. The quality is fabulous and the designs, amusing—from hot cocoa to sushi to jellyfish. You can feel the attention these receive, compared to the typical made-cheaply-paid-cheaply fare available from mass retailers. — $12.99-$149.99

Get.

'Building for Everyone: Expand Your Market with Design Practices from Google's Product Inclusion Team' by Annie Jean-Baptiste

There's a new flavor of design practice emerging that puts equity-mindedness front and center. I'm hoping this holiday to finally consume every word of Building for Everyone from Google's Product Inclusion Team, which lays out how all designers can challenge their habits and include more voices to improve both the intended and unintended outcomes of their work. — $29.00

06.

Dwayne Raupp

Executive Creative Director

Give.

KiwiCo Domino Machine

The KiwiCo Domino Machine is a fun gift for kids or kids at heart. Build your own domino-laying robot to help make (and destroy—isn't that the best part?) your creations. They stock everything you need, from blueprints to materials, and a step-by-step video. Plus, it’s got pedigree: It was inspired by Mark Rober's world-record domino-laying machine. — $26.95

Get.

Kywoo Tycoon IDEX 3D printer

The Kywoo Tycoon IDEX 3D printer is so, so covetable. Since their Kickstarter days the Kywoo team have put together a compelling 3D printer for beginners to intermediate enthusiasts. With bed leveling, WiFi, linear rails, and two print heads, you can do some truly amazing work with this thing. — $899.00

07.

Bianca Fernandes

Senior UX Designer

Give.

'How to' by Michael Bierut

It’s always inspirational to learn about someone’s career journey—especially when that someone is graphic designer, critic, educator, and Pentagram partner Michael Bierut. This book shares over three decades of his work, and reads like a design manual, with tons of fascinating case studies from across Bierut’s career. — $60.00

Give.

'A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth' by Kevin M. Kern, Steven Vagnini, Tim O'Day

This is pretty irresistible for diehard Disney fans: a coffee table book that tells the story of Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida, 50 years after its founding. The thing that really distinguishes it is a raft of Illustrations and blueprints, plus archival photography. For a company that doesn’t always like to take people behind the scenes, it’s a rare treat. — $85.00

08.

Claudio Guglieri

Executive Creative Director

Give.

Facebook Portal Go

The ease of use, continuous camera tracking, image quality, and portability makes this gadget an amazing companion. Great for talking with far-flung family and friends. — $149.00

Get.

LEGO Titanic

Damn. Would you look at it? I find putting LEGO together almost like a form of meditation. This massive model of the Titanic would be tons of fun to build with my son. Boats are a recent obsession of his, and he really enjoyed watching Titanic. There you have it, the perfect gift. — $629.99

09.

Kerry McAleer

VP, Research

Give.

Smallhold Mushroom grow kits

Discover the freaky world of growing your own mushrooms at home! I first tried this when pandemic lockdowns hit, and it provided an awesome—and much-needed—source of distraction and wonderment. Growing delicious mushrooms felt like the fringe benefit. I'm not great with houseplants, but I can grow fungus. — $34.00-$60.00

Get.

Food52 gifts from underrepresented makers

I love the products from Food52. (I also watch their cooking videos till way too late at night.) Their editorial team curated a set of awesome gifts from underrepresented makers—everything from chili crisp to dinnerware to alcohol-free gin. — Various

10.

Marc Maleh

Managing Director, Technology

Give.

Solo Stove Yukon

Smoke-free fire pit. Nuff said. Seriously, Solo has figured out that rare balance between functional design and beautiful craftsmanship. Staying warm around a campfire without smelling afterward like a chimney flue is just their second most amazing trick. — $599.99

Get.

Nreal Light

Mixed reality (MR) is the future of content and experiences, and these glasses from Nreal might be the best way to experience MR’s promise and potential. The form factor is compact and fairly sleek, and the user experience over a 5G network is as good as you’ll find. — $599.00

11.

Juan Reina

Senior UX Designer

Give.

Olympus XA 35mm Camera

A small therapeutic device that fits in your pocket and allows you to exalt in and treasure your memories. Or if you prefer, a magic box full of chemical and emotional reactions. The Olympus XA is also my fav film camera. — Various

Get.

JCH StreetPan 400 film

Color Negativo is the project of a Mexican photographer who lives in Medellín, Colombia. I don't know much about his story, but he is remarkably careful with the rolls, and has always been responsive to my questions. On his recommendation, I fell in love with the JCH StreetPan 400, which he supplies. Now it's my comfort roll. — Various

12.

Jacque Jordan

GVP, Research

Give.

OpenSea NFT selections

I'm new to the NFT game, but I've purchased a few for myself recently. You can go down the rabbit hole exploring OpenSea, but a great gift would be a digital piece of artwork. — Various

Get.

Upright Go S posture trainer

(As I slouch at my desk) I would love to receive the Upright trainer. I need frequent reminders to sit up straight, and maybe, just maybe, this would be the ticket. — $59.95

13.

Allen Oke

Executive Creative Director

Give.

Dr. Martens Vegan 1460 Lace-up Boots

My wife wants to relive her youth, as do I. These vegan Docs are a great ethical spin on a time-honored totem of ‘80s anti-conformity. — $150.00

Get.

Kotn Sustainable Apparel

Kotn is a Canadian brand making sweats and knitwear with textiles from ethically sourced cotton and recycled fleeces. Their stuff is extremely well made and comfortable, and it feels good to support a local business with sustainability at its heart. — Various

14.

Danielle Chen

Senior UX Designer

Give.

Sculpd pottery kit

As digital creatives, we spend most of our time designing things that can feel quite intangible. This is the perfect antidote to give our eyes a break and assign some creative power to our hands. A pottery kit from Sculpd doesn’t ask you to commit to a class or have any prior skills, just some dexterity and creativity. Bonus: Their new kits are made from recyclable materials. — $65.00

Get.

Yellowpop neon signage

Neon lights are one of the best ways to brighten up a house/apartment. Yellowpop lets you customize or select pre-designed lights from some of your favorite artists. The twist: The lights themselves are LED, meaning you save a ton of energy over traditional neon. I would love to pop my room with some Yellowpop. — From $129.00

15.

Matt Hexemer

Executive Creative Director

Give.

Swytch universal eBike conversion kit

I know some people who would leave their car parked if they had an e-bike. But e-bikes are expensive, and how many bikes do you need crowding the garage? The Swytch eBike conversion may be the answer. A front-wheel kit is customized to your bike, and delivers on-demand power in a removable 7 lb package, all for under $600. —From $575

Get.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level portable WiFi speaker

This may be the last portable speaker you ever own. It’s also the first Cradle to Cradle–certified speaker in the industry, meaning it was created with sustainability at its core. The Beosound Level touts best-in-class sound along with timeless materials and design. Even the electronics module can be easily replaced if streaming technology becomes outdated. — $1,499.00

16.

Jason Schlossberg

Managing Director, Strategic Communications

Give.

SurfaceSoap UV-C sanitizing wand

This beautifully designed UV-C wand kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, and travels extremely well. It also works faster and is more environmentally friendly than chemicals or wipes. It’s a new essential for anyone who travels or is anxious about returning to the office in the new year. — $199.99

Get.

Elan Voyager Urban Traveler folding skis package

The Elan Voyager is a fully functional, folding all-mountain ski. Originally designed in collaboration with the Slovenian Army, the ski is first made whole, then cut in half to create a perfect join. And by making it super easy to throw them in the back of your car or in the overhead bin of a crowded flight, I’d get a lot of use out of them—this winter and well beyond. — €1,499.95