Snag these holiday gifts for your favorite startup founder, UX Designer, or Product Manager!
At LunarLab, we loving giving and sharing with others. Throughout the year, we make tons of recommendations about our favorite things, so this year we wanted to compile all of those recommendations into one place.
We aren’t exactly influencers over here, so it goes without saying that none of these items are sponsored in any way. They’re just things we love and own, and want to share with our friends like you!
Books for Design & Inclusive Tech Enthusiasts
We read dozens of books every year, but these are the ones we couldn’t put down in 2022.
- Just Enough Research by Erika Hall – The only book about user research you’ll ever need. We have recommended this book to almost every early stage startup founder we’ve talked to this year. It’s short, sweet, and jam-packed with practical guidance.
- Technically Wrong by Sara Wachter-Boettcher – This is a really eye-opening read on all the ways that bias is built into tech products.
- Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez – Data bias may not sound like the sexiest thing in the world, but this book has changed the way we think about design, research, and data. If you want to be a more inclusive and well-rounded thinker, this is the book for you.
- Design Is a Job by Mike Monteiro – This book lives on Elizabeth’s desk full time and she references it at least once per week. The second edition just came out, and just in time… Elizabeth’s copy is falling apart!
- Everyday Information Architecture by Lisa Maria Marquis – As designers, we are often called on to organize information: everything from site layouts to mobile app navigation to web app menus. This short, sweet guide to information architecture will help you improve your skills in organizing information.
Office Essentials for Remote Workers
We love remote work! These are the things we just can’t live without in our home offices.
- James Webb Space Telescope Stamps – Why use boring stamps on your outgoing mail when you can spice it up and share your love of tech innovation?
- Botanica Plantshop – Local, Woman Owned – Get some greenery in your space with this local, woman-owned shop! You can shop in the store or ship to your home. They even have rare plants!
- Pip Decks Workshop Tactics Card Deck – Workshops aren’t just for design projects… we use them in strategy sessions, research planning, and even for project management. This deck puts dozens of tactics right at your fingerprints, so you can customize every workshop you run to meet the goals of the session.
- Dancing Astronauts Space Wall Prints – Don’t forget to have fun 🙂
- Quay Blue Light Glasses – Blue light glasses are essential for people who stare at screens all day (uh… like us). These get the job done, but still look stylish and cute.
- PILOT Precise V5 RT Refillable & Retractable Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pens – Kelli’s favorite pens. If you can’t get the expensive zero gravity space pen, this is the next best thing.
- Textured Paper Twin Wire Notebook – Elizabeth the To Do List Queen loves this notebook! The lines are just right, and it even has day and month headers at the top of every page so you can keep track of your notes.
Snacks
Who doesn’t love getting delicious snacks as a gift? These are a few of our tried-and-true favorites.
- Mike’s Hot Honey – We didn’t think honey could get any better, but we stand corrected.
- Wonderpuff Cotton Candy – Woman Owned – Not your usual cotton candy! This grown-up version has flavors like Raspberry Mojito, Rose Lemonade, and Hazelnut Brandy. Don’t forget to add Pop Rocks or Edible Glitter to your order!
- Honeycreeper Chocolate – Local, Woman Owned – Everybody loves chocolate, right? This local shop offers gourmet chocolates for your BFF’s sweet tooth. They even have vegan options!
- RedCat Coffee – Local – RedCat is the best local coffee shop for getting your work done, and their delicious fresh roasted coffee hits the spot whether you’re in the store or at home. We recommend the Ethiopian and Guatemalan blends for your favorite coffee lover.
- Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Woman Owned – When they say this sauce goes on everything, they mean EVERYTHING! We’re addicted… try it on pizza!
- This Bar Saves Lives S’Mores Blast – Our go-to snack for clients in the office, these granola bars make a great stocking stuffer. As the name says, this bar really does save lives… every time you make a purchase, you send a life-saving food packet to hungry children.
Treat Yo Self
We’re moms, and sometimes being a mom means you get gifts for yourself to unwrap under the tree. These items make great gifts to yourself… or to your friends.
- Little Rooms Rocket Earrings – Woman-Led – Kelli and Elizabeth may or may not have matching pairs of these that they wear to networking events
- Floating Moon Desk Lamp – How does it work!? Magic, probably… (ok, ok, it’s magnets)
- UX BHM shirt – Local – Share your pride in being part of the Birmingham UX community with a cozy t-shirt
- LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery – It’s not just for fun… you can also use it as office decor!
- CAVU membership – Local – Level up your Scrum and Agile skills with CAVU’s engaging, informative training sessions. CAVU is a Benefit organization, meaning that they are focused on social good by making workplaces more equitable. A membership is great for product managers, project managers, UX designers, managers who want to upskill their teams, or even startup founders who want to improve their efficiency!
- JaxKelly Moonstone Candle – Woman Owned – Remember how exciting it was to get a prize at the bottom of a cereal box when you were a kid? Well, you don’t have to give up that joy. The grown-up version of that feeling is a JaxKelly candle. Set your intention, burn the candle, and get the
prizecrystal inside! - Brand photography by Audrey Creative – Local, Woman Owned – An absolute must for any business owner! We had a brand photography session with Audrey and could not be happier with the results. These sessions have a great ROI when it comes to your marketing and content creation needs. Audrey is a true pro!
Ready to design your own custom app? Contact us to start the conversation!
