Stef, Music Editor
This is for all the times when I’m not at A-Camp and can’t just turn to the living, breathing bear standing next to me and politely ask it to open my beverage for me. All things considered, I wouldn’t mind this skull one either.
I was initially going to buy these when I moved away from New York because I thought they’d help me not miss the city as much, but then I never bought them and then I moved back anyway so whatever. I still want them because they’re goddamn adorable.
I have no idea why I believe that perfect spheres of ice will cause my whiskey to magically taste better, but it turns out that I do.
Death By Audio Ghost Delay pedal
For the last couple of years, I’ve done most of my musical endeavors as strictly studio projects – leaving me with years and years’ worth of half-finished songs that barely anybody’s ever heard. This year, I resolve to actually join some bands and play some shows, and to do that, I need a bunch of gear. If I’m gonna actually play my guitar outside of my bedroom, I’m gonna need to make some weird sounds come out of it. Enter the Ghost Delay, which will make all my songs sound like they’re being performed by actual ghosts.
Moog EWSTD019 Etherwave Theremin
But like, if I’m going to stay inside and work on music all by my lonesome, the least you could do is buy me this theremin. I love learning how to play new instruments, and the theremin (an electronic instrument you play by moving your hands around above it to control pitch and volume) is deeply, wonderfully odd. I’ll use it to get in touch with my inner Myrtle Snow.
Alley, Contributing Editor
If I didn’t want it for the title alone I’d def want to add it to my collection of TV tech toys. Even though we already have a Chromecast in the house it sometimes ends up in my housemate’s room and the FIre Stick is only 5 bucks more for 4x the storage twice the memory. Also stoked about the remote, even if I will probably lose it in the couch cushions (but hey we find underwear so it evens out) and voice search that supposedly “just works.”
Anyone who knows me knows I have a little bitty problems with shoes, mostly sneakers. I have an entire Ikea shelf system dedicated to them. But these ones are totally practical you guys! They are comfortable enough to feel like sneaks but classy and hip enough to dress up enough for work. It’s like a Portland dress shoe and I need them ok? Plus there’s only 3 left and one of them in my size, though I am usually lucky enough to find men’s shoes in my size since 8s are on the small side. This also means they’re usually on clearance…just like these!
Working from home several days of the week means I often don’t leave pajamas. But sometimes I don’t like to look like a complete slovenly mess and the same goes for my workouts. These joggers look like a fashionable way to be comfortable on the couch or at the gym and unlike similar fashion sweats they’re under a hundred dollars and come in my size instead of stopping at the one just below me (I’m looking at you Levi’s!).
Under the Bed Storage Bag – Faux Jute
If I’m going to be getting all these clothes and shoes I need some place to put it and under the bed and out of site is the perfect place. But then again I still want the storage unit to go with the decor in case it does need to sit out somewhere. And that it is fabric and malleable and therefore can be stuffed in a corner…brilliant.
Robin, Contributing Editor
Y’all, I’m obsessed with collecting coffee gear. I already own Hario’s excellent hand-crank coffee grinder, a single-cup pourover cone, a French press, a Vietnamese coffee phin, and a regular ol’ Mr. Coffee. All I’m missing from this setup is an all-in-one system for making cold brew. This all-in-one system. I won’t have to worry about filtering at all. It’ll already done for me. Hot damn. Happy holidays.
Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 Headphones
I have two sets of everyday over-the-ear headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-M30 and the AKG K240 Stereos, and both double as very effective earmuffs for the winter months. Lately, though, I’ve been cultivating my pompadour, so anything with a headband is out. These Bowers & Wilkins earbuds not only come with an inline mic, but they sound so good that I don’t feel too vain for wanting (tho really, needing) them.
Books
Just the top three that I want this year: The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison because I haven’t read it yet but I know in my bones I will want to reread it forever; Deathless by Catherynne Valente because I have read it and I want to reread it forever; Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue because queer fractured fairy tales.
Duh.
Fikri, Contributing Editor
My bag got stolen during my last month in London and this is the last thing I haven’t been able to replace. Probably because these earphones are obscenely expensive and I’m getting too old to listen to music while trying to concentrate on other things, but listening to music in bed in the dark with my old X10s used to be one of my favourite things in the world.
That is Ellen Page’s face, you guys. I think it is clear how this is immediately relevant to my/our interests. I also wouldn’t say no to Portal 2, Alice: Madness Returns or The Last of Us.
And then if someone could do grad school for me while I tackled these, that’d be good too.
WINTER IS COMING.
The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World by Vijay Prashad
I have a massive book problem: I usually bring a couple of books along with me when I travel and then I come back with 5-7 more — every week without fail. (I also have a massive travel problem.) Yet somehow this book has eluded me in my transnational quest to visit every independent queer/anarchist bookstore in existence, so I’m almost ready to give in and hit the check out button on Amazon.
Lydia, Fashion/Style Editor
Moleskine 4 x 2.5 Weekly Horizontal Planner
I’m a Virgo. I like to plan things, and I love products that are concise and direct. I still like writing things down/I don’t fully trust my iPhone. Don’t tell Siri. This my favourite fuckin’ planner because it’s teensy but somehow has enough space for alllll the things.
The only thing better than Beyonce is platinum Bey. Need I say more?
This one is more wishful thinking than anything else, but it’d be nice to update to a computer from this decade. That doesn’t require being plugged in at all time. To my Toshiba: I still love you, just the way you are, but I gotta upgrade ya.
A.P.C. Francoise Lace Up Boots
I’ve learned the value in purchasing quality footear, now that my daily commute involves lots of walking. These French beauties are classic enough to warrant a large sum, and I can’t resist the nod to Victorian granny boots. Gimme!
This is a giant coffeetable book by my favourite fashion photographer. Tim creates entire alternate universes within his photos, and quite often takes my breath away. He’s also a master of studio portraiture, cultivating immense depth and individuality in an environment which is often dry and boring. This book is infinitely inspiring!
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5See entire article on one page
every year when we do this i am so jealous of other people’s finely-tuned commercial desires. y’all have such good lists! i need to get on your level, but first i wanna get that french press.
Man I could have kept going down that rabbit hole but I had to stop at some point both in terms of time wasted and selfishness…
Rachel, Lynda Barry’s Syllabus is FANTASTIC! I am a gigantic Lynda Barry fan, I’ve even briefly met her and she’s more amazing in person than you might imagine! This new book of her’s is so inspiring. I follow the tumblr that most of the material in the book is from, so I’ve seen it, but put all together it made me so excited about creating things. I wanted to write a book after reading it. Its has so many wonderful writing exercises! <3
Ooohh so many things to ask for. I second the bose headphones. I have the active one, it is sweat and water resistant. They are holding up really well after about 1.5 years of constant gym use.
Also if you like boots you might want to take a peek at seavees.
But what I want most on my list is for all of you to buy those YDY stickers!!!!!!!!!! =)
wait
what?
MAC Rocky Horror Makeup?
be still my femme and genderfabulous heart
(KaeLyn, i feel your feels)
Hoopla Josee! I mean, like, I really really want it. And that is just a sampling of the full collection…!!!
i thought smartwool was great until i was introduced to darn tough. they are made in vermont and, last i checked, have a lifetime guarantee. where all of my smartwool socks are filled with holes, my darn toughs are still super intact. y’all…these socks are amazing…also, i realize an unhealthy portion of my life is spent thinking about socks.
I used to sell hiking socks, amongst other things. I appreciate a good quality long lasting, comfy, wicking sock. On extreme PMT days when I was very stressed I occasionally would tear up selling particularly excellent merino wool based socks.
And now I’m sharing this on the Internet.
Yes I got two pairs of darn tough socks two Christmases ago, they are still in perfect shape. They are also really cool colors!
Oooh this is good to know! I have generally been dismissive of DT socks because the only time I’ve had them they were sort of icky little sport socks that were too small, but maybe they are worth giving another shot!
Definitely putting these on my Christmas list! Continuing a trend from last year, when my brother gave me a pair of hiking socks and also a can opener that doesn’t work. This year, I’ll settle for socks with a lifetime guarantee, and he can keep his defective kitchen gadgets to himself.
Yes to Hannah’s Zebra pen!
Zebra pens made me realise it is possible to have strong opinions about a biro.
The only enduring problem of flannel sheets now that I have a bed bigger than a twin (the dog has to sleep somewhere, yanno), is that all the cute fun flannel sheets are too small. :(
Go to target! My lovely gf just got the same red plaid flannel ones in the picture, and they are basically the greatest dykiest coziest thing ever and I love them
I just, like a few days ago, learned that cold brew coffee is a thing and totally just bought that pot. Can’t wait to start whipping up homemade, dairy-free frappuccinos (in my new misandrist shirt!)
Laneia! I have that bag! I rarely use it because it’s way bigger than I imagined in would be and it’s hard to get into on the go because you have to use the buttons. But it’s gorgeous and when I’m traveling, it holds all of my things without forcing me to lug a giant backpack around!
OMG YESSSS
and steph, i really want you to get that theremin!
and bring it to a-camp
and then serenade your cabin
<3
I second the Klipsch X11. I had the X5 before it hit its demise the second time in the wash cycle, and it is the best in ears I have ever used. They are so small, light and comfortable. I can only imagine how much nicer the X7(replaced the X5) and X11 are with the better quality cable. I may try and see if I can get the X7/11 cables swapped onto my X5.
Fun update: a super awesome queermo friend who works for the National Book Foundation DID give me both those books for Christmas! She’s the bestest.
I would really like everything on Yvonne’s list. Except Ohio instead of Texas.
How did I not know that Rocky Horror makeup existed?
I’ll be off now, contemplating the general incompleteness of my life.
Perhaps it’s shallow and materialistic to think that lipstick could improve my life . . . but I’ll never know until I try.
Rose tint your world, Maggie. With Rocky Horror lipstick, I mean.
What excellent advice. Is it from a self-help book or something? ;)
Smart wool is the best and flannel sheets sound heavenly.
Also, those victorian print doc Martens are so cute!
Related: my Autostraddle underwear + Lumberjanes just came in the mail today and I am SO EXCITED, it is like early Christmas here!
YVONNE I WILL SEND YOU SOME YOU DO YOU STICKERS
THANK YOU!!
Riese, I have a copy of Infinite City that I bought for class a couple of years ago and haven’t really read since. It’s a little bent but in pretty good condition otherwise.
Tell me an address and it’s yours.
(i think my girlfriend already bought it for me, but thank you for the offer!!! do you like the book?)
I haven’t really read much of it but it is interesting!
I have got to stop reading the descriptions of the books on these types of lists…it’s wreaking havoc on my savings!!
I bought the Winterberry Tart Coat years ago (maybe 5?) and I STILL LOVE IT SO MUCH. It’s a gorgeous colour, a beautiful cut with a really fun asymmetric hem, a great collar that you can button up to your neck, cute (*hand made*) leather details, wonderful deep pockets, and is so flattering. I still get compliments on it, and it has held up to the test of time so well!
I own those Victorian print Doc Martens and they are a staple of my wardrobe. I love the mix between butch and femme. I get compliments on them wherever I go :)
Kate, you are a genius and I hope you get that Drake shirt because you truly deserve it.
And Chelsey, I totally almost put Texts from Jane Eyre on my list, but I left it off because I already had too many things, so I’m glad you put it!
Please provide link to The Team’s Christmas Wishes Fund.
Oh gosh I just put flannel sheets on my bed last night and it is THE best–not only are they incredibly soft but the weight also helps them stay where you put them, so even notorious sheet-twisters (…like me) wake up in properly layered bedding instead of in a tangle of whatever blankets didn’t fall off the bed. It’s miraculous, really.
like sleeping in pjs but without wearing clothes–flannel sheets are the best
FYI I got those floral Docs last Christmas. They still are not broken in and I can’t wear them for more than 20 minutes at a time. It is tragic.