19 Great Gift Ideas for Young Professionals
Whether you’re a young professional looking for gifts to add to your list, a soon to be college grad getting a head start on your business gear, or a perplexed parent of either, the Newly Corporate team has put together a great list of gifts just for you.
The items are separated by blogger so you can click through their names and compare them to yourself or the twentysomething you are buying a gift for this Christmas season.
Its sometimes easier to say what I don’t want. I have to tell my family every year that it isn’t necassary to buy me ties. Most professional people wear business casual. Also, I prefer to purchase my own dress shirts and pants, sometimes I am picky about my looks that I have to wear everyday. But here are my top 3 gifts ideas for a corporate Gen Y’er and links to some products:
1) Briefcase/Bag - A briefcase must first be useful, it needs to hold a computer, several files, and most likely a mouse or 10 key.
2) Wine/Liquor - Not that we are drunks, but nothing beats enjoying a nice bottle of wine with your loved ones.
3) Watch - The only piece of jewelry every man needs. I personally think leather bands are more classy and dressier. However, metal watches easily go with all outfits.
4) Espresso Machine - (a decent one with more than 15 bars of pressure, > $60 <$100) Learn to really enjoy coffee the way it was meant to be. It’s embarrassing to order Cafe Americano at a chalet in the alps or at a ‘coffee shop’ in Amsterdam.
5) Garment Bag - If you don’t already have one of these, they’re indispensable. Sounds like a sucky present, but definitely something that will be used over and over again.
6) A nice pen - Stay away from Mont Blanc (super douche-y) and look at Waterman, Pelikan, Cross (cheaper) or Parker.
7)A Leather Bag - BROWN. Looks beautiful for years, even when beat up. The brown ensures it will develop a nice patina. Kind of expensive, but classy and worth it if you get a nice one.
8 ) Non-Iron Traveler Shirts - The corporate casual baseline for any young professional (especially a bachelor).
9) Any book off this list - 15 Books for Rogue Professionals and How to Read them Fast at No Cost
10) A Subscription to Beer Advocate - Appreciate the finer brews in your area and abroad.
11) A Round of Golf - Order a round of golf (or a lesson) online at a course next to your chosen Generation Y young professional.
12) A clothes steamer - because we are too lazy to iron things for real. Who owns any ironing board anyway?
13) ergoBeads wrist support - I just got one of these and it is awesome. This is necessary, cheap, and effective.
14) Nintendo DS Lite and Brain Age 2 - Everyone should get some kind of game for Christmas. Board games are good, but I want a video game. And this one won’t rot your brain.
15) Leather travel kit - This is a must have toiletry bag for any business traveler.
16) Bose Headphones - the noise canceling variety are optimal, but one step down is damn good too.
17) Apple TV - Brings your music / photos / movies /YouTube out of your computer and into the living room where they belong. There’s something beautiful about flipping through all your album art on the big screen.
18) A good cook book - This may be the first time that we they have had to cook regularly.
19) A domain name - Give them the first step in controlling their online identity. Maybe TheirName.com or something more creative…What’s on your list? Add it as a comment!
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Tags: Beer, Christmas, Generation Y, Gifts, Style, Travel, Wine, Young Professional
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December 7th, 2007 at 7:45 am
I think Blake and Dan are making out with the best toys this year. The steamer is a great idea. The last thing I want to do at 6-7 in the morning is break out a rusty old ironing board. I’m really looking into the Apple tv thing too, but I’ve heard going the MacMini route may be better for the long haul. Thanks for making my girl happy by getting more crap on my list.
December 10th, 2007 at 10:18 am
[...] past few weeks and had never noticed the absence of a female voice on the blog. That is until the 19 Great Gift Ideas for Young Professionals post last week. I immediately contacted BrandonA who urged me to come up with my own list of gift [...]
December 11th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
[...] 9. Pearls, candles, and lotion are supposedly better gifts for you than iPods, books, and domain names. [...]
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December 20th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
You could also register .name if .com has gone.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
[...] Books for Rogue Professionals and How to Read them Fast at No Cost19 Great Gift Ideas for Young ProfessionalsSlick Investments Geared Towards You!!5 Gifts for Young Professional WomenDeliberate Relationship [...]
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December 31st, 2007 at 1:46 am
Don’t forget about the business card holder — a gift that keeps on giving… think about all those times you’ve watched someone fumble in their outfit for a card, and pull out something with bent corners, or worse.
You can get a simple, elegant case with engraved initials without breaking the bank — avoid the highly stylized cases unless you know the recipient’s tastes well enough.
January 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
[...] Geared Towards You!!15 Books for Rogue Professionals and How to Read them Fast at No Cost19 Great Gift Ideas for Young Professionals5 Gifts for Young Professional WomenMake a Friend at Work, and Then They [...]
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January 11th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Along the watch line I would reccomend researching watches, not necessarily to buy but to understand the complexities involved in high end watches. This knowledge can really help you gauge a person, whether it be a boss or a perspective client. There are several niche watch brands that if you notice their watch and comment you will get mega bonus points. You will be able to tell a lot about a person by their watch and I’m not talking Rolex. Look into Panerai, Hublot, Jaeger Le Coutier, Audemars Puget, Bell and Ross, Hamilton, and IWC.
Just curious why do you say to stay away from Mont Blanc? I don’t find it douchy and most managers are usually impressed if they see you with one?
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
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