2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Historians and History Professionals

Do you know a Canadian historian? (::nods::) Are they impossible to shop for because they already own all the books? (::nods vigorously::) Then have we got just the thing for you!

As promised, we’re back with our Fourth Annual Holiday Gift Guide for Historians and History Professionals! This is becoming a veritable Canadian history holiday tradition. I’ll keep the preamble short, but as usual, standard caveats apply:

• Warning to loved ones of historians and history professionals: It is so lovely that you remembered that we love history and that most of us love reading. However, we strongly recommend against the purchase of history books for holiday gifts, unless they are specifically requested. If you are dead-set on buying a history book for your loved-one, at least make sure that it is: from an academic press (it will say the word University in the title of the publisher) and it is by a person with a Ph.D. in history (Google is your friend – just put their name and the word history to find out). You may also want to make sure that your loved-one doesn’t already own the book in question, or have easy access to it from their institutional library. We have provided a couple of suggestions for non-history books that might be a better fit.
• While I am Canadian, and many of the recommendations I’ve included down below are specific to Canadian history, this list should be helpful to history professionals no matter their country of origin or residence.
• Finally, while there are plenty of options here for history enthusiasts, this guide is specifically intended for individuals who are shopping for historians and historical professionals.

I also know that our gift guide is out rather late this year, mostly because I wasn’t planning to do one. And I’m sure that all of my fellow historians and history professionals have already completed their holiday shopping, so this guide is entirely unnecessary, right? 😉

Don’t forget to check out our guides from 2016, 2017, and 2018. While not all of the links work anymore, there are still plenty of fantastic ideas to be found. The leather book weight from 2018 is still a highlight. And don’t forget that the 2017 guide contains additional information if you will be purchasing or making gifts for your Jewish friends.

Once again, I have cheekily divided this list according to academic rank, mostly because I still think it’s funny. Enjoy!

Every year, I say I don’t recommend books, and then I do. So clearly I’m a liar. Here are some of my picks from this year.

For the young and young-at-heart

• Encounter, written by Brittany Luby (Anishinaabe-kwe, atik totem)and illustrated by Michaela Goade.
• Alis the Aviator, written by Danielle Metcalf-Chenail, illustrated by Kalpna Patel
• Nibi’s Water Song, written by Sunshine Tenasco (Anishinabeg), illustrated by Chief Lady Bird (Chippewa and Potawatomi artist from Rama First Nation and Moosedeer Point First Nation, who is currently based in Toronto)

For grownups

• Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway
• A Mind Spread out on the Ground by Alicia Elliot (Tuscarora writer from Six Nations of the Grand River living in Brantford, Ontario)
• As I Remember It: Teachings (ʔəms tɑʔɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder, by Elsie Paul (Elder of the ɬaʔamɩn people), with David McKenzie, Paige Paibmon, and Harmony Johnson
• The Symbols of Canada, edited by Michael Dawson, Catherine Gidney, and Don Wright
• From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way, by Jessie Thistle (Métis)

Graduate Student Level ($0 to $20)

I always like to include some kind of arts and crafting supplies on my lists, both because so many academics are crafters and because crafting is good for the soul. But if you’re not sure what to do or feel intimidated, then options like Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal are a great option. This journal offers a different prompt for each page, simple things like spilling coffee on a page to make a print, that will help you find your creativity. But if you prefer more structured activities, I quite like colouring books. There are lots of options and themes, from books to Harry Potter-themed, to the classics like Joanna Basford’s. To accompany these books, you can find lots of options for colouring pencils, from the super inexpensive, to student quality, to the fancy-pants artist quality ones that I use. I would recommend starting with the basics before investing in the fancy-pants ones.

I’m not sure why, but I came across a lot of fun, small, and random things this year that I thought would work well on this list. I may never be able to top the book weight from last year, but this book page holder it a run for its money.  We’ve all struggled with holding a book with one hand, and having it drop on our face. That’s never fun. This model also looks good.

I’m not sure what I’m only learning about these rubber duckies now – where have you been all my life! I’m quite partial to the Roman Soldier rubber duckie, inspired by the British Museum’s ancient Rome collection. And yes I call them rubber duckies, not rubber ducks. I have a Ph.D., I can call them whatever I want. 😛

It might be a little too late for this year, but the British National Archives bookstore has a ton of awesome historically-themed ornaments. Thanks to Gillian Leitch for letting me know about these. The coolest of these are a mini Suffragette for the feminist in your life, and a mini King Harold, based on the Bayeux Tapestry, for the medievalists. There are lots of other cool options, like a chocolate mould of King Henry VII’s Great Seal. Seriously, LAC, we need to get on this.

Postdoc Level ($20 to $50)

Speaking of British historical organizations with cool gift ideas, English Heritage has some awesome find. Can you believe they even have English Heritage Monopoly??? They also have other English Heritage games, like English Heritage Risk and English Heritage Cluedo (same as the Canadian Clue). If you like board games in general, Chronology looks like a fun game for historians – see what you really remember from comps! And of course, Carcassonne is a classic.

As you know from previous gift guides, I totally have a thing for graphic t-shirts. And of course, there are lots of fantastic options to choose from. Etsy has lots of funny examples, like “Don’t Make Me Repeat Myself – History” and “Trust Me, I’m a Historian.” Out of Print has fantastic book-related options. But for my money, I’m in love with the “Corn, Beans, and Squash the Patriarchy” shirts from MohawkEmotions. And full credit for the last idea to Alison Norman, who posted an awesome image of her wearing this shirt on Facebook recently. It comes in a range of sizes, colours, and formats (t-shirt, tanks, hoodies). Esty also has fun and awesome stuff like this, which is 100% accurate.

For those who prioritize warm feet, may I recommend these socks with images of former Canadian Prime Ministers? Matthew Hayday, this is especially for you. 😉 Of course, handknit socks are always the best option, and if you want to be super cool, try knitting this Coptic sock pattern, based on a pair from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and using traditional Ancient Egyptian knitting techniques! Just keep in mind, the pattern might be free, a good-quality sock wool will cost you at least $20 per skein.

While I don’t personally use them myself, lots of folks find book lights important. Of course, you can go for the standard models, but this angler fish book light is just waaay too adorable. You can also keep those pesky students from running off with this absolutely amazing customized library embosser. Your books will be both stylish and safe.

This idea comes from the always amazing Krista McCracken. Persistent Stitches is a volunteer collective dedicated to raising money for social justice and anti-oppression work. Crafters make items, and offer them on the site with the name of an organization or cause the item supports. If you send in proof of at least a minimum-bid donation to that organization or cause  that items supports, the crafter will send you the item for free. Of course I can highly recommend Krista’s wonderful activist embroidery hoops, supporting organizations like the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, Nimkii Aazhibikong or Back to the Land: 2Land2Furious Landraiser.

I always like to encourage you to purchase artwork from local artists. This year I want to draw particular attention to two in particular. First, you should check out Erin Corber’s beautiful sketches of Montreal. Most of her images feature Montreal landmarks like Ben’s Deli, Villa Maria Metro Station, and the Orange Julep. Erin offers prints of these sketches through her Instagram account, $40 for one 8” by 10”, or  $60 for two, plus shipping. Odemin Mkwaa Kwe – Amber Waboose, an Ojibwe artist, also offers absolutely stunning artwork on their Facebook page, including paintings, wall hangings, and jewelry. Images of the items are posted on Facebook, and you can message them for prices!

A surprising number of historians also happen to be foodies. And I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t enjoy this beautiful maple syrup made in Neqotkuk Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick. It comes in several varieties, including traditional, barrel aged bourbon, barrel aged whiskey, and barrel aged toasted oak.  Or you could try this amazing chocolate artefact, cast from an Anglo-Saxon grave marker known as the “NomNomNom Stone” (I’m not even kidding). It’s up to you if you eat it or exhibit it.

Sessional Instructure Level ($50 to $100)

For just a bit more money, you could also buy your recipient a subscription to the Toronto Life Wine Club. Each month, their experts curate the best small wineries in Ontario. It’s like going on a wine tour, except you don’t even have to leave the house.

I really love how meta these are, and I think that every dapper history professional needs to have a set. I mean, sands of time cufflinks on a historian? Hilarious.

Tell, me, who doesn’t need their own Bronze Age beaker? Thankfully that is not any longer a problem, because the folks at Potted History make replicas of ancient pots found at archaeological sites. I dies.

However, this is probably the most epic find for this year, which comes courtesy of Krista McCracken: Cuneiform rolling pins. Yes, you read that correctly. You can choose from two options, either column one or column five of the Epic of Gilgamesh. I think my head just about exploded when Krista sent me this.

Tenure-track/Tenured Professor Level ($100 to $250)

Maybe it’s just me, but fancy lamps seem to be a thing now? I’ve had my eye on a sunrise alarm clock like this one for a long time. A friend of mine has one and swears by it. Maybe it can help even this dedicated night owl wake up more easily.

I’ve always loved scarves. Delina White (enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and lives on the Leech Lake Reservation) creates absolutely stunning wrap-around scarfs that can be worn in so many different ways. I’m also in love with this gorgeous one with a peacock feather design based on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s “Favrile” vase at the Met Museum.

Speaking of which, if you prefer jewelry, did you know that the Met Museum sells jewelry based on items in their collection? I liked these earrings, based on a set from the Greek Late Hellenistic period, and these earrings based on a sword and scabbard refitted for the investiture of Ottoman Sultan Murad V.

University Administrator ($250 and up)

Since I happen to be living in Montreal at the moment, I’m all about proper winter weather gear. Fellow Montrealer Erin Corber pointed me to these Manitobah Mukluks designed by Indigenous artists. I am particularly partial to this style, featuring beading by Rosa Scribe (Cree, Norway House).

As someone who is an amateur quilter, I can tell you that not only are these quilts absolutely stunning, but for that price they are a steal. But even cooler is the fact that they are handmade for an Indigenous-owned company. The pattern (Niswi) is based on Woodland pottery patterns. If the quilt is a little out of your price range, these are some equally stunning handmade options.

These days, many of us are extremely busy. Several of my friends have been experimenting with Canadian meal delivery services, and have found them to be good alternatives to eating out! Anne Dance and Kesia Kvill both recommended GoodFood. Not only do they have a good selection of menus, but all of the packaging is completely recyclable. Kesia also recommended Chef’s Plate, which also offers fully recyclable packaging. Getting someone a subscription to one of these services would be a lovely and practical gift!

This one may sound strange, but hear me out: a second computer monitor. (When it comes to historical research and teaching, there is no such thing as too big of a computer screen. I have yet to meet a historian or history professional that does not have several hundred browser tabs open at the same time, to say nothing of a dozen Word documents, along with some Excel, Adobe, and miscellaneous computer programs running alongside them.  But a second computer monitor solves this problem by immediately doubling the available desktop space. There are lots of good options here for you to choose from, just keep in mind that those prices are in US dollars.

You know, every year I think I’m going to run out of options, and every year I keep finding cool stuff. But this year, I especially want to thank Krista McCracken, Erin Corber, Maddie Knickerbocker, Kesia Kvill, and Gillian Leitch for their fantastic suggestions!

I hope you enjoyed this year’s gift guide! If you did, please consider sharing it on the social media platform of your choice. See you again soon!

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