Happy Holidays, Shit Givers!

🎁 It's time for INI’s 2nd Annual Gift Guide! 🎁

Below, you'll find 50+ incredible gift ideas from me, the world's greatest gift giver* (per my mother-in-law)!

Also included (wherever you see $): excellent places where you can donate some cash, buy less shit, and get a tax write-off at the same time!

Real talk: We need less "stuff" overall, but like last year, there's some "stuff" included below that may require materials, manufacturing, labor, and a supply chain, and occasionally, when I can't avoid it, using Amazon.

Rest assured if something's listed, it's something cherished or relied on and I think you or someone you love might appreciate, too.

Enjoy!

-- Quinn

READY?

THE GUIDE

• Patagonia fanny pack. Indispensable, revolutionary? Can't dad without it. Imagine the possibilities!

• INI Merch. Use discount code INI2022 at checkout to get 50% off through the end of the year!

• Brightland mini-essentials pack. I've gifted these delicious oils and vinegars a bazillion times. Check out my delightful convo with Brightland's founder Aishwarya here.

• INI Book Club. I ask every pod guest: "What’s a book you’ve read this year that’s opened your mind to a topic you haven’t considered before, or that’s changed your thinking in some way?" These are their answers.

• Evergreen Action ($). Donate to the influential policy shop behind IRA and more.

• Maude gear. Most sexual wellness companies and products are outdated, confusing and DECIDELY not inclusive. Maude's on a mission to make intimacy better for all people. Toys, oils, candles, bath salts, and more. Shows up in discreet packaging!

• Clean Air Task Force ($). Like Evergreen, an integral policy shop towards a cleaner, better future. Make a donation.

• Run for Something ($). Support the org that supports young progressive candidates at the state and local level.

• Feeding America ($). Volunteer with and donate to local food banks during the holiday season.

• The Sill gift card. In the past two years my wife has become a plant lady and a birder and these plants are always super high-quality.

• Bombas calf socks. My buddy Nate gave these to me for my birthday and they're INCREDIBLE, particularly on cold biking days when my dainty little ankles are exposed to Shackleton-level winds.

• My Little Morpheé meditation machine. Found these last year and my kids love falling asleep to them which means we love them, too. No screens, rechargeable, packed with interchangeable and fantastic meditation lullabies.

• Masienda molcajete. My kids have gotten into drying herbs and making potions (sure why not) and so this super high quality mortar and pestle helps for that and also for actual cooking.

• Give Directly ($). Some days people need water, some days it's food, or power. Give them the agency to decide for themselves with a recurring donation.

• Freedom app. Not an exaggeration to say this computer app is the only reason any of this work actually ever happens.

• Dropps laundry detergent. No toxic bullshit on your skin, no microplastics in the ocean (and also your skin, or your bloodstream, or placenta -- you get the point).

• Joe Holder Masterclass. My old friend Joe is a Nike Master Trainer, the founder of Exercise Snacks™, and one of the leading voices on holistic health. Gift his class and get somebody on the way to their healthiest year ever.

• Apple external keyboard with Touch ID. Passwords are finally going bye bye (and not soon enough) -- this one's got Touch ID. Super helpful.

• Bivalent COVID vaccine. Go get one, and bring whatever living ancestors you've got left and your friend with the biggest social media following, beg them to TikTok it (?).

• Earth Harbor beauty products. Per my far more fashionable cousin Rachel, "The ingredients are super clean and actually do good for your body vs. harm it. The first ever skincare brand to be Climate Neutral, Plastic-Negative, and 1% For The Planet® Certified."

• The New Bar gift set. I've had about two drinks in two years, but I need...something. This new in-person and online shop sells a wide selection of delicious non-alcoholic mixers.

• Diaspora. Incredible spices that are equitably grown and harvested in South Asia. I use them every week.

• KiwiCo. Awesome tinkering kits for kids.

• Bongos! You know what your kids need? Hand drums. You're welcome.

• Groundswell ($). A nonprofit that builds community power through equitable community solar projects and resilience centers, among others.

• World Central Kitchen ($). Feed the people with José Andrés and team.

• Starter induction stove. Surprise your family with holiday breakfast potatoes cooked on a stove that doesn't give you asthma (read more about electrifying your home here)

• Bungee cord. Added a 2nd bungee to the trusty old e-bike last month after a harrowing near-accident involving Costco peanut butter pretzels. This one's great.

• The 19th ($). Donate to our friends at the only independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.

• Canopy humidifier. From Swapna Krishna: "The thing about this humidifier is that the parts are dishwasher safe so it is SO EASY to keep clean. Literally I put it in the dishwasher every Friday and that's it."

• Climate Cabinet ($). Donate to support what is essentially a climate campaign staffer -- at scale. The team helps candidates by supplying local climate talking points (important), messaging, policy solutions, and incumbent voting records for any district in the US.

• The Korean Vegan cookbook. From my new friend Joanne Lee Molinaro, it's the 2021 James Beard award winner and mouth-watering tofu and veggie heavy deliciousness that millions of folks tune into her TikTok for every day (my convo with Joanne is here)

• Opal web camera. For my every-day calls, this is it. Miles better than your built-in cam.

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation ($). Fuck kids cancer.

• Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby. I have a bunch of books I recommend in the Bookshop list above, but I was talking to my brother about this one today and it's just...so goddamn funny. Samantha is a treasure. Someone will appreciate the hell out of this gift.

• Aqua Notes. Take notes in the shower! My wife's least favorite thing about me -- and that's saying a lot!

• AllTrails subscription. Get outside!

• Aranet4 air quality monitor. Lets you know when you should definitely open the doors.

• Readwise. Get the student/nerd in your life started for free and spot them a subscription to enable sync, export, and more. I use this tool every single day.

• Steadyrack bike rack. Gets my e-bike up and out of the way so I can yell at my kids for not putting their bikes away.

• Aura picture frame. We've got a few of these, and they're also a fantastic gift for grandparents, etc.

• Coway air purifier. You may have heard but there's never been a better time to have better air quality (got some extra change in the couch? Donate a few to a local school).

• The Markup ($). One of my most essential subscriptions. Send a donation to this vital newsroom in the name of a loved one whose password got hacked.

• iKamper Skycamp 3.0 - A tent that straps onto your car's roof. Sure! Why not. From my office-mate Aaron: "It's a quick, easy and adventurous way for my family to get outdoors." I have yet to receive an invitation.

• Jelina fair trade chocolate: Enough said.

• Imperfect Foods. You can't get a gift card but you can give someone some cash to buy groceries that fight food waste.

• Libro.fm. My daily alternative to Audible.

• Koala Eco cleaning products. Again, from Rachel, "These became a staple around our house. We replaced all our toxic soaps/cleaners with them and love their smell." This is not something my family has ever said about me. Click.

• George Saunders Story Club. My favorite short story writer started a weekly-ish newsletter last year on all things writing. Love.

• Treeline cheese. My kids' favorite vegan cream cheese! They also have fancy French-style ones but I'm not mature enough to appreciate those.

• Little Prompter. Been using this little guy as my teleprompter for recording the newsletter for about a year. Handy!

• Rewiring America ($). Our pals at RA are helping Americans electrify everything in their homes. Cough up some cash and stuff the receipt in somebody's stocking.

• Camino Midnight Blueberry gummies. Half a gummy every night.

• Bite toothpaste bits. Takes a little getting used to, but it tastes good, it works, and the packaging is zero waste and thus wayyyy more sustainable than tubes.

• Philips SmartSleep wake-up light. Game changer for my early mornings.

• Adyn birth control test. Per Adyn, "trial and error should not be the norm." Amen. (get the backstory with founder Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo here).

• Hedley & Bennett Pride apron. I rock this baby every Sunday night. I'd wear it more often, but seems like overkill most weeknights when I'm shoveling snack mix down my throat and hiding in the pantry.

• Good Energy ($). I'm thankful and proud to be an adviser to Good Energy, fronted by the legendary Anna Jane Joyner. Donate to the "creative" in your life and help get climate stories on the big screen.

• Duolingo. Got the kids and us doing some Spanish together. I am, as expected, the worst at it. On the other hand, from my friend Landy: "I’m now on a 57 day streak and want to keep going forever??"

• Real Purity natural deodorant: Also from Landy: "I’ve read a lot of articles reviewing natural deodorants because I tend to research products a lot before buying them. I actually found this one from an interview with Judy Greer and decided to trust her. It smells really good and is from a family business that makes the product in the US. I think Judy was right."

Huzzah!

That's it! Don't forget to forward the guide to family and friends! Happy gift giving and have a great weekend.

— Quinn