Preachers’ Annual Gift LIst, 2024
Each year I channel my inner Santa Claus to pull together a list of ten fun gifts for preachers.
If church members or your family don’t yet know what to get for you, point them to this list!
And don’t forget to treat yourself to some of these as well!
Backstory Preaching receives no compensation if items are purchased. I suggest them only because they look jolly!
Ho, ho, ho!
Literature Every Day Mugs
From Uncommon Goods, $28.00
Many preachers love to read, and this interactive mug provides a quick reading “fix” alongside a cuppa! Scan the QR code camouflaged in the mug’s graphics to see a new literary quote every day.
From the website:
“Daily samplings of the world’s most renowned works of literature.
Scanning the QR code reveals a new literary quote every day—365 of them, for a whole year of bookish bliss.
Quotes are from authors such as Charles Dickens, W.E.B. DuBois, Jane Austen, and many more.”
Glocusent Book Light, 3-Color & 6-Brightness Reading Light, Bendable Neck Light
From Amazon, $17.98 (limited time deal)
Preachers read. A lot! Whether I’m trying to protect my spouse from the glare of a book lamp or get too sleepy to roll on my side to switch off my bedside lamp, this book light saves the day—or night, as the case may be!
Plus, it’s available in multiple colors. I’m a fan!
From the website:
“Unlike other book lights for reading at night in bed, the Glocusent neck book light has a special narrow beam angle (90°) design. It is bright enough to illuminate the area you focus on while being dim enough not to disturb your sleeping partner.”
Nekteck Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager with Soothing Heat, Electric Deep Tissue 3D Kneading Massage Pillow
From Amazon: $45.49 (limited time deal)
Think of the inspiration the Spirit might deliver when the stress we feel about our sermon is melted away by heat and a massage! ;)
Seriously, I can feel the knots in my neck melting away just by looking at this. Ahhh…
From the website:
“8 deep-kneading shiatsu massage heads relax and relieve tense muscles. Versatile design follows the contour of body & allows focusing on a target area.”
INFINITY STICKERS®
From Hydrascape, $17.95
Preachers need to hydrate, right? What better way to keep our vocal cords ready to preach than to calm ourselves with a landscape at the same time!
INFINITY STICKERS® wrap completely around water bottles letting you see a beautiful landscape no matter which way you’re holding the bottle. Another product, sticker packs, provide layers of stickers to build up an entire scene for your laptop.
There are many others to play with. In short, these stickers are too much fun!
Therapy Dough
From Uncommon Goods, $15-20.00
Play-Doh is one of the greatest inventions of all time! And there’s nothing like the odor to transport me instantly back to childhood!
What if the dough had a different odor? Like lavender, or eucalyptus, or orange? What would those odors awaken inside? And what if you kneaded the dough in your hands while pondering your sermon’s message?
I’m predicting the message would come into relief as sharp as a cookie-cutter pressing a dinosaur out of Play-Doh!
“Fell Asleep Here” Magnetic Bookmark
From Uncommon Goods, $20.00
I admit it: I fall asleep while reading. Whether it’s great literature, books about preaching, or my latest “escape,” if I get comfy with a book, I’m out!
At least this bookmark will let me know when it happened so I can pick up where I left off—and give me a chuckle when I do!
Flametree Sketch Book
From Amazon, $18.79
Available in multiple colors, designs, and sizes, this is my favorite journaling notebook.
Why?
When opened, the book lies flat!
I prefer the large, 8.5x11 size. They fit on all my bookshelves, look beautiful collected together, and one book lasts longer with a larger page size. Plus, the covers are faux leather and feel supple and comforting in my hands.
With 144, bright white pages, there’s plenty of space to ponder God’s world and your place in it, or write your sermons by hand.
Nature Meditations Deck
From Uncommon Goods, $20.00
Having trouble with your sermon?
Step away from it by pulling out one of the sixty cards in this deck and escaping into nature. Inhale as you visualize yourself in the beautiful landscape shown on one side of the card, and practice the mindfulness prompt on the other.
Rather than force your way through your sermon prep, spend five minutes “in the woods” to send you on your way through your prep with greater clarity and a lot more joy!
Banned Books Socks
From Uncommon Goods, $13.00
When we wear pants, these socks will show each time we sit down and cross one leg over the other.
It’s a small act to say that minds and hearts made in God’s image deserve to be immersed in stories beyond our personal experiences so we can learn about all God’s children.
To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, and Catch-22…these books are intended to be read—and re-read.
Large Charcuterie Board
From Amazon, $49.99 (limited time deal)
I love that this charcuterie board not only comes with a recipe book and all the gadgets, but it folds up into a compact space for storage.
Whether hosting members of the parish, preaching colleagues, family, or friends, this board makes it easy to entertain!