The Ultimate Guide to Gifts for Bloggers and Vloggers: Christmas 2018

Are you looking for a Christmas gift for a blogger or vlogger? You’ll love this gift guide full of ideas for the bloggers and vloggers in your life. 

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Blogging and vlogging are still really popular, and lots of people run their own blog or YouTube channel these days. But the cost of running a blog or vlog can soon start to add up. So Christmas can be a great time for them to pick up a must-have item that is outside their usual blogging budget.

In this gift guide, I’ve picked out more than 40 gift ideas for bloggers and vloggers, covering all sorts of budgets. You’ll also find this a useful resource if you’re thinking of starting a blog in the New Year, or want to expand your blog to include video as well.

Many of the items are ones that I personally use and recommend, but I’ve added alternatives to cover different price points. And I’ve thrown in a couple of dream gift ideas as well, in case you’re feeling extra generous.

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And of course, if you can’t decide on a gift for your favourite blogger, an Amazon Gift e-voucher* or gift card is always a popular choice. You can choose from a range of card designs, and pick the amount that you want to give them. Click here to take a look at the range of card designs available*

Gifts under £30 for Bloggers and Vloggers

If you’re looking for a smaller gift for a blogging friend, then this selection of gifts will help you choose. It’s full of items that any blogger or vlogger will love to receive, and they won’t break the bank!

You’ll find more gift ideas in this price range throughout the rest of this post as well.

Mugs for Bloggers and Vloggers

Mugs of tea and coffee help to keep bloggers going when they’re working late into the night on a post. So why not buy your blogger friend a new mug this Christmas? They’ll love to receive this Little Miss Blogger Mug* at Christmas, and you’ll find a wide range of other blogging mugs available to choose from.

Click here to see more Blogger mugs on Amazon*

Or for a vlogger or YouTuber, how about an Editing Day Mug to keep them going through a long day of editing their latest video. You’ll also find a lot of other ‘blogger’ gifts available on websites like Etsy and Not on the High Street, including t-shirts and wall art.

Photography Props for Bloggers

Photographs are a major part of blogging, and bloggers are always on the lookout for great props to help make their pictures look fabulous. I really love these vinyl backdrops from Capture by Lucy, and use them in my own blog photos. At just £29.99, they’re great quality, easy to store and make it simple to create fantastic flat lays, product images or food photos

Another fun prop for blog photos is the Locomocean Light Up Your Life Cinematic A4 Lightbox*. It comes with 100 black letters, numbers and symbols as well as 10 full colour emojis. Your blogging friend will be able to use it in blog photos and it’s also great to use in photos for Instagram as well. Click here to check the current pricing on Amazon*

And a softbox or photo tent is a simple way to make blog images look more professional. It helps to even out the lighting and reduce the appearance of shadows in a photo, and is particularly useful for product photos. This makes it perfect for beauty and lifestyle bloggers.

The Neewer Photo Tent* is made of light diffusing white nylon fabric and comes with four coloured backdrops. The camera slit at the front makes it easy to take a photo with the subject completely surrounded to cut out reflections. And it’s easy to pop down for simple storage. This is a really useful piece of equipment for any blogger, click here to check the current price of the Neewer Photo Tent on Amazon*

Notebooks and Journalling Supplies

Although we work online, lots of bloggers and vloggers love to keep notes in the old-fashioned way – on paper. My personal favourite brand is Moleskine, and I do a lot of my blog post preparation in a Moleskine Classic Notebook*. They come in a wide variety of sizes, formats and gorgeous colours, and the quality of the paper is fantastic.

Click here to see the range of Moleskine notebooks on Amazon*

Or for a more luxurious alternative, how about this gorgeous A5 Tivoli Notebook* from Belcraft. It’s handmade by Italian craftsmen, and has 125 pages of lined acid-free paper inside a recycled leather cover. And this notebook comes with its own giftbox as well. It would make a wonderful gift for any blogger, but would be especially suitable for a travel blogger to use as a travel journal. Click here to check pricing on Amazon*

A lot of bloggers use a Bullet Journal to plan their schedule. If you’re not sure what Bullet Journalling is, click here to find out more. A dot squared notebook makes it easy to lay out a bullet journal page, and this Siwengde Extra Large Notebook* is perfect.

And of course, your blogger friend will also love to use coloured pens and accessories to create a beautiful Bullet Journal. This selection pack of Fineliner Colour Pens* is just what they’ll need.

Practical Gifts for Bloggers

One of the great things about blogging is that you can work from anywhere, whether that’s a coffee shop, your sofa or even your bed. But a lap desk can definitely make it easier if you’re not working at a desk or table.

This Belkin Cushdesk* is perfect for laptops with screens up to 18″ and keeps the hot laptop off your legs while you work. It holds your laptop at a comfortable angle for typing to prevent neck strain, and has an anti-slip strip to stop the laptop sliding down the lap desk. Click here to check the current pricing on this item*.

Or how about this elegant VonHaus Bamboo Portable Table*? The left hand side of the table tilts to give you the best view of your laptop, tablet or magazine, and the extendable legs make it easy to set the table at the right height. Small air-vents ensure that your laptop won’t overheat, and there’s a little drawer for pens, sticky notes and so on.

It folds away easily and it’s perfect either for use as a laptop table or even for breakfast in bed. This table is definitely on my own personal wishlist for this Christmas – click here for the current pricing on this gorgeous table*

Useful Books for Bloggers

Bloggers wear all sorts of different hats, and there’s always something new to learn. So here’s a selection of blogging books that you could pick up as a gift for your blogging friend.

I’ve picked out some books for new bloggers, and some that will be suitable for people at any stage of the blogging journey.

Blogging as a Business

Blogging Your Way To Riches* is written by Emma Bradley and Lynn James, two successful pro-bloggers. With chapters on goal-setting, collaborations and pitching to PR agencies, it’s a great read for anyone who is keen to turn their blog into a business. I also like that this book sets realistic expectations for what to expect in your first 6-12 months of blogging, and the skills and equipment you need to get going.

Another great read for anyone who wants to earn a living from their blog is How To Blog For Profit: Without Selling Your Soul* by Ruth Soukup. It offers realistic and practical action points for creating a profitable blog. As well as advice on growing your blog, chapters cover how to make money through affiliate sales, advertising and selling your own products.

For anyone who is right at the beginning of their blogging journey, Million Dollar Blog* by Natasha Courtenay-Smith is an excellent guide to setting up a blog as a business. It covers the process from pre-launch, through launching your blog, and on to content creation and traffic generation. This book also focuses on making sure that your blog stands out from the masses, and how to discover your own brand image.

Other Blogging Books

Seth Godin is an amazing author, and has written several books that would be useful for anyone who is considering becoming a professional blogger. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable* is a good one to start off with. It urges business owners to put a purple cow in their business – in other words, to make sure that they stand out from the rest of their competitors.

Or for the blogger who wants to improve their Instagram game, Capture Your Style* by Aimee Song is a great read. While it can’t cover the latest changes to the Instagram algorithm, this book offers tips and suggestions for how to create and curate the best possible feed on Instagram. There are tips for fashion bloggers, travel bloggers, food bloggers and more, as well as information on props and styling.

Blog Planners

Camera and Photography Gifts

If your budget stretches to it, I’m sure that most bloggers and vloggers would love a new camera for Christmas!

Everyone has their own personal favourite, so it’s worth trying to find out which model your blogging friend would like to own. I tend to recommend Canon cameras because it’s what I’ve always used, but other bloggers might prefer Nikon, Sony or perhaps even Leica.

Here are a few suggestions for some of the most popular cameras on the market right now, along with a few accessories that  also make great Christmas presents for vloggers and bloggers.

Canon G7x II Mirrorless camera

My own personal favourite is the Canon G7x II*, and I use this for the majority of the videos and photos here on this blog. It’s lightweight, easy to use and the quality of the photos is great. The camera has a range of preset programmes that you can use if you’re unsure of how to shoot in manual mode, or there are other programmes such as Aperture mode.  You can shoot in RAW if you wish, and the camera will record video in full 1080p at 50 frames per second, great for YouTube videos!

It has a tiltable screen, which makes taking selfies or filming vlogs really easy. I also love using it for taking photos from awkward angles. You can also download images direct from your camera to your phone, which is really useful if you’re out and about and want to post a quick Instagram Story or tweet.

I’m a huge fan of this camera, and definitely recommend it for bloggers and vloggers. The only downside to this camera is that you can’t change the lens on it. But with a really great zoom and close up capabilities, I’ve never felt that I need to use a different lens so far. Click here to check current pricing of the Canon G7x II on Amazon*

The Canon is small enough to just pop in your bag, but this MegaGear MG766 Leather Camera Case* would be a lovely gift at Christmas. It comes in a range of colours including ever-popular black.

But personally, I think I’d love this gorgeous bright Pink MegaGear Leather Camera Case* for my Canon G7x II!

Canon EOS800D DSLR

If you’re buying for someone who wants a full DSLR camera to take photos and video, then I would suggest looking at the Canon EOS 800D DSLR*. You may also see this recommended as the Canon Rebel T1, which is the name that it is sold under in the USA. This camera has a 24 megapixel sensor which will capture images in beautiful detail. It also records video in full HD and is a great all-round DSLR. Click here to check current pricing on the Canon EOS 800D DSLR on Amazon*

The Canon 800D can be ordered with an 18-55mm kit lens which will cover most bloggers’ immediate needs. But eventually they’ll probably want to start looking at different lenses.

Camera Lenses

The ‘Nifty Fifty’ is always a popular lens, as it allows you to take photos with that lovely blurry background that is so popular on blogs. Canon have two different models available to suit different budgets. The EF 50 mm 1.8 STM Lens*  is an affordable lens, but does feel quite lightweight. If budget allows, the EF 50 mm-f/1.4 USM Lens* is a higher quality and more robust lens.

If you are buying a lens for an existing camera, be sure to check the manufacturer so that you get a lens that fits the body. As well as the manufacturer’s own lenses, it’s worth looking at Tamron who make compatible lenses for the major brand names, and can be excellent value.

If you’re looking for a camera case for the Canon 800D, then I can recommend the Canon 100EG Custom Gadget Bag*. I use one of these for my own DSLR and it’s great quality, with adjustable dividers within the bag to keep your kit securely held in place.

Other Cameras

Another popular alternative to the Canon G7X II is the Sony ILCE6000*. I know several people who have bought this camera rather than the Canon and they are all very happy with the results it gives. While a lot of the features are quite similar to the Canon model, the Sony has the added bonus of having interchangeable lenses. Click here to check current pricing for the Sony ILCE6000* on Amazon.

The next camera is more for vloggers than bloggers. The GoPro HERO6* is a perennial favourite for vloggers who want to take action photos, or film underwater. It gives great quality footage and you can get a range of accessories such as chest straps or mounts for bikes. Click here to check the current price over on Amazon*.
The final camera that I’m recommending in this gift guide for bloggers is the ever popular instax Mini 9 Camera*. It’s a really fun camera that takes instant photos, ideal for capturing events on the fly. This camera makes a perfect gift for a blogger, it’s great fun to use, and doesn’t break the bank.

You can get a range of gift bundles including extra film or a camera case, and it comes in a range of colours – I’ve picked out the Smoky White which is oh-so Insta friendly! Click here to check the current price on Amazon*

Camera Accessories

And every blogger or vlogger needs accessories for their camera. I’ve listed a few above in the Under £30 category, but here are a few more options.

The Manfrotto Compact Light Aluminium Tripod with Ball Head* is a good solid tripod that will be suitable for use with DSLRs or smaller mirrorless cameras. Manfrotto is a great brand that you can definitely rely on.

For something smaller, how about this Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod*. It’s ideal for use with mirrorless cameras like the Canon G7X II, or you can attach a holder and use it with your mobile phone. This is a great set up if you are just dipping your toes into video and don’t want to spend masses of money just yet.

A little more expensive but definitely worth the money, the Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Tripod* is great for use with either DSLRs or mirrorless cameras. It’s very popular with vloggers, thanks to Casey Neistat using it in most of his vlogs. Be sure to order the one with the ball-head attachment so that it’s more adjustable.

And finally in this section, the RPGT Photography Softbox Studio Continuous Lighting Kit* is perfect for a starter home studio. It can be used for shooting product images, flat lays, or to light a home video set.

Gifts for Vloggers and YouTubers

A lot of the blogger gifts above would also be great for people who vlog or make videos for YouTube. The Canon G7X ii is a fantastic vlogging camera, and any of the extra accessories would be ideal gifts as well.

But the selection below are extra gift ideas for vloggers, YouTubers or even for people thinking of starting a podcast.

Microphones

The Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone* is a great microphone for recording voiceovers to run over the top of a vlog or YouTube video. It can also be used for livestreaming or if you want to record a podcast. Click here to check the current pricing on Amazon*.

A cheaper option if budget doesn’t stretch to the Yeti is the Blue Microphones Snowball iCE USB Microphone*.

For recording voiceovers out on location, or for interviewing people on site, many people like to use a Lavalier microphone (also known as a lapel mic). The Rode Smartlav+ Lavalier Microphone for Smartphone* is an excellent option which gives a great quality recording.

For a lower cost option, you could try the Seacue 3.5mm Lavalier Lapel Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone for Phone*. I’ve used this to record voiceovers for several of the videos on my YouTube channel.

Gimbals

A gimbal is a piece of equipment that stabilises your camera, eliminating the shakes and wobbles that you can get from handheld shots. It can give those lovely swoopy shots that you see on some YouTube videos.

The Zhiyun Crane 2* is a 3 Axis handheld gimbal stabilizer. You can use it with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras weighing up to 7lb. It’s quite an expensive investment piece, but if budget allows, it’s a great way to improve the quality of videos. Click here to check the current pricing of the Zhiyun Crane 2 on Amazon*.

But you don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds to benefit from a Gimbal. The Zhiyun Smooth 4* is a handheld gimbal that works with iOS and Android phones. It’s a good alternative to the Crane 2, and I have used a previous model on  my own YouTube videos including this video shot at the RHS Malvern Flower Show. Click here to check the current pricing of the Zhiyun Smooth 4 on Amazon*.

Other Tech Gifts for Bloggers and Vloggers

And finally, a selection of tech gifts that will suit any blogger or vlogger. These are all really useful gadgets that content creators regularly use, and there’s something here to suit all budgets.

Gadgets for Bloggers and Vloggers

A power bank is definitely one of the vital pieces of equipment in any blogger’s kit bag. Nobody wants to run out of charge on their phone, especially if you are using it for social media posts, taking photographs or even giving you directions home!

I always carry a charged power bank when I go out on a visit, and there have been many times when it’s saved the day. I like the Anker PowerCore 20100* which will store enough charge for multiple phone charges.

And a new printer is perfect for printing out those all-important media kits for a trade show or blogger event. I use the HP Envy Photo 6230*, an all-in-one Wi-Fi scanner/copier/printer. It also comes with four months of HP Instant Ink, which can be really useful. Click here to check the current pricing on Amazon*.

Laptops and Accessories

A new laptop will probably feature on the wishlist for most bloggers and vloggers, and it’s a dream gift if budget allows. If you’re buying for an Apple fan, then the Apple MacBook Pro* is the ideal model to go for. But if you’re buying for a PC fan, then you can get the Google Pixelbook* for less than half the cost.

Either way, they’d probably like a new laptop bag for their shiny new gadget as well. There’s a wide range available on the market, from sleeves and backpacks to shoulder bags and messenger bags. This Wenger Ana laptop bag* is rather lovely, and would make a great gift on its own.

Storage

Backing up your data is really important, and bloggers and vloggers will get through masses of storage every year storing photos and videos.  So extra storage is a great gift for any blogger or vlogger.

The SanDisk SDCZ50-128G-B35 128 GB Cruzer Blade* is an encrypted USB flash drive that will easily store data securely. It’s small and easy to slip into your bag, a great option to take out and about with you. This makes it a great way to can back up the photos and videos that you take on location. I always pack one of these when I go away to visit a location, so I have a back up of the footage on my SD cards.

And for a robust way to store the footage when I get back home, I use a Seagate 1 TB portable hard drive*. As well as storing my completed videos, it’s big enough to store the raw photos and footage, so that I can keep them to use again at a later date. The drive comes with the cable you need to connect it to your PC, but it’s worth buying a sturdy carry case* for the hard drive as well.

And last of all, every blogger and vlogger will agree that you can never have too many SD cards. They’re a vital piece of kit, and it’s always nice to have a spare close at hand. So if you’re looking for a stocking filler, why not pick up a SanDisk Extreme 64 GB SDXC Memory Card*. You can be sure that it’s something they’ll need!

Have I missed anything? What’s your best gift idea for bloggers and vloggers?