A mere 32 shopping days until Christmas, or more accurately 31.5 at the time of writing.
Time, then, for the discerning gift-giver to consider a veritable cornucopia of print-based seasonal delights while there's still plenty of time to order. And thanks to some Twitter-based interactions I have also garnered some suggestions to add to my own list, so here goes.
Books. Surely Christmas cannot be countenanced without both giving and receiving at least one book? This year two of print's own have also published works (Andrew Wilson with his photography book Wild in the City; and Philip Paris with the extraordinary story of Orkney's The Italian Chapel) making the giving of those particular titles and even more virtuous circle. And for anyone looking for a perfect laugh-out-loud stocking-filler, I heartily recommend Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader. "Reading is untidy, discursive and perpetually inviting". Hear, hear.
Christmas cards. It goes without saying that the hated e-card should not darken the industry's collective desktop. I see that web-to-print providers such as Moo, Printing.com and Vistaprint are busy promoting various inviting seasonal card deals, and hope that the ease of creating personalised cards, calendars, photobooks and other similar things will mean a year-on-year increase in the sale of these items. Also Cardmasters has some cool pop-up cards on the go.
Fabulous stationery. I'm already lusting after Papernation's wonderful selection of notebooks, along with various other funky and fabulous items including some truly divine sticky notes.
Pantone paraphernalia. Thanks to Image Data Group for suggesting this one. I am slurping tea from my Pantone 286 C mug as I type, but didn't realise that chairs were among the Pantone-themed items available. Nice.
John Bull printing kit. Matthew Parker suggested this (along with single malt with a personalised label), but I'm afraid to say that the venerable John Bull kit doesn't seem to exist in a modern form. Various screen printing kits can be found at the Fred Aldous craft store, though, so at least some sort of substitute is available. Or one could push the boat out and buy a complete Adana printing setup from Caslon, where I can also find the setting stick suggested by Jon Fennell ("great for measuring kids' feet and other things that need measuring. Letterpress ready").
And how about a sending a letter from santa? Last year the NSPCC sent out more than 100,000 such missives, "uniquely personalised and beautifully illustrated and colourful". Visit www.nspcc.org.uk/santa to send one. Print + a good cause, what's not to like?
