It’s that time of year again! Shoppers are now hitting the stores to find gifts that will surprise and delight people they know. But it can be tough to walk into a crowded mall, especially when you don’t have a clue what to get Grandma this year. So let SmartUpon do the hard work for you. After all, StumbleUpon brings gifts of surprise and delight millions of times a day with every Stumble. We bet you’ll find something you never thought to buy! Here are a few tips for making the most of your Stumbling sessions while you’re brainstorming gift ideas:
1. Follow Interests
Many of the Interests you can Stumble have plenty of visual eye candy that will spark ideas, all endorsed by our community of more than 20 million members. Start with Gadgets and Toys for the geek in your life. Try Fashion, Crafts, Jewelry, and Clothing for the person who always seems so put-together, and Food/Cooking if you’re thinking of giving the gift of great food (also try typing in Christmas Cookies, and Cupcakes in the Explore Box). If you’re looking for gifts that would appeal to anyone, try SmartUpon Gifts, Christmas or typing Gift Ideas, Romantic Gifts, and Unusual Gifts in the Explore Box. If you’re looking for a good deal, try Bargains and Shopping. Check out more possibilities by typing in any Interest into the Explore Box on your StumbleBar or discover page.
In addition to following Interests on StumbleUpon, you can now also follow Channels, helping you discover content from sites, people, brands and products that you already like while you Stumble. We’ve got hundreds to choose from, but these in particular are great if you want to find unique and high quality gift ideas:
ChronicleBooks
ModCloth
Threadless
Bluefly
Refinery29
Fashionologie
Gilt City Boston
Gilt City Chicago
Gilt City Miami
Gilt City Atlanta
Gilt City Seattle
Gilt City DC
Gilt City Dallas
3. Stumble As If You’re the Giftee
If your giftee is a Stumbler, you’re in luck! Head to their profile page and Stumble through their Likes, or see what Interests they’re following and Stumble through them yourself. You’ll Stumble in their shoes and get an idea of what to get them in the process. If they’re not a Stumbler, get them to sign up and Stumble – after all, your shopping days until the holidays are numbered!
After a Stumbling session, I found the gift ideas listed below. I truly couldn’t have thought of them on my own, and StumbleUpon led me to lesser-known sites I never knew existed.
For the Person Who Has Everything:
- iPad Cover that looks like a Book (Discovered on artofmanliness.com) – For anyone who misses that book-in-the-hands feel but loves the convenience of an iPad.
- Vintage Sports Gear (Discovered on artofmanliness.com) – Great for a sports fan with major nostalgia going on.
- Glow-In-The-Dark Toilet Paper (Discovered on www.thisiswhyimbroke.com) – This is practical – how else do you find toilet paper in the dark?
- Climbing Wall for Your Pool (toxel.com) – Save this for summer pool parties.
- “I’ll Never Le-go” Threadless Shirt (threadless.com) – These clever T-shirts can send just the right message – whatever that may be.
- Humane Spider Catcher (http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk) – What a great idea – no need to touch those scary spiders hiding in dark places.
- Ultimate 5-1 Geek Pen – Don’t let your favorite nerd leave home without a laser pointer, stylus, flashlight, and UV light (oh, and it writes too)! ThinkGeek.com
- 12 Incredible Coffeemaker Designs (incrediblethings.com) – For the caffeine-obsessed.
- MiniKegerator and Draft Beer Dispenser (coolgiftsforboyfriend.com) – Great for the dorm or office (off the clock, of course…)
- The Hungover Cookbook (incrediblethings.com) – Use as a survival guide for all the holiday parties.
- Boo (chroniclebooks.com) – Boo is so cute that it hurts.
Make Your Own:
- Recycled T-shirt Scarves (myblessedlife.net)
- DIY S’mores Kits – (talkcraftytome.com) and Ice Cream Sundae Kit – (mixingbowlkids.typepad.com) – You’ll make someone very happy with these crowd-pleasers.
- Crochet Slippers (artfire.com) and DIY Multi-chain Ribbon Necklace(missomnimedia.com) – For the more advanced crafter. Your giftee will think you’re a designer!
- Find more: Ultimate DIY Gift Guide (danimariedesigns.blogspot.com), 100+ Homemade Christmas Gifts for the Craft-Impaired (semicolonblog.com)
Stocking Stuffers:
- Owl Lip Balm (bloomsburystore.com) – Find accessories you didn’t even think could be made cute.
- Scrabble Refrigerator Magnet Set (www.fredflare.com) – For the wordplay addict in your life.
- SteamPunk Memory Key – This is how cowboys stored their pictures and data files in the Old West. (Etsy.com)
- Falala Straws – (ShopSweetLulu.com) – Makes holiday cocktails that much more fun.
- Homemade Fortune Cookies – (alphamom.com) – Put a special fortune in each cookie. (Maybe a marriage proposal?)
- Sugared Jelly Candies – (countryliving.com) – Easy to make and easy to give.
What are some great gift ideas you’ve found on StumbleUpon? Tell us on Twitter or on our Facebook Page.
