If you’re thinking about holiday gifts for the editor in your life, look no further! This gift guide is your ultimate resource for picking out that special something to make even the most professional editor put that red pen down!

The Editors Canada Calendar

This calendar has become an absolute favourite at the TEC office. We have one in every room! The calendar has a simple, yet charming design. Some pages sport elephants and others mice, but every page has a great tip for editors. This month’s tip is a quote by Gael Spivak about plain language: “Know what your audience really wants to know or needs to know (not what you want to give them). Exclude unnecessary details. Heed the Cuban saying, ‘Don’t give me the whole history of coffee.’” 

The calendar also compiles many essential dates for the literary minded! After a quick flip through the calendar, you’ll discover some important dates to keep track of like Short Story Day in December or World Nerds Day in January.

This quirky calendar carries both insightful and delightful information for all sorts of editors. A definite go-to this holiday season!

Chicago Manual of Style Merchandise

You may be surprised by how much editing-related merchandise exists out there—especially for editors who live by the Chicago Manual of Style. You can find everything from T-shirts, hoodies, bodysuits for babies, tote bags, and phone cases bearing the CMS logo. These items are all available for purchase via the CMS online store. If you are not an editor yourself, you may wonder if style guides would truly make stylish presents. Well, gift it to your favourite editor and you will find out exactly how perfect that hoodie is for your lovely editor friend.

My personal favourites from the shop are this baby onesie and this tote bag.

You can check out their full collection at https://chicagomanual.threadless.com/

Books / Poetry / Magazine Subscriptions

Your favourite editor spends a majority of their waking hours reading, but that doesn’t mean it stops there. If you know your editor well enough, you can pick up the latest by their favourite author at a local bookshop. If you’re not familiar with what they’d enjoy, you could take a look for new releases on the topic of editing. These types of books are the ones that your editor has most likely already heard of, but not quite yet purchased! You'd be a mind reader! 

Non-editing related books are also often well received. I would perhaps look at Giller Prize finalists if you are looking for newly published Canadian works of literature. And if you are puzzled still—a Chapters gift card would also work a-ok!

Teas & Coffee

This shouldn’t take anyone by surprise, but editors and caffeine go hand in hand! Perhaps check in with your editor to find their drink of preference. I notice that many editors enjoy an Earl Grey or an English Breakfast. At our office, Beth stocks up on both, so we are never short of either of these teas. My favourite brands are Tetley and Twinings.

Coffees and teas would make a great gift for most, but when you gift it to an editor, you’re basically providing an essential service. So bring on the tea!

Stationery

Pencils, pens, highlighters, sticky notes—the list goes on. And the one thing they all have in common is that they can all be found on your editor's desk. Your editor most certainly has personal stockpiles of stationery inside cupboards and drawers as well. If it sounds like a bad idea to gift someone something they already have plenty of, in this case, you are mistaken. Editors are always hording stationery, so if you notice a particularly interesting piece of stationery, consider it a gift for your editor. Bonus points for language puns and quirky comics.  

Sweets

If you've ever flipped through our social media or read our newsletters, the one thing you know about our own office is that we love sweet treats. Be it Krispy Kreme or boxes of chocolates, you can Express Post that to your editor and they will have much thanks to offer once they have their hands (and mouths) free again.

Liquor/Liqueur & Wines

Editors do at times like to kick back, relax, and enjoy the finer things in life. Find out what your editor likes to enjoy on their Friday evenings and deliver that bottle to their doorstep. You will be the gift-giver of their dreams. 

I hope this guide has given you lots of inspiration to work with. If you'd like to thank me for these gift ideas, I accept all bottles of sparkling wines. Sticky notes are also acceptable. Express Post not necessary.

Happy holidays!