I am in the process of buying a Bingo cage for an upcoming event and, while trawling the best eBay has to offer, thought “man everyone should have one of these!” Then I dwelled lovingly upon all of the objects that have served me well in my work with other people and things I hope to someday have.
And that’s how we woke up here: the first, last, mostly unserious ✹ GROUP HUG GIFT GUIDE ✹ complete with recommendations for the gatherers, organizers, clowns, helpers, and party people in our lives.
While this began as a joke (not sure where it ended), it was also a surprisingly sweet meditation for me on this kind of work, the people who do it, and the things needed to make it all happen. Folding tables can always be borrowed. Scrap paper for a brainstorm can always be scrounged for, racoonlike, in the junk drawers. But wouldn’t it be sortof nice if these were occasionally given as gifts? Or if they became starters in a shared library for lots of people to use? The elevation of these everyday things into the gift dimension is itself an act of love and respect for community craft. It’s saying: this is as worthy of support as a birding hobby or newfound fishing obsession. Anyway this really wasn’t meant to go here. BUT IT DID!!!! Who am I to stop it????
Enjoy and drop your own recs into the comments please!
BINGO CAGE!!! – timeless, old school, a beautiful art object in itself as a sort of ode to VFWs and community halls of yore1
Pancake griddle – same idea as above (maybe they even combine the Bingo + pancakes as I will be doing!)
Random glassware scavenged from thrift stores because there can never be enough things to drink from!
A chalkboard for tallying people who flake to look back on later and wonder why they try at all (just kidding) (or AM I?) (have you considered better exits?)
Portable projector for outdoor movie nights or pop-up screenings
Thrifted tablecloths for adding that coze factor to a meal OR – get this – that can double as blankets for sitting outside
Notecards for the potluck table so everyone can write both “Hot Sauce Cookies” and “Warning: spicy” because those cookies are no joke!
Playing cards – Ever since reading about the decline of playing card ownership + card game knowhow as a proxy for civic decline I can’t stop thinking about how a $2.99 box of these humble helpers and studying up on a few basic games might very well just bring the next hang back from the brink
Clown nose – listen I ALWAYS have one in my bag!!!!!
Rainbow parachute – Imagine bringing this one back. Flail it around! Hide under it! Roll a ball around it! In all seriousness was good to revisit this article on what you’re actually supposed to do with one of these things
Phone-free envelopes because what is better than presence?? This could truly just be envelopes or something proprietary like this
Karaoke mic – Portable, comes in gold, barely audible so it’s great to pull out while in an intimate group setting and pair with a favorite janky youtube karaoke video on someone’s device of choice
Large pots, many of them – that batch of chili for 20+ people needs somewhere to cook!
Harmonica for calling people back together after breakout dialogues (or if you feel moved to play a little song :) )
Reusable nametags or nametag holders or a classic nametag sticky sheet – nametags are truly the invisible workers of every gathering!!
Portable mic or megaphone for maximum audibility (also see: karaoke mic for those who want a lil extra reverb on their introductions)
Tea for soothing those projecting vocal chords
Huge sheets of poster paper or poster boards or reusable whiteboards
Small object to joke about making the “Talking Object” for groups that don’t know how not to talk over each other
Ring lights, tiny mics, real mics for all the online conveners out there
Giant totes! What’s better for carrying supplies, donations, clothes, anything you can imagine?
Bike trailers or wheely grocery totes for lugging said supplies around town!
Folding tables and chairs – literally there can never be enough. Everyone I know who does anything always needs a table. Chairs get collected for events like precious stones. You always think you have enough and you always, always need more.
Trash grabber – if you want to give someone a pick-me-up, give them one of these, tell them to go to their local median or park or gummed up storm drain and prepare to be praised. Get one for yourself and go on a little productive stroll together.
Bulk supplies – why not seed someone’s library of things or distro or start off their next kit distribution with a multi-pack of masks, hand warmers, ear plugs, or whatever else they need?
Tasteful flyer basket for collecting the piles of handouts, pamphlets, and zines they pick up in their days
Paper calendar or planner for them to keep track of their commitments
Convincing list of excuses tailored to them so they can practice saying “no” to some things
A warm meal or care package to make sure they get taken care of too.
Domain name for a future project – okay this one is risky but how cute would it be if you got your friend their very own world wide web address for a project they won’t stop talking about?? (and before you ask, no, I couldn’t find any registrars that offer gift cards!)
Rolodex or a personal phone book – Imagine how absolutely legendary it would be to bring these back. I mean talk about end-to-end encryption!!!
Staple gun – What better way to get off social media than stapling a bunch of flyers around town? Far and away my favorite object I own.
Huge rolls of packing tape – see above, just sticker
Introductions to whoever you know that might benefit or be a future collaborator on what they’re working on
Clipboards – truly multi-purpose. Email signups. Petition signatures. Keeping together all of their zillion papers. Clipboards are the folding tables of the hands; you can never have enough and you can quote me on this.
Gloves and handwarmers for doorknocking on cold days
Gift card to local copier or a reminder that your library offers cheap printing!
And don’t forget: the best gift of all is offering to help. :)
or simply click that ₊˚.⋆⁺₊💜₊˚.⋆⁺₊ at the top if you indeed liked it, we always appreciate that here at group hug hq!! love to you all
💸 If you enjoyed this, consider dropping a buck in the GROUP HUG hat! I’m so excited to try this new alternative to paid subscriptions (which have been paused for a while anyway) to pass support from this newsletter onto groups in my town which I clearly draw all of my inspiration from.
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