Having trouble shopping for the urbanist in your life? Here are some great gift ideas to help you pick the perfect present to place under the tree.

Great Gift Ideas for Urbanists

• MUJI’s City in a Bag: Choose from Tokyo, London, Paris or New York and teach the future urbanists in your life about bustling urban metropolises. MUJI’s minimalist aesthetic also makes this a perfect gift for the design conscious urbanist. Better yet, buy a few sets for yourself and create your own wooden metropolis.

• Lego Public Transit Set: If you didn’t run out and buy this when I wrote about it in a earlier post, nows your chance! Another great toy for the young urbanist in your family or, better yet, the young urbanist in us all!

• Field Notes: Urbanists are notorious for taking notes while wandering around town. Field Notes offers “an honest memo book, worth fillin’ up with GOOD INFORMATION.” A cheaper, hipper (and less obnoxious) alternative to Moleskines.

• PF Flyer Shoes: Urbanists like to walk (a lot), but they are also stylish. PF Flyers are the perfect balance. They offer an orthopedic alternative to Chuck Taylors, while maintaining a hip, urban vibe.

• What We See (book): A must read for all Jane Jacobs devotees, and every urbanist has a special place in their heart for the grand dame of urbanism. My review is found here. Another choice (recommended by @khamis) is The Language of Towns & Cities. This would make a great coffee table book.

• T-shirts: Urbanists love to wear their city pride on their chests. Vancouver-based Ole Originals sells some unique high quality city themed t-shirts with the tagline “Love where you are from!”

• Ork’s City Neighborhood Posters: Phoenix isn’t included yet (let them know we want to be), but plenty of other cities are, including LA, Seattle, Minneapolis, DC, New Orléans, Toronto and Vancouver. Another great way for urbanists to show pride in their city or hometown.
• Strong Towns Membership: Strong Towns is a non-profits that seeks a world where “our cities, towns and neighborhoods are financially strong and resilient.” Help support this noble and important vision by purchasing a membership for the urbanist in your life (and buy yourself on while you are at it!

Your Turn

These are just a few gift ideas from a multitude of possibilities.  I’d be interested in hearing what my fellow urbanists are either looking forward to give or receive this holiday season. Please let me know in the comments section.