MeFiGiftGuide2022 - The Metafilter Gift Guide

November 21, 2022 9:02 PM

Instead of turning to influencers, (sponsored) top-ten lists, or Amazon “sales,” the Metafilter community has collaborated to create gift suggestions by and for real people, who want to have real connections, and make a real difference in the world. Read below the fold for the gift guides, or check out the tag #MeFiGiftGuide2022. 

There are many holiday gift guides, but only this one draws on the collective wisdom of smart, nerdy, caring Internet strangers with a solid track record of useful advice.

Over the years, Ask MetaFilter has answered many urgent "Can I Eat This" questions; rescued teenagers at risk of being trafficked; shared great travel tips; helped resolve pet dilemmas such as Do I dog? and Help me speak cat; solved a decades-old family mystery; offered insight on staying at a job, leaving one, and finding something new; and answered many other questions–including how to stay warm in a cold house. 

Furthermore, the metafilter community frequently discusses unethical labor practices around the globe, the climate impact of fast fashion and other “Designed for the Dump” industries, paying artists what they deserve, cultural appropriation, and lots of other concerns that maybe the editors at the New York Time’s best-selling advertorial Wirecutter are forced to ignore, and Amazon.com’s gift guides might intentionally exploit.

For only $5, anyone can join MetaFilter to comment and post, within guidelines, on any part of this moderated site. Please join us! If you end up buying something based on what you read, why not donate to MetaFilter as part of our November Fundraiser Drive.

So, without further ado, here is MeFiGiftGuide2022:

The Philosophy of Gift Giving:
Help me give myself the gift of freedom
How much are you budgeting for holiday gifts in 2022?
Which more prevalent in gift-giving: working off lists, or imagination?
Freedom from buying shit Inspired by a comment from dobbs in the Gift of Freedom thread, how do you resist temptation and stop buying shit this holiday season? 
Reliable reviews in 2022

By Age:
Beautiful and exciting reference books for kindergartenders
Winter holiday gifting: 6, 7 and 8 year olds
An with the niblings - How to make it fantastic?
What to get a college sophomore?

Books:
Fiction about plants/trees/botany/gardens
Books about baking, but not for beginners?
Best Book + Materials Combo?
What books make you feel better about the past, present, and future?
Book recommendations 2022

Fashion:
Favorite sellers of small stud earrings?
Looking for lightweight, warm, comfortable city snow boots
Warm, soft pants for indoors and out
Although I am not an elf, please recommend a pointy stocking cap

Office Life
What is a gift that makes office life better?
White Elephant Winner: What are useful household items made to look like something cute?  
Unconventional "office toys"?

Support:
Insert Hot Flash/Flash Sale Joke Here
What are your favorite ADHD/neurodivergent friendly gifts?
Gift ideas for those with chronically illness or disability?
Good Xmas gifts for a new CPAP user?

Technology:
Tech recommendations for how to stay connected with family?
Best science-y stocking stuffers for all ages?
Upgrading my running technology so I can move from casual to marathon running
What is the best pan you’ve ever used?

Grab Bag:
Gifts for the modern rabbit
What are your favorite sustainable gifts?
Suggestions and technical advice for enchanting my Christmas tree
Small, personal-connection-enhancing, awesome gifts to ship overseas.
Best Advent calendars of 2022
Trying to find portable gift to bring on partner's birthday trip!

posted by rebent (8 comments total)

I just want to acknowledge that it looks like a lot of effort went into this post.
posted by aniola at 9:48 PM on November 21, 2022 [23 favorites]

aniola - definitely a lot of work, time and effort went into this! As the SC member privileged to be this team’s point-of-contact behind the scenes, I’ve been inspired and amazed by how much everyone has accomplished over the past few weeks, and how much energy and care has been put into this initiative. I’ve loved seeing how this all came together.

Grateful to cgg, Bella Donna, NotLost, another volunteer remaining anonymous and wesleyac (also SC) - for being part of this and especially rebent for really leading this initiative, working on it consistently and tirelessly, and seeing it through. This has been an incredible example of what can happen when a community initiative comes together and really takes off, through a volunteer-led + SC-facilitated group. Thank you for doing this. (and thank you for helping us shop on Black Friday!)
posted by aielen at 10:51 PM on November 21, 2022 [13 favorites]

This is incredible; am putting this in top spot in my newsletter this week. Will be coming back to this guide over and over too. Exactly the useful reference I needed and I LOVE that it includes highlights from MeFi history, what we discuss here, how to join, and the fundraising drive. Spot on all around.

(The link for staying warm in a cold house needs fixing, oops!)
posted by iamkimiam at 7:20 AM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]

I just added the tag to this AskMe: This is the best ____ I know of. Lots of great gift ideas in there and and it's still open so you can add your own!

Thanks for making the post, rebent. I hadn't seen my "don't buy shit" post had been singled out by that followup.
posted by dobbs at 7:40 AM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]

Fantastic post - I've been struggling for finding some gifts and this surfaced some ideas I never would have encountered.
posted by msbutah at 11:19 AM on November 22, 2022

Here is the Staying Warm in a Cold House link.
posted by Scarf Joint at 12:31 PM on November 22, 2022

I will probably buy some shit this winter, but I love that this includes “don’t buy shit” too.

Well done, all around!
posted by fruitslinger at 3:29 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

What If? 2 Gift Guide
posted by aniola at 11:45 AM on November 26, 2022