Alright, people. It’s officially “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” by Fall Out Boy season. The store shelves are lined with green and red wreaths and peppermint has made its way into every coffee drink. But hey, we’re not complaining. Christmas rocks, and this year, you can take that quite literally. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for your punk and alternative friends and family members, idobi Radio has compiled a list of our favorite emo gifts that they are sure to love. So… if you didn’t score My Chemical Romance concert tickets, these 14 gifts are officially the next best thing to give this holiday season.
1. Musician-Branded Coffee
If your gift recipient is obsessed with their early-morning coffee runs, get them a coffee set that an elder emo will appreciate so much more than a Dunkin’ gift card. Green Day‘s Punk Bunny Coffee is the ultimate gift for American Idiot and Dookie fans, as the band offers branded bags honoring these records. Plus, they offer an array of roasts, K-Cups, and even hot cocoa mix. Plus, they’re having a Black Friday sale—30% off sitewide.
But Green Day isn’t the only band with cool brew items. System Of A Down‘s Serj Tankian is the founder of Kavat Coffee, an amazing Armenian coffee brand. (Trust me, I have some in my cup right now!)
2. Musician Memoirs
You can never go wrong with adding a new read to your bestie’s bookshelf, and frankly, there’s nothing like a true-to-form memoir from a beloved artist. Our recs include Waterparks‘ Awsten Knight‘s You’d Be Paranoid Too…, The Maine‘s John O’Callaghan‘s The Highly Unqualified Hand-Guide To Keeping Plants Alive, Tegan and Sara‘s High School, and Sum 41‘s Deryck Whibley‘s Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell.
3. Coffee Table Books
What’s even better than a musician memoir? A massive coffee table book that’s equally fun to read and makes a great decorative item on your bookshelf or table. If you want to display the pop-punk bible, consider the new Ruffian Books offering, 500 Essential Pop-Punk Albums: From Blondie to blink-182, by idobi Radio Editorial & Digital Marketing Director, Paige Owens.
Or, you could opt for a little bit of mixology fun with the Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks hardcover book. Not only is this rife with music knowledge, but it’s also a rad recipe book.
Additionally, you could opt for a giant book of rock history through a photographic lens, literally, with Hurricanes of Color: Iconic Rock Photography from the Beatles to Woodstock and Beyond.
4. Venue Giftcards
If your gift recipient is a frequent visitor to a specific bar, House Of Blues location, or concert spot, check to see if they offer gift cards. If not, opt for a general Ticketmaster gift card so they can secure their next pair of tix. Maybe they’ll even take you with them!
5. Musician-Branded Cosmetics
Halsey really popped off with not one, but *two* makeup lines: about-face and af94. From dazzling liquid eyeshadows to moisturizing lip oils, Halsey’s makeup lines offer an array of products and price points to fit any style and budget. For the gift recipient who loves switching up their hair, you can def opt for Paramore‘s Hayley Williams‘ semi-permanent Good Dye Young products, too.
6. Music Air Freshener
Don’t settle for a little tree-shaped car air freshener when you can get a wonderfully-scented car air freshener ($20) shaped like a vinyl player. Better yet, you can choose your favorite album(s) to actually spin on the mini-player. Personally, I’ve always wanted my car to smell like Iowa by Slipknot.
7. PBR & Taco Bell Giftcard
I mean, your friend was probably going to get these items for themselves anyway, so make their day by planning ahead. Who doesn’t want a quesadilla at any time of the day, am I right?
8. A Good Concert Fanny Pack
This unisex fanny pack from Quince ($25) is comfortable to wear, comes in an array of colors (but, most importantly, it comes in black), and can withstand festivals, mosh pits, and late-night basement shows.
9. Band Ornaments
Have yourself a merry little Christmas by giving the gift of My Chemical Romance ($9) ornaments. Just be prepared to also DIY a Gerard Way tree-topper to pair with it. Plus, Etsy seller HapiDesigns has an amazing array of alternative band shirt wooden Christmas ornaments.
10. Tattoo Care
It’s getting chilly outside meaning it is dry skin season, babes. It’s important to moisturize, especially if you’re tatted up. For your inked-up friend, get them the gift of good skincare—tattooed skincare, that is. Personally, we love Rebel June’s “The Balm” ($25) which rejuvenates old tattoos, soothes new ones, and locks in moisture to avoid itchy skin.
11. Emo-Inspired Candle
Why not get your favorite emo a gift that makes their space smell like their fave band? (And no, we promise these finds won’t smell like a literal fart-stuffed tour bus.) Etsy offers an array of alternative song-inspired candles such as this blink-182 “Roses By The Stairs” option ($18.90). We’re also obsessed with this “Thank You For The Venom” candle ($20) and even this Johnnie Guilbert candle ($20).
12. Unique Merch
Your gift recipient may have an array of band tees, totes, and caps, but do they have a Papa Roach “Cut My Life Into Pizzas” pizza cutter ($24.99)? While funny, it’s also a genuinely good and functional gift. Check out your friend/family member’s favorite bands’ merch pages and you might stumble upon a gem like this or Fall Out Boy’s logo incense holder ($55).
13. Doc Martens Accessories
Sure, your alternative friend may have a wide array of chunky silver jewelry, but they definitely don’t have enough spooky charms to add to their Doc Martens. These Etsy charms ($13 each) add a dash of personality to the iconic emo shoe. Plus, the clasp can also be fitted for Timberlands and New Rocks.
14. Horror Subscription
Is your alt-bestie a major horror nerd? Give them the gift that keeps giving by purchasing them a year-long Shudder subscription. The horror streaming service has fresh, innovative horror shows and movies such as Speak No Evil, Deadstream, and more. If they already have Shudder, fear not. You can buy your gift recipient a gift card to the ultimate behind-the-scenes horror lover site, Darkness Unlimited. This service allows users to access interviews with the likes of the iconic Nick Castle of Halloween fame all the way to in-depth film retrospectives of ’80s and ’90s scary movies. It’s the membership they didn’t even know they needed.