Holiday Music Gift Guide 2024 

• Courtesy photo

Holiday gift-giving can be pretty tough—but never fear. City Weekly is here to ease your worries about what to get for your loved ones for Christmas. Well, if they're a music-lover, anyway. Here are some ideas if you're stuck on what to give the musically inclined in your life.

Home décor: It's hard to go wrong with home décor; it's a great way to make a person's space feel more cozy and helps them express their personality. Searching up "music-themed décor" comes up with all sorts of treasures from wall decals, to picture frames for vinyl records, to rugs that look like cassette tapes straight out of the '90s. Websites like Aesthetic Roomcore and Uncommon Goods have fun gifts, while places like Etsy offer more custom-designed options—plus, you're able to buy from small businesses there.

Support locals with BandCamp Fridays: If your loved one is in a band or puts out music in some capacity on the BandCamp website, a great way to support them is to buy their music on BandCamp Fridays. These are designated days during the month where BandCamp waives their revenue share, so that all the funds go directly to artists. Since 2020, more than $120 million has been sent to artists during these events. BandCamp Friday for this month has already passed, but keep an eye out for their schedule for 2025, and make that a late Christmas gift for your musician friend. Or, buy some of their music throughout the year on BandCamp Fridays, because that's awesome, too.

For those who love games and music: Most people have more than one interest and hobby, so for those who love music and gaming, there are several fun options. Uncommon Goods has a gorgeous playing card deck that features fantastic art of some of the biggest names in music, from Jimi Hendrix to Dolly Parton to Madonna. These would be excellent to bust out during a night with friends, or even just flipping through the cards to admire the art. Similarly, if you have a person who loves music and facts about music, you can get them a trivia game to test their knowledge. Ridley's Games features trivia card games for the '80s, '90s and '00s that will have you digging through the filing cabinets in your brain for the answers. Last but not least, if you have someone who loves puzzles, they may want to check out the 1000-piece puzzle with art from James Mellett that features rock stars and pop icons from the 1950s to the present.

LEGO sets: There's probably a LEGO set for every type of person. They have endless sets for your favorite pop-culture franchises, sets for those interested in entomology ... there are even plenty of plant and flower sets for those who can't keep real ones alive. Music fans can also find a set that they'll love. Some sets can be a bit pricey, like the Jazz Quartet or Grand Piano sets, but if you're looking for something on a smaller scale (and something that will be easier on your wallet), you can grab the Retro Radio, Retro Record Player or Fender Guitar sets. There's even a BTS set for the K-Pop lovers out there. LEGO sets are fun to build and look awesome on display, so consider getting one for the music-lover in your life.

Ticket stub diary: For the show-goer in your life, a ticket stub diary might just be the perfect way to help them preserve their concert memories. While many tickets only exist on our phones these days, having the tickets printed is still an option, and what better way to keep them safe than with a diary dedicated to them? There are several options on Uncommon Goods and Etsy, so look around for one that catches your eye!

Power bank: Speaking of avid concert-goers, one thing they may appreciate is a power bank to help charge their devices while they're out on the go. There's nothing worse than having your phone die when you're out at an event. Not only are you deprived of taking photos, but you're also missing a safety line if something goes wrong. Power banks typically cost anywhere from $20-80, but your average concert-goer won't need anything too fancy. A $20-30 one will do just fine in giving them extra juice if they need it. Whether you're at a long festival or a show far from home, having a way to charge your device will give you and your loved one peace of mind.

Gift cards: It's hard to go wrong with gift cards, but if you want to give some to your music lover, you may want to get them for places like StubHub, Live Nation or Ticket Master to help drive the cost of those tickets down a little. Similarly, giving them gift cards for their favorite streaming service is always great. You can gift subscriptions of Spotify Premium and Apple Music for a whole year or a few months, but either way, your audiophile person will appreciate it.

There you have it. Hopefully this gave you some good ideas for gifts, but if not, thanks for hanging out anyway.