What Your Blogger-Wife Wants For Christmas

She goes to bed after you’ve fallen asleep because she’s on the computer “blogging” (alternative reading: “on Facebook”). She dresses your kids up and puts them in fake scenarios so that she can have an appropriate picture for a post she’s working on. She doesn’t let you taste the freshly baked cookies until she’s taken a final picture of them completed. She gets stressed over the post that needs to be published, even though you thought she was in charge and this was only a hobby. You have asked her not to share something private with the whole Internet before.

Your wife is a blogger.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. My husband’s wife is a blogger too.

As you’re thinking about gifts to give to her, it can be easy to forget that she has the whole online life that is full of needs and wants and wishes. If you really want to show her that you care and pay attention, get her something from this list, and she’ll be tickled that you value her passion.

A Starbucks Card – This one is easy and simple. Starbucks is one of the easiest places to escape to, grab a caffeine fix, log onto free wifi, and get a bit of writing done. If Starbucks isn’t her cup of tea (pun intended) or there isn’t one nearby, consider another local cafe, but make sure the wifi is available and free! Bonus Points: Include some homemade coupons for a kid-free writing escape, or set up a reoccurring appointment in your joint calendar for her to leave the house and focus on some writing time alone.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user Darren Barefoot

Jewelry – Okay. Who doesn’t want jewelry? But while your blogger-lady would swoon over diamonds and adores adding more Pandora charms to her bracelet, she will fall head over heels for jewelry that lets her to wear her online life. Consider a necklace that displays her Twitter handle (like this fabulous one from Blend Creations) or let her geek out to some hashtag earrings.

Blog Brand It – She makes her blog public. She loves it when people read and comment. She’s actually pretty proud of her blog. Yes, your blogger totally does want the world to know about her blog. And you know what? She also doesn’t mind being reminded of it over and over and over again. Get her a mug with her blog header on it, a personalized notebook with her blog name on the front, or a cellphone case with her blog title and url on the back. Or, let her wear her hobby with style in an “I’m blogging this!” tee.

Smartphone Gloves – It is winter, the weather is cold, and your wife still wants to use her phone while she’s waiting for the bus. If she doesn’t already have a pair of gloves with fingertips that are touch-screen friendly, then this gift is an absolute necessity. If she already has a pair, fill her stocking with an extra in case one goes missing. And if you’re one of those stickler husbands who likes to keep the heat low in the winter (not that I know anything about that…) get her a cute pair of thin fingerless gloves for chilly nighttime winter typing.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user COG LOG LAB

A Tablet and Bluetooth Keyboard – If your blogger is going to get away from the house to get some work done alone, she needs to be mobile. While laptops seem like the obvious choice, they can be cumbersome. Tablets, like the Nexus 7, can be tossed in a purse to be used when the opportunity arrises. Tablets alone aren’t conducive to much typing, so pair the tablet with a bluetooth keyboard that she tap away on. Most writers are voracious readers, and a small tablet can double as an ebook reader too. One technology, multiple uses, less things for your blogger to lug around.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user Morid1n

More data – Blogging and social media go hand in hand and they are full-time obsessions. Your wife doesn’t just write and publish a post and be done with it. She shares to her network multiple times a day, she checks and responds to comments, she fosters community on Facebook, and follows hashtags on Twitter. She is plugged in, informed, and attuned to notifications. Until recently, I had to turn off my data a few weeks into each month because I would always approach my limit. A bigger data plan was what this gal needed to keep going strong all month long. Consider this especially for those bloggers who tether their smartphone to their wifi-only tablet or laptop for on-the-go blogging and connecting.

Personalized Planner – When asked, many bloggers will answer that their goal for 2014 is to be more organized. Blogging requires some serious organizational skills! Not to mention all the planning that every mother and wife needs to do too anyway. Spoil the love of your life with a gift card to erincondren.com so that she can pick out her very own Life Planner (because they are SO personalized that she’ll want to pick her own out!). (Bonus: You can still get this in time for Christmas if you go the e-gift card route.)

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user pure.sugar

Renew her URL – If your wife uses her own hard, blog-earned dough on hosting, consider renewing her URL and paying her hosting fees for Christmas this year. It isn’t a glamorous gift, but it sure will be appreciated.

Blog Redesign – She might not voice this out loud but a blogger is always thinking about how her blog could look better. While many of us try to do a lot of it ourselves, the reality is that a professional can create the look and feel that we’ve been dreaming about. A blog redesign can run anywhere between $100-$1000 so budget accordingly and let your wife pick a designer in your price range that matches her vision for her blog.

Blog Transfer – Quiz time: What platform does your special blogger blog on? If she is on Blogger or Typepad or even WordPress.com, she might totally be throwing around the idea of moving to WordPress.org. Many professional bloggers call WordPress.org home because it is self-hosted and completely customizable. Making the jump can be scary and overwhelming though, especially for bloggers who aren’t quite sure about all the technical mumbo jumbo. Full disclosure: I personally didn’t love WordPress.org until I paid for a theme (instead of using a freebie one) and I never would have known how to make a smooth transition between Blogger and WordPress without a talented designer doing the transfer for me. There are ways to redirect RSS feeds and links so that a transfer is entirely unnoticeable for the reader, with the exception of the shiny new design they’ll see, so find a designer who is knowledgeable in the type of transfer you’re looking for.

A Nice Camera – Beautiful pictures enhance a great blog. And while the equipment doesn’t make the photographer, it certainly does help provide a blogger with more professional content. Plus, as an added bonus to you, while her new toy is beautifying her blog, her newfound passion for photography will result in more shots of the kids for your walls! Most new camera shoppers choose to go with a consumer-level DSLR camera from either Nikon on Canon. You can’t go wrong with either brand!

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user Zanthia

New Glass – If your blogger already has a camera body, consider upgrading her lens. Aside from skill, lenses are probably a photographer’s best tool and the kit lens that comes with camera bodies are not actually that awesome. Choose a lens with a low f-stop (f/1.something or f/2.something). Lenses like these let in more light and they produce more bokeh (blurriness in the background). They will take better pictures in general, especially in lower light. You can’t go wrong with a 50mm or 35mm prime lens, and a food blogger might prefer a great macro lens.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user 55Laney69

Photo Editing Software – While PicMonkey is a great option to create Facebook headers and blog buttons, once a blogger has a DSLR in her hands, she’s going to want to try to get the most out of her images. Good photo editing software is valuable. The industry standard is Adobe, and for people new to photo editing, you might want to choose between Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop Elements. Elements is a stripped down version of Photoshop whereas Lightroom is a professional product that easily allows users to manipulate a photo with slides and filters. While there are even some professional photographers who work entirely in Lightroom, Elements will offer more editing options, but will be more of a time commitment to learn, and she might eventually want to upgrade to Photoshop or Lightroom. You can’t go wrong with either option (or Photoshop, for that matter).

Actions – In the world of photo editing, an action is a series of recorded steps that a photographer uses in their editing process. These recordings can be played back and applied to different images to create the same editing effects. Photographers and designers sell their actions for others to use. Actions make photo editing much easier, and are useful for the beginner photographer as well as the advanced. Actions are available for Photoshop, Elements, and Lightroom, so make sure you’re finding actions that work for your program while shopping. Check out MCP Actions, Florabella Collection, Paint the Moon, Little Lusker, and Greater Than Gatsby.

A subscription to Lynda.com – Now that your blogger has a self-hosted WordPress blog, a DSLR, and photo editing software, she has a lot to learn. Lynda.com is a website that provides video instructions, classes, and tutorials about a number of different software and subjects, including photography, WordPress, and Adobe products. There are introductory courses and advanced courses. It is ideal for someone looking to improve on their interests for a small fee and time investment.

Camera Bag – You should hold my purse. It is heavy. Between my tablet, my smart phone, my planner, and my camera, my bag is overfull and always a disaster! And thank heavens I’m not a fashion blogger, because I haven’t upgraded my purse in four years, and it shows. For years, my wishlist has held one constant item: a stylish camera bag. There are companies who make camera bags that double as gorgeous, organized purses that provide a safe place to carry your camera around daily, as well as pouches for wallets and tablets or laptops. Check out Epiphanie, Kelly Moore, Jo Totes, Shutter Bag, Cheeky Lime, and Pompidoo, to name a few options.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user Susan Sharpless Smith

A Home Office – Writing isn’t easy in the best of circumstances, but when your blogger’s writing space is full of Hot Wheels and Barbie shoes, unpaid bills and unblown balloons, flyers and whatever else is left on flat surfaces by people passing by, it can be extra hard to get the creative juices flowing. And if her only “work space” is in the family room while the kids watch television or the kitchen table while the dishes sit untouched, it can be hard to get into a working mindset. A blogger craves space to be creative and quiet and alone. Even if you can’t spare a room for her, clear out a corner in a peaceful area of the house. Purchase a desk and a chair and give her free reign to decorate the space as her own. Create a culture in your house where Mama’s desk is sacred and quiet and (mostly) off limits.

Blog Conference Ticket – Every year it is the same thing: Her friends get in a plane and congregate at one big blog meet-up where they get to hug their Internet besties and learn tips and tricks and insider secrets about their craft. And if your blogger is anything like me, she gets insanely jealous each year as the conferences roll around. You might already know which conference she’s been coveting, but since there are a few around, make sure you know the one that holds her heart and her network of friends. When considering whether this is a gift you can afford, remember that a conference ticket isn’t the only expense. You’ll also need to account for travel and accommodations.

used under Creative Commons Licence from Flickr user SFist

Special thanks for help compiling this list goes to my friends Greta Funk, Katie Sluiter, Angela Amman, Andrea Mowery, Elaine Alguire, Alison Lee, Kristin Shaw, Leigh Ann Torres, Tracy Morrison, Erin Margolin, Galit Breen, and Jennifer Williams. 

Are you a blogger? Do you have any blog-related items on your wishlist this year?

The small print: This post is not sponsored. Most of the companies linked or mentioned do not know I am doing so and I was offered nothing in return for them. I was recently sent a Nexus 7 tablet from Best Buy Canada for my personal use.