2024 Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to the League’s 5th annual holiday gift guide! This year we’ve broken our preservationist gift guide into five categories: Gifts for the Homebody, the Design Enthusiast, the NYC Enthusiast, the Book Lover, and Kids. In addition to the fun things we’ve highlighted here, don’t forget to support your local small businesses, museums, historical societies, and other nonprofits (maybe even gift a membership to the League?? You’ll get a cool keychain if you join by the end of the year…). Your support really does make a difference, and dollars go further when you spend them closer to home.
As always, there is nothing sponsored here, just recommendations we think you might enjoy. Happy holiday shopping!
For the homebody
Stand in My Window: Meditations on Home and How We Make It by LaTonya Yvette
In 11 meditative essays, accompanied by 25 beautiful photographs taken over the course of writing the book, LaTonya Yvette illustrates how the act of homemaking can be revolutionary, liberating--and one of the most powerful expressions we have of self- and community care.
Celebrate the history of the New York Public Library while wrapping yourself up in one of their cotton throw blankets featuring a design mimicking an old-school library card.
For the Love of Renovating: Tips, Tricks & Inspiration for Creating Your Dream Home by Barry Bordelon and Jordan Slocum aka The Brownstone Boys
This book has no shortage of eye candy, but it’s also chockful of practical tips to help folks tackle their own renovation projects, both big and small.
Cheap Old Houses Carpenter Pencil Collection - Pack of 4
Creaky floors, pocket doors, built-in drawers, antiques galore! The Cheap Old Houses online shop is always a good bet for your old house friends. These carpenter pencils would make a great (and practical) gift for anyone with a never-ending project list.
Mini Folding Ruler Keyring via Kikkerland
A perfect stocking stuffer! You never know when you might find the perfect piece at an antique store and need to take some on-the-spot measurements.
High Peaks of the Adirondack Forest Candle via Rifle Paper Co.
The Adirondack Forest Preserve is one of the true treasures of New York State. Bring a bit of the Adirondacks home with this candle that smells of cedarwood, oakmoss, clove, and pine.
For the design enthusiast
Blue Boy Tee via Big Bud Press
Thomas Gainsborough’s 1770 painting has been reproduced countless times — as any antiques enthusiast can probably tell you. Add to their collection with a vintage-inspired t-shirt featuring the The Blue Boy. They also have matching pants.
Brutalist Calendar and Modernist Planner via Blue Crow Media
Look to the year ahead in style. Both the wall calendar and the planner feature gorgeous photography — spotlighting international examples of Brutalist architecture in the former and Modernist interiors from across Europe in the latter.
Recycled Bumbag via Martin House Museum Store
Buffalo’s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Darwin Martin House is an outstanding preservation success story, important cultural resource, and home to a very good gift shop. If a bum bag isn’t for you, they have other designs featuring this FLW pattern as well.
Denise Scott Brown Stan hat via Architectural Icons
The website description really says it all: “Do you stan Denise Scott Brown? Well if you don't yet, you should! One of the great architects, urbanists and thinkers of all time, a force of architectural nature who changed the way we see our cities... Join us Denise Scott Brown Stans!”
New York Public Library Architecture Silk Scarf
Printed on both sides with architectural drawings created between 1897-1911 of NYPL’s 5th Avenue flagship location. Architectural drawings of the Central Building of the New York Public Library, including the elevations depicted on this scarf, can be viewed online through NYPL's Digital Collections, a living database of items digitized from the Library's vast collections.
For the NYC enthusiast
I ♥ NY 1,000 Piece Puzzle via Piecework Puzzles
A 1,000 piece puzzle that features some of the most iconic elements of NYC, from pizza and pretzels to Metrocards.
Haricot Vert Small Hoop Earrings with NYC Icon Charms via Moma Design Store
We think these NYC-themed hoops would make a great accessory for any occasion.
Hidden Landmarks of New York: A Tour of the City's Most Overlooked Buildings by Tommy Silk
Discover dozens of underappreciated landmarks and the stories behind them in this unique history on New York City, written and photographed by Landmarks of NY creator, Tommy Silk.
DSNY Trash Can Pen Holder via Only NY
A replica NYC Dept. of Sanitation trash can for your desk.
Little Caribbean Storefronts: Labay Market via i am CaribBEING
An archival-quality 8.5×11” print of an original ink drawing of Labay Market at 1127 Nostrand Avenue by Laura Thorne.
New York Tie via New York History Store
This silk tie features map details of historic Downtown Manhattan.
Contemporary Art Underground: MTA Arts & Design New York
One of the best museums in New York City is the subway system. The recently released catalogue features more than 100 recent public art commissions hidden below the City streets.
For the bookish preservationist
You can find all the books we’ve rounded up for 2024 on Bookshop!
The League receives an affiliate commission when you shop through our Bookshop link. Thank you!!
For the kids on your list
Five Stories by Ellen Weinstein
This picture book tells the stories of five children, from five different cultures and in five different decades, who all grow up in the same building on the Lower East Side of New York City.
NYC Subway Wooden Train Set via New York Transit Museum Store
Instill a love of public transit with this 20-piece set that includes tracks, trains, and accessories — all of which are compatible with any other wooden train set your kiddo already has.
For older kids, LEGO sets are often a safe bet. And while they are busy assembling a few of the most famous examples of NYC architecture you can tell them all about their history.
Blockitecture® Frank Lloyd Wright - Usonian via Areaware
This Frank Lloyd Wright block set is inspired by the architect’s Usonian homes, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Lost in the Museum: A Seek-and-Find Adventure in The Met
Kids love a good seek-and-find and this one will teach them about one of New York’s most famous destinations (and the treasures it holds) at the same time.
Frank Lloyd Wright Memory Game via Martin House Museum Store
A classic memory matching game with a FLW twist!