Christmas Gift Ideas for the Musician in Your Life

Depending on how you look at it, musicians can be really easy to shop for (cash is king) or really difficult (a 1982 unopened box of reeds from Mount Everest – just kidding). Whether you’re a non-musician who doesn’t know the difference between a violin and a viola or someone who can wax poetic on the legacy of lesser-known composers, this list is for you. Here are my suggestions for gift ideas for the musician in your life:

Christmas tree ornament of their instrument. Classic, but cute.
Business cards. If you know the design the musician wants, you can make and order them online with services like Vistaprint. If you’re unsure what kind of card they want, offer to pay for the printing after the musician designs the cards. If you’re feeling extra generous, a nice business card holder would be great, too.
Headshots. Pay for a session with a professional photographer to boost any musician’s press kit (or ego)
Quality concert clothes. You’d be amazed how many pairs of black pants musicians go through. Find a nice blouse, tie, or shoes to spice up a musician’s wardrobe. (Avoid perfume or cologne – we usually can’t wear any in orchestra or other ensembles)
Gift card to their favorite music store (online or local). Be careful buying sheet music for them – musicians usually need specific pieces and editions.
Finale, Sibelius or other music notation software
A vintage metronome. We might not know how to use them (there’s an app for that!) but they just look amazing.
A real music stand. A cheap folding stand only lasts so long (even if they do come in a variety of cool colors)
Personalized stamp with their name and contact info to use in their music library.
A music bag. You can go fancy, professional, or funny. All musicians appreciate a good classical music pun (Czech out Dvorak!). This can be a DIY project and is easily tailored to each quirky musician.
A domain name and web hosting. Self branding and self promotion are everything for musicians.
Concert tickets or season passes to favorite bands or orchestras.
For the woodwinds: REEDS! You can never have too many reeds. For younger players, buy a variety of types and strengths so they can test them all to find a favorite
Instrument overhaul. Instruments need to go to the “doctor” (repair technicians) regularly to continue playing their best. Offer to pay for a quality check-up.
Private lessons. Offer to pay for a month of lessons with a qualified teacher. (Read my article here for advice on getting the most out of private lessons)
Instrument art. Etsy is full of quirky art featuring instruments. Clarinet lamp, anyone? Artwork for practice rooms and music studios are always appreciated.
A tumbler for coffee (or something more potent if a musician has a bad audition…)
If you still can’t decide what to get your musician, a gift card to their favorite restaurant is always a good idea. Starbucks gift cards might not be the most original, but it certainly helps when you’re running around performing, practicing, teaching, rehearsing, etc. There is no such thing as bad caffeine.
Stocking stuffers: tuners, metronomes, cork grease, reeds, rosin, valve oil, cigarette paper for cleaning pads, mouthpiece patches, swabs