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November 13, 2025 • read
Technology Tips: November 2025 Gift Guide Edition
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Skyward IT Services Network Infrastructure and Security Specialists |
Skyward IT Services
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And that means gathering up our favorite gift ideas. You’ll find ideas for all ages, abilities, and interest levels. From family friends to family pets, let’s dive in and make a list to check twice.
Note: While there are a few outliers, the majority of these gifts fall between $10 and $30.
Favorite coworker's inner child
At right around $25, these are great to delight your Secret Santa.Emotional support desk pets: Choose from multiple animal families complete with a home for their new friends—because it's okay to wish you had a little pet pal to spend the day with.
Cryptid construction magnets: Perfect for the break room fridge or your oldest metal filing cabinet, everyone will enjoy inventing new imaginary creatures.
Wikki Stix, the OG 3D drawing medium: These waxy sticks (think candle wicks covered in a flexible, colorful wax) stick to paper just right and even allow folks to "draw" something 3D! Coolest part? They're reusable over and over again.
Fold-your-own spaceships: 100 pre-printed paper spaceships with folding instructions = at least a couple afternoons of fun this winter.
Furry friends
Our favorite family members to spoil!Game Night with Your Dog: Get everyone in on the action for your next family game night! Designed by behaviorists, this game is chock-full of human competition and furry friend action. It includes 81 challenge cards and five levels of difficulty, so every dog (from puppy to elder hound) can play.
Infinity Dog Leash: One leash with infinite options! Use it as a standard leash, a semi-slip collar, or a leash to walk multiple furry friends at once. Plus, it’s made from recycled plastic bottles.
Ocean Critters Cat Toys: Get your favorite feline something turtle-y cool for the holidays. This 3-piece toy set brings fun for every cat—from catnip and crinkle paper to ribbons and a little bell.
Chefs and eco-conscious cooks
It's the gift that keeps on giving—especially if you're the taste-tester.Swedish dishcloths: Give the gift they’ll keep on getting. Swedish dishcloths are an eco-friendly alternative to dishcloths and paper towels. These ultra-absorbent towels can soak up ¾ cup of liquid, making them ideal for wiping up spills and cleaning counters. Plus (and we can vouch for this personally), no more dishcloth smell! 🙌🏻
Beeswax wrap: Keep the eco-friendly kitchen gifts rolling with beeswax wraps. Use them to wrap, seal, and store your food. Made of cotton, beeswax, tree resin, and jojoba oil, they're a reusable, breathable, antibacterial alternative to plastic wrap (and come in fun designs too!).
Global Blends Spice Kit: It’s time to get cookin’! This gift box is packed with flavors from around the world. Home chefs can try za’atar on flatbreads, shichimi togarashi in stir fry, tandoori masala in curry, chimichurri on potato wedges, birria in tacos, and a Tuscan blend in pasta. The world is their oyster!
Young learners
For small STEM learners, Christmas isn't only magical. It's also mostly mechanical.Little Tikes Story Dream Machine: A nice compromise for little ones yearning for screen time, this toy projects classic Little Golden Book stories for kids to follow along with. Plus, it plays soothing white noise after storytime is done.
Air Toobz: Marble runs have a grown up cousin. This jet-setting system encourages kids to build a maze in midair using a pretty powerful fan to blow foam balls through a series of tubes. Then dismantle and repeat. Whooosh!
Throw & Go Magnetic Wooden Travel Blocks: Looking for an alternative to the ever-present tablet? Toss this set of blocks into your bag and build towers, tangrams, and terraces during downtime.
Honeysticks kids colorful bath bombs: These are non-toxic and free from harsh dyes and chemicals, so sensitive-skinned skinny dippers can enjoy a fun bath retreat, too.
Game lovers
Got a board game lover bored of recieving new games? Here are some creative options for supporting their love of the game.Prime Suspect logic game: A fun and easy-to-travel-with game that gets folks talking and asking questions to catch the criminal in a creative whodunit.
Neoprene gaming mat: Splurge on a custom tablesized option or start with placemats at around $15 each, this grippy gaming accessory helps keep dice, markers, cards, and other game pieces stable even if someone hip-checks the table.
Super-strong silicone straps: For the gamer on the go, these straps keep games boxed up securely with no spilling and won't break down brittle over time like rubber bands. Plus, these are latex-free for allergy friendliness.
Handmade cotton game organization set: For the gamer who has just about everything, consider a custom set of pouches to organize pieces inside game boxes. Especially exciting for your quietest gaming friends who value silent storage options (no more freefalling, rattling dice!).
Screen-free connection connoisseurs
There's no place like home for the holidays. Be present together with these cute cozy options.The Hygge Conversation Game: Designed to fit the maximum-cozy philosophy of hygge, this game prioritizes connecting in the colder months when life slows down a little. 330 light and lilting questions are sure to fill rooms with laughter.
A Year of Connection stationery: These cards are designed to motivate you to share the written word with loved ones all year. Perfect for the pal with precise penmanship.
Breathing Buddha mindfulness lamp: This lamp comes in several soft silicone styles (choose from Buddha, a sloth, or a tipsy pile of rocks) but all work the same way: a gentle light glows brighter then dimmer in cycles your loved one can use to practice calm breathing. No apps required, choose nature sounds or a quiet glow.
The nuclear option: Brick your phone: If your friends or family are flummoxed by fixing their screen habits, fear not. The Brick blocks pre-chosen apps (you know the ones) that sing the siren song from smartphones. For the duration set, the Brick keeps apps from working so your sweetie can focus on screen-free connection. They're gonna love it.
A note about not-so-nice folks and online shopping
As you make your way across the World Wide Web this shopping season, keep in mind a few common scams and tricky points of entry criminals may use to capture your personal information.Text scams: The post office knows where your house is, so don't fall for undeliverable package links from USPS or other carriers.
Phishing emails: The sense of urgency around the holidays is prime time for hackers hoping you'll fall for a feverish notification. Take a moment to think before clicking! Some other faux frantic messages might include phony credit card fraud alerts, fake charities soliciting donations, and sketchy mobile offers.
Attachments: Cybercriminals may also create a fake update or notification email and attach a file with malicious software. Instead, get in the habit of looking up your order directly on the website you purchased from.
Stay safe and season's greetings!
Thinking about edtech for your district? We'd love to help. Visit skyward.com/get-started to learn more.
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Skyward IT Services Network Infrastructure and Security Specialists |
