Does your family know how to Christmas shop for a stationery nerd? If not, you could be at risk for some seriously LAME Christmas gifts. Help your family out! Share this post chocked full of nerdy goodies so they’ll know just what to get to keep your addiction…er, passion going!

I’ve broken down this list into two big categories – Beginner Bullet Journalists and those who already have everything! What’s on YOUR list this year? Who are you buying for?

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Beginner Bullet Journalist Wish List

Do you know someone who wants to get organized and start a new bullet journal or planner in the New Year? Or maybe you just want to share your love of bullet journaling with a special family member or friend with a gift pack of fun stationery supplies.

Beginner Bullet Journal Gift Set

Beginner Bullet Journal Gift Pack

  • Dot Journaling Book by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
  • Notebook or journal
  • Ruler and stencils
  • Writing pens and fineliners
  • Highlighters and markers
  • Washi Tape
  • Pen Case

Dot Journaling Book

I love what Rachel Wilkerson Miller has done with this book called Dot Journaling. She talks about the original Bullet Journal system developed by Ryder Carroll and compares it to how she’s adapted that system to her own life and how the bullet journaling community has expanded on Ryder’s system and created a more artistic style of planner system.  There’s a bit of controversy around this publication and many (who haven’t read the book) claim it’s copyright infringement. Having read the book, I can say with confidence that Rachel actually HONORS the original system, but her book expands on it in a practical and down-to-earth type of way. This book is an excellent resource for the beginner bullet journalist – or even us seasoned bujo nerds too. I love that she shows several real-life examples of how a single type of project page can be created in a number of different ways and still be effective.

Notebook or journal

Most new bullet journalists need a new journal. You could go with a ring binder, discbound system, traveler’s notebook, or a hardbound book. For the beginner, let’s keep it simple and go with a single hardbound journal. I’m using the Tekukor Dot Grid A5 Notebook, but there are lots of journals to choose from. Some of my favorites after doing the Mega A5 Bullet Journal Notebook review include Pentalic, Lemome, Uberworks, and Scribbles That Matter. Oooo… how awesome would a gift pack be if you had a Scribbles That Matter in their favorite color? You could totally color coordinate with the pens and washi tape you chose for them too.

Ruler and Stencils

You need a good ruler if you plan to draw out monthly or weekly spreads in your bullet journal. Some people swear by a clear ruler so you can see through to the dot grid on the page, but I personally prefer my 3-ruler set that includes 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch rulers that are narrower than normal and have a handy metric-to-inches conversion chart on the back. A great starter pack of stencils is this 20-piece bullet journal stencil kit on Amazon. I have this pack and it’s great because of all the different shapes and pictures available. These are made of heavy plastic and work best if you use a bit of washi tape to hold down the edges while you draw your shape.

Writing pens and fineliners

You already know how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica .4mm gel ballpoint pens. You can’t go wrong with getting the full 12-color set or even the 5-pack black set. But there are lots of really great gel ink pens available. I’ve tested the Pilot Juice and Zebra Sarasa and Unibal Signo pens and love them all (full reviews of these coming soon!). I also use my Sharpie Pen in fine tip black a lot and it works great for drawing lines on layouts in my bullet journal (yes, I buy them by the dozen on Amazon because they’re cheaper that way, rather than buying at a local store). They don’t bleed or ghost through pages and the felt tip lasts a long time – unlike some artist felt tips that tend to wear down after a couple months of heavy use. And now that Sharpie has come out with their full line of Sharpie Art Pen in 24 colors, they are a serious contender in the art pen market.

Highlighters and Markers

You know I love my highlighters and that I’m super picky about which ones I use. If you missed the full Review of Pastel Highlighters, head over and check it out. My top picks are still the Pilot Frixon Erasable Pastel Highlighter and the Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighter.  If you want to skip the highlighters and go straight for some markers instead, I recommend you check out the Tombow Twin Tip markers. As the name implies, these have two ends – a bullet tip and a fineliner tip. I have already ordered these and as soon as I get them in my hot little hands, I’ll publish a review for you – but a lot of people swear these are the bee’s knees!

Washi Tape

You don’t NEED washi tape for bullet journaling. But c’mon. It’s so pretty that you just want to own all the washi tape!! So why not get a beginner bullet journalist started on the road to addiction when it comes to all the pretty washi tape options. Start them out small so they don’t go overboard. Just pick a starter pack for now. Maybe start them out with a Set of 12 Washi Tape in a color to coordinate with the journal you’re choosing. I mean, that’s a sane amount, right? You definitely wouldn’t want to go crazy and buy a Set of 50 Glitter Washi Tape. They might explode with washi tape excitement. Be careful! Choose wisely.

Pen Carrying Case

Whew! With all these new pens, rulers, and washi tape, you’ll need to have something to carry it all in. I have a couple different pen cases that I love. This BUBM Pink Cosmetic Bag is the perfect size for a bunch of pens, some washi tape and a small tape roller (I like the Duck Brand Tape Rollers). But it can get pretty bulky if you need to carry it around with you all the time. I also have a pen case like this one – Zippered Pen Case – mine is lime green and it works great when I don’t need many supplies. My go-to pencil case isn’t a pencil case at all. It’s actually designed to hold photographs. This hard plastic 5-inch x 7-inch flat plastic case is exactly the size I need for a couple rolls of washi tape, some pens and markers and a small pair of scissors – plus you can get these cases super cheap at your local craft stores like Michaels or Joann’s.

For the Bullet Journalist Who Has Everything

We all know and love a bullet journalist who has everything they need and then some. Usually we stationery addicts prefer to buy our own supplies because shopping for bullet journal stuff is half the fun of owning it. So we need to be careful when we make bullet journal purchases for other bullet journalists. It’s important to ASK THEM what they want or need so we pick up the right gift. But if you’re still determined to buy a special gift, let’s look at some drool-worthy options.

  • Journal Covers
  • Brass Stencils
  • Fountain pens
  • Markers

Journal Covers

I’m in LOVE LOVE LOVE with my Galen Leather journal cover. The workmanship is amazing and the leather is gorgeous. These take a while to arrive, so order with plenty of time for gift giving (mine took about two weeks to arrive in Michigan, USA from the workshop in Turkey). I got the Natural leather options and I’ve had mine since June and the leather is wearing to a deep rich color and I love the way it feels in my hands. There are lots of other journal cover options, though. Check out Etsy and do a search for “A5 Journal Cover” and you’ll be served with hundreds of beautiful ideas for covers in fabric, canvas, leather and every imaginable option under the sun.

Brass Stencils

Not long after I bought those plastic stencils I mentioned above, I splurged a bit and bought a set of Brass Stencils from Paper Farm on Amazon. As soon as I had that set in my hands, I went back and bought the other set too. Yes, they’re THAT amazing! Heavy duty and made to last. Plus, the shapes on these 4 stencils are versatile and fill almost every need I’ve had for a stencil.  Or if you’re looking for something a bit smaller, you could go for these small stencils in metal that come in a Set of 6 Metal Stencils with a variety of shapes and letters to choose from.

Fountain pens

I have a couple fountain pens but I’m definitely not an expert in this world. In fact, there are entire cultures that revolve around fountain pens, inks, and the paper to write on with those inks. If you’re not familiar with the website and podcast called Pen Addict, it’s worth your time to check it out if you want to learn more about the world of Fountain pens. But here at Stationery Nerd, I only recommend what I’ve used or had personal experience with, right? SO my fountain pen recommendation is the Lamy Safari Fountain Pen – it’s a beginner model (from what I’m told) but it’s a good first step into the world of pens. Maybe one day I’ll dive more fully into this world and learn all about the obsession these folks talk about.

Markers

Speaking of obsessions…. we bullet journalists know the love we all share for Tombow markers. I’ve just purchased the Tombow Twin Tone Markers (Pastel and Bright sets) and I’m waiting anxiously for them to arrive. But I’ve used my friend Amy’s Tombows and know how great they are already. If you’re buying for a bullet journalist who wants to learn (or is already a pro) at brush calligraphy, then the Tombow Dual Brush pens would be the ideal gift. There are a number of color pack options, so check to see which ones they already have and help them fill out their collection.

Photo Printer

I first bought my HP Sprocket a year or so ago just before I went on a cruise vacation. I knew I wanted to create a photo travel journal (I use my Scribbles That Matter for that). I also knew that I wanted to come home with FINISHED travel spreads in my journal because if I wait till I get home, it never seems to get done. So this worked out perfectly for me — I’d find a quiet place to journal at the end of each day and print some photos from the day, adding them to my journaling pages.  Here’s a peek at why my messy travel pages look like. It’s just journaling, an itinerary, what I ate, some photos stuffed into the margins and glued in maps or momentoes (yes, that’s a photo of one of the burgers I had from Guy’s Burger Joint — the absolutely best burgers I’ve ever eaten in my life!).

My travel journal

 

A Companion to the Bullet Journal Gift Package

It’s always nice to have a few creature comforts around when you sit down for a bullet journaling session. Some nice music, a candle or two, and a cup of tea (or glass of wine) will round out the planning experience. DO you try to carve out an hour or two of quiet time at the end of a busy week to make plans for the coming week? Maybe a couple hours at your desk on a Sunday evening to set up all your plans for the following days is just the thing you need to get in the right mindset for achieving your goals. Why not include a few of these comfort items along with the bullet journal supplies.

  • Music
  • Candles
  • Tea (or wine)

Music

If you know your friend well enough to know their musical tastes, definitely pick up a CD or digital music pack they will love. Lately, I’ve been binge-listening to Iron & Wine and can’t get enough of everything they’ve put out.  If you don’t know what your friend might like, you could always get an Amazon Unlimited Streaming Music subscription.

Candles

I’m a sucker for beautiful scented candles. I’ll light one and just let it burn all day to scent the house while I go about my day.  Right now I’m using a Glade Pumpkin Spice Candle that I received as a gift – it also came with a Frosting with Love (sugar cookie scent) so I’ll use that one next. I really love Yankee Candles and could spend an hour in that store just choosing which new scent to get next (just grab a gift card to Yankee Candle and let your friend pick out their own). Oh, wait… men are bullet journalers too and they need candles. LOL! Check out these Man Cave Candles in manly scents like leather and wood.

Tea (or wine)

I love the idea of having a special teacup and saucer set that I use for special occasions or when I want to curl up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and have some quiet time alone. This gorgeous Lenox Butterfly Tea Cup and Saucer is something I’d be drawn to. How gorgeous is this?! Pair it with some lovely gourmet teas that you pick up at the local coffee shop, maybe? But alas, I’m not a tea drinker even though I love the idea of being a tea drinker. I’m a coffee girl. But let’s not ignore the other option. Wine! Who wouldn’t love a bullet journal gift pack that includes a bottle of wine and a fun wine glass?

Who are you buying for?

Share a comment below and tell us who you’re buying for and what you plan to wrap up this holiday season. What other gift ideas should we add to the list?

Happy Shopping!