The ultimate gifts for the developer in your life this holiday season

‘Tis the season to celebrate the programmer, the debugger, and the coffee-fueled late-night coder in your life! If you’re on the hunt for the perfect holiday gifts for the developer who has it all, look no further (or if you’re that developer, send this on). We’ve curated a list of 10 must-have items (plus a few more) that strike the perfect balance between practicality and style.

1. Socks, really?!

We’ve all been there. You open up your present and it’s yet another pair of socks. But socks are always useful so it’s time to level them up into awesome present status. How? Feast your eyes on these. They’re not just your average sock, we think you’ll agree. We’ll leave the socks and sandals debate up to you and your loved ones.

2. For the mechanical keyboard enthusiasts

Can you ship code faster if you have the Ship It Squirrel right at your fingertips? We think so, so we bring you our meticulously-crafted PBT GitHub Keycaps, tailor-made for Cherry MX or compatible switches.

3. Skateboard for coding breaks

Developers need breaks, too, and what better way to take a breather than with a skateboard. Whether you’re cruising through lines of code or taking a break in the park, this skateboard is the perfect way to combine passion for coding with a love for the open road. Alternatively, we won’t think less of you if it’s just to have as a nice virtual meeting background, which nicely dovetails to the next potential gift.

4. Style your office

Work from home? Then you might want to be treated to a few fancy extras for your office. Choose from our LED light, our felt pennant or our recycled desk mat. And if you need a coding buddy to help you debug, Mona is always here to help.

5. Stay hydrated in style

For the developer who needs both water and coffee to fuel their coding sessions, we have the solution. Fill up the Asobu Marina tumbler with water and when you’re ready for that coffee break—simply unscrew the bottom section and you have a ready-made coffee cup to go. Just fill it with your favorite holiday beverage! The best part? It’s insulated so it’ll keep on staying piping hot even if you’re out in the icy cold. And not to leave our tropical and southern hemisphere buddies out, that ice coffee will stay cool when you’re in the sun, too.

6. Don’t let your head fly solo

And while you’re holding that iced coffee, keep the sun off your face with your copilot—helpful in code, helpful in life. Our new Copilot trucker hat will help you elevate your style and keep you cool.

7. T-shirts with a difference

We love our Octocat t-shirts but recently we’ve brought in a few t-shirts with a difference. Check out our “GitHub Logo” t-shirt (IFYKYK) or everyone’s favorite pull request comment, our LGTM long-sleeve tee, along with our new Copilot tee (also in fitted). Looks good to us! Team them perfectly with our Invertocat joggers for some pre-New Year’s relaxation time.

8. Something for your commute

New year, new you? If your commute look needs a little upgrade then feast your eyes on our new Timbuk2 Parkside Laptop Backpack. Not only is it beautiful but it’s also made from 100% pre-consumer recycled materials, and can hold, well, pretty much everything you need as you head into work, run your errands or just head to the park. And if you’re looking for something smaller then check out our two hip packs, the Cotopaxi will surprise you with its unique-to-you colorway, and the belt bag looks sleek on the outside and fun on the inside.

9. Brighten up a rainy day

This pocket umbrella is determined to brighten up your day with a multitude of Monas on the inside. More than just protection from rain; it’s a statement for developers on the move.

10. For the Octokittens in your life

Have a little one in your life that you want to share your love of coding with? Start early with our Octokitten Onesie or you and your little one can match with our Octokitten and Octocat hoodies. Our Mona plushies are always a winner too.

If that’s not been enough to whet your appetite then take a look at the rest of our GitHub Shop for far more goodies for this holiday season. Don’t forget to get your order in quick before things sell out, or if you want to get it in time for the holidays.

Found something you love? Show us what you ordered over on social with #GitHubSwag or tag @GitHub on Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TikTok. We wish you all a happy holiday!

Written by

Lavinia Sfetcu

@laviniasf

Chrissy Nasi

@chrissynasi