Do you need to find a Secret Santa gift for a workmate? Are you looking for something to impress a client, or perhaps you just want to reward an employee with an extra special Christmas present?

Whoever you’re buying for, we have curated a top selection of quirky gifts that anyone working in events will love. And whether you want to splash out or you’re watching your pennies, there’s something to suit your pocket, so take your pick!

1.Instant zip fixers – £2.97

We’ve all been there; getting ready for an important event, grappling with a sticky zip and – ping – it comes off in your hand. Disaster, you now have to rifle through your wardrobe in a panic looking for something else to wear. This is especially stressful if you’re away from home and only have the contents of your suitcase to choose from (baggy jumper to a gala dinner, anyone?). Or maybe it’s your suitcase zip that’s broken and your smalls are spilling out all over the baggage carousel! Well, if you have a pack of instant zip fixers in your bag, you can rest easy – just clip them on and zip up. You can even be the hero, coming to the aid of speakers, sponsors or exhibitors suffering zip calamities –  an essential for any event organiser’s toolkit, and only a few quid on Amazon, so perfect for low-budget Secret Santas.

2. Rideable luggage – $1,395 (£1,041)

Has your team clocked up some miles this year? Let them take the weight off in 2018 by treating them to a bag they can ride on. The incredible Modobag is a motorised suitcase that can carry a load of 118kg and travel at 5mph inside and 8mph outside. It means you can get around an airport, train station or exhibition hall three times faster than usual. A single charge can take you as far as six miles, so getting to the far-flung boarding gates of those budget airlines becomes a doddle – no need to break a sweat! What’s more, the Modobag has built-in GPRS so you can track its whereabouts with an app, meaning no more lost luggage. It even has a USB port for charging your phone. Priced like a small, second hand car, however, it’s no stocking filler, but there is a discount if you buy for the whole team – a clutch of five Modobags costs $6,725 (£5,024).

3. Revolutionary travel pillow – £41.44 

Event organisers have to grab shuteye where they can get it. Woolip is an innovative new inflatable travel pillow that promises to make it possible to sleep in economy. What’s unique about it is that it facilitates rest in multiple positions. By resting the base of the pillow on the tray table, you can sleep leaning forwards with your face down (there’s a cut out hole) or to the side. Or you can sleep propped up, using the pillow as a chin rest. Got a window seat? Make the most of it, by placing your pillow against the window for a comfy kip. You’ll arrive fresh and ready to face the day.

4. Snag resistant tights – £11.24

A ladder in your tights is never a good look, especially if you’re on your way into an important client meeting, about to go on stage or attending a gala dinner. If you don’t have another pair to hand, you’re left painting your leg with nail polish in the vain hope it will stop the snag running any further. However, if these snag resistant tights are as good as they look, you might never have to experience that again. You might not even have to buy another pair of tights again. They’re not just a great gift for the girls in your team, having a pair of these tights in your emergency kit could save the day when one of your guests suffers an untimely rip.

5. Digital paper – £579 

You’ll never find an event professional without a notepad – it’s a tool of the job. But isn’t it time that tool got a high tech makeover for the digital era? It’s happened; you can now get a ‘paper tablet’, which you can write and draw on. reMarkable has a matt surface that feels just like paper and uses digital ink to provide crisp pen strokes – it even works for lefties because you can rest your hand on the display (without smudging your work). You can also open documents on the tablet and annotate directly on the page, saving you from having to print off paper copies. But perhaps the best thing about reMarkable is that it lets you keep all your notes in one place, organise and share them, meaning you can clear your mind and your desk at the same time!

6. Hands-free drink holder – $24.95 (£18.48)

Have you ever wished you had an extra pair of hands? Most event organisers have. Well, now you can carry your drink even when your hands are full, thanks to the BevBuckle. It’s a belt buckle that flips down to become a drinks holder and, even though it sounds kind of crazy, it’s become a viral success since appearing on the American version of Dragons’ Den. The buckle comes in a variety of designs, all of which will make you look like a cowboy. On the plus side, it’ll be a talking point at networking events, so you’ll never be a lone ranger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDLNz5Vi-RI

7. Translating earphones – €349 (£304.20)

Wireless in-ear headphones make life on the go easier, but this set by Bragi can do more than simply keep you connected to your phone. The Dash Pro earphones (used in conjunction with the iTranslate app) can translate 40 languages, in real time, right in your ear. Listening to a keynote in German? No problem, just tap your phone and hear it in English. Need to ask directions in Paris or explain to a Japanese delegate where the loos are? With this clever combo you can pull down the language barrier. When you talk, your words will be translated and played by your phone, while you’ll hear the response in your headphones. If the person you’re conversing with also has The Dash Pro, you can connect the devices for a completely seamless, hands-free translation experience.

8. ‘Lazy’ tablet mount – £16.99

Here’s another hands-free gadget for the continually multitasking EventProf. The Tyrone Gooseneck Tablet Stand can be attached to your bed’s headboard, desk or kitchen counter to hold your device in position when you can’t. It’s great for work, but you can use it for relaxing too. Watch a movie on the train or plane without getting neck cramp by attaching the mount to the tray table, or enjoy some hands-free bedtime reading. Now you can lie back and catch up on the Eventbrite blog in complete comfort!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsUT90NsC8A

9. Transforming shoes – from €190 (£165.60) 

Shoe choice for the female event professional is a tricky one. As you’re on your feet all day, comfort is important but you don’t want to look out of place among your smartly dressed attendees and clients – so do you go for flats or heels? Thanks to these incredible transforming shoes by Mime et Moi, you don’t have to choose. The German-engineered shoes come with a selection of interchangeable heels so you can go from flat to midi to high in seconds. The heels simply click into place, meaning you no longer have to cart around a bag big enough to fit a change of shoes. They come in a great range of colours and designs too, so you don’t have to compromise on style.

10. Supercharged planner – $37.50 (£27.84)

Help your colleagues have a successful 2018 by gifting them The Full Focus Planner, a planner that promises to help people reach their goals. It’s designed by Michael Hyatt, author of bestselling motivational books ‘Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World’ and ‘Living Forward’. With a framework for tracking your everyday tasks, quarterly targets, and yearly goals, Hyatt reckons it “represents the perfect intersection of annual goal-setting and daily productivity”.
The planner also provides a template for conducting weekly and quarterly reviews and an outline for “optimising your weekends” so you can make every area of your life more fruitful.

Conclusion

Your event colleagues are bound to love these innovative gifts. Which would you most like to find under your Christmas tree this year? Let us know!