Vinyl is totally en vogue again after being “shelved” for over a decade that’s why if you’re thinking of a great gift for Christmas – something that would totally make them smile from ear to ear – a custom vinyl record isn’t such a bad idea. We’re not talking about old vinyl records pressed years ago and are sold in flea markets, we’re talking about vinyl records of current artists like Lady Gaga and Harry Styles. Many artists, even the indies who are not handled by big labels, have vinyl records nowadays. That is because fans actually buy them and it’s so easy for musicians to make vinyl today (100 custom vinyl pressing records cost less than $1500)!
Here are three legit reasons why they’ll love this gift (in fact they’re so cool you’d want to gift yourself with it, too):
#1. We all have digital fatigue right now and anything non-digital would have higher value.
How many Zoom meetings did you have this year? How many hours are we glued to our screens whether it be our laptops or TV or tablet? With the pandemic happening all over the globe and everyone being forced to use the internet and digital technology in almost everything we do, we get so tired of it! We get sick and tired of consuming stuff from our black screens morning till night. Even music…we get them from Spotify and Youtube and iTunes and they start to get so boring even if the music is fine. You know this feeling, we all know this feeling.
We want something to hold and to touch. Something we can smell and see in 3D! This is probably the reason why vinyl records are such a hit this year that it even surpassed CD sales. I mean…if we’re so deprived from something physical, we might as well go for the real deal– the vinyl record. It’s experiential, it adds some mood to our home which we are cooped in for the past 10 months or so. It is pretty much the same as our instant interest in interior design, plants, and baking during the pandemic. If you know a music lover, giving them a vinyl record of their favorite artists would light up their faces. This is almost a guarantee!
#2 Music is a form of therapy and we all need it right now
When you play music on vinyl, you need to be in a comfortable chair to sit on while listening to these records. You can’t take the turntable with you when you go to the toilet or cook in the kitchen, you need to be present…to be in the same space as the music. This forces us to not multitask and just listen to music. This forces us to slow down and appreciate each second. Plus, the mood that vinyl records create compared to the digital counterparts is warmer and more tender. It’s like being near a fireplace–it’s soothing. If they close their eyes and let their thoughts wander while listening to records, this could be the “restart” that their soul needs once in a while. We all need these today: to get lost in our imaginations and to escape through our dreams. Good music is a good catalyst for both.
#3 There are just so many cool vinyl records today!
If you want to give the best Christmas albums on vinyl to match the season, go ahead. They’re cool. But…if you want to give them the best vinyl records that they’d actually be proud to add on their shelves, give them handsome special edition vinyl sets. There are splatter vinyl, 7” picture discs that come in many shapes and colors, clear vinyl records, “metallic” vinyl records, and so much more. There are also vinyl records with elaborate vinyl packaging. A little pricey than usual but since we’re talking about gifts…The good thing about gifting and owning really awesome vinyl records is that it has value. You can show it off to friends and maybe sell it later when you get tired of it, something you can never do to mp3s, right?
So go ahead, don’t think twice. If you’re looking for a gift that’s worth it, buy the favorite album of your loved ones in vinyl records. You’ll surely have something nice to listen to and geek about while eating your Christmas ham.
