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2018 holiday gift guide for Prince fans

Detail of a purple tea towel from Etsy shop Bold & Noble.
Detail of a purple tea towel from Etsy shop Bold & Noble.

by Staff

December 12, 2018

From homebodies to get-up-and-goers, from the bibliophiles to the audiophiles, there's a Prince-themed gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list this year. We've compiled some gift ideas into a guide to help you find something for every Prince fan in your life.

The Bookworm

Prince: Before The Rain is by long-time Prince photographer, Allen Beaulieu, and features never-before-seen photos and the stories behind those photos. Beaulieu worked with Prince during the late '70s and early '80s, his most notable photos being the cover art for Dirty Mind (1980) and Controversy (1981). We have a full review of the book from our Rock and Roll Book Club if you aren't sold yet. Prince A to Z is a distinctly not-for-kids alphabet book that looks at all the different intricacies of the icon. This one offers fun Prince facts and beautiful illustrations and is a great gift for those casual Prince fans in your life. (MJ)

The Host

According to a concert rider from the 2004 Musicology Tour, Prince was an avid tea drinker (and/or his crew were); he requested a box of Yogi Cocoa Spice Tea and a box of Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea sampler backstage at every show. Why not pick out a box of one of Prince's favorites to accompany this cute, illustrated Prince mug along with this Prince-themed tea towel so they can put their Prince passion on display the next time they have someone over for tea. (MJ)

The Music Buff

For the collector in your life, a copy of Piano & a Microphone 1983 may be the gift for them, hopefully, they haven't bought it for themselves yet. This collection of previously unreleased gems is the first full album release from Prince's vault, and you can read a full review of it from September when it was our album of the week.

Your music aficionado friends might also enjoy this Minneapolis Sound t-shirt. With Prince front and center, the flowchart design features other Minneapolis favorites such as André Cymone and Morris Day and is great for those who love local music but know who the true Minnesota favorite is. (MJ)

The Creative

Here is a goofy t-shirt featuring Prince as a centaur while shredding the guitar, made obvious by the multiple lightning bolts bursting from said shredded guitar. Your eclectic artist friend can wear it while they color in their new Prince coloring book. Throw in a pack of fresh colored pencils and call it a day! (MJ)

The Doer

For that person who loves to get up and go, why not give them the gift of experiencing first-hand Prince's world with tickets for a Paisley Park tour. They can tour the Purple One's home, seeing glimpses of his private life and production process — and if you're lucky they just might pick out some exclusive Paisley Park merch to gift to you for the next holiday season. (MJ)

The Fashion Plate

Prince literally wore his love for Minneapolis on his sleeve, and you can do the same with your love for Prince. One of First Avenue's new holiday sweaters includes a single gold star just for you-know-who. The Prince estate has also just released a slew of new shirts and other merch corresponding to the recently-announced purple vinyl reissues of Musicology3121, and Planet Earth. (JG)

Written by Maia Jacobson (MJ) and Jay Gabler (JG)

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.