#stationery

#stationery

The best gifts are the ones that are weird in the most genius ways. These Amazon finds quickly cross from "what is that?" to "I need that," and these clever gadgets don't even cost more than $25. These items turn ordinary tasks into fun experiences, spark delight with unexpected functions, or bring a lightning bolt of personality into someone's everyday routine. The gift ideas on this list can spark laughter while making people pause and realize that they actually do need something this weird.

Please, give me any excuse at all to test out inky new pens, peel apart a stack of sticky notes, or crease open a fresh notebook. Thankfully, online stationery brand Papier has answered my pleas in a way even more gorgeous than I could have imagined: the 24 Days of Desk Delights Advent Calendar. I tested the advent calendar for myself, and I am pleased to report this treasure trove of stationery is downright dreamy.

Niimura created a place where one can do just that. Chinatown's Paper Plant Co. is her stationery outpost, made of two small storefronts that share a space with Thank You Coffee and boast outdoor seating. A communal destination since 2020, the shop has earned a reputation for specializing in notebooks, stickers and pens from Japan. Or, as Niimura describes Paper Plant's aesthetic: "cute."

For the past four decades, a massive event older than Dreamforce and TechCrunch Disrupt combined has been drawing crowds of thousands from all over the world to airport-adjacent hotel ballrooms south of the city. Held during the last weekend of August, the gathering is the second largest of its kind in the country and a decidedly big deal for anyone in the know. It's the San Francisco International Pen Show.

Ahead, three exclusive, just-for-R/G-subscribers coupon codes for those who still love shopping for school supplies and more. Above: The Postalco 2026 Calendar from Wms&Co. Over at Wms&Co., Remodelista and Gardenista subscribers can take 20 percent off this collection of exquisitely practical back-to-work essentialsplanners, pads, and WFH organizational tools perfect for fall transitionsfrom August 24 through September 2. Enter code REMODELISTA20-Fall at checkout.

The AFMAT Electric Pencil Sharpener is shaped like a robot and looks pretty much like a toy, yet it is a fully functional automatic pencil sharpener with a fun and colorful design. It's easy to use: simply drop the pencil in, and once it's sharpened to the level you choose, it will automatically eject the pencil.

San Pedro Saturdays is a fresh outdoor event dedicated to stationery, handmade crafts, and artistic expression, transforming Stationery Depot into a hub for local talent.

Field Notes' one-day-only film festival celebrates the intentionality behind their quarterly notebooks, showcasing short films that reflect their ethos of creativity and tangible tools.

Like everything else old-school and superfluous by modern standards, writing with a fountain pen is a lovely rebuttal to our ugly digital world.