While online shopping the other day, I stumbled upon this little ensemble:

Is it ok to give music-themed gifts to musicians? I recommend considering:

• The recipient’s sense of humor.
• The recipient’s style. If you’ve never seen her wear a broach, that rhinestone-studded G clef is probably a bad idea.
• The amount of music-themed stuff the recipient already owns.

(If you’re wondering what I thought of the musical hat and gloves above, I declared, “They’re so wrong, they’re right!” Unfortunately Nordstrom is sold out of the black and white version, so we’re left with some pretty questionable color combinations.)

So if musical pajamas are out of the question, what do you get the musician in your life? I have a few ideas.*

A toasty pair of gloves/mittens. Cold hands are a pianist’s worst enemy because you lose manual dexterity. For a pianist, having colds hands is like a dancer not having feet.

Add-on gift: Instant hand warmers. You can buy them at sporting goods stores like EMS or maybe Wal-Mart.

A travel Thermos or water bottle. Staying hydrated is especially important to singers, but I think other musicians would enjoy this gift as well. Musicians tend to spend a lot of time traveling between gigs, rehearsals, and classrooms.

Add-on gift: A Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks gift card. This is a nice treat for someone probably can’t (or shouldn’t) shell out for a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte on a regular basis.

A tote bag. Musicians are always carrying around books and scores, and some like to do it in style! The bag should be large enough to fit a three-ring binder. There’s no shortage of designer tote bags (like Tory Burch), but you can also find handmade tote bags on Etsy.

Add-on gift: A weekly planner. I know most phones have calendars these days, but it’s often faster to whip out an old-school notebook.

So there you have it! If you think my ideas are sucky, or if you have other suggestions, please comment below.