There|are no words to describe 2020 -so let me pose a question instead, "if 2020 was a holiday movie, what movie would it be?" 

My choice is Gremlins.You may remember this as a 1984 comedy horror film (did I just date myself?) that features a super cute little mogwai named Gizmo that multiplies when Pete accidentally spills water on him. Then, the little critters turn into grubby, conniving scary, bar-drinking, candy-and-cookie-batter-loving, Christmas carol-singing, ugly little green monsters...all because they ate a plate of cold fried chicken after midnight.

I don't know about you, but this all sounds like 2020 to me. So if you're laying low like the good citizens of Kingston Falls should have -you know, the town the Gremlins terrorized? And you're cozying up to the fireplace, outdoor heat lamps and office space heaters this coming week... there has never been a better time than now to do some  online holiday shopping. And the 5th annual 2020 DevNet Holiday Gift Guide is here to help you.

Every year, it is our DevNet team's special mission to seek out and share our ideas on the best dev/tech friendly gift for that special someone in your life.

So put on that ugly holiday sweater that you don't wear ironically (like me) and kick-start your shopping by listening to "Last Christmas" on repeat, by the impeccable WHAM!  There I go, dating myself again. OK, let's go! (Author's Note: This blog would not be complete without my new Gremlin's-themed ugly sweater, purchased with absolutely no shame and for your entertainment purposes.)

The 5th annual 2020 DevNet Holiday Gift Guide

Bose Sleep Buds II 

This is our good friend,Joe Clarke's pick, because as he describes best -there's enough stress in life, especially around the holidays! We may not all agree on the same things, but one thing we can agree on is that a good night's sleep is supposed to be easy! Joe has shared first-hand experience in that these gems fit flush in the ear so that you can comfortably sleep on your side listening to the soothing sounds of frogs and crickets chirping, chasing waterfalls, honking taxis, raging fire trucks or in Joe's case, airplane noise. To quote Joe directly, "Don't go to sleep without them!"

Plantronics 205300-01 Voyager 5200 Bluetooth Headset

Nikita Singhand I have something in common, much like many of you. We had KIDS at home and we're juggling work, life, cooking, shopping, family, virtual classroom, doctor appointments, FaceTime with relatives. Need I say more? In Nikita's case, she has a cute little toddler running around -so she knows more than anyone that we all need to be mobile to keep up with them. According to Nikita, this headset is "absolutely amazing," as it allows you to move around seamlessly while allowing you to continue with your work and calls and FaceTime and online shopping and...well you know, all of the above and more!

Yamaha Electronic Drum Set (DTX402K)

As we sing along with Todd Rundgren in Green Bay for our Packers (9-3) rally cry, "I want to bang on my drum all day." Our colleagueChristopher Van Der Madesuggests de-stressing and keeping in shape with this awesome Yamaha drum set that includes 10 kits, 10 songs and 10 training functions that allow you to rock out to all your favorite holiday and non-holiday jams (Foo Fighters, anyone?). According to Amazon, the DTX402 series was created to help beginning drummers build skills quickly through a fun, interactive experience. It offers a quiet design and improved pads that create genuine playability and make practicing enjoyable. So now's the time to bang on those drums all day and all night!

Sleep Connection Anti-Snore Wristband

I think my favorite selling point to this fantastic little gadget designed to stop snoring instantly, is its claim that quote "this high-tech device is said to be saving marriages and relationships!" SOLD.Charlene O'Learysuggests this anti-snore device that is similar to a watch that you wear on your wrist and detects when you are snoring and gives you a tiny electrical impulse on your wrist to alert you. We can all use a little more sleep these days and nothing says "I love you" more to your partner than a little electricity!

GeForce RTX? 3090

From what I hear, everyone wants this. Trouble is, they're hard to come by. But the good news is, hopefully they'll be back in time to use all those gift cards you weren't sure how you'd spend anyway! Our teammatePranav Pednekarsuggested this ferocious GPU (BFGPU) with TITAN class performance. According to the website, it's powered by Ampere-NVIDIA's 2nd gen RTX architecture-doubling down on ray tracing and AI performance with enhanced Ray Tracing (RT) Cores, Tensor Cores, and new streaming multiprocessors. Plus, it features a staggering 24 GB of G6X memory, all to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. Game on, friends! (in a few months anyway when the GPUs come back in stock).

Plant Subscription Services

Who doesn't need a little green serenity and extra oxygen in their lives? I personally am not one with a green thumb (I kill succulents on a regular basis). But why not make it easier on yourself or a loved one to enjoy a little nature in your home with a plant subscription? ApartmentTherapy.com suggests eight of their favorite services that deliver plants to your doorstep in a frequency that works best for you. This super unique gift idea fromAnne Gentleis sure to please your gift recipient, especially if you know that person can keep the plant alive for the year they arrive!

KiwiCo Kits

KiwiCo Kits inspire the next generation of innovators. With subscription-based kits targeted to children and adults ranging in age from 0 to 104, KiwiCo celebrates our natural creativity and curiosity. Now more than ever, there is a desire to find new ways to spend time together. So why not enrich our minds and souls at the same time, while prepping our young ones for the future?Rafe Needlemanis a big fan of these kits and project-based gifts for the "lockdown months." His favorite is the Kiwi Tinker Crate, a laboratory for hands-on STEM projects designed for kids aged 9-16. There are so many variations of age-appropriate kits at different levels, you're sure to get inspired with awesome kid-approved, STEM-friendly projects monthly.

The Child Real Moves Plush by Mattel -Star Wars: The Mandalorian

What holiday shopping list is complete without aBaby Yodaon it? I had one on our list last year -and it's still as popular as ever. I've seen blankets, t-shirts, bath towels, shower curtains. Did you ever see Spaceballs? Merchandising, merchandising! Star Wars never quits, neither should you.Silvia Spivais intrigued with this child from Star Wars: The Mandalorian. You can use the wrist strap remote control unit with its joystick to command your little Yoda to follow you, spin around, move his ears, head and arms, play hide and seek, make sounds, and more. Not going to lie, that may personally creep me out a little, but hey -who am I to deny our kids a super cool Baby Yoda!?

And to wrap us all up

Why not gift that special developer in your life with the gift of a DevNet Fundamentals course? There is no better way to prepare for your DevNet Certification to achieve the DevNet Class of 2020 status or set them (or yourself!) up for a stellar 2021. For a limited time, we are offering 50% off any access plan you choose. Learn more, and sign up today to take that next step in your career or help pay it forward to your family, colleagues and friends!

With that, thanks for tuning in to this year's Cisco DevNet Holiday Gift Guide. As always, if you have more gift ideas to share, feel free to drop them in the comments below! And feel free to share your ideas for "if 2020 was a holiday movie, what movie would it be?" Some choices - Bad Santa? DieHard? A Nightmare Before Christmas?... I can go on, but we want to hear your ideas!

Cheers to you all and to all, a good night.
Happy shopping!

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