"A PowerStick portable charger that I got at Mashable Connect. It's a small, convenient secondary power source that comes with several adapters."
—Mitra Sorrells, associate editor and Orlando bureau chief
"Following a press luncheon for the soon-to-open Marriott Marquis Washington DC, we received heavy-duty umbrellas. It's a practical and smart gift because it doubles as advertising: Thousands of New Yorkers will see the hotel's logo when I use the umbrella. No paperweight will have that kind of impact."
—Beth Kormanik, senior editor
"Essence magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood Oscar week awards luncheon is known to give its feminine-minded goodies in a great reusable gift bag. I use my cute, roomy totes from previous years’ events as carry-ons whenever I travel. Blueprint Studios' holiday gift this year was also super useful: a small backup charging device to give smartphones extra juice on the go. A perfect tool for an event reporter!"
—Alesandra Dubin, West Coast editor
"I received a pair of New Balance sneakers from a fall preview event the company hosted in 2012. The shoes are perfect for when I decide to work out or hike, and it doesn't hurt that they're cute, too."
—Nadia Chaudhury, photo editor
"I still use a portable speaker from a sponsor at the South by Southwest music festival. It's been with me everywhere: the beach, rooftops, the park, house parties. It's lightweight, loud, and—best of all—portable. It's one party favor that actually keeps the party going."
—Jill Menze, copy chief/Web producer
"A juice company launched in Chicago a couple of years ago and gave out promotional T-shirts that said 'Juice Is the New Cupcake.' It's soft and it fits really well, and I still wear it to work out. I just forget what it says on it, so I'm always surprised when juice enthusiasts read the T-shirt's slogan back to me and smile knowingly, as though I'm a fellow juicer (I'm not)."
—Jenny Berg, associate editor/Chicago bureau chief
"It's no surprise, but notebooks and pens are still the most useful items to get, especially at events for editors. One Fashion Week, AOL sponsored the media lounge at the Lincoln Center tents and gave out branded notebooks. It was nothing fancy, but those things went like hot cakes, and I still have—and use—mine."
—Anna Sekula, executive editor
"Moleskine notebooks are always a fun and practical gift for a swag bag. I wrote in every page of my BET Networks-branded Moleskine from the BET Honors. And the guest who has everything could always use another notebook. On the other hand, I currently have an extremely hefty, baby pink Versace crystal coaster on my kitchen table that I received in a swag bag at a Versace fashion presentation in Washington, pre-recession. Not something that fits in with my lifestyle per se, but it's both glam and useful!"
—Adele Chapin, Washington contributing editor
Editor's Note: This is in no way intended as a solicitation for more swag to be sent our way.
