From local crafts to new books, UC Berkeley’s holiday gift guide has it all
Peruse hand-crafted pottery at an art studio pop-up shop, order a gift certificate to a campus performance or swing by the Cal Student Store to find a gift with a Berkeley touch for the holidays
December 3, 2019
For this year’s holiday gifts, look no further than UC Berkeley. Stop by the Lawrence Hall of Science’s Discovery Corner Toy and Bookstore for a Sunprint Kit or create your own tote bag at Moffitt Library’s Makerspace. Give the gift of food by donating to Cal Nourish or pick up a thrifty find at the campus’s ReUSE store. Select a new book by campus experts on current issues or give the gift of wellness with a Greater Good Toolkit. And don’t forget to swing by the Cal Student Store to pick up your favorite Cal gear. See a campus map for directions.
Do-it-yourself
The UC Botanical Garden is holding a wreath-making workshop on Dec. 11.
Wreath-making workshop: The UC Botanical Garden is holding a wreath-making workshop on Dec. 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Greens from the garden’s global plant collection and other natural adornments are included, along with reusable wire wreath form. Crafters should bring their own hand pruners and gloves. The cost is $55 for members and $65 for non-members. Registration is required. Learn more about the UC Botanical Garden.
UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, (510) 664-7606, [email protected]
Botanical craft workshop: Create gifts and decorations, from mini wreaths to hanging globes, with living succulents and tillandsias at the UC Botanical Garden. There are two sessions offered on Dec. 8 — the morning craft workshop session runs from 10 a.m. to noon and the afternoon craft workshop session runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $50 for members and $45 for non-members. Registration is recommended. Learn more about the UC Botanical Garden.
UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, (510) 664-7606, [email protected]
The campus community can create one-of-a-kind gifts at Moffitt Library’s Makerspace.
Makerspace: Moffitt Library’s Makerspace has all the tools you need to create a one-of-a-kind gift this holiday season. Build an ornament with a 3D printer or scroll saw, create a personalized decal with a vinyl cutter or make a custom T-shirt or tote bag with vinyl transfers and a heat press. Drop-in hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For assistance, you can schedule an appointment with a staff member.
First floor of Moffitt Library, [email protected]
Cal gear and merchandise
The Cal Student Store sells Cal swag for the whole family. (Photo by Brittany Hosea-Small)
Cal Student Store: Find your favorite Cal gear, from fleece joggers and rugby striped scarves to coolers and satchels, at the Cal Student Store. All sales help support student organizations and programs. Staff receive 20% off of an in-store purchase through Dec. 6; international students receive 20% off of an in-store purchase on Dec. 10 and transfer students receive 20% off of an in-store purchase on Dec. 11.
MLK Jr. Building, ASUC Student Union, 2495 Bancroft, Berkeley, (510) 229-4703, [email protected]
Local handmade goods
The Berkeley Art Studio’s pop-up shop opens Dec. 10.
Art studio pop-up shop: Stop by the Berkeley Art Studio’s holiday pop-up shop to peruse a selection of artist-made ceramics, drawings, paintings, prints, photographs and jewelry. The shop is open Dec. 10 to 19, from noon to 10 p.m. during the week and noon to 5 p.m. on the weekend. The art studio also sells gift certificates for art classes, which are good for one year and can be applied to any type of class if the fees are the same. Learn more about the Berkeley Art Studio.
Stephens Lounge (at the top of the stairs in the MLK Jr. Building), (510) 642-6161, [email protected]
UC Botanical Garden’s holiday pop-up shop opens Dec. 12.
Garden pop-up shop: Visit UC Botanical Garden’s Julia Morgan Hall to choose from a selection of goods by local vendors and the garden, from art prints to succulent gardens to spices. Proceeds benefit the garden. The shop is open Dec. 12 to 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Members can get a preview of the shop on Dec. 11 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and can register and attend for a chance to win a $100 gift card to use at the garden’s gift shop or plant deck. Learn more about the UC Botanical Garden.
UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, (510) 664-7606, [email protected]
Support and donate
La Cocina’s Cantina is one of six nonprofit food vendors at the ASUC Student Union in the MLK Jr. Building.
Nonprofit food vendors: Pick up a gift card to one of the ASUC Student Union’s six nonprofit food vendors, including La Cocina’s Cantina, a kitchen incubator working to solve problems of equity in business ownership for women, immigrants and people of color, and 1951 Coffee Company, an organization that promotes the well-being of the refugee community by providing job training and employment to refugees.
MLK Jr. Building, ASUC Student Union, 2495 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, (510) 664-7976, [email protected]
Tree sale: Every winter, students from the Cal Forestry Club travel to the Sierra Nevada to harvest white fir and incense-cedar trees, donated by Sierra Pacific Industries, that would not normally survive to maturity. Tree sizes range from two feet to 10 feet, with larger trees available by request. Trees will go on sale for $6 per foot on Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. at the south side of Mulford Hall on campus on a first-come, first-served basis. All proceeds will help fund Cal Forestry’s annual trip to the Society of American Foresters Convention and other club events. Fill out an interest form by Dec. 5 to help the club gauge interest in sizes and species of trees. Learn more about the Cal Forestry Club.
Cal Nourish: Give the gift of food by donating to Cal Nourish, a campus initiative that helps feed Berkeley students who struggle to make ends meet during the winter break. Donations will be distributed to undergraduate and graduate students in programs across campus, including the Student Parent Center and the Undocumented Student Program.
The ReUSE campus thrift store is open through Dec. 13.
ReUSE: Drop by ReUSE, the campus’s student-run nonprofit thrift store, through Dec. 13 to look for thrifty gifts, from clothing to electronics, for $3 or less. Books, readers and office supplies are free. You can also donate warm clothing — sweaters, scarves, jackets, hats and gloves — which the store donates to the homeless each winter. See a schedule for up-to-date ReUSE hours.
Lower level of the MLK Jr. Building, ASUC Student Union, 2495 Bancroft, Berkeley, plus several other ReUSE drop-off and pick-up stations throughout campus, [email protected]
Museums and performances
Treemonisha will be presented by Cal Performances on May 2 and 3, 2020. (Image courtesy of Volcano Theatre Company)
Cal Performances: The largest performing arts presenter in Northern California, Cal Performances presents an expansive year-round lineup, from an evening of songs and stories by the creators of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch to performances and community workshops by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Cal Performances offers gift certificates, which start at $10 and never expire. Buyers can specify an amount or browse the Cal Performances events to choose an amount corresponding to a particular performance, and should make their purchases by Dec. 20 for the holidays (Cal Performances will be closed Dec. 21 and will reopen Jan. 7).
101 Zellerbach Hall, #4800, Berkeley, (510) 642-9988, [email protected]
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive: Find a gift for the cinephiles and art lovers in your life at the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive’s store, where you’ll find everything from locally made jewelry and art books to card games and coaster sets. BAMPFA memberships give museum-goers year-round access to exhibitions, discounted film tickets, plus deals at Bay Area stores, restaurants and cultural institutions.
2155 Center Street, Berkeley, (510) 642-0808, [email protected]
Daniela Cervantes stars in Who Shot la Miguelito?, presented by the Department of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies in October 2019. (UC Berkeley photo by Ben Dillon)
Theater, Dance and Performance Studies: Pieces presented by the Department of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies span powerful dances that explore social issues to contemporary plays with diverse voices that aim to “teach performance as a mode of critical inquiry, creative expression and public engagement.” TDPS gift certificates can be purchased online and redeemed at any time.
[email protected], (510) 642-1677
Lawrence Hall of Science store: Choose from a selection of science-themed gifts at the Lawrence Hall of Science’s Discovery Corner Toy and Bookstore, where there’s something for all ages, including science kits, like a Sunprint Kit, developed by educators at the Lawrence Hall of Science, and a wide array of brainy books. Learn more about the Lawrence Hall of Science.
1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, (510) 642-1016
Health and wellness
The Greater Good Science Center created a toolkit that includes 30 science-based practices to bring more meaning into your life. (Greater Good Science Center photo)
Greater Good Toolkit: The Greater Good Toolkit, created by the Greater Good Science Center, includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life for wellness practitioners or people looking to bring more meaning and well-being into their lives. Each practice is broken into four sections: why it is important, how to do it, why it works and the primary research that supports it. GGSC memberships are also available, which offer access to research-based articles, videos, podcasts, books and courses that aim to help users achieve a more meaningful existence. Learn more about the Greater Good Science Center.
[email protected], (510) 642-2490
Cal Youth Programs offers a variety of summer camps and year-round programs. (UC Berkeley photo by Brittany Hosea-Small)
Cal Youth Programs: Summer camps and year-round programs, from skateboarding to gymnastics to swim lessons, are available through Cal Youth Programs. Extended care and scholarships are available. Registration opens Jan. 29 and gift certificates are available.
[email protected], (510) 643-2267
Home water test: Test your drinking water for up to 400 contaminants with Tap Score by SimpleWater, a science and health services firm launched out of the CITRIS Foundry startup accelerator by a team of UC Berkeley scientists and entrepreneurs with a goal of improving drinking water and long-term health.
Rec Sports membership: Members of the Recreational Sports Facility have access to more than 130 free drop-in group exercise classes and discounted rates on instructional fitness and personal training services, as well as two fitness centers and four pools. A 30-day free trial is available to staff and faculty newcomers. In September 2018, the RSF opened a universal locker room for people of all genders and abilities.
2301 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, [email protected], (510) 642-7796
Sports
Kristine Anigwe, a star center/forward for Cal’s women’s basketball team, graduated in May 2019. (Photo by Mollie McClure)
Season sports tickets: Support Cal Athletics by ordering season tickets to cheer on your favorite sports team. Tickets are available for every team, from football and women’s basketball to water polo and gymnastics.
Buy tickets online or by phone (800) 462-3277
New books
The Old Drift: A Novel (2019) by Namwali Serpell, an associate professor of English, follows three different founding families across generations, from 19th-century Europe to the banks of the near-future Zambezi river.
Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works (2019) by Rucker Johnson, a professor of public policy, summarizes the history of segregation, desegregation and resegregation and shows that integration is goal that our society as a whole should work towards.
The College Dropout Scandal (2019) by David Kirp, a professor of public policy, merges data and anecdotes to explain why, for many, college is not a gateway, but a trap.
Human Compatible (2019) by Stuart Russell, a professor of computer science, explains the risks of more powerful artificial intelligence and proposes a novel solution.
They Were Her Property (2019) by Stephanie Jones-Rogers, an associate professor of history, reveals the active role that white women played in the business of slavery.
Waste (2019) by Kate O’Neill, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, looks at how some people are finding ways to profit from waste as a “new” resource.
The Charisma Machine: The Life, Death and Legacy of One Laptop per Child (2019) by Morgan Ames, an assistant adjunct professor in the School of Information, examines technological utopianism and its complex consequences.
Fake Photos (2019) by Hany Farid, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and the School of Information, is a guide to techniques for detecting doctored and fake images in photographs and digital media.
Invisible visits: Black Middle-Class women in the American Healthcare System (2019) by Tina Sacks, an assistant professor in the School of Social Welfare, explores why middle-class black women face inequities in getting proper medical care and how they can fight for the best treatment.
Athena’s Choice (2019), by Adam Boostrom, an MBA student at Berkeley Haas, is set in the year 2099, almost 50 years after an experimental virus accidentally killed all the men on Earth.
Meadowlark: A Novel (2019) by Melanie Abrams, a lecturer in the Department of English, is a novel about the ongoing effects of childhood trauma and the choices we make for our children that follow.
Built to Thrive: How to Build the Best Workplaces for Health, Well-Being and Productivity (2019), by Cristina Banks, a senior lecturer at Berkeley Haas, explains why the built environment matters and how it is the key to organizational success.
The Rise of Carry: The Dangerous Consequences of Volatility Suppression and the New Financial Order of Decaying Growth and Recurring Crisis (2019), by Kevin Coldiron, a lecturer at Berkeley Haas, and Tim Lee and Jamie Lee, explains how carry trades work and how they have shaped today’s global economy.
Good Enough for Government Work: The Public Reputation Crisis in America (And What We Can Do to Fix It) (2019), by Amy Lerman, an assistant professor of public policy, argues that the reputation of the public sector — that it’s bogged down by incompetence — impedes the government’s ability to achieve the common good.
Gadgets
Kamigami Jurassic World robot toys take less than an hour to assemble and no tools are required.
Kamigami Jurassic World robot toys: Build your own dinosaur with Kamigami, a robotics kit that includes foldable plastic sheets that take less than an hour to assemble. Kamigami is a collaboration between Dash Robots, a startup that came out of UC Berkeley’s Biomimetic Millisystems Lab, the CITRIS Foundry technology accelerator program for campus entrepreneurs, and Mattel.
Smart baby monitor: Cocoon Cam, developed by a team with support from the UC Berkeley startup accelerator SkyDeck, is a baby monitor with HD video, real-time breathing monitoring and instant alerts without any wearables.
Personal smart vibrator: Lioness is a smart vibrator that uses embedded sensors to monitor arousal states, sending data — contractions, temperature, movement — to your smartphone. Lioness was developed with support from UC Berkeley startup accelerators CITRIS Foundry and SkyDeck.
Events and catering
ASUC Student Union Event Services: Indoor and outdoor campus venues are available to reserve for events, from the Pauley Ballroom and Anna Head Alumnae Hall and to the Campanile Esplanade. Catering and party planning services are available, and staff and faculty receive discounts. Some venues are available to campus departments and other venues are available to the public.
Berkeley Events and Conferences: Venues from the historic Clark Kerr Conference Center to the modern California Memorial Stadium are available to book for the community. Flexible catering, including to-go and delivery options, as well as party-planning services, are also offered. A holiday menu and packages are available through Jan. 19, 2020, and include plated or buffet dinners. Faculty and staff receive discounts.