It’s December, and if you’re like me, you finished your holiday shopping months ago. But, quite a few people have yet to find the perfect gift for their fellow geek. Well, here’s a quick list of suggestions of gifts that won’t have you tearing your hair out or braving the threat to life and limb during the holiday season.
Steam/Xbox/PlayStation/Nintendo eShop Gift Card
Some people claim buying gift cards is lazy, but they work in a pinch. Plus, gamers get more use out of gift cards to digital distribution platforms during the holidays thanks to annual holiday sales. If you know a gamer, these gift cards make the perfect present or stocking stuffer.
Hero Forge Gift Certificate
Despite what you might think, a gift certificate is not a different name for a gift card. Certificates show you have a better understanding of the recipient’s tastes. While you can buy any kind of game with a Steam gift card, a gift certificate to, say, Hero Forge demonstrates you know the person you buy it for loves Dungeons & Dragons. Or Shadowrun. Or any other tabletop pen-and-paper RPG. While you might be tempted to just customize a figure, purchase it, and leave it under the tree come Christmas morning, the last thing you want is to gift someone a mini-minotaur in a chainmail bikini when they would rather have an orcish gun mage on a motorcycle.
Vinyl Long Play Soundtrack
Vinyl records are coming back in style, so why not give someone the gift of a video game, television show, or movie soundtrack on this undying format? Sure, not everyone actually has a record player, but they’re easy enough to come by (and make great gifts alongside vinyl records). Some gamers might prefer digital soundtracks they can download on their phones, but in my humble opinion, nothing beats a good old physical copy. There’s no school like the old school.
Star Wars Kitchen Ware
Come to the Dark Side. We have waffle makers. And toasters. And chopsticks. You name it, it probably exists, from a frozen-in-carbonite Han Solo mini fridge to R2-D2 popcorn makers. Of course, if Star Wars isn’t your style, plenty of other franchises have their share of kitchen ware, including Star Trek pizza cutters, Game of Thrones wine glasses, and every kind of coffee mug imaginable. Go crazy.
Harry Potter Scarves
A great way to stay warm during the holidays (assuming it’s actually cold where you live) is a scarf, and for geeks, the first thing that comes to our minds when we hear that word is Harry Potter. Every main character wore a scarf that showed off his or her house’s colors. Do you know sneaky Slytherins, happy Hufflepuffs, regimented Ravenclaws, or gallivanting Gryffindors? Well, let them show off their true (house) colors with comfortable and warm lambswool scarves. Nothing’s quite like a gift that’s both pretty and practical.
Board and Party Games
Yes, you read that correctly: buy your fellow geek a board or party game. Do they like classic games with a geeky paint job? There’s Legend of Zelda Monopoly, Mass Effect Risk, and many more. How about a board game based on a popular franchise? DOOM: The Board Game, The Witcher Adventure Game, and others are right up their alley. Would they rather play a game that is its own intellectual property? Get them Mansions of Madness, Fluxx, Settlers of Catan, Cards Against Humanity, or one of countless others. I guarantee they won’t get bored with the kinds of board games available these days.
Geeky Garden Gnomes
Contrary to popular belief, geeks spend plenty of time outside. They may have lawns and gardens to tend to, but that doesn’t mean they can’t show off their geeky side while using their green thumbs. If you know a geek who loves working in the garden, you should buy a geeky garden gnome. Even people who normally hate gnomes will get a good chuckle out of seeing Gnome-zilla lay waste to tiny garden gnomes.
Phone Chargers and Power Banks
Everyone and their grandmother has a cell phone these days, and we always complain when the battery is about to die. Since outlets are not always available, phone chargers and power banks are downright essential, since they let us charge our phones on the go. Some might be content to use mundane chargers and banks, but we geeks know how to accessorize with geeky versions. You have only as many choices as there are popular franchises, so just pick your fellow geek’s favorite show, movie, or game, and give him or her the gift of (almost) unlimited (battery) power.
Statues, Props, and Model Kits
Plenty of geeks want something to liven up a room, and statues, props, and model kits fill that niche perfectly. Every franchise has its own collection of these kids of gifts, and if I tried to list them all I would be here all day. Just pick what you think is best and watch your friend or family member’s face light up like a NECA LED Halo Needler replica.
Random Gifts
Not every geek gift needs to be themed after a popular video game or movie. Sometimes all we need is something that just speaks to our inner geek, and boy do we have plenty of those. From a cute new take on the infinity mirror trick that creates a handheld dungeon corridor to a wooden, robot-shaped music machine, to a plush octopus cat, the limits of the human imagination are displayed in full force when you look for unique geek gifts. The wilder the concept, the better the present.
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