Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Gifts for Geeks, Part the Fourth: Random Gift Ideas

We'll be bringing our holiday shopping guide to a close tomorrow; though we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what we could write about, hopefully we've given you a halfway decent start.

For today, revel in the random gift suggestions by occasional guest contributor Gary H.:

- For the tech geek: The BlackBerry Storm

- For the "never had it as a kid/wasn't alive when it came out" Transfomers fan: 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime (with Transformers #1 comic, DVD of the three-part mini-series/pilot of the cartoon and a sound box featuring the voice of Prime, (both toon and movie) Peter Cullen
Captain Atom silver suit action figure
- For the DC Universe Classics collector: Wave 4 Captain Atom (silver suit version)

- For the Star Trek fan: The Hallmark Original Series communicator ornament (with phrases and sounds) and/or a paper bag for possible use during the new movie to prevent hyperventilation

- For the Star Wars fan: The new 3.5" (not inches; foots!) Millenium Falcon playset/vehicle from the Star Wars Legacy Collection

Now, if there's still a particular hobby or fandom you want to hear about, leave a comment here (anonymously is OK) and we'll be happy to do a post just for you about how you can capitalize on the capitalist spirit.

For everybody else, here are a few last gift-buying pointers before you go:

- Use Amazon and Wikipedia as research tools to get a better idea of exactly what fan stuff is available, how many different versions there are, and what differences exist between versions. ("Her list just says 'Chrono Trigger,' but that's only for the Super Nintendo, right? I hope she doesn't want me to buy a Super Nintendo, too...")

- Consult with an established fanboy or fangirl before taking a risk on buying something you're unfamiliar with. ("The Star Wars Holiday Special? Well, Dave likes Star Wars! Ooh, and if I buy three, I get a free Jar-Jar Binks PEZ dispenser!")

- Do not underestimate the possibility of finding the impossible at yard/tag/garage sales. ("Sure, Mrs. Chanpheng, I'll pay $5 for your son's case of Magic cards. And I'll give you 75 cents for that book over there--the one with the bookmark that says 'Black Lotus' on it.")

Happy hunting.

No comments: