Gift Ideas

Overview

This theme is for that giftee in your life who’s addicted to sci fi, fantasy or science in general.

Think about things the geek in your life or someone who loves science would like to receive or do:
- Activities: visit your local science centre (keep in mind there are often adult-only nights as well as information sessions that may really appeal to your giftee), tickets to Comic-Con, watch a sci-fi/fantasy or documentary movie, host a trivia or game night, go stargazing or visit an observatory, drop by a comic book store, go LARPing, take a trip to a theme park, join a quidditch league with your giftee, register your giftee for an online science course that interests them (eg: astronomy), or provide them with the information to enrol in the activity themselves…
- Electronics: computers, game consoles, virtual reality headset, etc. Check out our Tech Lover theme for more ideas around electronics.
- Other items: books (consider science fiction or biographies about like minded people, eg: Steve Jobs), comic books, board games, video games, role playing games…
- An online search for most popular gifts for geeks can be helpful and check out great websites like thinkgeek.com.
- Give some thought to monthly online subscriptions that deliver items the geek in your life will love (eg: Loot Crate, Creation Crate, Marvel Collector Corps).
You can keep the theme simple and just present gifts around sci-fi/fantasy/science or you can incorporate other themes. For instance, a visit to the science centre works beautifully with our Great Inventions and Senses themes. Senses also fits with other activities like stargazing and watching movies. Board games and books are perfect with our Dark & Stormy Night theme.
Think outside the box. A few suggestions to get you started…
- Take a video game your giftee loves and work the gift around it. For example, Pac-Man/Ms Pac-Man:
  - Game component: fruit (cherry, strawberry, orange, apple…). Gift: bring home some fresh fruit or other fruit flavored items like strawberry ice cream, orange creamsicles or cherry soda.
  - Game component: pretzel. Gift: pretzels.
  - Game component: Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man. Gift: a back ‘pack’.
  - Game component: Blinky. Gift: sunglasses.
  - Game component: Pinky. Gift: anything pink.
  - Game component: Inky. Gift: a pen.
  - Game component: Clyde. Gift: watch a Bonnie and Clyde movie.
- Use the Periodic Table of Elements as inspiration for your gifts. For example:
  - Element: helium. Gift: a helium filled balloon.
  - Element: carbon. Gift: lead for mechanical pencils, diamonds.
  - Element: oxygen. Gift: a walk in the fresh air.
  - Element: aluminum. Gift: aluminum foil.
  - Element: silicon. Gift: electronics.
  - Element: calcium. Gift: ice cream.
  - Element: iron. Gift: a steak dinner.
  - Element: krypton. Gift: watch a Superman movie.
- Or try using the Periodic Table in a different way. Give your giftee a list of elements and have them guess what compounds those elements can make. Have your gift revolve around that compound. For example:
  - Combination: hydrogen and oxygen. Substance: water. Gift: a trip to the beach/pool, a bottle of water, etc.
  - Combination: sodium and chloride. Substance: table salt. Gift: a savoury snack like fries, chips, popcorn…
  - Combination: copper and zinc. Substance: brass. Gift: brass jewelry.
  - Combination: hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. Substance: many things, but notably carbohydrates and alcohol. Gift: a bottle of wine, a pasta dinner.
Stuck for ideas? Donate to a charity that nurtures a love of science in kids.

Wrapping

Try wrapping your gift with plain paper and applying pictures relating to science/fantasy/sci-fi onto the gift, or draw them on yourself (eg: dragons, planets, wizards).
Tie a small related item into the ribbon around the gift (eg: dice, a Rubik’s Cube).
For smaller gifts, add a unique touch by making your own box.

Presentation

Use quotes or phrases that relate to your theme when you present the gifts or in your card. For example:
- The spirit is willing, but the flesh is ‘geek’.
- Get your ‘geek’ on this birthday!
- It’s not rocket ‘science’, but have fun on your birthday anyway.
- And the ‘geek’ shall inherit the Earth.