This post will show you the best gifts for nerds and geeks in your life.
The Holidays are approaching quickly and one of the most stressful activities is buying the perfect gift for the people you love. (In case you missed them, we’ve already shared gifts for college girls, best friends, and parents.)
If you are lucky and have a geeky or nerdy person in your life, be it a sibling, friend, parent, or significant other, you might need some help figuring out what to get them. Here are a couple of gift-for-nerds ideas for your quirkiest, weirdest, and most passionate loved ones.
Table of Contents
1. Funko Products
Let’s get an obvious, but great gift idea out of the way. If someone in your family or friend group is a super fan of a show, a band, a franchise, a movie, and even web-series, Funko will probably have a figurine, keychain, pop sockets, and even Pez dispensers for you to choose from. Personally, I’ve given Funko Pops as gifts to friends with varied tastes, from Power Rangers to horror films and Disney characters, and they’ve all loved them!
The normal figurines, the famous Funko Pops, go for about $11 to $13 each, but it depends on how new it is or if it is a part of a limited or exclusive edition. These collectibles can be found almost everywhere online, but Amazon is where I have found the most varied selection and the fastest shipping.
2. For the Movie Buffs
We all have that one friend who just loves movies. Ironically, you can’t give them a movie as a gift since they probably already have it. But, what about a movie poster?
Society6 is a site that hosts the art of hundreds of thousands of artists worldwide and, specifically, they have great minimal movie posters that are perfect for your movie-loving friend! This Reservoir Dogs one is so cool and unique.
You can just go to the site and search for “movie posters” or type in a specific movie title to see if they have it (chances are, they do have them). As I’ve seen, the posters are about $20 at a regular price, but they tend to be discounted this time of year and are usually $12.
3. For the Gamers
Giving a gift to a gamer can be one of the most challenging (and expensive!) experiences. But, they’re also easy to please with little gadgets, practical tools, and geeky home accessories.
On the site Firebox, you can find every and any type of geeky gadget you can think of, from night lights to alarm clocks, phone sanitizers, and even weather predictors. It’s an awesome place to find gifts for nerds and geeks.
For the gamer in your life, why not give them a Super Mario Brothers-inspired light? It’s made of 16 double-sided, stackable blocks that they can customize however they choose to create their own “level.” Plus, it’s licensed Nintendo merchandise.
4. For the Bookworms
Just like film buffs, bookworms are awesome but hard to gift with actual books. Chances are, they already have whatever book you have in mind. But they also love little nods to their favorite fandoms, books, or sagas. That includes everything from book stands to candles.
But there’s one thing every bookworm loves: coffee mugs. On Amazon, you can find so many great options for the bookworm in your life. For example, they have this one that has famous first words from literary classics all over it. It’s both interesting and practical for book lovers.
Also Read: 5 Books That Will up Your Game at Work
5. For the Comic-Book Expert
If there’s one type of geek that has, apparently, inherited the Earth, it’s the comic book geek. Three out of five blockbusters are comic-book based, two of the highest-rated shows right now (The Boys & The Watchmen) are adapted from comics, and there’s much more content to come.
As far as shopping for gifts for nerds goes, comic book geeks are a cinch! You can find anything and everything for your comic-book-loving friends.
If you don’t know if they lean more towards DC, Marvel, or any other comic book, cover all your bases and gift them this book. Slugfest: Inside the Epic 50-year-Old Battle Between Marvel and DC is a book about one of the most famous feuds, not only in the comic-book world but in pop culture in general. It’s insightful and a great read for any fan of the genre.
6. For the Broadway Enthusiast
Broadway enthusiasts are always belting out tunes and, luckily, sharing their love for musical theatre with you. Most musical lovers probably already have every soundtrack, film, and taping of their favorite musicals, but what about history?
Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story contains the whole story of the musical, on-stage and on-screen. It goes back to its origins in ancient Greece up to contemporary musicals. They have behind-the-scenes gossip, artifacts, and photographs included in them.
7. For Music Fanatics
From musicals, we segue to music fans. These friends are the best ones to find new bands or artists and they are always very enthusiastic when sharing their curated playlists. While giving them a record, album, or piece of memorabilia of their favorite band is a great idea, sometimes it can be a bit harder to find or choose the right one.
Try giving them a record cutting board. It is a glass cutting board in the shape of a record, and the best part is, that you can personalize it with their name! This is a gift that requires some time due to personalization, so make sure to order it ASAP. You can find it on the website Uncommon Goods, alongside a bunch of other little knickknacks for music lovers.
8. For the Disney Lovers
Disney has been a huge part of everyone’s lives by now, but there’s always that one friend who absolutely loves any and everything the mouse company has to offer. This friend collects the mouse ears from the parks, socks, PJs, and little character figurines.
For these Disney lovers, I suggest you find the perfect Disney-inspired coffee mug for them! Personally, I love coffee and whenever someone gives me a mug of something that I love, be it books, unicorns, or Harry Potter, it feels extra special. Personally, I love The Little Mermaid, so this mug would be a great gift. But you can find the perfect mug for your Disney-lover friend at the Disney shop.
9. For the Dinosaur-Obsessed Friend
Dinosaurs once ruled the Earth and now we’re obsessed with them. There are amazing shows, movies, and games revolving around them and I guarantee you know one person who’s absolutely fanatic about them.
For that one person in your life who tears up every time they hear “Welcome, to Jurassic Park”, give them a useful-but-cute gift in the shape of a Dinosaur Succulent Planter Pot. This will bring them a bit of the Jurassic era to their life and invite some greenery into their rooms too.
10. For the Board Game Geeks
If anyone on your list gets WAY TOO excited for board game night, they will definitely love a new game to add to their collection. “Exploding Kittens” is always a huge hit with any group — it’s fast-paced, easy to learn, and a lot of fun, with tons of funny and geeky references thrown in.
Or, if you’re worried they already have every game known to man, you can always gift them a new expansion pack for one of their favorites.
11. For the Marvel Superfans
Yes, there is some overlap between comic book nerds and Marvel superfans, but the groups can split off from one another and that’s where this gift comes in.
Any MCU lover will adore this Marvel sound effects machine! It plays eight signature Marvel sound bites at the push of a button, including “HULK SMASH!”, “I am Groot”, and more. Such a fun gift that they definitely won’t already own.
12. For the Space Lovers
If your geek is obsessed with all things outer space, they’ll love a gift that brings the night sky into their home. Who wouldn’t want to stargaze from the comfort of their bed?
Gift them an astronaut sunset lamp and they’ll feel like they’re in outer space, even if they’re just studying in their room. The astronaut’s magnetic head is adjustable to change the light direction and project the soft sun onto any surface. Plus, it recharges via USB.
13. For the Star Wars Geeks
Thanks to Disney and the expanded Star Wars universe, there are more gifts for Star Wars fans than ever! While your giftee probably already owns a lightsaber, there are tons of more unique options that they’ll love.
This “The Child” Chia pet features Grogu relaxing in his adorable floating bassinet. It would be such a cute addition to their desk or windowsill! The best part is, it’s a chia pet, AKA the easiest plant to grow in our galaxy. No green thumb is required.
14. For the Cat (or Dog) People
If your giftee is an animal lover who dotes on their pet, definitely gift them something featuring their favorite furry friend.
While you can get their pet’s face printed on a t-shirt or even a pillow, I love the idea of gifting a customized renaissance pet portrait! Just upload a photo of their pet, choose a portrait style, and you’re good to go!
I got this for a friend last year and it was SUCH a hit. I highly recommend this one.
15. The Ultimate Geeky Gift
Last on our list of gifts for nerds is something that might be more for you than your geeky friend, but don’t worry, they will definitely enjoy it as well.
Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture is a book with a collection of mini-essays created for and by nerds. They take the most important quotes from movies, literature, TV shows, games and so much more, as gospel and interpret them to better understand the modern-day culture.
Gifts for Nerds FAQs:
What Kind of Gifts Do Nerds Like?
Nerds are often passionate about their interests, which means they can be very particular about what gifts they receive. So pay attention to what they really like, and don’t think that you have to necessarily cater to their fandoms to get them something they’ll love!
One option is to give them something related to their favorite nerd activity. For example, if they love video games, you could get them a new game or a gaming console. If they’re into comic books, you could get them a subscription to a comic book club or a set of graphic novels. For these types of gifts, you need to know what they already have. If you don’t, there’s always option #2:
The second option is to give them something that is both useful and stylish. For example, if they’re always using their laptop, you could get them a custom-designed laptop sleeve. If they’re always carrying around a lot of gadgets, you could get them a stylish messenger bag to keep everything organized.
Things to Consider When Buying Geek Gifts
If you’re looking for gifts for nerds, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.
First, consider what kinds of things your nerd is interested in. Are they into comics, movies, TV shows, video games, or something else entirely? Once you know what interests your nerd, you can start narrowing down your gift options.
Next, think about what kind of budget you’re working with. Nerdy gifts can range from extremely cheap to very expensive, so it’s important to set a budget before you start shopping. Once you know how much you’re willing to spend, you can start narrowing down your options even further.
Once again, keep in mind that nerds are often very particular about their gifts. It’s important to choose something that you know nerds will appreciate and use. If you’re not sure what to get, consider asking for help from a friend or family member who knows the nerd well, or go more general towards their interests as explained above.
What do you think of these gifts for nerds and geeks?
Which gift are you considering? Do you have a geek in your life who would love any of these? Which gift was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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