Help me find a Christmas gift for my brother!

November 8, 2008 4:12 PM

I need creative Christmas present suggestions for my brother!

I want to find a creative or cool gift for my brother, and need ideas! A little insight into my brother: he's very environmentally friendly and extremely health conscious (no candy or sweet treats for him, he's all natural), he is a cycling enthusiast (read: bikes everywhere, doesn't own a car), and he enjoys unusual and simple things. For example, he enjoys vinyl records/cds with interesting or unusual music, likes watching rather obscure cartoons (Danger Mouse and Count Duckula are among some favorites, although I've already tapped into those ideas), and he's quite interested in new things; he's pretty open minded. After a few years of struggling to find what I consider GOOD gifts for my bro., perhaps the hive mind could give me some ideas? For me, I don't have a lot of money to spend, but am willing to travel around to acquire a neat gift. Thanks!!

posted by I_love_the_rain to shopping (7 comments total)

How about a mushroom mini-farm so he can grow his own mushrooms? I'm thinking of buying one of these from Far West Fungi, but if you google "mushroom kit" there are lots of options, it seems.
posted by cucumberfresh at 4:19 PM on November 8, 2008

THAT is a cool idea. Thanks so much for your suggestion!! :-D
posted by I_love_the_rain at 4:53 PM on November 8, 2008

Ms. Vegetable:

Handmade beer soap!

Go to etsy and search for lily bay.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:20 PM on November 8, 2008

Bike gear or equivalent gift certificate? Arm warmers are big hit with biking pals, too.
posted by Riverine at 6:55 PM on November 8, 2008

How about a gift that doesn't use any resources that he doesn't already have. I blogged my parent's B&W photo album for my kids for Christmas this year-- described and uploaded the photos with personal anecdotes both new and old. All on line-- no wrap, no purchase, no trips to the store, no additional "stuff" that he just has to store and move around.
posted by nax at 7:13 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

i was going to say the mushroom farm thing too - vivaterra has a great one! (and is an environmentally minded store)
posted by michpinkston at 9:06 AM on November 9, 2008

Along the lines of a mushroom farm, any kind of "grown your own" kit for herbs or maybe tomatoes?
posted by radioamy at 10:21 AM on November 9, 2008