Gift Ideas for Awesome Speech Therapist Friends
October 10, 2011 9:44 AM Subscribe
Gift ideas for 4 awesome female speech therapists in their late 20's-early 40's? They are nerdy and fun, and the budget is $50 each.
I graduated with 4 of the best friends I could ask for, and we are all speech therapists in different work positions (two are getting their phds, one is in the schools, and one is in a hospital). They are all female and young-ish (late twenties, and a very young 40).
We call ourselves "The Nerds" and get excited about speech-related stuff, and have inside jokes from grad school and technical speech terminology. We are spread over 4 states, so it's a big deal when we get to see each other. We are getting together over Thanksgiving to exchange presents for our "Nerdmas," so I have a few weeks to prepare.
I'd like to get them gift packs of something useful, fun, and unique. Price range should be about $50 each. Previous gifts amongst us have been personalized tote bags with "I heart nerds" on it, stuffed animal versions of microbes, Bananagrams games, the Threadless "Nerds 2X2 ever" shirts, and cute office supplies.
I'd like to get everyone the same general thing or collection of things, but slightly personalized for them by color or style. The best idea I have so far is a lunch container and lunch box from The Container Store, with some fun animal-shaped paperclips and some of my favorite treats from where I'm from. But, I think this seems too "momish." My friend already posted on facebook that she had purchased our gifts from ThinkGeek, so I don't want to buy anything on there. I looked over the Mental Floss store, but nothing struck me as perfect.
Ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!
I graduated with 4 of the best friends I could ask for, and we are all speech therapists in different work positions (two are getting their phds, one is in the schools, and one is in a hospital). They are all female and young-ish (late twenties, and a very young 40).
We call ourselves "The Nerds" and get excited about speech-related stuff, and have inside jokes from grad school and technical speech terminology. We are spread over 4 states, so it's a big deal when we get to see each other. We are getting together over Thanksgiving to exchange presents for our "Nerdmas," so I have a few weeks to prepare.
I'd like to get them gift packs of something useful, fun, and unique. Price range should be about $50 each. Previous gifts amongst us have been personalized tote bags with "I heart nerds" on it, stuffed animal versions of microbes, Bananagrams games, the Threadless "Nerds 2X2 ever" shirts, and cute office supplies.
I'd like to get everyone the same general thing or collection of things, but slightly personalized for them by color or style. The best idea I have so far is a lunch container and lunch box from The Container Store, with some fun animal-shaped paperclips and some of my favorite treats from where I'm from. But, I think this seems too "momish." My friend already posted on facebook that she had purchased our gifts from ThinkGeek, so I don't want to buy anything on there. I looked over the Mental Floss store, but nothing struck me as perfect.
Ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!
Whenever I need some shopping inspiration for my geeky friends, I go to http://www.thinkgeek.com/. They're more geared towards geeks, of course...but there's plenty there that I think could transfer over to nerds.
For example, nerd socks.
posted by Elly Vortex at 9:54 AM on October 10, 2011
For example, nerd socks.
posted by Elly Vortex at 9:54 AM on October 10, 2011
I think this Tetris Nerd shirt is pretty cool.
Also, cool kids read the question before they answer.
posted by litnerd at 10:09 AM on October 10, 2011
Also, cool kids read the question before they answer.
posted by litnerd at 10:09 AM on October 10, 2011
Best answer: I'm an SLP. During my fellowship year the director of the clinic I was working at retired, and it fell to me and the other staff to clean out 60 years worth of therapy materials. I smuggled home so much awesome stuff: archaic articulation cards (initial g: gun; medial g: cigarette), sequencing cards featuring excellent 70s photography (and fashion and hairstyles). They are Fabulous! Someday, I'll actually get around to getting them all framed.
I don't know what your timeline is; it might be too close to really hunt down some treasures. If you have the time to dig, you might troll ebay for things like this ad for a deafness cure, or this therapy massager which is not speech related but is still hilarious (to me at least). If you have community contacts you might ask around and offer to buy any obsolete/odd materials.
posted by lilnublet at 10:28 AM on October 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
I don't know what your timeline is; it might be too close to really hunt down some treasures. If you have the time to dig, you might troll ebay for things like this ad for a deafness cure, or this therapy massager which is not speech related but is still hilarious (to me at least). If you have community contacts you might ask around and offer to buy any obsolete/odd materials.
posted by lilnublet at 10:28 AM on October 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
Without generalizing throughout nerd-dom, it's quite possible that the nerdly might find something to feed their obsessions in one or more of the 826 Foundation's quirky stores.
posted by .kobayashi. at 2:33 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by .kobayashi. at 2:33 PM on October 10, 2011
Response by poster: The molecular jewelry is definitely on the right track nerd-wise. They have a pine molecule ornament that would be fun to give as their gifts before Christmas!
I love the idea of inappropriate speech therapy materials! I will be searching. It would be fun to find images online and create my own "Inappropriate speech therapy fundeck of the past."
The 826 Foundation wasn't the right tone for the group, but I'm glad to know it exists. I think my friends have netflix, so I wouldn't want to get them Community. (But great show.)
Thanks, guys! Keep em coming.
posted by shortyJBot at 6:07 PM on October 10, 2011
I love the idea of inappropriate speech therapy materials! I will be searching. It would be fun to find images online and create my own "Inappropriate speech therapy fundeck of the past."
The 826 Foundation wasn't the right tone for the group, but I'm glad to know it exists. I think my friends have netflix, so I wouldn't want to get them Community. (But great show.)
Thanks, guys! Keep em coming.
posted by shortyJBot at 6:07 PM on October 10, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 9:47 AM on October 10, 2011 [2 favorites]