Help me think of ideas for tiny gifts

November 28, 2005 3:42 PM

I'm looking for very tiny, inexpensive, but semi-useful things. Need ideas/suggestions!

My boyfriend and I picked up one of Restoration Hardware's advent calenders last year for Christmas for our home. It's beautiful, and we have a great time opening the little gifts each day from each other. Last year at Christmastime I vowed to spend all year looking for tiny things to avoid the inevitable "Yay... another tiny little Christmas ornament."

I had no luck. Now I'm only a few days away from December 1st, and all I've managed to pick out are a few tiny magnets and a nice leather keychain with tiny photos in it. He's on WeightWatchers, so I'd like to stay away from candy/food-related stuff. Ideas/suggestions/links would be greatly appreciated

posted by booknerd to shopping (27 comments total)

How tiny is tiny? Can you give the approximate dimensions of the little compartments?
posted by Rubber Soul at 3:52 PM on November 28, 2005

the picture in this link might give you an idea, but i don't know the exact dimensions. my guess would be between 2-3 inch cubes.
posted by booknerd at 3:56 PM on November 28, 2005

cufflinks, little post-it flags, book darts, stickers, pins, cup hooks, no-scuff stickies for under chairs, tape measure, batteries for watches/other small stuff, thumb drives, stamps, foreign coins, marbles, tiny scrolls with secret messages, earplugs, hair doinkers, tiger balm, trial size fruity soap/lotion, really good lip balm, finger puppets, erasers, eyeglass repair screwdrivers, mini swiss army knife, bike blinky light, velcro straps.

possible cheats: folded maps to location of secret items, folded coupons for larger stuff [IOU 1 backrub &c], slips of paper with URLs, scraps of paper with fedex tracking codes and present en route.

Useful sort of depends on him as well, tell us some more about him!
posted by jessamyn at 3:57 PM on November 28, 2005 [1 favorite]

Especially this time of the year you can search for "stocking stuffers," which should be pretty small generally. I was actually just reading the Red Envelope catalog today, and this page might have some things you'd like. The Container Store has some wonderful stuff as well.
posted by apple scruff at 4:01 PM on November 28, 2005

Jessamyn, you are my hero.
posted by arcticwoman at 4:04 PM on November 28, 2005

Wine charms; a memory card for a digital camera; miniature action figure from his favorite cartoon; personalized rubber stamp; yes, as jessamyn said, it'd be helpful to know more about him/what he likes.
posted by Gator at 4:05 PM on November 28, 2005

If he's a reader, a nice ribbon bookmark (like this) can be coiled up into a small space.
posted by Lycaste at 4:08 PM on November 28, 2005

A keychain LED light
That thingy that cuts open CDs
A keychain Sharpie marker
Lottery ticket
$1 coins
rolled-up $2 bills
tin of mints
posted by clh at 4:16 PM on November 28, 2005

these are all brilliant ideas! most of the stocking stuffers i've found are way too big, but i'll definitely be getting him some lip balm so he stops stealing mine.

about him: loves books, music, guitar, the simpsons, is a total geek. he's basically a 29-year-old fifteen year old boy. he's obsessed with buying/reselling/reading craigslist ads.

i already picked up some finger puppets, too. i was thinking of getting him a gift certificate to somewhere where a few dollars would be useful (i.e., a cup of coffee or something), but it's proven hard to find places that still use old-fashioned gift certificates instead of gift cards (which don't fit in the cubes)
posted by booknerd at 4:17 PM on November 28, 2005

A loupe? Very, very handy.
posted by fire&wings at 4:18 PM on November 28, 2005

A toaster bag for making sandwiches, clickable freaky itch/bug device, edgar allen poe action figure, egglings, lightweight keychain bag (see alterate views), you rock banner, little silver wishbone, time tag, art of shaving alum block, ring thing beer bottle opener, little monster that eats ipod earbud cords, a cool rock you've found from a special place.
posted by cior at 4:20 PM on November 28, 2005

Two potential sources for fun ideas:

American Science and Surplus

Pop Culture artifacts
posted by madamjujujive at 4:24 PM on November 28, 2005

more ideas: magazine subscription, concert tix, gourmet teas or coffee, nips, kitchen gadgets, pocket tools, socks, exotic underwear, sex toys, yoyo, flip books, luggage tags, cork screw, travel clock, rolled up t-shirt, paperweight, nail clippers, capo, guitar string, guitar pics, bobblehead, floaty pens, egg cup
posted by madamjujujive at 4:28 PM on November 28, 2005

Oh, I just remembered: The Stupid Store. Definitely check them out for geeky/goofy/stupid little gifts. The site is very, er, 1995 or so, but some of the merchandise is pretty cool. And cheap!
posted by Gator at 4:31 PM on November 28, 2005

Condoms?
posted by Lotto at 4:32 PM on November 28, 2005

oh yeah, magnetic putty, ear pops, fake moustache, ear bud headphones, fake bugs, Emergen-c, pop rocks, temporary tatoos, magnifying box for bug, bug, bug food, bug-in-walnut, wax lips, customized guitar pics, mini tuning fork, plastic coin purse, skull pencil toppers [more], astronaut ice cream, mexican jumping beans, essential oils in manly scents, bubble stuff, balloons, dinosaur kit. I should mention that this is so easy for me because your boyfriend and mine sound like brothers. I am mostly just looking around my room.
posted by jessamyn at 4:38 PM on November 28, 2005

dice?
posted by sophieblue at 4:39 PM on November 28, 2005

i just ordered some stick-on mustaches and pirate pencil toppers. thanks jessamyn!
posted by booknerd at 4:47 PM on November 28, 2005

A small pen knife. I carry a nice locking Swiss Army Knife but even at work it kind of freaks people out when I take it out. A small folding knife with a 1.5" or 2" blade would be an excellent extra knife.
posted by substrate at 4:52 PM on November 28, 2005

I have no specific suggestions, merely recommendations to web sites that might be of use: Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools (most of which are too large or too expensive) and the new-to-me Cheap and Tiny, which bills itself as "the weblog on small and affordable gadgets".
posted by jdroth at 4:54 PM on November 28, 2005

go to Archie McPhee for all kinds of guy friendly trinkets.
posted by cosmicbandito at 5:03 PM on November 28, 2005

(Not affiliated with the company - just an early google page for with pics/desc of the product)

Swisstech bits are very well made (keychain-sized multitools). Got 8 (well, 7) utilikeys (have had a micro plus for years now) from an Amazon retailer to give out as impromptu gifts.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 5:23 PM on November 28, 2005

shoe laces, guitar picks (the little diamond shaped ones, or finger picks if he's into those), guitar strings if you can figure out how to fit them in the calendar (but they make a great gift for later if they don't fit) post it notes in fun shapes (I have some that are yellow stars and others that are green apples), nail clippers if he needs a pair, something fun from those quarter machines at the grocery store, like a plastic ring or something, a friendship bracelet made from embroidery floss, a small heavy duty refridgerator magnet with something meaningful superglued onto it, shark tooth, real dead bugs in a glass case (there's a place in Key West that is a butterfly garden and they mount butterflies, but I don't think that's cheap), smallest pair of underwear you can find that fits you and you are comfortable wearing.
posted by bilabial at 6:29 PM on November 28, 2005

This is the best thread ever. You guys have saved Christmas!
posted by josh at 6:29 PM on November 28, 2005

I hope you're still reading this. if he's a book guy, he has to find at least one of these wire bookmarks in there. This is the best $2 I ever spent (well, I have one not exactly like this, and could get the brand name of that one at the store if you want it). I don't normally use bookmarks, but these hold the book open without damaging the spine which is so nice for reading in bed, at the gym, while cooking, over a meal, or while keeping the cat well-pet.

Like I said, mine's a little different from the one shown here, but the concept is there. It's so nice. The one I have crosses at the front instead of having the open shape - I bet it's a little stronger, but it's also a bit thicker.
posted by whatzit at 6:48 PM on November 28, 2005

thanks whatzit! i ordered three of those as well so i can have one for myself. :D
posted by booknerd at 7:22 PM on November 28, 2005

If you're in Chicago, the best place to find random small stuff is Uncle Fun.
posted by bibbit at 6:50 AM on November 29, 2005