Comments on: Help me think of ideas for tiny gifts

Question: Help me think of ideas for tiny gifts

booknerd — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:42:58 -0800

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

By: Rubber Soul

Rubber Soul — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:52:06 -0800

How tiny is tiny? Can you give the approximate dimensions of the little compartments?

By: booknerd

booknerd — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:56:06 -0800

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.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:57:54 -0800

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!

By: apple scruff

apple scruff — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:01:38 -0800

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.

By: arcticwoman

arcticwoman — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:04:21 -0800

Jessamyn, you are my hero.

By: Gator

Gator — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:05:02 -0800

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.

By: Lycaste

Lycaste — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:08:03 -0800

If he's a reader, a nice ribbon bookmark (like this) can be coiled up into a small space.

By: clh

clh — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:16:40 -0800

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

By: booknerd

booknerd — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:17:16 -0800

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)

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:18:15 -0800

A loupe? Very, very handy.

By: cior

cior — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:20:54 -0800

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.

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:24:26 -0800

Two potential sources for fun ideas:

American Science and Surplus

Pop Culture artifacts

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:28:51 -0800

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

By: Gator

Gator — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:31:26 -0800

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!

By: Lotto

Lotto — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:32:49 -0800

Condoms?

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:38:50 -0800

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.

By: sophieblue

sophieblue — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:39:22 -0800

dice?

By: booknerd

booknerd — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:47:59 -0800

i just ordered some stick-on mustaches and pirate pencil toppers. thanks jessamyn!

By: substrate

substrate — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:52:08 -0800

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.

By: jdroth

jdroth — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:54:40 -0800

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".

By: cosmicbandito

cosmicbandito — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 17:03:17 -0800

go to Archie McPhee for all kinds of guy friendly trinkets.

By: PurplePorpoise

PurplePorpoise — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 17:23:03 -0800

(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.

By: bilabial

bilabial — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 18:29:02 -0800

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.

By: josh

josh — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 18:29:21 -0800

This is the best thread ever. You guys have saved Christmas!

By: whatzit

whatzit — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 18:48:33 -0800

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.

By: booknerd

booknerd — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:22:11 -0800

thanks whatzit! i ordered three of those as well so i can have one for myself. :D

By: bibbit

bibbit — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 06:50:51 -0800

If you're in Chicago, the best place to find random small stuff is Uncle Fun.