Odd secret santa gift sought
December 22, 2018 1:25 PM Subscribe
What's an offbeat secret santa gift I can get for someone by the 30th? Artistic punk-y person that I don't know too well.
Sorry to ask another gift question - there's a lot of dead links on the wiki!
I'm stressin' out trying to figure out a secret santa gift for someone I don't know super well. We know each other via local music stuff, but I've never really hung out with her except for seeing her at shows and saying hi. She sings in an awesome weird punk band. I have no idea if she plays other instruments. I know she's super artistic, but I don't want to get her art supplies since I don't know exactly what kind of materials/pens she likes and I don't want to be a non-expert buying things for an expert, you know? Same thing goes for music related items - I don't have a good sense of what she likes, so I'm trying to avoid any music-related media or books.
I think she's into vintage clothes. I was thinking of maybe trying to find a cool pair of earrings or something but I feel like jewelry gifts can be really hit or miss if you can't match someone's style.
I was casually considering a mushroom growing kit since it might get a laugh but that's kind of heavily dependent on whether someone likes mushrooms!
I feel like I got close from the wiki's link to Strapya World food cellphone charms but I'm looking for something a little bit more substantial. There's no rule on price but the general theme is "we figure everyone's broke" so I'm not expected to spend a ton.
I definitely want to avoid the standard "weird" household items like unusual wine corkers or ice cube trays or whatever.
I've got til the 30th to either get something shipped or find something in or around St. Louis. Any ideas would be appreciated!!
Sorry to ask another gift question - there's a lot of dead links on the wiki!
I'm stressin' out trying to figure out a secret santa gift for someone I don't know super well. We know each other via local music stuff, but I've never really hung out with her except for seeing her at shows and saying hi. She sings in an awesome weird punk band. I have no idea if she plays other instruments. I know she's super artistic, but I don't want to get her art supplies since I don't know exactly what kind of materials/pens she likes and I don't want to be a non-expert buying things for an expert, you know? Same thing goes for music related items - I don't have a good sense of what she likes, so I'm trying to avoid any music-related media or books.
I think she's into vintage clothes. I was thinking of maybe trying to find a cool pair of earrings or something but I feel like jewelry gifts can be really hit or miss if you can't match someone's style.
I was casually considering a mushroom growing kit since it might get a laugh but that's kind of heavily dependent on whether someone likes mushrooms!
I feel like I got close from the wiki's link to Strapya World food cellphone charms but I'm looking for something a little bit more substantial. There's no rule on price but the general theme is "we figure everyone's broke" so I'm not expected to spend a ton.
I definitely want to avoid the standard "weird" household items like unusual wine corkers or ice cube trays or whatever.
I've got til the 30th to either get something shipped or find something in or around St. Louis. Any ideas would be appreciated!!
You mentioned you weren't looking for music books, but if you found out any other info, here are a couple inspiring ones: Sara Marcus' Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution and Kim Gordon's Girl in a Band.
If definitely not books: Friends and I wandered around this Get the Word Out store earlier in Maplewood, and it had lots of intriguing jewelry, accessories, tchotchkes, import stuff, vintage stuff, etc. It was a productive shopping trip for me for myself and for gifts for others, so I'd recommend it if you're not sure what to get. We were looking at a few different goblets (e.g., a jeweled goblet, a ruby glass goblet) as possible things to pick up, so something like that could be fun. They had tons of inexpensive accessory and gift options there. Phoenix Rising on the Loop is also often a good place to get offbeat, tongue-in-cheek stuff.
Alternately: Graphic novels? Might be worth going to Star Clipper to browse.
ABC Trading Co. in Olivette also could be worth a stop, if you think she might get a kick out of sparkly statement jewelry (or even something outlandish she could wear to perform in, like a crown).
posted by limeonaire at 2:03 PM on December 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
If definitely not books: Friends and I wandered around this Get the Word Out store earlier in Maplewood, and it had lots of intriguing jewelry, accessories, tchotchkes, import stuff, vintage stuff, etc. It was a productive shopping trip for me for myself and for gifts for others, so I'd recommend it if you're not sure what to get. We were looking at a few different goblets (e.g., a jeweled goblet, a ruby glass goblet) as possible things to pick up, so something like that could be fun. They had tons of inexpensive accessory and gift options there. Phoenix Rising on the Loop is also often a good place to get offbeat, tongue-in-cheek stuff.
Alternately: Graphic novels? Might be worth going to Star Clipper to browse.
ABC Trading Co. in Olivette also could be worth a stop, if you think she might get a kick out of sparkly statement jewelry (or even something outlandish she could wear to perform in, like a crown).
posted by limeonaire at 2:03 PM on December 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
Exacto knives! Or utility knives! Or one of those handy razor blade dispensers that holds like 200 razor blades like this one. A big pack of sharpies. Some PermaPaque markers. A set of the best art pens ever.
posted by Grandysaur at 8:04 PM on December 22, 2018
posted by Grandysaur at 8:04 PM on December 22, 2018
I had a similar situation and got her a nice unlined moleskine notebook and a pentel pocket brush pen, plus a couple art books I thought she'd like -- I checked out her Instagram and saw she liked tattoos and Japanese art so I got her books on those topics. She LOVED her gift.
posted by ananci at 8:16 PM on December 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by ananci at 8:16 PM on December 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
does she have funky-coloured hair? All my creatively-coiffed friends love scarves that match their hair. Maybe one with skulls on it...
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:40 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:40 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Could also be fun to get her a clutch and/or put smaller gifts in one. Check out Goodwill in your area of the city or somewhere like Avalon Exchange on the Loop. Everyone always needs more little bags to carry or put things in, right? They often have cute scarves and socks, too. (Dierbergs sometimes has racks with some cute socks these days, too!)
posted by limeonaire at 2:08 PM on December 23, 2018
posted by limeonaire at 2:08 PM on December 23, 2018
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posted by Dr. Wu at 1:43 PM on December 22, 2018 [3 favorites]