The Perils of Visiting the ThinkGeek Website In the UK on December 22nd
December 22, 2011 6:50 AM Subscribe
Help me think of an awesome movie and/or geeky christmas gift for my brother!
So… it's getting pretty close to christmas, and I've yet to do any of my christmas shopping. I have, however, decided what I'm getting for most of my family. However, I'm not really sure what to get my brother. He and I share pretty similar interests, and I usually get him something along the lines of movie memorabilia or something geeky. However, as cool as toy DeLoreans are, I'd like to get him something with a bit of utility. If it's cool enough, this is negotiable, but either a movie/TV equivalent to a real object or a really well-executed tech toy would be perfect. For example, I've found a pizza cutter in the shape of the U.S.S. Enterprise and a Jedi robe dressing gown. Also, I discovered the 20Q toy here, which is exactly the sort of thing he'd really like, but that's more of a stocking filler than a main present. Any general pointers/specific ideas? He's just started studying physics at university, so awesome science-type stuff would be good too. Has anyone been to the Science Museum shop recently? Last time I was there, the selection was fairly generic (crazy goo! fragile RC helicopters!), but that was years ago, so yah.
Ideally, these items would be global merchandise-y enough that I can find them in the UK without too much trauma. MeFites have pretty damn good taste, so just reel off stuff that if you unwrapped it on Christmas day, you'd be grinning like a loon :D
So… it's getting pretty close to christmas, and I've yet to do any of my christmas shopping. I have, however, decided what I'm getting for most of my family. However, I'm not really sure what to get my brother. He and I share pretty similar interests, and I usually get him something along the lines of movie memorabilia or something geeky. However, as cool as toy DeLoreans are, I'd like to get him something with a bit of utility. If it's cool enough, this is negotiable, but either a movie/TV equivalent to a real object or a really well-executed tech toy would be perfect. For example, I've found a pizza cutter in the shape of the U.S.S. Enterprise and a Jedi robe dressing gown. Also, I discovered the 20Q toy here, which is exactly the sort of thing he'd really like, but that's more of a stocking filler than a main present. Any general pointers/specific ideas? He's just started studying physics at university, so awesome science-type stuff would be good too. Has anyone been to the Science Museum shop recently? Last time I was there, the selection was fairly generic (crazy goo! fragile RC helicopters!), but that was years ago, so yah.
Ideally, these items would be global merchandise-y enough that I can find them in the UK without too much trauma. MeFites have pretty damn good taste, so just reel off stuff that if you unwrapped it on Christmas day, you'd be grinning like a loon :D
Best answer: Here is something I was going to do for a friend of mine but ran out of financial resources. If your brother is a huge Star Wars fan and you have access to any type of large format printing go and get this printed off and dry mounted as a christmas gift! It would make a wicked wall decor!
http://avinasharora.com/2011/12/star-wars/
posted by cassini at 7:54 AM on December 22, 2011
http://avinasharora.com/2011/12/star-wars/
posted by cassini at 7:54 AM on December 22, 2011
Best answer: I can imagine no better film gift for a new physics student than Real Genius.
posted by heatvision at 7:55 AM on December 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by heatvision at 7:55 AM on December 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Something from Think Geek? I used to get a particularly geeky boyfriend stuff from there, and he liked it a lot. Some of it's probably overpriced, though.
posted by dovesandstones at 9:24 AM on December 22, 2011
posted by dovesandstones at 9:24 AM on December 22, 2011
Best answer: Arrgh, I didn't read your title! *Headdesk* But I also concur with heatvision.
posted by dovesandstones at 9:35 AM on December 22, 2011
posted by dovesandstones at 9:35 AM on December 22, 2011
Best answer: Last Exit to Nowhere makes in-joke t-shirts based on movies. As a bonus, it's in the UK. Perhaps too late for Christmas though, slacker.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:13 AM on December 22, 2011
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:13 AM on December 22, 2011
Response by poster: Y'all are awesome! Some great ideas here… I've noted a few of them for his birthday/next year/etc, but this year I followed Kafkaesque and heatvision's tips and got my brother a Back To the Future hoodie and a copy of Real Genius.
Thanks so much for all the tips! Y'all get best answer, because, well, MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)
posted by jaffacakerhubarb at 2:14 AM on December 24, 2011
Thanks so much for all the tips! Y'all get best answer, because, well, MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)
posted by jaffacakerhubarb at 2:14 AM on December 24, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Science and sci-fi geeks alike seem to really like them.
Our favorites are Quarto and Quoridor.
posted by zizzle at 7:07 AM on December 22, 2011