Nerdvana contributor Emily Whitmore makes her triumphant return to the blog to kick off the 2010 edition of our last-minute guide to … Gifts for the Geeky!
Feel like Christmas is approaching at light speed? Don’t know what to get that special nerd in your life? Â Well here are some of the hottest gifts of 2010, for budgets big and small, that will hopefully spark some inspiration.
White Elephant gift ideas
Shopping for white elephant gifts is tough. Finding something with mass appeal, within a set budget, and, let’s be honest, you always kinda hope your gift is the one that gets stolen a few times. (Unless you’re purposely going for the gag gift angle, that is.) So here are some white elephant-inspired items that just might get fought over…or at the very least not traded for something else.
Under $10
WhiteyNotes $5 – A perfect gift for office parties, WhiteyBoards are an ultra-light whiteboard sticker that can adhere to any flat surface and comes off clean. WhiteyNotes include 10 sheets of Post-It size adhesive stickers and one black marker.
Retrovision Glasses $7 – Who doesn’t want to be more aware of their surroundings? These sunglasses have small mirrored patches on the side of each lens to ensure nothin’ and no one can sneak up on you. They also offer real UV protection from the sun!
Gumby & Pokey Flexible Doll Combo $7 – Hit your unsuspecting gift recipient with a little blast of nostalgia with these bendable figurines. Complete collection of characters and Gumby coffee mugs also available though retroplanet.com.
Under $15 
Defrosty reusable ice cubes $12 – Frosty the Snowman knew the sun was hot that day. He should’ve stopped while he was ahead. Your friends and coworkers will be sure to get a kick out of this nine-piece set of reusable ice cubes from fredflare.com.
NES Mouse Pad – Donkey Kong $15 – Another office accessory that will be the envy of all those who didn’t pick your present from the pile. Etsy seller 8BitMemory also sells mouse pads for games ranging from The Legend of Zelda to Duck Hunt to Super Metroid.
Pac-Man potholder $15 – More practical gaming nostalgia with the arcade sensation Pac-Man. This hungry yellow guy is happy to gobble up anything fresh out of the oven. It
would go perfectly with a set of Pac-Man cookie cutters from across the pond as well. They retail for about $19 US dollars.
Under $20
His & Hers Chromosome Towel $16 – Tasteful, but with a hint of nerdiness, this “his and hers” towel set would make a great addition to anyone’s bathroom.
Pizza Pi Cutter $18 – Puns abound with this brilliant piece of kitchen tech from ThinkGeek.com. Comes in three colors, no math knowledge needed for use.
Chalk Chess $20 – Good for a spontaneous and rousing game of wits while hanging out in a driveway or, I don’t know, waiting in line to see the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
… Actually, on second thought, scratch that. They might not like you drawing on the sidewalk outside the theater. Also, why are you going to see the Spider-Man musical in the first place?
