Tara Lynne’s Geekiary Gift Guide 2016

I had so much fun putting together my 2015 Geekiary Gift Guide that I knew I had to reprise it this year. So for 2016 I aimed to do what I did in 2015 – include geeky items that not only speak to me, but are also suggested by both Geekiary writers and fans.

Now, 2016 brings a few more “mainstream” gifts to my list, but please don’t discount them – while I absolutely love highlighting small businesses, sometimes the general consensus on what we want to suggest to our readers is bigger than that. And so, without further ado, here are 20 carefully chosen Geekiary Gift Guide suggestions for the geek within us all!

A pocket watch that could serve as Steampunk, Narnia, or Game of Thrones…

You can find this item in the LuckySteamWorld Etsy shop, which also features cigarette cases, jewelry, and more!

A headband for when you just know you need a secondary Hogwarts House…

Choose your Hogwarts HouseS here at KimpossiblyKnotted’s Etsy shop! (P.S. I’m a Huffledor)

Supergirl Season 1 on Blu-Ray…

Many Geekiary writers rave about Supergirl, so I would be remiss if I didn’t include the [fairly recently released] Season 1 Blu-Ray on this list! CW has generally done a really good job with their comic-book-based shows, and this one is no exception!

Because they’re really big on food in The Walking Dead, a TWD apron doesn’t seem grotesque at all when you realize how perfect it is!

No Walking Dead fan who loves to cook should go without this apron from the HandmadensCrafts Etsy Shop in their life.

I will never shy away from the fact that I love weird interesting artwork. And who doesn’t love BB-8…or Guinea Pigs? This print really says it all!

No, seriously, what BB-8/animal lover wouldn’t want this amazing picture from MistyFigs?

As Geekiary writer Jamie said, if you are a geek, and you are a feminist, this book is meant for you. Which means it’s meant for the person you love who also happens to be a geek and a feminist 😉

Seriously, order this book ASAP!

Stranger Things was a big hit this year, and what better way to celebrate the show’s awesomeness than with a mug picturing that iconic alphabet?

Find this mug and other awesome items in the Cloud9Crafts Etsy Shop

Of course, if you want a more light-hearted present, these Pumpkin Pup and Watermelon Dog charms from Steven Universe fit the bill!
These are definitely on my must-have list for cute Steven Universe items. Find them and more in the BonBuns Etsy Shop!

One thing I can’t leave off this list is a Spider-Gwen statue by Diamond Select Toys. They have both PVC and Resin versions, and they’re beautiful…plus she’s a bad ass comic book heroine! The masked PVC version runs just $45, while the unmasked (and gorgeous) resin version is just $150.

The musical Hamilton says a lot of amazing things, but one of the more resounding statements is “I’m not throwing away my shot” – which this bracelet encompasses perfectly.

I love cuff bracelets, and this one from StudioIlus says so much

Of course we can’t deny that PokemonGO has been *huge* this year, and I stumbled upon some absolutely perfect team keychains that I don’t think any player would be able to pass up…

Seriously, someone please buy me that red-on-black Team Valor keychain from SewEnchantingStudio on Etsy?

I’ve been experiencing the joys of LootCrate’s LootWear packages for about a year, and I have to say that a LootWear subscription would be a great gift. Whether it’s the full package or “just” the socks (I mean, who doesn’t love socks?!), you end up with a nice surprise every month!

Check out the LootCrate LootWear subscriptions and seriously…consider buying a year’s worth for that geek you love 😉

Another movie that so many of us at The Geekiary loved was Zootopia…and how could you not also fall in love with these Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde themed hair bows?

I want to find a way to wear both these bows in my hair at the same time thanks to the emporiumonmain Etsy shop.

On the almost-complete-opposite-end-of-the-spectrum, we also have these perfect Westworld Maze Scalp Tattoo cufflinks.

I know it’s a bit creepy if you understand the reference, but in their own way, these cufflinks from Wearable Collectibles truly are beautiful.

That said, there’s plenty of great geeky stuff out there for all ages – for instance, if you’re a Gravity Falls fan, you can get a replica copy of Journal 3 that is absolutely amazing.

Seriously I can’t say enough good things about this book. Best less-than-$12 ever spent.

I’ll admit that I’m a bit torn about this next gift, because the shop is advertising it as being for a man, but I personally would love to have one of these “valet trays” for myself. (Side note: they have at least one other Star Wars design, as well as several Marvel designs).

Seriously who wouldn’t want a geek-themed station to hold their watch and/or keys and/or phone and/or pen and/or mug? Thanks WoodYouLikeIt1!

But what about Game of Thrones, you ask? Well, my top GoT pick for the 2016 Geekiary Gift Guide is this Integrity Art creation…mostly because it’s a great quote and you can inscribe it on so many things!

Personally I think I want that silver cup. Or maybe just one of the stemless wine glasses. Or you know all of them.

Tradition-wise, I think it’s necessary for me to pick one candle scent every year. This year I am choosing Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier, who apparently smells like “spicy cinnamon gum”.

Now, last I checked theleakycandle was close to running out of this scent, but perhaps with enough demand they’ll make more? It IS *Bucky*, after all!

We also can’t ignore the prevalence of Pokemon’s Eevee and her Eeveelutions. While my first choice for an Eeveelution item is a coin purse, I absolutely had to include a couple other Eevee items…you know, just in case. So while the Eeveelution coin purse by linkitty might be my first pick, I’m also in love with KittyKontaCrafts’ Eeveelution messenger bag and of course the Eevee Atsume coin purse by Lagproofitems (because why not)!

And last but not least, I highly suggest going on an adventure with someone you care about – and while there are of course many ways to do so, it’s always fun and often even inexpensive to go to a convention. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about big for-profit or industry conventions, or even Dragon Con, which has affordable tickets but a severe lack of decent host hotel rooms (much as I love it). No, I’m talking about other smaller but still amazing conventions – multi-genre ones like Con Nooga in Chattanooga, Tennessee; LGBTQ+-centric ones like ClexaCon in Las Vegas, ones that combine interests like Inked & Geeked in Palmetto, Florida; even specifically themed conventions like Beach City Con (Steven Universe) in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Ice & Fire Con (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones) at Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia. Tickets for all of these conventions range from approximately $65 per person to $150 per person, max, but hotel rooms are significantly cheaper than those offered for most major conventions, and I can say from personal experience that it’s almost impossible to not meet fun people and have a great time!

Feel free to comment with questions or leave your own suggestions in the comments!

Please note that either myself or other Geekiary staff members have purchased from several of these shops and can vouch for their product quality and service. The only things listed here that I am directly involved with are Beach City Con and Ice & Fire Con. Neither The Geekiary nor myself were given ANY compensation for the recommendations in this gift guide.

Author: Tara Lynne

Tara Lynne is an author, fandom and geek culture expert, and public speaker. She founded Ice & Fire Con, the first ever Game of Thrones convention in the US, and now runs its parent company Saga Event Planning.

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