Dear Pink Hair Girl, The holidays are coming up quick, and I need to figure out what to get my boyfriend for Christmas. The thing is, I have NO idea what to get him. On the rare occasion that we go shopping together, he’s doesn’t usually point to stuff he likes. He’s got a billion t-shirts already and doesn’t really need another one, and I’m not getting him some lame clothes. The stuff he’s really into like video games (mostly just Modern Warfare 3 now), I think he has everything he wants already, and if he didn’t, I’d have no idea what specific thing to get him because I’m not really in the know. And that’s true of the other stuff he likes too, like his comics. I’d have no idea where to start. What do you get for the geek guy who’s got everything? Sincerely,

Giftless GF

Dear GGF,

Aaaaaah, it’s a tough one. I think I went through this with every single boyfriend I ever had. He’s got a hobby he loves, and it’s so specific that you have no idea what obscure thing he may need, or already has. “Oh, honey, that’s nice but what I needed was the Trollblood Earthborn Dire Troll Heavy Warbeast. What you got me is the Trollblood Dire Troll Mauler Heavy Warbeast.” But fear not my fellow geek-lover! I’ve had a good bit of luck over the years for sussing out the best way to go about gift-giving in this scenario.

It’s all about the peripherals! I’ll break down the basic ideas so that you can work with almost any hobby you look at. But basically, your geek knows what kind of experiences he likes, and he’s fixed himself up to have all the things he needs. What you can do is figure out the little extras that make his favorite experience go more smoothly!

Storage – If his games are all over the place, all his controllers are kind of willy-nilly, he’s never sure where that extra battery is, the charger fell somewhere behind the TV, and all that jazz, then it might be time to get him a shiny new storage unit for all his stuff. This stand-up one even fits his Rock Band Guitars on it. Or if you want something more discrete, there are game storage automans . And for other hobbies, like his comic books, there are plenty of fancy display cases, and storage cases for the good issues he wants to preserve or show off. Plus, storage is an issue with any hobby. Try goggling ‘storage’ or ‘case’ paired with the name of his favorite hobby.

– If his games are all over the place, all his controllers are kind of willy-nilly, he’s never sure where that extra battery is, the charger fell somewhere behind the TV, and all that jazz, then it might be time to get him a shiny new storage unit for all his stuff. even fits his Rock Band Guitars on it. Or if you want something more discrete, there are . And for other hobbies, like his comic books, there are plenty of fancy display cases, and storage cases for the good issues he wants to preserve or show off. Plus, storage is an issue with any hobby. Try goggling ‘storage’ or ‘case’ paired with the name of his favorite hobby. Transport – If he ever travels with his consoles or his laptop to LAN parties for example, you might think of getting him a fancy travel bag to keep everything safe and secure when he’s on the move. Like the Triton bag for his consoles, and if he’s got a big-ol gaming laptop you can get him a Targus backpack . Note, I also like the Swiss laptop backpacks, but those are easy to spot and people know there are laptops in them. It’s tempting to steal those I think, so the less identification there is on a backpack that it’s full of expensive equipment, the better. Again, the transport idea is great for other hobbies too! Moving around with all your stuff is hard, so things like 40K Army transports, and sometimes even general craft box transports for painting or model building, are MUCH appreciated.

– If he ever travels with his consoles or his laptop to LAN parties for example, you might think of getting him a fancy travel bag to keep everything safe and secure when he’s on the move. Like the for his consoles, and if he’s got a big-ol gaming laptop you can get him a . Note, I also like the Swiss laptop backpacks, but those are easy to spot and people know there are laptops in them. It’s tempting to steal those I think, so the less identification there is on a backpack that it’s full of expensive equipment, the better. Again, the transport idea is great for other hobbies too! Moving around with all your stuff is hard, so things like 40K Army transports, and sometimes even general craft box transports for painting or model building, are MUCH appreciated. Enhancement – This is where a guy gets to show off his toys, in this section you’ll find the more fun devices that make boys squee. This gaming headset is specifically for CoD MW3, but there are more affordable ones on the market that still rock! Gamer Chairs like this one are nice too, they’re designed not only to be comfy for extended game-play but usually include built in sound system, and built in remote sound control for the TV. There’s also a litany of fancy gaming controllers and computer mice out there. To pimp out his hardware, you can get him skins for his console and controllers too.

– This is where a guy gets to show off his toys, in this section you’ll find the more fun devices that make boys squee. is specifically for CoD MW3, but there are more affordable ones on the market that still rock! Gamer Chairs like are nice too, they’re designed not only to be comfy for extended game-play but usually include built in sound system, and built in remote sound control for the TV. There’s also a litany of fancy gaming controllers and computer mice out there. To pimp out his hardware, you can get him skins for his console and controllers too. Special Editions – Does he have the Hardened Edition of MW3? (You should be able to tell by looking at the case on the game, see if it says ‘hardened edition’ on it). That’s the fancy version of the game with special edition products and perks. And the rule about special edition stuff goes for just about any hobby. If it’s collectable or playable, there’s usually a special or limited edition or autographed version of something out there!

– Does he have the Hardened Edition of MW3? (You should be able to tell by looking at the case on the game, see if it says ‘hardened edition’ on it). That’s the fancy version of the game with special edition products and perks. And the rule about special edition stuff goes for just about any hobby. If it’s collectable or playable, there’s usually a special or limited edition or autographed version of something out there! Swag – I know you said he has a bunch of T-shirts, but what about hoodies and hats? (And I dunno about you, but getting my boyfriend a hoodie is like a present for me too, I wind up stealing them eventually.) There’s also stuff like models and replicas from games if he enjoys putting stuff like that on display!

– I know you said he has a bunch of T-shirts, but what about hoodies and hats? (And I dunno about you, but getting my boyfriend a hoodie is like a present for me too, I wind up stealing them eventually.) There’s also stuff like models and replicas from games if he enjoys putting stuff like that on display! Level-Ups – If he plays on Xbox, buy him some points! For some games and systems you can buy premium accounts as gifts for others. If he frequents a certain store physically or online, see if they offer a membership account.

Some other tips for gift giving in the scope of geekdom:

Stalk him on Amazon. You’ve probably thought of this already, but if not check to see if he’s got a wishlist on Amazon. To do this, log in and go to your wishlist, and on the right you’ll see a search bar to find someone else’s wishlist by name or email.

You’ve probably thought of this already, but if not check to see if he’s got a wishlist on Amazon. To do this, log in and go to your wishlist, and on the right you’ll see a search bar to find someone else’s wishlist by name or email. Arm yourself with knowledge. It’s tough to know what version of a game or hobby your baby already has if you’re not privy to the genre. Snoop around and take closer looks at what he’s got, Google the stuff on the interwebs and get a little more acquainted with it. So that when you do finally make a purchase, you’re confident that you know what you’re getting.

It’s tough to know what version of a game or hobby your baby already has if you’re not privy to the genre. Snoop around and take closer looks at what he’s got, Google the stuff on the interwebs and get a little more acquainted with it. So that when you do finally make a purchase, you’re confident that you know what you’re getting. Go the game store. Talk to an employee who knows more about the game than you. Likely you can describe what sort of thing your geek does/is into and they’ll be able to suggest some neat stuff you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. For video games, try places like Game Stop or stores that specialize in video games. Best Buy employees might know what they’re talking about here and there but you’re more likely to find an expert at an actual specialty store. For comic books, duh! Go to the comic shop. And if he’s into board games, tabletop RPGs, or tabletop war games like Warhammer 40K, go to google maps and search the term ‘hobby shop’ or ‘hobby store’. Depending on where you live, they may be few and far in between, so give the shop a call if you can’t make it all the way out there to talk to them!

And if all else fails, buy him some food. From what I understand, boys love food. There’s nothing wrong with wrapping up a bag of funions or whatever he enjoys snacking on during a game. If you’re feeling really creative, see if you can make him a burger, wrap it up like a present, and time it so that when he opens it its still warm and delicious. Or if you’ve realized that grease is bad for wrapping paper, maybe buy him a gift card to his favorite restaurant. Food works every time.

Sincerely,

Pink Hair Girl

If you’ve got a snag in your social life, cramping your g33k style, feel free to ask me for some advice!

Write to pinkhairgirl@g33kwatch.com.