We survived that time of the year again!
Looking for appropriate gifts for friends, family members, and co-workers. Secret Santa arrangements have become surprisingly common in formal Ugandan employment settings as of late.
For some, the money is not a problem, but you never know what to buy for your nerdy target, so you were off again this year. The geek/ nerd sphere is alien to you, which limits your options.
Well, your friend is unlikely to raise hell simply because you added another cup to their collection, or a plate, or socks, or whatever people buy when they don’t want to make the effort to locate a meaningful gift.
But if you would prefer to spend your hard-earned money on a gift your target will actually enjoy, a gift worth its value, allow me to recommend a few ideas for your next Christmas. I have excluded financially taxing gifts, such as computers, tablets, and headphones. Instead, let’s start with toys. Yes, toys.
When was the last time you visited the toy aisle in your local supermarket? They sell giant Transformers action figures that literally transform. I have seen enormous battery-powered dinosaurs that have made me drool. What about high-powered water guns?
Or remote-controlled toy cars? A geek/nerd’s most powerful attribute is their imagination. Don’t allow our adult-sized bodies to fool you. We can get as much joy out of a decent toy as any child would, especially if it’s associated with a fandom we like.
Staying within that line of thinking, nerdy merchandise is everywhere these days. Think about all those Ninja Turtle plushies and anime-inspired beddings you have seen around town.
Most high-end stores have nothing to offer you. March into the chaos of downtown Kampala and start sifting through the mounds of dusty second-hand junk littering the streets.
You might be surprised by the gems hiding beneath, items the average shopper is unlikely to appreciate. Don’t ask me why, but your nerdy friend will get more of a kick out of wearing a pair of Batman-inspired boxers than they would a softer, silkier, more expensive option.
Obviously, the target’s interests matter. Some adults are children at heart. They revel in the simple things, but they rarely indulge that aspect of their personality. Others may require the opposite approach.
Maybe you feel like that Naruto-style hoodie is a poor fit for their job at the bank, in which case a smart blazer would do wonders for their look. Or you can replace those Barry Allen/Flash sneakers with proper dress shoes.
If their romantic partner is tired of the itchy Pokémon blanket they sleep under, buy the grumbling couple a thick and comfortable duvet, perfect for December’s freezing weather. In other words, look for the gaps in your target’s life and fill them.
Some people are too serious for their own good. They need gifts that compel them to engage their nerdy side, be it a box of board games or a set of Yu-Gi-Oh cards. If you have the funds, you can commission a tailor to make a nice rug inspired by their favorite fandom.
A wall hanging is equally appealing. Add a piece of their personality to their exhaustingly serious personal space at home or work. Or maybe your target has every gaming console known to man, but you would be hard-pressed to find a pair of boxers or socks without holes in their closet, which means that a bag of fresh socks and boxers would do them a world of good.
Or perhaps they rely entirely on disposable utensils and cutlery, so a new cup is not enough; They need an entire set of cups, plates, spoons, and knives for their kitchen. As with most things, the key is to apply a modicum of thought and creativity.
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