Slashdot Mirror
Gifts Ideas For 'Non-Geek' Types?
BRock97 asks: "There is no better activity which sheds light on 'Geek/Non-Geek' interaction than Christmas shopping. As I try and browse Target's online store looking for the perfect gift, I can't help be gravitate back to ThinkGeek in hopes I will find something that the receiver of the gift will find useful AND also remind them of the person who gave it. I was curious as to what other /.'ers were planning on getting their friends and loved ones (parents/grandparents) who live the 'non-geek' lifestyle." We've already told Santa what we'd like for Christmas, now what about the non-geeks in our lives?
I bought two family members those USB keyring drives. Both of them use computers in two places and still use floppies. It's a level of technology that they'll be comfortable with, and it's something that they'll find useful.
If you have friends who like to eat (okay, most like to eat), then a gift of some tasty morsels may work wonders. Not something that you can buy at the local Kroger's, but something really good from the likes of Harry and David, Teuscher, or some other gourmet food store. Just make sure that they are likely to like that type of food (okay, no Omaha steaks for your vegetarian friends).
For parents, if you have kids, particularly babies, you're in luck: just get them a gift book of photos or a good photo in a nice frame, and they'll be thrilled.
This year, our families (except the little kids) are getting small token gifts. We gave the hundreds we might have otherwise spent on them (and then some) as gifts to our unemployed friends.
I can assure you someone that's been out of work for 9 months appreciated a couple hundred dollars a lot more than my in-laws will appreciate their usual shot-in-the-dark gifts.