Saturday 19 December 2009

Gift ideas!

It's 5 days to Christmas! Are you still thinking of what to get? Got a budget? Well, I thought I could offer some suggestions for you if you are clueless!

Let's work our way from the free to the uber expensive!


Free: 
•Some old stuff you have. 
•Or just some TLC - a hug, a kiss, whatever.
•Or why not share something this Christmas? watch a TV show you recorded? or read some web comics? May I recommend xkcd.com or theoatmeal.com/comics?

Really cheap (S$2 to S$10-ish): 
•Erm, a Christmas card, I guess, preferably snail-mailled. I mean, when was the last time you sent something through the post? Been a while, hasn't it? So why not do something this Christmas?
•Chocolates / confectionary stuff, because it's the festive season.
•Dental/hygiene products, to remind them to take care of their teeth, especially after eating so much sweet stuff.
•A Magazine. Yes, there's a price tag on it, but hey, at least you got something they can use.

Moving up... (S$10 to S$50-ish):
•Gift Card. From Borders or iTunes. But really? A gift card?
•A CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray. I recommend Susan Boyle, OneRepublic, Lady Gaga, Muse, 
•A casing for their iPod/iPhone/whatever. Alternatively,
•Socks work as good cases for the above-mentioned gadgets, as well as your feet.
•Clothings/accessories. Get them a tie or hairband, perhaps, if you're on a lower budget.
•Some puzzle thingy. A Rubik's cube?
•A book? A recipe book? Or maybe a novel? Or maybe just something interesting? I recommend Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics!
•Speaking of books, how about a really nice bible? Especially if you know this person's current one is not in good form anymore?
•For the shutterbug, don't get them a camera, just get them a camera strap. They'll be happy, and they'll always remember you when they carry their camera.
•For the student/businessperson, a thumbdrive. These things are quite cheap today, and they're as useful as a Swiss Army Knife. Good gift, I'd say. Unless they already have one. In which case, buy a bigger capacity from their existing one.

Further up... (S$55 to S$200)
•An iPod shuffle or nano. nuff said.
•Really nice earphones. Head over to www.headphone.com for recos.
•A really nice watch. Assuming this person likes watches. I don't.
•A nice dinner out?
•A game. Might I recommend Gran Turismo or Little Big Planet for the PSP, plus the following multiplatformers: Modern Warfare 2, Need For Speed: Shift, Guitar Hero 5 / Rock Band: The Beatles.

Moving further up... (S$250 to S$1000)
•A Point-and-shoot camera. May I recommend the Sony Cybershot DSC-TX1?
•An External HDD. Anything Seagate/WD.
•A new phone. Blackberry 9700 or 8520 or Storm 2, if you're into the BlackBerry. But otherwise, iPhone 3GS, HTC Hero, Palm PrĂ©, Motorola Droid, they're all interesting.
•A netbook. Don't ask me what's good. I hate these things, but they're popular, so I included them in this list.
•A holiday overseas! Just not Bali. Don't go to Bali at this time of the year - it'll be quite crowded. Don't take British Airways either. And avoid London if you are planning on taking public transport or renting a car. Head North for the cold, or South for the warmth.

You're bleeping rich... (Anything above S$1000)
•Canon EOS 7D.
•MacBook Pro. or the new iMac with Core i7 processors. Watch out for cracked screens, though.
•A Fiat 500 or Honda Jazz.
•Did I say Canon EOS 7D? No. Get a Hasselblad. You're mad!
•Heck. A Ferarri F458 Italia. Won't ship in time, but it's the thought that counts, right?
•A ticket on SpaceShip Two. You know. That Virgin Galactic spacecraft.

Alright. I don't know what to buy for Christmas, ok? Go think of something yourself!

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