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 Pré, 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!