I think the western world can attest that the worst part of Christmas, aside from seasonal depression, is buying gifts for the people you love.
It is a seemingly endless quest for that perfect gift that makes it seem like we tried really hard, but doesn’t actually require us to try that hard. I am going to try and alleviate some of that pressure. Don’t know what to get the pop culture inclined geek in your life for Christmas? There’s a pretty good chance they’d like something on this list.
I think it’s important to understand that what makes a geek a geek is their capacity for obsession. They like to find things they love and devour them. Giving a geek something to obsess over is like giving a crack-head crack, but less illegal and morally reprehensible.
Breaking Bad, now on its fourth season, is something we can obsess about. A favorite of some of America’s funniest people, (Conan O’Brien, Mindy Kaling), it’s a great gift now, before the show embarks on its fifth and final season next year and your geek misses the bandwagon.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns)
I wrote a review of the Mindy Kaling penned book of essays, anecdotes, lists and observations a few weeks ago. Since then I’ve read the book over and laughed just as hard. It’s freaking hilarious. Admittedly, the book’s target audience is female, but there are nuggets of humor that even the most testosterone full gentlemen among us might enjoy. Like, “…they say the best revenge is living well. I say it’s acid in the face–who will love them now?”
Batman: Arkham City
The sequel to the 2009 videogame Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City is easily the best reviewed game of the year. Fantastic game play, stellar voice acting and a solid story arch force me to agree, even if I am continually annoyed by Catwoman’s illogical choice of attire.
The Lion King
There is a very good chance that if your loved one is somewhere in their 20s that the Lion King made a profound impact on them. Earlier this year I was overcome by a sudden craving to relive the moments of my childhood spent memorizing every single word uttered on this film. It’s something geeks do a lot of, relishing in nostalgia. I could not with the Lion King, as it was “in the vault,” something Disney does to drive demand for their films. Get it now, before they take it away again!
This is all eight films of the Harry Potter Franchise on Blu-Ray, a perfect gift for any HP fanatic. Show me the bastard among us who doesn’t bleed magic, wizardry and a bit of butterbeer and I’ll show you a person that’s dead inside. The final installment left a giant gaping hole in our hearts, and this is perhaps one of the best ways to assuage the ache. It is also priced at a ridiculous discount on amazon right now.
Sarah McBride’s thoughts on music, film, lit and life can be found at sarahism.com. You can follow her on twitter @sarahism.