Thu, 24 Dec '09

Printable Presents!

Presenting last minute geek gifts that require only a computer, a printer and an intense desire to avoid shopping malls

Well, it’s Christmas Eve Morning. How many people do have you still have to buy presents for?

If you just answered “none” or “I’m Jewish,” good job! But if you’re still facing the threat of visiting a mall today, consider these options:

Papercraft All you need is your printer, scissors and more patience then you probably possess. With the time you’d otherwise spend at a mall, you could glue together the Iron Man pictured to left, simpler superheroes with either round (Ham Headz) or square (Cubeecraft) noggins or you could even make something wearable, like a video game character’s headgear! Giving a loved one a present crafted from paper is the perfect way to hide the fact that you were a last-minute shopper. They’ll be so busy thinking you're cheap, it won't occur to them that you were also tardy!

Downloadable Video Games Both Direct2Drive and Steam let you gift popular games as downloads. Giving someone a box to a video game is overrated anyway.

Rental Subscriptions Let your loved ones enjoy unlimited movie or game rentals with gift subscriptions to Netflix or Gamefly. Plus printable gift cards still give you something to shove into a stocking.

Online Gift Certificates Those who begrudge the use of even paper and toner on a present, can go for online gift certificates, which stores will email directly to the recipient. Geek friendly retailers offering the option include GameStop, Amazon, Fandango and iTunes. Joy to the nerd world!