Marvel Classic Black Light Collectible Poster Portfolio
As a kid, it seemed like all my friend’s stoner big brothers had a Marvel comics black light poster on their bedroom wall. This giant book, measuring 21 x 31.5 inches includes full-size reproductions of 12 of the best Marvel posters. My favorite is the Silver Surfer cruising through a molecular galaxy! — Mark
Winmau dartboard
During the pandemic’s lockdown days, I bought this Winmau dartboard as a gift for Mark, and we ended up in a fierce competition every single day for six months! (We still play post-lockdown, but now mix it up with out-of-home activities.) The board is high quality and still looks new a year-and-a-half later. Darts are sold separately. — Carla
Give the gift that keeps on Air Frying
The air fryer is what I think I would have wanted a microwave oven to be, had I been able to stop the awful advance of microwaves into every home in the USA. Air Fryers work great and actually make things crispy. Tater Tots are amazing. Add some MSG! — Jason
Light Phone II
It's an e-ink smartphone, "minimalist" and designed to do the things you need a phone to do without distracting you with the trash gyre of social media, youtube and other addictive nonsense. Though expensive, it's interesting because you can't even buy a dumbphone these days without Facebook and the dumbest, ugliest design -- and effective because it's designed by and for people who know the problem you share. — Rob
Ticket to Ride
I find this simple yet strategic board game to be highly addictive and suitable for anyone who likes tabletop gaming. A family staple for years, it’s all about connecting cities with train tracks and collecting tickets before your competitors do. And for those who haven’t yet ventured aboard the world of Euro games, this one makes for a perfect introduction. — Carla
Minelab Vanquish 540 Metal Detector
This mid-level metal detector is very smartly designed and includes features found in much more expensive detectors. It is surprisingly light-weight, given how substantive the 12” coil is and it’s very portable, thanks to the snap-locks that allow you to collapse the unit. Well-thought-out features include a red LED backlight, waterproof coil, an iron bias mode, depth indicator, pre-set modes (coins, relics, jewelry) and a user-customizable mode. Also come with rechargeable batteries and charger. A lot of metal detector for the price. — Gareth
Fujifilm X100V
I got rid of my bulky DSLR and its drawerful of lenses, accessories, bags and other junk and replaced it with this, the best fixed-prime compact camera I've ever used. And unlike other models in its league—some of which are far more expensive—it's surprisingly great for video, too — Rob
Witchcraft: The Library of Esoterica
Taschen has been knocking it out of the park with their Library of Esoterica series. First it was a gorgeous art-centric book on Astrology, then the tarot. Their latest (and greatest) is Witchcraft, edited by Jessica Hundley and our favorite good witch of the north, Pam Grossman. Through the lens of art related to the subject, this magnificent tome looks at the beliefs behind witchcraft, its history, the tools of the trade, modern witchcraft practice, and more. For all earth worshipers and mages on your Yule list. -Gareth
An affordable ring light
High-end ring lights will put you back hundreds, so I was thrilled to find a $24 Amazon one that did everything I needed. It provides a warm glow (or cool, if you want!) that makes you look presentable for Zoom calls even if you're in a dungeon or a drab hotel room. The light gets power from my computer's USB port and offers several brightness levels. My only gripe is that it hogs a lot of my desk, but sacrificing the surface area is worth it. I've used it a few times a week for almost a year. — Annie
Insert Coin Keychain
Diecast metal and plastic construction with LED illumination. 1:1 scale replica. Ready player one? — David
Belgian Waffle Maker
If the pandemic has taught us one thing, you don't want to be stuck at home without waffles. Get this waffle maker, a big bag of Krusteaz mix, and a jar of the best maple syrup you can find. You'll be the hit of your family holiday, or quarantine. — Jason
Anker Nano II 65W Gallium Nitride charger
It's as tiny as an iPad charger, yet supplies 65W, enough to juice a MacBook Pro or similar high-end laptop in a couple of hours. It's thanks to Gallium Nitride, a more efficient and expensive semiconductor. — Rob
Ecosphere
This maintenance-free aquarium has a complete ecosystem inside a sealed glass sphere. All you need to do it provide the right amount of sunlight and the shrimp, algae, and microorganisms will take care of each other’s needs. — Mark
Le Pinch Windup
Part of a series of whimsical windup contraptions, Le Pinch was Kikkerland’s most complex to develop. As its head and rear-end pinch together, earthworm-style, this handsome guy can maneuver itself over small objects that get in its way. Not recommended for kids under 8, but otherwise, this is a gift suitable for any age. — Carla
Finger covers for eating messy or sticky food with your hands
Because washing your hands after you scarf a bag of Cheetos is such a hassle. As described by the seller, this indispensable human augmentation technology, a perfect stocking stuffer, is "For Chips, Popcorn, Pizza, Party food, Finger food, Appetizers and anything else that makes your fingers Cheesy, Greasy or Sticky. Designed to go on and off with ease, our unique shape fits comfortably on any size fingertip. Food-Grade Silicone is easy to clean, Dishwasher safe, and can be placed in boiling water to Disinfect. Use as a Finger Food Utensil or for Kitchen Prep." — David
Vespa Scooter for Kids
Modeled after the classic Vespa scooter, this scaled down-battery powered version zips along at an impressive 2 miles per hour, and is meant for human weighing up to 65 lbs. — Mark
Miniature Concrete Home
Mumbaikar Nitin Barchha makes adorable miniature concrete models of cubelike houses: "Each piece is an individually complete space defined by volumes and voids that give the human imagination a glimpse into what could be lying inside." You can even buy a set of nine. — Rob
Vintage Boing Boing T-Shirts
It's 1993 again! No such thing as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, or Tik Tok. Boing Boing was a paper zine, ordered by mail or purchased at Tower records. We sold three kinds of T-shirts back then, Kata Sutra, Riot Nrrrd, and Modem Grrl. When Boing Boing ceased to be a zine in the late 1990s, we stopped selling these shirts. But now, 25 years later, they're back. We have two other designs in the shop, with more to come. Stock up now, it could be another 25 years before you can buy them! — Mark
Metal-backed grid notepad
The $22 RUSSELL + HAZEL metal-backed notepad is just shy of 9x7 inches and comes with a replenishable stack of gridded notepaper, a hundred sheets. It is, they say, ideal for to-do lists, grocery lists and "engineering drawings". — Rob
Artificial Life Art
These robotic creatures were generated by an algorithm. I’ve put them on art prints, water bottles, and bath mats. — Mark
Luxembourg
What to get your friend who has everything? A country most people have forgotten! A present-day member of the EU, this small nation is certainly more reasonable than a colony on Mars! — Jason
M1 Macbook Air
Better than the machines on Richese. — Rob
7-inch Murder Hornet Model
This murder hornet model looks amazing. “Every part is articulated, from the antennae to the stinger. Articulated mandibles and mouth parts have been faithfully recreated. The large compound eyes are made of transparent material to enhance the vibrant coloration. The abdomen is also posable, and the body can be bent forward into an aggressive pose.” It's $105, but if you are a true murder hornet aficionado it's a pittance. Check out a video. — Mark
A 7" Santoku
Chopping will never be easier! Dahlstrom knives feel wonderful in the hand and are made of high-quality steel that stays sharp. These are my favorite knives! — Jason
Crumpled Tumbler, 8oz
For only $41.57, you too can be the proud owner of a crumpled 8-ounce tumbler. The catch is that it's immortal: cast from smooth enamel that's microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven-safe. There are cheaper implementations of the same idea, but this is the most convincing. — Rob
Kewpie Mayonnaise
This year, give the gift of mayonnaise. Kewpie, made in Japan is extra tasty because it has extra egg yolks and MSG. No other mayo compares to Kewpie! — Mark
Copic Ciao Marker Set
At about $200, a full set of 72 Copic markers is a pricey proposition. But that's because they're the absolute best, with perfect colors, easy blending, and a big brush tip good for detail and wash alike. Dip an elbow in the water with a relatively inexpensive 12-marker set; great deals on partially-used sets can also be found haunting eBay. — Rob
Golden Fertility Idol
Stolen from some chump who doesn't speak Hovitos, this golden fertility idol could be yours! Why let it rot away in a museum? Use it to set a deadly trap in your own home or gift to loved one. — Jason
The Magnet Newsletter
The Magnet is my newsletter that goes deeper into my personal interests. I write about tips I find useful, weird software, lists of my favorite tools, what I've learned, interviews, recipes, quotations, and more. — Mark
Not rawhide dog chews
Give the gift that keeps on chomping! Having been generally scared off of rawhide, these chews satisfy a lot of the chewing my Golden Retriever needs to do! — Jason
Classic terrorist watch
Casio's F91W is the chronograph of terrorists worldwide, according to secret documents issued to interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, obtained and released by The Guardian: "the Casio F-91W digital watch was declared to be 'the sign of al-Qaeda' ... possession of the F-91W and the A159W ... suggests the wearer has been trained in bomb making by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan". It is, of course, simply the cheapest reliable wristwatch; Casio produces 3 million of them a year. Yours for a tenner. — Rob
Insta360 ONE X2 360 Camera
Take amazing 360-degree videos of your adventures! Easily load them into powerful, yet intuitive app-based editing software! Then, if you are like me, prepare to be disappointed with how uninteresting your adventures are and do not bother sharing them with others! GOOD LUCK! — Jason
Dining with the Dead: A Feast for the Souls on Day of the Dead
This stunning 8X10 hardback could very well grace the top of a coffee table, with its sumptuous, full-page photographs and detailed front section all about Day of the Dead, past and present. But the traditional Mexican recipes — pozoles, tamales, moles, street snacks, and so much more — will land it in the kitchen in seconds flat. — Carla
Real Predator Urine
The ultimate secret Santa gift. This 16oz jug of coyote piss comes in just below the spending limit of most company-organized holiday cheer spreading, anonymized gift exchanges, and is sure to up the ante next year. — Jason
The Voyager Golden Record 3xLP Box Set
In 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, on a grand tour of the solar system and into the mysteries of interstellar space. Attached to each of these probes is a beautiful golden record containing a message for any extraterrestrial intelligence that might encounter it, perhaps billions of years from now. This Grammy-winning set, co-produced by Boing Boing's David Pescovitz, includes 3LPs with all of the audio as the original Voyager Record; magnificent book containing all images included on the original Voyager Interstellar Record, gallery of images transmitted back from the Voyager probes, and a new essay by Timothy Ferris, producer of the original golden record; turntable slipmat; gold foil art print; and digital download card all in a deluxe record box. — David
Wine aerator spout
No fooling around with decanters or elaborate, arty-farty contraptions. Just jam it in the bottle like a cork and pour. Makes an $8 wine taste as good as a $13 wine. Prost! — Rob
The Oculus Quest 2
Give the gift that ropes someone into a lifetime of bullshit from Facebook (call me Meta!) but provides a pretty fun experience. I've enjoyed Beat Saber, a bunch of other games briefly, and more Beat Saber. I hear the Star Wars stuff is fantastic, but Beat Saber. — Jason
Edward Gorey Puzzle
I adore the Pomegranate line of jigsaw puzzles, with pieces that have just the right thickness and snap together perfectly. They really are the best. Although I have a few of the artist Charley Harper, I don’t yet own this wonderful 1,000-piece Edward Gorey puzzle (hint hint to my family!). — Carla
Glass Pyramid
Made of "optically clear crystal" and three inches tall, Amlong's Crystal Pyramid is the best Crystal Pyramid. My bacon is fresh, my airspace dangerous, and my undertakings favored. — Rob
Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators
The Pocket Operators (see the full set at Amazon) are fantastically simple, absolutely delightful, and quite powerful synthesizer modules and sequencers in the form factor of (you guessed it) a pocket calculator. The PO-20 model is all about creating the bleepy, bloopy beats you’d hear in a videogame arcade of yore. And there are a half-dozen others too: For example, the PO-33 K.O.! is a sampler with built-in microphone and 40 second sample memory while the PO-35 Speak is a vocal synthesize and sequencer that brings to mind a circuit-bent Speak n' Spell. Best of all, you can sync these with each other as well as other digital music gear. As Kraftwerk sang, "By pressing down a special key, it plays a little melody." — David
Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League, Et Al
The world has been waiting for this story for nearly as long as I have been alive, finally the story of Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League. Everyone need read Buckaroo! — Jason
Kawaii Heart Stickers
Five bucks a sheet — Rob
Reinvented subscription
Reinvented is a smart, nonprofit quarterly magazine for (and created by) girls and young women in STEM. With articles on topics that range from the maker movement, DIY electronics projects, and hacking to articles on space, engineering careers, and interviews with women like Adafruit’s Limor Fried and Maker Faire’s Sherry Huss, Reinvented (of which I’m on the advisory board) offers digital or paper subscriptions. — Carla
Natural Blackwing Pencils
Half the pressure, twice the speed! A legendary and long-lost pencil returns to our scribbling, sketching, shading bosoms courtesy of Palomino. It even now comes in plain, natural wood, perfect for chewing off that godawful ferrule without having to taste paint. — Rob
Girl Genius
Girl Genius is a book I wrote that is filled with profiles of fascinating women and high school girls who have helped change the world with their incredible STEM inventions, discoveries, and problem-solving skills. If you know budding school-age inventors, space explorers, engineers, mathematicians, techies, or kids who just like to read inspiring stories, this makes a great gift! — Carla
Kooduu Synergy wireless speaker and wine cooler
The Kooduu does two things: play music over bluetooth and keep drinks cold. You can also use it as a planter, so people don't even realize you are so déclassé as to own a wireless boombox. One is also assured repeatedly that it is "created according to Danish design". — Rob
Rainbow Slime
A glittery additive mixed with kid-safe Elmer's glue, Rainbow Slime is what you make of it. Fun when forming and flexible when dry, the results are beautiful, weird and extremely cheap at $6 or so. — Rob
Arduino and Maker Classes
When designer Massimo Banzi created the Arduino in 2005, he had no idea that his tiny, open-source microcontroller would spark a revolution. Today, thousands of non-engineers have created amazing projects, interactive experiments, and clever fixes using this simple piece of hardware. In this Skillshare class I’ll show you how to get started with a few simple Arduino projects, giving you the confidence and skill to begin experimenting with projects on your own. The link above gives you a free month to my classes and thousands of other Skillshare classes. — Mark
Razer Blade 14
All the other game laptops would be humiliating to whip out in public or at work, but this is one of the most minimally attractive laptops money can buy. It's powerful and lightweight, too, compared to its stablemates. — Rob
Mon Carnet De Croquis Poche: Sticky
I recently saw these beautiful, vintage-style books of sticky note paper in New York and bought one as a gift — though I don’t yet know who the lucky receiver will be. At only 3.74” X 3.54” (but with satisfying bulk), it could also fit into a stocking for those who are stuffers. Inspired by antique books, this line also makes gorgeous journals for a more substantial gift. — Carla
Wolf Crotch Underwear
With a "convex design, large space and breathable," the 3D Wolf Head Crotch Underwear "make man looks sexy and wild" and can be yours for as little as five American dollars. — Rob
Tube of Gallium
Gallium is a metal that melts at 86 degrees F. It's more fun than playing with mercury, and probably safer, too (it *will* temporarily stain your skin gray though, because it's "wet" when liquid and will adhere to the crevices of your skin). My daughter's friend brought some over a couple of years ago, and it was such a hit at our house that we had to get some of our own. — Mark
Bulk Generic Lego
You can get 1000 random pieces of off-brand building bricks for less than $30, guaranteed to "fit tight" and come with "less filler" than the even-cheaper bulk buys. — Rob
