November 30th, 2011 • 01:11
2011 Holiday Gift Guide
Like Santa’s pack of geeky elves – the ones who wear safety goggles at the back of the workshop – the Newscripts gang has been hard at work looking for the best gifts to give the chemistry lovers in your life. We’ve scoured the Internet (over 1500 items come up when you search for “chemistry” at Etsy) to find great gifts for this holiday season. You can also check out our 2010, 2009, and 2008 gift guides for even more super stuff. Did we miss something great? Put it in the comments.
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- The elements are the building blocks of matter, so naturally the folks at ThinkGeek thought they’d make great wooden building blocks ($39.99). This set of 20 colorfully painted building blocks feature all the elements of the periodic table. Perfect for any little scientist-in-training.
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- The Newscripts gang can’t think of a cuter way to keep grant proposals and journal article printouts from being swept away than this adorable Amigurumi frothing flask paperweight ($18) from Etsy.com’s ButterflyLove1 shop. Creator Dawn Finney says she can customize the “liquid” to be any color or any height.
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- No one eats sugarplums anymore. So while your children are nestled, all snug in their beds, wouldn’t you rather visions of photosynthesis dance in their heads? Then read your little scientist-to-be “Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life,” by writer and illustrator Molly Bang and MIT chemistry professor Penny Chisholm (list price $16.99, although we found it for less at Amazon and Barnes & Noble).
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- We know it’s hard for some chemists to tear themselves away from science even for a moment to take a shower. Now, thanks to this bar of periodic table soap ($9.99) from twooeggplants’ shop at Etsy.com, these folks can get clean while brushing up on their periodic trends.
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- Just because the chemist in your life usually sports a lab coat doesn’t mean you can’t dress him up now and then. But let him feel more comfortable in those French cuffs with these chemistry set cufflinks ($25) from MisterManatee’s store at Etsy.com.
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- As long as you’re dressing your fellow up with chemistry style, why not complete the look with these labware ties? ($30) from Cyberoptix on Etsy.com.
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- Nothing brings chemistry cheer to a Christmas tree quite like a Ho-Ho-Holmium ornament. ($17) from ShopGibberish at Etsy.com
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- Or spruce up your spruce with Made With Molecules’ 2011 tree trimmer – dopamine ($24).
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- Although we’re not totally sold on the somewhat aggressive message, we do think this flask keychain could be a great little stocking stuffer for keeping stockroom keys in order. ($14.95) from riskybeads at Etsy.com.
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- Search for “chemistry necklace” at Etsy.com, and you’ll get 265 hits. This element-themed pendant from TheDandelion is among our favorites ($10).
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- We also love this silver “love potion” piece from A.N. Original Jewelry at Etsy.com ($48).
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- The atomic emission spectrum of carbon dioxide inspired this colorful necklace ($70) from AurentaAtomica at Etsy.com.
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- Want to show someone what a superstar they are in the lab? Now you can with this Superstar Embellished Lab Coat ($60) from the buffalonerdproject shop at Etsy.com.
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- Retrograndma, at Etsy.com, has turned a chemistry textbook into an attractive purse. Bonus: there’s a wallet made from a page in the book inside ($35.99).
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- For someone who likes to keep the transition metals close at hand, here’s a fashionable bracelet to wear as reference material. ($50) from fugudesigns at Etsy.com.
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- OK, so you probably don’t need to spend $5.95 on a Mentos Geyser kit to do the kid-pleasing experiment. But this little stocking stuffer from Edmund Scientifics is a great reminder to finally break out the Diet Coke and wow the little ones.
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- Graduate students: Remind loved ones that you’re still alive, even though you’re trapped in the lab, with these adorable lab ware art postcards. ($8) from scientificculture at Etsy.com.
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- Bringing a bottle of wine to the lab’s holiday party? The label alone should wow drinkers of Educated Guess (about $20, depending on vintage and vintner) from Roots Run Deep winery, previously profiled by the Newscripts gang.
Leave a Reply
Nov 30th 2011 • 16:11
by Chemjobber
The Think Geek blocks are listed OK for kids without a lot of documentation that they are, re ink/heavy metal issues.
Uncle Goose element blocks, however, are somewhat lower priced and they check their ink for heavy metals (if you care about that sort of thing., e.g. if you’re buying for a kid) http://www.unclegoose.com/products/elemental-blocks/
The blocks they have are great and American-made, too.
Nov 30th 2011 • 16:11
by Bethany Halford
Thanks for the tip, CJ. Those Uncle Goose blocks are pretty nifty.
Dec 1st 2011 • 14:12
by Jen Kline
That periodic table soap cracks me up, going to get it for my chemist dad, haha! Never seen that before. Geek gift for sure.
My kids can’t stop playing with a new thing I got, Microlites. Tiny LED lights that pop up to turn on, the kids have them stuck to the bed when scared of dark or when we lost power. Anyways, I would add it to the list. Microlites, I haven’t seen them in stores yet, but got them online http://www.microlitetech.com. Perfect stocking stuffer for budget shoppers like me..
Dec 2nd 2011 • 17:12
by JAckie
I like! I know tons of “science geek” and used to be one myself. Now I’m just a “techie geek”
I’ve seen tons of tech gift guides on SkinnyScoop but no science ones..there should definitely be a science one created > http://www.skinnyscoop.com/category/gifts