The seventh and final edition of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide contains everything that didn’t fit under one of the other topics. We have music, videos, and other ideas. What are your last minute holiday gift ideas?
Tony Bennett, Duets II
$11.88
Bennett is not who you immediately picture when you think “geeky singer” but my interest was piqued when I saw that one of the songs, The Lady is a Tramp, was with Lady Gaga, who’s become something of a hero to freaks and geeks. I was even more interested when I saw the video of The Lady is a Tramp and realized, for the first time, that Lady Gaga has a fabulous voice. Both the song and video are playful and fun. Other highlights of this collection of classic songs good for romantic nights include Blue Velvet with K.D. Lang and Speak Low with Norah Jones. There’s also Body and Soul with the late Amy Winehouse, which is lovely and poignant.
Seeking Major Tom by William Shatner
$13.99
Seeking Major Tom is Shatner’s exploration of many spaced-themed popular songs and is based on the idea that so many songs stem from David Bowie’s Space Oddity. He is aided in this project by the likes of Lyle Lovett, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton and Sheryl Crow.
No Ordinary Girl (H2O: Just Add Water)
$3.00 or less per book
H2O: Just Add Water is an Australian TV series about three teenaged girls who just happen to turn into mermaids when they get wet. It’s a playful series suitable for mermaid fans of all ages and geared toward an audience slightly younger than the teenagers depicted on the show. The entire series is available for streaming through Netflix and Amazon, but there’s also a series of books for the new chapter book reader in your family.
Caldecott Favorites
$24.95
This three disc DVD set includes several well-loved stories that have been brought to life. All of the stories are Caldecott Medal Winners. This collection includes Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats as well as many more.
Doctor Who: Series Six Soundtrack
£8.99
The long awaited soundtrack for the Doctor’s sixth series will be released in the UK just in time for Christmas. For those of us who await the soundtracks as much as shows and films themselves, this is a truly exciting release. With the soundtrack of series five being considered one of the best yet, this two CD set has a lot to live up to.
Reel Heroes: DVD & Blu-Ray Re-Issues
£9.99 Blu-Ray/£4.99 DVD
Exclusive to HMV, these re-issued DVDs and Blu-rays of classic geek movies have such beautiful covers you’ll want to own them all, even the films you don’t particularly like.
For Adults Only, Because It’s Not Always About the Kids (some suggestions by Corrina Lawson)
I know it’s not a regular subject here but, of course, a healthy intimate life is necessary for the well-being of our marriage, at least for most of us. One of the things that fascinates me about the evolution of the women’s place in the Western World is how their sexual lives evolved in the last hundred years. The new movie Hysteria tackles the beginnings of this subject which I find, well, hysterical in an amusing sense of the word. Check out the website for the Antique Vibrator Museum, which tells the story of “female hysteria” and the changing attitudes through time. For specific gift guide items, here are a couple of adults-only links to Good Vibrations for long-distance relationships, and for those looking for a romantic evening away from the kids.
Check out our previous GeekMom Gift Guides: #1: Holiday-Themed Gifts, #2: Games, #3: Books, #4: Toys and Activities for Young Kids, #5: Toys and Activities for Older Kids and Adults, and #6: Practical Yet Awesome Gifts.
