There are many classic Valentine’s Day gifts: flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep. But sometimes you want something really special for that special someone. And if that special someone in your life identifies as a nerd, you know how tricky it can be to find the right gift. Whether you’re shopping for your friends, your significant other, or yourself, here are 11 great gift options for Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, or any ol’ day!
Clothing for STEAM geeks
We’ve written about SvahaUSA previously, and they continue to delight with their STEAM-themed designs. For this Valentine’s Day, they have an anatomically correct heart dress. Adorable and accurate! The languages of love scarf and kids’ dress are also 50% off.
Fantasy and historical coins or jewelry
If you’re a fan of any high-fantasy or historical fiction series, then you’ll find something precious at the Shire Post Mint. This family-owned and operated business is the official mint for coins from licensed properties including JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, Conan the Barbarian, and Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicle. Wax seals, coins, jewelry—they have it all. Even better, they’re offering 20% off of their Valentine’s Day Collection until February 14 with the code ALLYOUNEEDISCOINS.
Lightsabers
Pretty much every Star Wars fan likes lightsabers, and Novasabers is great for those who are just starting their collection. While these sabers aren’t the wildly expensive exact replicas of your favorite character’s weapons, these sabers are combat-capable and have sound effects, which is an amazing deal for the price. Even better, Novasabers is running a 50% off sale while supplies last.
Posters for movie buffs
For the movie and/or art buff in your life, Posteritati has some amazing original prints and posters. You can filter by decade, genre, director, country of origin, size, and price, which really helps narrow down their vast library of prints. Even better, their stock is always changing; if you don’t find something you like today, you can always come back another time and there’s guaranteed to be something new!
Content subscriptions
If you know your friend or partner’s favorite content creator(s), buying a subscription to that creator’s Patreon, Substack, or other content feed allows you to give your friend a gift while supporting creatives in their work. Alternatively, if the creator is on Nebula, you can gift a year-long subscription for $50 and give them access to exclusive lectures, podcasts, and classes from some of YouTube’s top creators.
Astrology and witchy nerds
Have a friend/SO who’s into astrology or witchcraft? Witch Baby Soap has some awesome 100% vegan, cruelty-free bath bombs, soaps, lotions, and more—all with an astrological and very witchy bent. They use biodegradable glitter and sell ethically mined crystals, too! Alternatively, you can go with CHANI, which has soaps named after zodiac signs, has resources for learning about your chart, and features daily horoscopes on their website.
Candles classic video game geeks
Do you know a gamer who might like playing in 4D? Then I suggest looking at RetroFlameCo. They have custom candles based on classic video games like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Pokémon, all for the pretty incredible price of $5 per candle.
Cosplay gear
This can be a riskier gift, especially if it’s an item that needs to be sized correctly. If you know your gift recipient has been wanting a specific prop but maybe cost is an issue, then why not give the gift of cosplay? Etsy and Redbubble are excellent sites for finding cosplay pieces, especially props and accessories.
Books, comics, and games
Another option for the artistically inclined, Oni Press is a publishing company that does it all. Comic books, art, games—they have something for almost everyone. I especially like this Space Trash print that celebrates female friends just existing together. They also have special collections dedicated to their Black and queer authors.
Meme gifts
Strike Gently Co specializes in handmade enamel pins and loom-woven blankets, many of which take inspiration from fantasy, psychedelia, alt-culture, and memes. Think frogs, animals with knives, mushrooms, the occult, and collabs with artists like Shintaro Kago and Autumnal Wood. Currently, they have a buy two, get one free deal on blankets and will give you two surprise pins for every three you order.
Food
If the person you’re shopping for likes cooking or trying new recipes, I might suggest the Binging with Babish cookbook. Created by Andrew Rea, the cookbook (based on his YouTube series of the same name) features recipes inspired by beloved movies and TV shows, including the titular dish from Ratatouille. Alternatively, if your special someone likes candy and D&D, there are lots of D20 candies from independent sellers on Etsy. Just make sure not to get them mixed up with the real thing!
What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day gift (nerdy or otherwise)?
(featured image: Witch Baby Soap / Oni Press / Svaha USA / HappyPiranha, Etsy / The Mary Sue)
