11 Fantastic Gifts for Geeky Grads

Have a loved one who recently graduated from high school, college, grad school, or a secret wizarding academy? Show your support with just the right gift.

1. Kodak PRINTOMATIC Digital Instant Print Camera; $70

Kodak's PRINTOMATIC camera is more than just an instant camera that lets users to print snapshots on demand—though it does that, too. The digital point-and-shoot camera can be used to capture and save photos to a microSD card as well as print in color or black and white. The 2-inch-by-3-inch prints are water-resistant, smudge-free, and sticky, so they're ready to scrapbook immediately. The camera body comes in six different fun colors, so you can customize it to your grad's personal taste.

Find it: Amazon

2. My Coffee and Book Club Subscription; $32 and Up

Give your favorite bookworm/coffee geek a professionally curated box of their two great loves each month with My Coffee and Book Club. Each month, they'll get two hardback books, an e-book, and a bag of coffee. The subscription offers a choice between eight different genres (acclaimed fiction, acclaimed non-fiction, science fiction, thriller, mystery, horror, romance, fantasy), or users can elect to receive random picks, and the java comes in 12-ounce packages of small-batch whole bean or ground coffee. Each box ships out during the first week of each month. (If your grad isn't big on books, Cratejoy also offers of plenty of other geeky subscription boxes, from science kits to magic supplies to coding projects and "escape the room" games.)

Find it: Cratejoy

3. Beetlejuice Handbook For The Recently Deceased; $8 and Up

In Tim Burton's world, dearly departed characters can get a sense of what to expect from the afterlife with the help of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. You can get a replica of the prop that appeared in 1988's Beetlejuice in several forms: Give the paperback or hardback notebook version of the book to your grad and he or she can fill in whatever tips might be helpful, or give them the notecard set to ensure you get a very spooky thank you card in return.

Find it: Amazon

4. Ghostbusters Playing Cards; $9

Help your favorite student pass the time between cram sessions with Albino Dragon's officially licensed Ghostbusters playing cards, which are decked out with original illustrations. Each face card has a different character from the classic ‘80s comedy, including Slimer, Peter Venkman, and Winston Zeddemore.

Find it: Amazon

5. BB-8 Desk Lamp; $33

All nighters can be conducted under the soft glow of a BB-8 lamp, minus the concentration-breaking sound effects. The lamp stands 8.5 inches tall and has three different lighting modes—tap BB-8's head and it switches between natural white, amber, and warm white light.

Find it: Walmart

6. Bookworm Beach Towel; $40

No matter what their next move is, we hope your favorite grad is about to wrap up their months of studying by spending some much-needed time hitting the beach. Help them show off their love of literature with this beach towel from artist Cassia Beck. The image features a collection of books by literary juggernauts like Virginia Woolf, J.D. Salinger, and more. (We also recommend this one, which looks like a classic library card, or this one, which has a more abstract writerly vibe.)

Find it: Society6

7. Skillshare Subscription; $36 and Up

Just because graduation is over doesn't mean your favorite nerd is going to stop learning. Give them the gift of post-grad learning with a Skillshare membership, which gives them unlimited ad-free access to classes on the site and offline. Options include lessons on languages, writing, design, animation, photography, business, crafts, and more. With gift subscription plans ranging from 3 months to one year, your recent grad can learn everything from how to knit a scarf to how to master Photoshop to how to understand the stock market.

Find it: Skillshare

8. Exploding Kittens; $20

Exploding Kittens is a popular card game for anyone who likes cats, explosions, and the website The Oatmeal. The party game comes with 56 illustrated cards and allows for up to five players (or up to nine with the expansion pack). As the most-backed Kickstarter project of all time, it's practically guaranteed to be fun. If you want to keep your favorite grad's game night going even longer, there are also multiple expansion packs.

Find it: Amazon

9. The Lord Of The Rings Doormat; $33

A doormat that features a warning from Gandalf may not be the most welcoming item to put outside your front door, but at least it'll keep out the Balrog.

Find it: Amazon

10. Doctor Who Stein; $20

This officially licensed stein is the perfect container for throwing back all kinds of inter-dimensional drinks. It has a lid and enough room for 50 ounces of liquid.

Find it: Amazon

11. Owl Tapestry; $34

No college dorm room or post-grad apartment is complete without a tapestry. Skip the usual kaleidoscopic designs and opt for something unique; Society6 has a whole slew of options, including this lovely bunch of owls.

Find it: Society6

A version of this article first ran in 2017. It has been updated to reflect current availability as of May 2019.

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