Some of Our Favorite Christmas Gifts

Well, it’s the time of year when we traditionally write an article about Christmas gifts. Instead of making a wish list or a selection of STEM gift ideas or tech toys like we usually do, we decided to tell about the best and most memorable things we’ve received for Christmas. Because if we like them, you may like them too! If you want to tell us about your own favorite Christmas presents, please add a comment below…

Squishmallows – “I love my Squishmallows! They are super soft, squishy and adorable. It was Christmas 2017 when I got the first one. Now I have a whole collection of them. They have so many different kinds! Also for my birthday a friend gave me the Gund Pusheen with Sloth, so cute!” ~L.P.

Calculator Watch – “As the story goes, my dad had a Casio calculator watch in college. Believe it or not they still make them and he gave me one when I started college. Nobody uses these any more which makes it a fun conversation piece, time piece, and calculator all in one. Great for geeks, math majors, or anyone who likes retro stuff from the 80s.” ~S.S.

Fire Tablet – “I got a 7″ Fire Tablet for Christmas. I like it and still use it a lot.” ~J.O.

Bluetooth WorkTunes – “These headphones are excellent and super comfortable. I listen to music on my phone and the sound is so clear, all I hear is the music, it’s awesome how it cancels out the outside noises. Just wearing the headphones for peace and quiet would be amazing, or they’re really useful when working in a noisy environment like mowing the lawn. With Bluetooth you don’t have to worry about a cord pulling out all the time if you’re moving around. They are cushioned so well that I even take them shooting. Another good thing is, if you have a big head these headphones fit well. The last ones that I had were too tight and squeezed my ears.” ~R.O.

Exploding Kittens – “I got this game one year and it’s a blast to play with the teen and young adult group. You put a pile of cards on the table and take turns drawing cards. If you get an exploding kitten card, you explode and are out of the game – that is, unless you have a defuse card, which can defuse the kitten using things like laser pointers, belly rubs, and catnip sandwiches. All the other cards in the deck are used to move, mitigate, or avoid the exploding kittens. Very fun and funny!” ~J.P.

UpBlend Outdoors Wind Chime – “I always wanted a wind chime and this was actually a birthday present, but it would be a perfect Christmas gift for someone who wants a quiet wind chime to hang outside their window. It’s not too loud but the musical tones are beautiful and melodic. I love the pretty blue color! It came in a nice box, too, along with a motivational rock which was a nice added touch. This is a gift that keeps on giving because I get to hear it every time the wind blows.” ~T.O.

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone – “I had an old Logitech desktop microphone that kept flopping down and I had to hold it up with masking tape. Then I got this one last Christmas and what a difference in the sound quality, not to mention it’s sturdy and looks way cooler!” ~D.J.

Orion StarBlast II 4.5 EQ Reflector Telescope – “Orion is the best name in amateur telescopes, so I was excited to get the StarBlast II last Christmas. This reflector telescope is not a toy; it’s a real precision scientific instrument. The equatorial mount means its rotational axis is aligned to the celestial pole. This allows for easy tracking to keep an object in view without having to look all over for it.” ~P.O.

Tribble – “A great gift for your favorite Star Trek fan! I got the tiger stripe one and liked it so much that I bought the cheetah camouflage to go with it. So if they’re sitting side by side and you touch one, it sets the other one off, LOL.” ~X.B.

Apple iPad Air – “An iPad!!! You got me an iPad??? This was me with my eyes popping out on Christmas Day. I couldn’t believe it! Especially when my dad was out of work so I wasn’t expecting much that year. Then I found out that he actually got it for free – he won it at a convention and gave it to me! Best Christmas ever. Thanks, Dad!” ~S.S.

Amazon Gift Card – “What can I say, give me an Amazon gift card and I’ll be happy. Then I can use it for anything I want. You can never go wrong with an Amazon Gift Card. They come in many different styles (including pretty boxes and tins at no extra cost), with a choice of denominations and a variety of designs for all occasions. They even have gift card bookmarks.” ~T.B.