Welcome to the Geeks of Doom Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Specialty Items edition!

This is your place for a few “outside the box” gift ideas for the geeks in your life who have just about everything you were thinking about getting them. Whether it be plush toys or board games, collectibles, household items, and even edibles, you’ll find it here to help guide you toward your ultimate goal: happy, glowing geek eyes when Christmas morn’ arrives.

If something is said to be unavailable, you can usually find it available elsewhere online. Or you can wait, it’s assumed that more should be available soon.

Be sure to continue on below now to check out the 2011 Specialty Gifts guide now!

PORTAL

Portal Bookends

We start things off with a few items from the world of Portal, the hit game franchise from Valve.

First up is some nice bookends. Yes, bookends. I know, not exactly the most exciting thing someone could extract from a present, but that’s what makes it special; something ordinary is made extraordinary when glazed over with a layer of geek. You’ll find quite a few items just like this as you make your way down.

Any Portal fan who also enjoys reading will get a great kick out of the in one end, out the other referential decor.

Portal Weighted Companion Cube Plush

Another thing you’ll find a lot of on this year’s list is plush items…because who doesn’t like getting something new to cuddle with, amiright?!

This plush version of the Portal Weighted Companion Cube measures in at 6″ x 6″ x 6″ and weighs in at around 2 lbs.

All this time we’ve been using them to solve puzzles and drop on turret heads, but all they’ve ever really wanted is a nice, big hug.

Portal Turret LED Flashlight

And speaking of turrets, here’s one now!

One of Aperture Science’s infamous turrets, in the form of an LED flashlight that also fires off different sound effects from Portal and Portal 2, as well as quotes including “Preparing to dispense product” and “I don’t hate you.”

At only 3.5″ tall this is a short little fella, but still, who doesn’t want their own turret protecting their home?

Or at least something to light the way to the bathroom at night.

MORE Portal Goodies

HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter Marauder’s Map

Next up comes some treats from the world of Harry Potter.

Everyone who’s seen the movies (which is everyone, of course) knows of the famous Marauder’s Map which Harry used to know where everyone was at all times when on one of his adventures.

This is a high-quality reproduction of that map, which is printed on parchment paper and measures 15.5″ X 72″ when fully unfolded. Unfortunately (and obviously) you can’t lock in some sort of app that tells you where everyone you know is all the time, but it will do for now.

Harry Potter Magic Wand Remote Control

When it comes to Harry Potter wands, the best you can get are the excellent reproductions they make, but those are really just for show. What you want is a wand that can do something for you.

Of course no wand out there will ever fix your glasses or whatever other magic trick you might want to throw down, but you can have one that controls your freakin’ TV, and that’s awesome.

The controller actually learns from the controllers you use, and can learn up to 13 commands in all, which means after some time you can be changing the channel with a flick of a wrist, and you can up the volume with a twist of the wand.

Harry Potter Mirror of Erised

In the world of Harry Potter, the Mirror of Erised will show you that which you want most of all in this world.

It showed Harry his family, it showed Ron himself as a great Quidditch captain, and it showed many others many different things.

Now you can have your very own Mirror of Erised and though it won’t show you your greatest desires, it will show you a lovely lady or a handsome devil. Which, according to the great Albus Dumbledore, would make you the happiest person on the planet, now, wouldn’t it?

The mirror measures in at 16.5″ x 8.5″ and would be a cool item to add to the room of any huge Potter fan.

Hermione Granger Time Turner

Another excellent collectible from the Harry Potter mythology, Hermione Granger’s Time Turner from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a must-own for fans of the franchise.

The time turner helped Harry, Ron, and Hermione to get back some precious moments when they were most needed in the third installment of the series.

This collectible is plated in 24 karat gold and measures 1 3/8″ on an 18″ chain. It comes complete with a miniature hourglass at its center and rotating rings. It also comes in its own display case.

MORE Harry Potter Goodies

GAME OF THRONES

Game of Thrones Iron Throne Paperweight

Plenty of people would be elated to find Game of Thrones goodies in their gifts this year, and HBO has the options you might seek. And if you don’t find something here you like, you can hit the link below for loads more ideas like t-shirts and so on.

First up is a paperweight — again, not the most exciting of gifts, but this paperweight is the Iron Throne itself.

The throne measures 5″ x 4.75″ and weighs in at 1.35 pounds, making it more of a cool miniature collectible of the iconic throne than just some paperweight.

Game of Thrones Sword Letter Opener

Maybe paperweights aren’t your thing, but you do open up a hell of a lot of letters. Why not open them up with a freakin’ sword?

OK, so it’s not a real sword, but this Game of Thrones letter opener is still pretty awesome. It’s also much more affordable than the paperweights, making it a fun little stocking stuffer.

It only measures a few inches long and weighs almost nothing, but it’s way cooler than your finger.

Game of Thrones House Stark Stein

What’s the only way watching Game of Thrones could be better? By watching it with beer (or mead, or whatever you like to drink), of course!

But you can’t just drink out of some boring old Ninja Turtles glass you got at Burger King when you were 10 years old, which is why this House Stark stein is perfect for the job.

The stein is a 16 oz. ceramic mug with the House Stark Direwolf and the “Winter is Coming” motto on it, as well as the Game of Thrones title on the other side. Other drinkware from other houses and characters are also available at the link below.

Game of Thrones Dragon Egg Paperweight

Yet another paperweight, this one being a fabled dragon egg!

In Game of Thrones, dragons are thought to be long extinct. All that remains are their bones and the rarely found eggs, which have long since hardened to stone. On the day of her wedding to the feared Khal Drogo, Daenerys Targaryen is presented with three such eggs, an incredible gift to be given.

Unfortunately there is no three-egg set one can buy yet (I’d be all over that!), but there is this one for now. It weighs in at 1.35 lbs. and measures around 3″ in height.

Game of Thrones House Stark Ring

Finally, you can pretend you’re an esteemed member of the Stark family (what are they going to do about it, they’re fictional!) with this stainless steel House Stark ring.

Bearing the mark of House Stark, the Direwolf, you can wear this bad boy with geek pride or keep it at home as a conversation starting showpiece along with the other items mentioned here.

There’s also a House Lannister ring available, but we all know they have cooties. And again, many more Game of Thrones items can be found at the link below.

MORE Game of Thrones Goodies

STAR WARS

Star Wars Han Solo & R2-D2 Ice Cubes

You didn’t think you’d make it through this list without a little Star Wars action, did you? There’s always some good new stuff out there from a galaxy far, far away, and here’s a few to peek at.

I don’t know about you, but the thought of being able to make little Han Solo frozen in carbonite ice cubes for my adult beverage is too good to pass up. Being able to also make little R2-D2 ice cubes, or make chocolate or jello versions of them as well only sweetens the pot.

You can get both together at the link above, but if you want just Han Solo you can find it HERE, and you can find just R2-D2 right HERE.

Star Wars R2-D2 Operation

Operation is a classic board game in which you must carefully use tweezers to extract bones and organs from your patient without touching the metal sides, which leads to a loud buzzing sound and a loss of turn.

The game has lots of different versions out there, but now you can perform surgery on everyone’s favorite little droid, R2-D2.

Everything is basically the same as the original game, only you’ll be playing with a droid instead of that other guy and removing little droid parts, naturally.

Star Wars Breakfast Beverages Set

What good would your Han Solo or R2-D2 ice cubes or chocolate figures be without some tasty beverages to drown them in?

Three new Star Wars themed beverages have been released, and all sound pretty gosh darn tasty to I. The first of which is Lord Vader’s robust Dark Side Roast Coffee, followed by zen master Yoda’s Dagobah Green Tea, and, of course, a nice hot cup of Hoth Cocoa.

For one price you can score all three of these tasty beverages. And be sure to throw a few R2-D2 ice cubes to make an iced beverage or toss a couple chocolate Han Solos in your Hoth Cocoa for that added choco glory!

DOCTOR WHO

Doctor Who Levitating Tardis

I’ve never seen Doctor Who and so I’m clearly not the best to come to for suggestions, but I do know how ultra-popular the franchise is, and how popular some special Who Christmas gifts could be.

First up is the Levitating Tardis, which is exactly as it sounds. Using magnets, you can have your very own levitating Tardis, and with a bit of a tap, it will also spin, just like you want your Tardis, spinning and levitating away.

The magical spinning levitating Tardis measures around 8cm or a little over 3 inches.

Doctor Who Dalek Projection Clock

Would you or someone you know like to wake up to a Dalek every morning? Than this might be the perfect gift to get and give.

The Doctor Who Dalek projection clock weighs in at about a pound and measures 7.5″ x 4.5″ x 6.5″. It fires off various sound effects to help you rise, including an intimidating “Exterminate!”

And of course, the shining feature, the projection of the time digitally on your ceiling to make sleepy-eyed time-reading all the easier.

Doctor Who Adipose Plush

Back to the cuddly we go, with a new plush doll version of the being known as the Adipose.

The Adipose are adorably chubby little fellas from the Doctor Who universe who appear in multiple episodes, including the one titled “Partners in Crime.”

In reality, adipose tissue is body fat or fat depots, which is pretty gross, but somehow they’ve made it cute here.

The plush Adipose measures up to be 10″ in size.

Doctor Who Ride-In Dalek

At a hefty $299.99 price tag, many won’t want to get their own ride-in Dalek, but for you Who-obsessed parents who want your kids to become fans early, this little ride may be the answer.

Most of us had our own Power Wheels when we were a kid, but now your kids can drive around with the power of this four-foot-tall Dalek, complete with 360 degree steering and a powerful top speed of around 2 mph.

Unfortunately for those of you outside of the UK this is an import, so anyone in the States or elsewhere would need a special UK outlet adapter to charge.

MORE Doctor Who Goodies

STAR TREK

Star Trek Romulan Ale Energy Drink

If Star Wars breakfast beverages aren’t your thing, you can always jump over that massive intergalactic line and join the Trekkies of the Star Trek universe, who prefer something with a little more kick.

Romulan Ale Star Trek Energy Drink is a twist on the highly intoxicating Romulan Ale, which can inebriate the strongest of stomach and, of course, is highly illegal thanks to Federation embargo.

It pours that same hypnotic blue you’d expect in your Romulan Ale, but instead of alcohol, it offers up some vitamins, ginseng, and lots of caffeine.

Star Trek Starfleet Academy Titanium Spork

Next up comes a Star Trek Starfleet Academy titanium spork. That’s right, a half spoon/half fork Star Trek spork. Few things could be so necessary.

The spork measures 6.25″ in length with the widest point measuring 1.5″ across.

It comes in special collector’s packaging, and the back of the spork is laser engraved with the Starfleet motto “Ex Astris, Scientia,” which means “From the stars, knowledge.”

Star Trek Bathrobe

Some days you simply don’t want to do anything at all except lounge around in your most comfy of clothing selections and watch movies.

Now you or whomever it is you’re looking for a unique gift for can do just that while sporting the insignia, rank, and color of your favorite Star Trek characters on this comfy cotton bathrobe.

Options include a yellow Captain Kirk robe, a blue Spock robe, a long red for Scotty, and a short red for Uhura, though it appears the Uhura is out of stock and will be for a while.

MORE Star Trek goodies

MISC.

The Princess Bride Storming the Castle Game

We’ll wrap things up with a few miscellaneous items that might be considered fitting gifts…basically just a couple extra plush and game offerings.

The Princess Bride is a timeless classic, beloved by many. But the fun doesn’t have to end with the movie; there’s plenty of other ways to keep the party going, including the Storming the Castle card game.

The game can be played by 2-4 people, takes about an hour to play, and can change each time as you brave various locations like the Fire Swamp and try to reach Humperdinck’s castle first to save Princess Buttercup.

Alien Chestburster and Facehugger Plush

No one ever accused the Alien movie franchise of being cute in any way, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Fans of the movie — no matter how young or old — will want to get their hands on these plush versions of the usually terrifying chestburster and facehugger aliens seen in the movies.

The chestburster measures 48″ in length and can be posed or even stood up on its own, while the facehugger’s arachnid-like arms are wired and can be opened and closed upon one’s face if you wish it.

Gears of War COG Tags

Gears of War 3 came out a few months back, capping off one of the more epic video game trilogies of all time.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising to hear of more Gears games in the future, but it does appear that this storyline and these characters are now wrapped up. And though possible future games could be awesome, it’s doubtful they would match up to the trials faced by Marcus Fenix, Dom, and the rest of the team.

One cool gift idea for those who have played and loved the games, is these replica COG tags, the very same worn by COGs in the Gears of War franchise. Made of heavy duty distressed metal, the tags are engraved with the words “Property of the Coalition of Ordered Governments,” and will make a great collectible.

Pirates of the Caribbean Master of the Seas Game

Next up is another game, this time from the world of Pirates of the Caribbean.

The game, called Master of the Seas, is said to be based on the most recent film, On Stranger Tides, but allows you to play as ships and captains from all four movies, including the Black Pearl, the Flying Dutchman, and the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

This bad boy weighs in at around 9 pounds and includes 230 pieces, and can be played by 2-4 people.

Labyrinth Worm Plush

Finally, we have one more plush that simply could not be ignored.

Its part in a childhood classic was small, but it still managed to make a lasting impression on those who saw it (how many small characters pull that off these days?). Indeed, it is the friendly worm from the beginning of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.

The worm only helps young Sarah (sorta) to get into the Goblin King’s labyrinth at the start of her journey, but the adorable little fella was impossible to forget.

The plush is a bit bigger than the worm in the movie, measuring out to be 14″ in length and 9″ tall.

AMAZON SHIPPING INFORMATION

If you’re ordering through Amazon.com in the United States, here’s their ordering deadlines for delivery on or before Christmas Eve (12/24) for items in-stock shipped to physical addresses within the United States and marked “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com” or “Fulfilled by Amazon.com.”

– December 15th – FREE Super Saver Shipping* [Last full day to order]
– December 19th – Standard Shipping [Last full day to order]
– December 20th – Two-Day Shipping (FREE with Amazon Prime), Last full day to order
– December 21st – Two-Day Shipping (FREE with Amazon Prime) – Order as late as 8pm PST (varies by item); One-Day Shipping ($3.99 with Amazon Prime) Last full day to order
– December 22nd – One-Day Shipping ($3.99 per item with Amazon Prime). Order as late as 4:30pm PST [varies by item]
– December 23rd – Last-Minute Christmas Delivery ($9.99/item with Amazon Prime) While available (varies by item)
– December 24th – ($3.99/item with Amazon Prime) While available (select cities, varies by item)
– December 25th – Christmas Day: Email and printable gift cards can be sent immediately, at any time.

For more details about local delivery, see the Christmas Ordering Deadlines For U.S. Shipments page.

*Super Saver Shipping is FREE on orders $25 and over.

Remember, if all else fails, there’s also the Amazon.com Gift Card, you can have emailed to the recipient (arrives immediately) or you can print out the gift card at home and give it to the intended that way. If you order in enough time, you can get the physical gift card sent to you.

Here’s the list of our 2011 Guides:

– Comic Books (Part 1)

– Comic Books (Part 2)

– Video Games

– DVDs & Blu-rays

– Batman Edition

– Action Figures & Collectibles

More Guides to come this week.