Ultimate 2020 Geeky Holiday Gift Guide for the Mediavores in Your Life

Last week, when I published a guide of 20 stocking stuffers for mediavores under $20, I explained how important I think it is to celebrate the holidays however we can during this tumultuous year. That may or may not involve presents in your family, but if it does, I wanted to put together a guide to help you shop for any video game, movie, or TV show-fanatics–aka mediavores–you may be struggling to find gifts for this year. With that in mind, here’s 2020’s Ultimate Mediavore Gift Guide.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, we will–at no additional cost to you–receive a small portion of the profits. Thank you for supporting our family this holiday season.

Best Gifts for Gamers

Big Ticket Gift Idea for Gamers

Playstation 5 | $400-$500

The PS5 was released on November 19th. It’s currently sold out in every store near Vuk and me. So if you’re looking for the gift for gamers this season, this is it. If you have the money to splurge and you manage to get your hands on a PS5, you will make some mediavore VERY happy on Christmas morning (or whenever present-giving happens in your family). The $400 console only allows for digital game downloads, while the $500 console also accepts physical copies of games (and plays DVDs), so you’ll have decide if that extra $100 is worth those features.

5 More Great Gifts for Gamers

Gaming Headphones | $50

A good pair of gaming headphones is a must-have for competitive gamers, who need to be able to hear which side an enemy is shooting at them from and need to be able to communicate with their teammates via the built-in microphone. Non-competitive gamers will also appreciate the ability to hear their audio the way it was meant to be heard–in surround sound–without disturbing the other people in their lives–while the microphone can be equally good for twitch streamers who want to be able to narrate while they play.

Game Console History Book | $25

There was a trend that went around a few years ago talking about the four gifts of Christmas. You can read all about the idea here, but the basic premise is that, to save on holiday expenses (and reaffirm that Christmas isn’t just about getting presents), each family member receives just four gifts: something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. Whether or not you stick to just those four gifts, I know many people–parents especially–like to include books as part of what they purchase the people in their lives. If you’re planning to do that anyway, why not get a book they’ll be eager to dive into? This photographic history of game consoles starts with the Atari and moves all the way up to the XBox, giving the mediavore in your life a history lesson about something they truly care about.

Nuka Cola Checkers | $25

Fans of the Fall Out franchise will love this checkers game, which uses bottle caps from an in-game brand, Nuka Cola, as the pieces. They’ll feel like they’re playing checkers with a makeshift board in an actual post-apocalyptic wasteland. Meanwhile, for those of you parents eager to get some 1:1 interaction with your gaming-obsessed kids, this will also drag them out of their room–at least for the length of a game or two of checkers.

Oathkeeper Keyblade | $20

One of the keyblades from the Kingdom Hearts series, this model Oathkeeper is made of molded foam over a solid frame. It’s like the video game lover’s version of a foam sword. Younger gamers who were drawn to the Kingdom Hearts series because of the fun Disney characters will enjoy play-fighting with this, while older gamers will be just as happy keeping the replica on display. (Okay, they’ll sneak in a play-swordfight or two as well).

World of Warcraft: Official Cookbook | $35

There’s no better way to elicit help in the kitchen than to get someone excited about what they’re cooking. This cookbook cobbles together recipes from World of Warcraft, one of the best-selling game franchises of all time. However, they also have an Overwatch cook book and a Elder Scrolls cookbook if either of those are more to your gamer’s tastes.

Best Gifts for Movie Lovers

Big Ticket Gift Idea for Movie Lovers

LED Movie Projector | $530

There’s nothing better than seeing your favorite movie on the big screen. With this home movie projector, the mediavore in your life can have their own big screen at home. This projector is compatible with phones, TVs, Amazon Fire Stick, laptop, XBox, and Playstation–so, basically, whatever format their movie is in, this projector has a way to make their movie-watching dreams a reality.

5 More Great Gifts for Movie Lovers

Blockbuster | $25

This Family Feud-style movie trivia game is the perfect place for a movie lover to put their skills to the test. Last year this became Vuk’s favorite party game, hands down. It’s simple and easy to learn, but the thing that makes this game stand out against more traditional trivia-style games is that you have to work with your team. So, even if you have a movie guru on your side, you won’t automatically win. It evens the playing field, allowing it to be fun for the whole family.

100 Movie Scratch-Off Poster | $28

It’s always good to have goals. For movie lovers, this scratch-off poster offers a range of 100 must-see titles that they can work through. This updated version includes movies released in 2020, and while they’ll be proud of any movies they can scratch off as having already seen when they get the poster, they’ll be amazed by how many more movies they haven’t seen.

Popcorn Seasoning Sampler Pack | $33

For many people, movies and popcorn go hand-in-hand. With this popcorn seasoning sampler pack, the movie lover in your life can try out 8 different popcorn seasonings throughout the course of the next year. This is especially great during a year when many movie lovers are watching movies at home rather than going out, allowing home-cooked popcorn to have more of the seasoning options they’d have at the theater.

Cards Against Muggles | $70

This offshoot of the ever-popular Cards Against Humanity game makes the perfect gift for the (adult!) Harry Potter fan in your life. Both the question and answer cards make reference to scenes and characters from the series, making it a hilarious game to play with other Potter-oriented friends.

Cinemaps | $30

This atlas offers hand-painted maps for 35 classic films, including charted paths that the characters took throughout the course of the film. For the true movie buffs in your life, you can’t find a more beautiful book than this one. They’ll love perusing it on Christmas morning, and love even more having it to reference on their next watch through of their favorite films.

Best Gifts for TV Addicts

Big Ticket Gift Idea for TV Addicts

Waterproof TV | $460

True TV addicts don’t want to stop watching TV for anything–especially boring stuff like taking a shower. With a waterproof smart TV, they don’t have to. They’ll be able to watch TV while taking a shower, doing their hair, shaving… heck, they can even have a luxurious bath while watching their favorite sitcom. I literally can’t think of anything better than sitting in a warm bubble bath watching Gilmore Girls. It’s a dream that likely won’t come true for me. Make it come true for someone.

5 More Great Gifts for TV Addicts

Wedge Pillow | $57

Anyone who’s ever tried watching TV in bed knows the struggle of getting squishy-squashy pillows to support your back and neck enough for you to feel any kind of comfortable. The wedge pillow turns those issues on their head. It props you up easily, allowing you to comfortably watch a show before falling asleep. And apparently it helps with snoring. So, you know. Bonus points.

Luke’s Diner Candle | $26

Nothing will make you feel like you’re in Stars Hollow as much as the perpetual smell of coffee wafting throughout your home. With this Luke’s Diner candle, any Gilmore Girls fan in your life can have that true Stars Hollow experience day or night. The candle features the logo to Luke’s on the front and his oft-joked-about No Cell Phones sign on the lid as two fun references to this cult TV classic.

Game of Thrones: Pop Up Guide to Westeros | $75

Pop up books aren’t just for kids any more. This beautifully-made pop up guide to Westeros is a perfect gift for any Game of Thrones fan in your life. Detailed recreations of key scenes from the show, including Winterfell and King’s Landing, will help bring Westeros to life like never before.

Rick and Morty Total Rickall Card Game | $15

In the “Total Rickall” episode of Rick and Morty, the show’s main characters have had their minds imbued with false memories of other characters (who are really parasites), and they have to figure out who is real and who is fake. This cooperative card game recreates that show by having you determine which cards hide parasites beneath them. It’s one of those games that’s easy to learn and hard to master, and while Rick and Morty fans will love the reference to the episode, it’s a genuinely good game that’s fun to play even if you haven’t seen the show. This means it’s a good gift to give to a Rick and Morty fan even if you don’t watch the show and you know you’ll be the one dragged into playing it with them.

Wearable Blanket | $45

Remember when snuggies were all the rage? This is WAY better than that. A wearable blanket pulls on like a hoodie, but it’s Sherpa-lined and oversized so you can tuck your whole body into it while you watch TV. It’s a couch potato’s dream come true. And yes, I own one. It’s the best.

Don’t Get Stumped Shopping for Mediavores

Gamers, movie lovers, and TV addicts all have one thing in common: they’re passionate about their fandoms. Ask one or two questions about what they’re playing or watching and you’ll find that you open up a whole world of gift possibilities.