My geeky 15yr DS and the weirdest Christmas list ever

[FuckingHateRats]

My son has asked for: headphones (standard), dried mango, dried banana chips, microfibre cloths to clean his glasses with, and one of those blue BIC pens that have the four coloured nibs to make notes in his classes 🤣🤣🤣 he's also added refills for his pilot BtP pens (a very specific request).

I have bought the usual slippers, a (Primark) oodie, pringles etc.

He has significantly less to open than his younger sisters.

I'm thinking of ordering Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors amzn.eu/d/9NJkl9U THIS BOOK (he loves maths and coding so seems right up his street) but would love any ideas of (hopefully useful) bits and pieces he can open. He's asked for so little and says he is really lucky because he doesn't need anything🤷🏻‍♀️

He does not care about branded clothes, does not care about his hair etc, so things like aftershave and sporty t-shirts/joggers are out.

Has he read The Martian? It is much better than the film and the science in it is solid.
The author went with the approach of "what could I make go wrong" and then researched how it could be survived.

It is a really great book and gives them a bit of play with the science as it is fiction.

Battle Chips: Potato Pirates board game.
There's a lot of coding related indie card/board games out there which are meant to be amazing!

The Martian is his favourite novel of all time. In many ways it's been a transformative novel for him - before reading it he was vaguely interested in space and astrophysics, but it sent him off on a boderline obsessive self-driven learning. He likes the film, but he loves the book. He's read everything else by Andy Weir too, and cites exactly what you said as the reason The Martian stands out so much. It's the grounding in real science that he loves.

He sounds wonderful. Would he like something like this?

www.amazon.co.uk/iDventure-Cluebox-Captains-Nautilus-Children/dp/B09LR6JWW9?ref_=ast_sto_dp

It's very cheap but might be good for a stocking filler:

www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Musuem-GG4180SM-Museum-Potato/dp/B0036PMTVY/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3HJ2LBIVLMCJM&keywords=potato+clock&qid=1671314043&sprefix=po%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-6

I had a kid like this.
Even if personal grooming and clothes don't interest him, hygeine and pride in appearance are still very important social skills, especially for a 15 year old boy, so I would throw in nice tshirts, funny socks, deodorants, hairbrush etc. Getting these as presents sends the message that clothes and personal care products are "fun" but also important things, not boring optionals.

Quite rude to be honest. My son has asked for a playstation and he isn't a horror!!!

My 14yo DS loves dried mango and banana chips too! He is even stranger though, his list included a chicken suit, a plunger and a traffic cone.

We've gone for a flamingo costume, mini plunger and toy traffic cones.

He LOVED those science museum experiments when he was younger. We had that exact one.

I really appreciate everyone's ideas and thoughts! Am storing these away to research properly tomorrow.

Oh he does get deodorant, shower gel, a new toothbrush etc every year in his stocking. He wears comfy joggers and hoodies mainly - he has one particular Adidas hoodie he likes so we just buy him it in three colours every time he moves up a size. He's not allowed to fester away grubbily, in rags and ruins, in his room 🤣

(obviously I but him deodorant and toothbrushes more than once a year. I just use Christmas as an opportunity to stock up.)

Are you sure your DS isn't my DS? The multiple colours/sizes of the same thing, and the devastation when something is outgrown but can't be replaced because, either they don't go up to that size, or they're not made anymore.

I bought my self a mug with the periodic table on it, there are little logic puzzles you can buy like 2 metal links together and you have to remove them

There is some things we have got for our son from the grown up gift section in department stores

I think I have the book in your op but not read it yet, looks great regardless

Quite expensive for what it is but this is cool decor:

www.amazon.co.uk/GEMWONDER-Gemstone-Celestial-Creative-Decorations/dp/B081QFZGXP/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3JBCW6KX5RTCO&keywords=planet+marbles&qid=1671314541&sprefix=planets+marbbles%2Caps%2C256&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

My dad is in the space industry and he got it a few years back - looks good on his desk and it's something fun to fiddle with while on calls etc

Or how about a Newtons cradle?

Would The Martian be too young for a 17yr old? Thanks

What pain? Your daughter has given you a list of 171 things she'd like. She sounds like the easiest person in the world to buy for. I don't get it. This isn't snark. I really don't understand what is in any way difficult about someone providing such a list. Is it because it is nearly all books?

Just asked my software engineer husband who said 'Code' which is a book by Charles Petzold

I just bought a ton of geeky stocking fillers from present indicative www.presentindicative.com/

Good and not tat, stuff people me might actually want!

Dd (15) has the smallest pile of presents cause she never made a list for me. She's hinted at wanting a couple of things like headphones, a keyboard hoover, a few books and art supplies and thats what shes got.
I did get her a rubix cube set and some lip balms, a necklace and bath bombs for her stocking.
I'm going to open the rubix cubes and put them in little boxes so they fit in the stocking. I'm also going to give her a £50 Amazon gift card
www.thetoyshop.com/pocket-money/fidget-toys/Rubiks-Magic-Star-5-pack/p/555617?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAiA7vWcBhBUEiwAXieItkuW8ihABhfs0VEuf7PnaIaByKbxdqGZS5KA9-xgkeRJ25Jz8YALwhoCUAIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is super helpful. Thank you so much.

@FuckingHateRats

Matt Parker (the author of the book you shared a link to) is brilliant. He has a channel on YouTube called Stand Up Maths which is fantastic and I'd highly recommend suggesting it to your son as it sounds like it would be right up his street.

My 15yo (adhd, sensory disorder etc) asked for playdoh, shower gel in a very specific scent/brand and a couple of other nerdy but specific items you’d think he was middle aged oh and a new mattress!

I’ve topped up with a stocking full of sweets he likes.

some new socks, a couple of dungeons and dragons books and a book by his favourite comedian.

also theatre tickets but he’s had those we saw the shows this month. I decided he needed to experience different types of live performance.

My ds is difficult to buy for too......all he's asked for is some kelly kettle mugs. 😬

I've just ordered him this, I actually think he'll like it.

The What if? Book and what if? 2.

a power bank for phone charging on go.

warm but tech friendly gloves (ds has warm gloves or tech friendly, now has both!).

I got geeky ds a schrodinger cat t shirt.

If he likes space, would he like one of the model of the moon lights you can get? They are USB charging and you can pick a size. I got one for a friend who is into astronomy and it was a hit.

I am frantically googling as you're coming up with ideas. Thank you all! I don't want to buy him things I want him to have, I really want to give him a few bits that he will smile at and find useful/thought-provoking/entertaining. You're all Christmas angels 😇