I know in my Black Friday post last week I admitted I’m not much of a shopper. Yet not only did that post focus on shopping, but so did my second Friday Fun post from last week about Unique Christmas Gifts.
Guess what? Today’s Friday Fun is also shopping-oriented.(Hey, ’tis the season. I may not like to shop, but at this time of year I’m forced to!)
However, even though I don’t find shopping fun, I think these next gifts are. They would delight just about any ghost enthusiast on your list. (A couple of these are even on my list…my wish list that is. They’re out of my price range, but if I ever see them on sale…)
If you’re having trouble finding that perfect gift for the special ghost enthusiast in your life, maybe this list will help.
BOOKS & DVDS
Castle Ghosts of the British Isles – Amazon, $26.99
I originally saw the above in a Collectibles Direct catalog for $27.98. It caught my eye because it’s ghosts from across the pond. I hope to one day get there myself, as I know a lot of other ghost enthusiasts hope to do too. But until we can, this book would satisfy.
Coast To Coast Ghosts: True Stories of Hauntings Across America – Amazon, $10.19
Ghosts Among Us: True Stories of Spirit Encounters – Amazon, $10.19
I originally saw the two above books in a Victorian Trading Co. catalog each for $14.95. They’re both written by Leslie Rule (Ann Rule’s daughter). What ghost enthusiast doesn’t like a good ghost story?
The Little Stranger – Amazon, $17.79
The above book first caught my eye in a Bas Bleu catalog. An old house, British of course, an old family, secrets and strange mysteries…hmm, sounds like the makings of a good old-fashioned ghost story. It’s been compared to The Haunting of Hill House. If you’ve ever heard your ghost enthusiast rave about Shirley Jackson’s classic, you might want to consider gifting them with a copy of this book. (If they haven’t already added it to their collection themselves, that is.)
GADGETS
Livescribe 4GB Pulse Smartpen – Amazon, $199.95
Have you seen these smart pens? My husband came home from a conference this week raving about them. So much so we went to scope them out at Best Buy. Here’s part of the product description:
The Pulse smartpen records audio and links it to what you write. Missed something? Tap on your notes or drawings with the tip of your Pulse smartpen to hear what was said while you were writing.
Basically, you can record your notes, write them, then download them onto your computer. (There’s a little more to it than that, but it’s amazing way to never miss what’s being said or going on while you’re writing again.)
This is a way cool gadget screaming with possibilities from ghost hunters out on investigations to ghost enthusiasts investigating the haunted history of places while on a ghost tour. If it’s out of your budget range like it is mine, take heart. I’m hoping Wayne’s right and they come down in price over the next year.
(Note: You also need the special smart pen paper to use the pen with. It comes in journals, spiral notebooks or a notepad. Prices for those range $24.95, $19.95, and $11.38 respectively.)
Starter Ghost Hunter Kit – Amazon, $115
The Shadowlands GhostHunter Store also carries ghost hunter kits, and the very basic equipment kit (1 EMF meter, 1LED red light flashlight, and 1 Ghost Research 101 book) starts at only $36.
OTHER
These next several I found in an Acorn catalog. They’re motto is “Exceptional Entertainment, Imaginative Gifts, Uncommon Quality.” These would all make fine gifts for the more cultured and sophisticated ghost enthusiast.
SLOOH Explore Space Live Mission Card – $29.95. This one isn’t ghost specific, but it was just too cool not to include. Alien and space enthusiasts would really love it. (They’re kissing cousins to us ghost enthusiasts so I felt compelled to include this one for them.) The mission card offers you 500 minutes of live observation via the Internet to view the Universe in real time via telescopes located in Chile and the Canary Islands. But you can also take snapshots of what you’re seeing, participate in chats and live “guided space shows”…this is a really unique, educational, and fun gift. (FYI Amazon sells a SLOOH Unlimited Minute Mission Card for $49.95.)
Leatherbound Traveler’s Atlas – $49.95. “For browsing, dreaming, planning, and remembering.”
Dalvey Pocket Compass – $98. For the technology resistant, this beautiful compass would surely delight.
Personalized World Traveler Map -$179.99. I’ve seen this one for the past several years now. It comes complete with colored pins to mark where you’ve been, where you’re going next, and where you’d like to go someday. A wonderful way to plan or memorialize your Haunt Jaunts across the globe!
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Those are all pretty cool ideas. I am asking for a netbook this year. My 17″ laptop still works and is over 5 years old but I would like something smaller and lighter that I can take with me. I do like that world traveler map. There are many places I want to visit, especially Italy where my Grandparents are from.
Oh! A netbook! Way cool, Julie! We were looking at those at Best Buy yesterday too briefly. Our desk top died and we shared that. I have my laptop, he has his work laptop, but he wants something for home. But we ended up getting a new printer instead. (Our other one he always hated, and they had a nice one with a touch screen and everything on sale for a great deal so…) And that world traveler’s map…I have seen a lot of the states, not so much of the world. But oh the plans I have! And Italy is on my wish list BIG TIME! What part of Italy are your grandparents from?
Reggio Calabria, which is at the tip of the boot as my Mother would say. I would love to spend at least two weeks there and see all the art, historical places, wine country and the small towns my Grandparents grew up in. It would be cool to meet some distant relatives.
Oh wow! That just sounds wonderful. And it’s REALLY neat you know where you’re from exactly. I only know rumors that we have some Italian blood in our family from somewhere, but it’s foggy. (On my mom’s side. My dad’s side is German and Polish and possibly some French thrown in. Mom’s side also has French, Spanish, and possibly a bit of Italian or Romanian…I’m a huge mutt. But I don’t know where any of my ancestors were from. I think it’s so neat when others do!)