12 Holiday Gifts for Your Linux Loved Ones (All Under $59)
We rounded up 12 great gifts (all priced under $59) to make shopping for your Linux friends and loved ones a little easier this season. You may even want to hold on to some of these for yourself.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+
Just in time for the holidays, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ is now available: "you can now get the 1.4GHz clock speed, 5GHz wireless networking and improved thermals of Raspberry Pi 3B+ in a smaller form factor, and at the smaller price of $25."
Image courtesy of RaspberryPi.org.
Stickers
For a limited time, unixstickers is offering this Pro Pack of 10 stickers for just $1 (plus free shipping!). Stickers include Vim, Git, Python, Official Bash, Linux Tux, Debian, Arch Linux, Linux Inside and GoLang, and a sticker badge of Arch Linux, Git, Vim and Python.
Image courtesy of unixstickers.com.
Tux Cufflinks, Earrings and Bracelets
Etsy seller ArtfireSupplies offers a variety of jewelry featuring Tux the Penguin. You can choose from cufflinks, tie clips, earrings, bracelets or even necklace pendants. Prices start just under $15.
Image courtesy of ArtfireSupplies.
Stuffed Tux
ZaReason, better known for their popular line of Linux desktops, laptops and servers, brings us the elusive stuffed Tux. At a little more than 12" tall, this Tux is a bargain at only $19.
Adorable image courtesy of ZaReason.
Stuffed Gnu
Because you need some GNU with your Linux, make sure to pick up your very own Stuffed Baby Gnu. This cute and cuddly beast comes in at a height of 7.5" and a price of $25.
Image courtesy of Free Software Foundation.
Librem Key
The Librem Key, designed by Purism, is a USB security token that makes encryption easy “while respecting your freedom with open hardware and free software”. With the key, you can keep your encryption keys in your pocket and out of the hands of hackers. Price: $59.
Image courtesy of Purism.
Steam Gift Cards
In August, Valve dropped what was arguably the most exciting gaming news to hit Linux in years: “Windows games with no Linux version currently available can now be installed and run directly from the Linux Steam client, complete with native Steamworks and OpenVR support." Now you can give the gift of games to your Linux friend or loved one. Gift cards come in multiple denominations, starting at $20.
Image courtesy of Valve Corporation.
Evil Mad Scientist Labs Mega Menorah 9000
One can let their nerd flag fly with this LED Hanukkah Menorah. Besides being USB-powered, it's also a soldering kit and programmable. The Mega Menorah is 7.5" wide × 6.1" tall, costing $44.95. While it comes with a pre-programmed microcontroller so that no programming is actually required, the joy for your Linux loved one will be IN the programming. Make sure to also grab an Adafruit Pro Trinket, packing much of the same capability as an Arduino UNO, allowing your giftee to program their menorah. The Pro Trinket will add $9.95 to your total price.
Image courtesy of adafruit.
Computer Case Badge Stickers
Etsy seller CadmiumPCTechnology offers these aluminum computer case badge stickers in your flavor of Linux. Choose from Debian, Slackware, Fedora, you name it. Badges start at $1.79.
Image courtesy of CadmiumPCTechnology.
Linux Journal Subscription
Black Friday is the one time during the year Linux Journal offers a heavily discounted subscription. Get your Linux loved one a gift subscription for just $20-- that's a $14.50 savings off the normal price. Or, treat yourself to this $20.00 Special Holiday rate. Offer expires the evening of Monday, November 26.
Toshiba Portable External Hard Drive
This Linux-compatible external 1TB hard drive (USB 3.0) is the practical gift for your Linux loved one. Maybe I'm projecting as I often win our office disk hog award. Regardless, at a starting price of $49.99, this is a reasonably priced gift you can be certain will be put to use.
Image courtesy of Toshiba.
Linux Cheat Sheet T-shirt
This shirt from our favorite comic creators, xkcd, features a Linux cheat sheet printed upside-down on the front, so you can glance down at it while working. Price starts at $19.
Image courtesy of xkcd.