VALENTINE'S DAY BROWNIE GIFT BOX

A special thank you shout out to GourmetGiftBaskets.com for sending us their Valentine's Day Brownie Gift Box to taste test. It arrived as a pink, red, and white heart-themed purple gift box wrapped up in a red bow for some festive flair. Inside were twelve handmade in New Hampshire freshly baked delicious brownies in Butterscotch Blondie, Chocolate Chip Blondie and Chocolate Chunk flavors. A sweet treat for someone special in your life to celebrate Valentine's Day with ... plus there is more than enough brownies in this box to share!

These brownies are baked fresh without any added preservatives. Plus, they are individually wrapped for added freshness. Because they are freshly baked and sent out straight to you from GourmetGiftBaskets.com it is recommended that you don't wait around to eat them. For best flavor consume them within 7-10 days of receipt, even though from our experience these brownies are so tasty you'll probably devour them within a day of opening their box up. Note though if you have food allergies in the family that these brownies are manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts.

Butterscotch Blondie

Chocolate Chip Blondie

Chocolate Chunk Brownie

These brownies are so tasty! Absolutely earn a Geek Daddy nod of approval. Check out all the gift ideas for Valentine's Day and other special occasions available at GourmetGiftBaskets.com 

TOP GIFTS MEN CAN GIVE THEMSELVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

There’s nothing quite like getting a good gift. Sometimes you just don’t want to wait around for Christmas or a birthday to get something special. There is nothing wrong with practicing a little self-care and getting yourself a present as a reward for achieving a goal or getting through a tough task. Who’s a better person to buy you a gift than you? 

What would be a good thing for a man to buy himself? As it turns out, there could be more than a few ideas. Here are 3 ideas that I'm sure most guys would be geeked to get as a gift from someone or maybe pick up for themselves.

Foosball Cooler 

What’s more relaxing than some foosball and a few cold beers? You’d typically expect to go somewhere specific for this. Why not bring it into your home or on a camping trip? A foosball cooler could be everything you need to get the party started. 

There are more of these available through retailers than you might expect. They’ll come in various styles and sizes, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that you’ll like. You shouldn’t have a problem relaxing with a few friends once you pick up one of these. 

A New Watch 

Watches have a classic appeal. There’s something attractive about them that many people can’t quite explain. That’s only when you get a nice watch, however. Spending some time looking around and comparing options will help you find the perfect option for one. Once you do, it could take your style game to the next level. 

Traditional watch vs smartwatch will be a debate that you might want to have. Both will have their pros and cons, so you might want to spend some time considering them. If you want a timeless appeal, then a traditional watch may be the recommended option. On the other hand, a smartwatch offers multiple features. Both could be attractive options. Once you know what kind you want, however, you shouldn’t have a problem finding the right one for you. 

Adventure Survival Guide 

If you’re an outdoors fan, then there mightn’t be anything as thrilling as going camping for a few days. You’ll need to make sure that you’re prepared for this. You’ll likely already have most of the things needed for this. As a result, you mightn’t be able to think of anything else that would help. 

An adventure survival guide can be more than recommended. Not only can this be a great way to get ready for a camping trip, but it’ll also make sure that you’re safe when you’re there. That’s also the case if you’re getting into camping and the outdoors lifestyle for the first time. It could be an affordable and effective way to get prepared for it and know what you’re doing. 

Gifts Men Can Get Themselves: Wrapping Up 

Practicing some self-love and getting yourself a present can be an appealing option. It’ll boost your mood and make you feel happier. With each of the above, you’ll get yourself a gift that keeps on giving. They should also be relatively affordable. What’s stopping you from showing yourself some love?!

Give DAD a treat for Fathers Day from GourmetGiftBaskets.com

** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free**

As Fathers Day approaches, it was nice of GourmetGiftBaskets.com to send some special treats our way out of respect for A Geek Daddy being one of their favorite dad blogs.  The Belgian chocolate-dipped Oreo® cookies they surprised me with were delicious and what father wouldn't appreciate that they spelled out #1 DAD.  Neck ties are a popular Fathers Day gift, but take my word on it after having devoured a yummy box of Oreo Cookies for Dad from GourmetGiftBaskets.com, one of these decorated cookies is the type of "tie" I'd prefer to get. This gift pack includes 12 classic Oreo cookies each individually dipped in gourmet chocolate and are decorated to let the dad in your life know how special he is to you.

GourmetGiftBaskets.com also sent us a Deluxe Meat & Cheese Sampler to try out which was simply delicious.  I enjoyed this assortment of artisan meats, cheeses and crackers along with a Strongbow Hard Apple Cider while lounging on the back deck enjoying listening to a Detroit Tigers baseball game on the radio.  Enjoying this gift basket, that included applewood smoked garlic summer sausage along with Chipotle Cheddar, Jalapeno Jack and Wisconsin Swiss, while listening to a ball game made for a wonderfully relaxing weekend afternoon.

Fathers Day is June 19th and GourmetGiftBaskets.com has a huge variety of present ideas to select from.  From golfing to fishing and barbecuing to gardening, GourmetGiftBaskets.com has something that will appeal to all interests and tastes!  Summer Seasonal Beer Bucket, Caught the BIG One - Fishing Gift Basket, Hole in ONE Golf Gift Pack, Gardening Gift Basket, and Barbecue Enthusiast Gift Basket and the Gourmet Breakfast are some of the most popular Fathers Day gift suggestions available.

I love popcorn!  So  I have to say I'd be delighted if my wife and kids surprised me on Fathers Day with the Backyard BBQ Popcorn Sampler.  HINT! HINT!  This gift pack is one of my favorites from the Fathers Day Gift Idea List at GourmetGiftBaskets.com as it contains a variety of interesting and unique flavors of popcorn Honey Mustard, Hickory Maple Bacon, BBQ Ribs, Chipotle BBQ, Cajun, Buttered Corn On The Cob, Dill Pickle, Zesty Ranch, Sun Dried Tomato, and Watermelon.  Each flavor is packed in its own sealed bag for freshness and contains two cups of popcorn.  Oh yeah! I want to try this out!

 

What dad wouldn't appreciate being surprised by finding a tasty treat at his door step?!  Don't get your dad a tie, socks or underwear for Fathers Day! Show him you care by sending something special from GourmetGiftBaskets.com.

The Ultimate Book of Dad Jokes

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free **

I'm often cracking jokes with my buddies from the Life of Dad social network so the nice folks over at Ulysses Press thought I was the perfect person to send Gordon Hideaki Nagai's new book to.  Much like the jokes I tell, the 1,001 puns in THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF DAD JOKES will have audiences rolling their eyes and groaning "oh no another dad joke" while they also chuckle and laugh as they hear these fun puns.  These aren't jokes about dad but rather the one-liners and clever quips that children, young and old, associate with fathers like A Geek Daddy.

A watermelon and a honeydew wanted to get married right away but they cantaloupe

Charles Schulz once considered becoming an auto mechanic so he could car toon.

A child's behavior before Christmas is usually affected by the laws of Claus-and-effect.

These are just a few examples contained within the books 10 chapters that have themes including Animals & Nature, Famous Names & Events, and Science, Math & Technology among other topics.  THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF DAD JOKES contains 238 pages of jokes that the author has created to amuse his four grandchildren after they challenged him to tell the "world's worst joke."  A lover of puns, Nagai refers to them as "dad jokes" because of the tendency of father figures to play with words in an attempt to tickle people's funny bones.

"This anthology is a tribute to and celebration of all fathers who contribute to the mirth quotient in our world, who share their jokes to make us laugh without considering the consequences, who dare to spin a yarn or turn a phrase, and in the process, mangle the English language for a chuckle," explains Nagai.  "Being one of those fathers I can tell you, we do this because we can; we do it because we have to; we share our jokes because we can't help ourselves -- it's in our DNA."

Be warned I am now armed with plenty of ammunition to tell a dad joke in any situation! You can grab your own book at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  Let the pun dueling commence!

Wahl Fathers Day Grooming Giveaway

My grandfather grew up as a child from a poor family during the Great Depression and developed from that experience the mentality of never paying someone to do something that you could do for yourself.  So this human resources manager for a Detroit manufacturing plant also took on the role of being a barber for his kids.  He took such pride in this role that my grandfather even invested in purchasing professional hair cutting tools and installing a real barbershop chair in his basement.  Once my dad and uncles had grown up and started families of their own, my grandfather would always be filled with glee when his children brought their kids over for a haircut.  I still remember being amazed as a youngster that my grandparents had a barber's chair in their house when my dad would take me over for a visit and to get a trim.  Whenever I see an old-fashioned barber pole it generates warm memories of times spent with my good ol' grandpa.

Though probably not realized at the time they were given, these haircuts created treasured father-son and grandfather-grandson bonding experiences for our family. It turns out we aren't alone in grooming being an important bonding experience for the males in a family.  Research by Wahl, a leading manufacturer of professional and home grooming products, indicates that hair cuts and shaving play a big part in male family bonding:

• 50 percent of guys learn to groom from their father or a father-like figure.

• According to 90 percent of men, the first grooming experience is truly a memorable bonding experience shared between father and son.

• The tradition of teaching is not going away any time soon as 8 in 10 men say they would teach, have taught or are planning to teach their son how to groom. 

Since grooming experiences can play such an important role in male bonding, why not consider hair cutting or shaving tools and accessories for a Fathers Day gift.  I've personally used and trusted Wahl products for years and am glad to partner with them in highlighting their grooming items as a gift idea for this Fathers Day. Who would like to give a dad for Fathers Day a Stainless Steel Li+ Facial Hair Trimmer or an Elite Pro Hair Cutting Clippers?  A Geek Daddy has one of each to giveaway.

UPDATE: Congrats to our giveaway winners Victor from Jacksonville NC & Bik from Rowley Massachusetts 

To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweets embedded below before May 22, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST.  Must be a US  resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per person per giveaway item and we'll randomly select  winners from all eligible entries.  Only one prize per household.

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win a @WahlGrooming Facial Hair Trimmer - A great FATHERS DAY gift idea! #ad pic.twitter.com/M2PVQEtsI1

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) May 15, 2016

&

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win a @WahlGrooming Elite Pro Clipper - A great FATHERS DAY gift idea! #ad pic.twitter.com/KIuy4WcSjW

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) May 15, 2016

Stainless Steel Li + - Wrapped in sleek armor of stainless steel, this trimmer offers impressive features including innovative green smart-charge technology, which shuts the unit off after its fully charged.  It also hosts a series of interchangeable heads for detailing, shaving and haircutting.  Long lasting battery (four hours of run time) and a handy carrying case make grooming on the go uncomplicated.

 Elite Pro Clipper - The latest and most powerful corded clipper from Wahl.  Its bold retro look, self-sharpening blade technology and premium stainless steel reinforced guide combs allow for a fast, precise and uncompromising hair cutting experience.

Since 1919 when Leo J. Wahl invented the first practical electric hair clipper, his company has been a leader in the grooming industry.  97 years later men still turn to Wahl as a dependable source for their grooming product needs.  This Fathers Day consider an Elite Pro Clipper, a Stainless Steel Facial Hair Trimmer or another item from the Wahl catalog for a useful gift that will make the dad receiving it very happy.



For more information, please visit grooming.wahl.com

Disclaimer & Rules / FTC Notice  

A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Wahl is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. A Geek Daddy Blog hosted this contest and blog post based upon Wahl providing the prize to the selected winner. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. Must be a US resident over 18 years old.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers.  A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation or complimentary products for publishing this post.

SEARS IN-VEHICLE PICKUP SERVICE MAKES MOTHERS DAY PRESENT SHOPPING EASY FOR BUSY DADS

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Life of Dad and Sears.  I have received compensation for this post; however all opinions stated are my own.

I've had a busy, hectic schedule the last few weeks with professional obligations and parenting responsibilities having me rushing all over the place and I hate to admit it but Mothers Day completely slipped my mind.  Suddenly the holiday was a few days away and I didn't have a special something to give to my lovely wife for the occasion.  My days have been filled running around taking my children to school, attending business meetings, dealing with unexpected client crises, coaching youth soccer, and handling the myriad of other tasks that your kids and work throw your way leaving me with almost no time to get away for some Mothers Day present shopping.  Fortunately, Sears bailed me out when I discovered their in-vehicle pickup service.

Through my Sears' Shop Your Way membership, I was very easily able to find something online from the retailer that my wife has been mentioning for awhile she'd like to get which was in-stock at a local store.  Using the Sears app, it's in-vehicle pickup option allowed me to quickly swing by the store and have someone come out to my car as I arrived to load it for me without any sort of shipping charge or service fee.  As my daughter would say, it was "easy peasy lemon squeezy" to use the Sears in-vehicle pickup service.  Based upon my experience, I will absolutely be using it again.

To take advantage of this convenient service, head to Sears.com and log into the website with a Shop Your Way membership account.  When making online purchases utilize the function on the Sears website which allows you to check product availability at local retail locations  and select the in-store pickup option for available merchandise.  You'll receive an email when your order is ready to be picked up.  Print out the email to take with you and head to the store.  When you arrive look for the reserved Sears in-vehicle pickup designated parking spot to pull your car up to.

Once you've pulled into the reserved parking spot for the Sears in-vehicle pickup, activate the Sears app that is available for Apple and Android phones. Select the in-vehicle pickup feature.  Note you need to have the Sears app connected to a Shop Your Way membership account for this feature to work.  The app will then show the product(s) you've purchased that are available to pickup.

Clicking on "continue" will activate a timer.  Sears promises that an associate will bring your order out to you within five minutes.

For my experience, it took exactly one minute and sixteen seconds for an associate to arrive at my car window to assist me.  The friendly gentleman who brought out my package had me look at it to make sure it was the right item that I had ordered then scanned the bar code on my email to finalize the delivery.

Noting it was a rather large box, the Sears associate offered to load it in my back seat for me.  So I was able to accept the delivery and have the item loaded into my vehicle without ever having to leave the drivers seat of my car.  Very nice!

Once your email has been scanned the timer on the app will stop and a survey which lets consumers rate their experience pops up.  I took a moment to rate my experience and left the Sears parking lot having been there for less than five minutes.

Yes, I'll admit that my selection for a Mothers Day present isn't sexy or glamorous but a high end KitchenAid blender is what my wife's been hinting she'd like to get for awhile now.  A happy wife is a happy life so I made sure she's getting something her Master Chef Mom persona will enjoy and make use of for this Mothers Day gift.  Sears has lots of incredible gift selections for all the different type of mom personalities out there.  Whether it is apparel or footwear for the Fashionable Mom, camping gear or gardening equipment for the Outdoor Mom, digital cameras or luggage for the Traveling Mom, or  smart technology for the Techie Mom, Sears has many great items available that can make Mothers Day shopping easy.

IN-VEHICLE PICKUP SWEEPSTAKES

Find a great gift for your wife or mom at Sears.com/AllForMom.  As a bonus, shoppers that use Sears In-Vehicle Pickup for their online purchases between Tuesday, May 3 and Saturday, May 7, 2016 are automatically entered for a chance to win a $5,000 Sears gift card.  Alternatively, you can also click on and enter the Shop Your Way All For Mom Sweepstakes at Sears.com/AllForMom.

Between placing my order online, driving to the local Sears store, and having it delivered to my car it literally took less than 15 minutes for me to get my Mothers Day shopping accomplished and I didn't have to worry about whether something would get shipped to me and arrive on time.  Not having to worry about taking the kids along, unpacking them from the car, and drag them through stores with me shopping since I could avoid that using this service was very much appreciated.  Being able to pull into a designated parking spot and have a Sears associate deliver to your vehicle your online purchase in five minutes or less at no additional cost is a really great service.  Based upon my own personal exceptional experience, Sears in-vehicle pickup service gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval.

For more information about Sears In-Vehicle Pickup Service please CLICK HERE.

#Sears #AllForMom

Name a Roach for Valentine's Day

Julie Larsen Maher / Bronx Zoo

Looking for a funny way to show some affection for your mother-in-law, be goofy with your kids, or show a wacky love of nature to your significant other in celebrating Valentine's Day this year?  Or maybe you're looking for a way to let an ex know they did you wrong in a spirited but non-threatening way.  Name a roach after them.

The Bronx Zoo has an extensive number of Madagascar hissing cockroaches in its insect exhibit and they'll let you name a roach after someone for Valentine's Day.  Who wouldn't be endeared to know there is a hissing cockroach climbing around a display at New York City's famed Bronx Zoo sharing their name thanks to you.  By participating in this off-the-wall fundraiser you can have a bit of fun at someone else's expense. Well actually it will be at your expense because you need to make a donation to the Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Conservation Society to name one of the zoo's lovely Madagascar hissing cockroaches but hey it'll be a tax deductible Valentine's Day present.
 
For $10 tax deductible donation the Bronx Zoo will send out to your designated recipient a digital certificate like the one below letting them know the honor you've bestowed upon them.  If you'd like a personalized message can also be included within the certificate where you can wax poetic about your inspiration for the gift.

Want to be a bit more romantic?  For $25 the Wildlife Conservation Society will mail a printed roach certificate along with something sweet made by the Nunu Chocolate company in Brooklyn, New York.  Only $12 dollars of this gift is tax deductible but this option also includes chocolate being mailed to your special somebody.  If you want your gift to arrive in the mail by Valentine's Day orders must be placed by Tuesday, February 2, 2016.

To name a roach after someone for Valentine's Day, visit bronxzoo.com/roach

According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, donations will help protect these misunderstood love bugs along with a lot of other animals big and small.  I'm sure you'll get some people hissing at you on Valentine's Day with this approach to showing your love, or disdain, for someone but if you are scampering around for something unique to do this year why not have some fun naming a cockroach.

MGM Family Classics Make Great Stocking Stuffers

Still in need of a few stocking stuffers before the Christmas holiday?  Picking up a few home videos from MGM's library of family classic movies could just be what you are looking for.  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Pebble in the Penguin, Legally Blonde, The Princess Bride, and The Secret of Nimh are all great options for a movie night that parents can feel comfortable with their children watching and that will entertain the whole family.  Plus DVDs and BLURAYS are just the right size to slip into a stocking hanging over the fireplace for Christmas.

In celebration of MGM's 90th anniversary and to promote these movies as great holiday gift ideas, we've been provided two of A Geek Daddy's favorite childhood movies, THE PRINCESS BRIDE and THE SECRET OF NIMH, to giveaway to one luck reader.  For a chance to win this home video movie prize pack you must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years old and enter prior to 11:59 pm EST on Sunday December 28, 2014:

UPDATE: Congrats to Wendy B from Alaska who won the MGM movie prize pack

Entry: E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address.  Email subject line should be MGM FAMILY CLASSICS.

One email will be randomly selected to determine the winner.  E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE (Rated PG)

When the beautiful maiden Buttercup (Robin Wright) hears that her true love
Westley (Cary Elwes) is dead, she reluctantly agrees to marry the loathsome Prince
Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). After Westley returns to rescue Buttercup, the two
begin an epic adventure filled with fencing, fighting, giants, monsters, miracles, true
love and hilarity! Featuring an all-star cast, including Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal
and Christopher Guest, The Princess Bride is an almost inconceivable delight from
Oscar® Nominee Rob Reiner and Oscar®-Winning screenwriter William Goldman.

Own it now by CLICKING HERE.



THE SECRET OF NIMH (Rated G)

Get ready to meet some runaway rodents with an earth-shattering secret! Suspenseful and heartwarming, this beautifully animated odyssey stars Mrs. Brisby,
a mild-mannered mother mouse with a plan to move Heaven and Earth (or at least her house and home) to save her family from Farmer Fitzgibbon's plow! 

Along the way she gets some help from a lovelorn Crow, a busybody neighbor mouse and a fearsome Great Owl. Unfortunately, Mrs. Brisby will need an engineering miracle to hoist her home, and for that she must face a mysterious rat, fend off a ferocious cat and claim a magic amulet! But when Mrs. Brisby discovers the astounding secret of NIMH...it could change her life forever! This timeless tale of love, courage and determination will transport the whole family into an enchanting world where the bravest hearts live in the meekest of mice.

Own it now by CLICKING HERE.

For more information about MGM's 90th anniversary and its catalog of movie classics, visit  http://www.mgm90th.com/ 

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Fox Home Entertainment is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  If you win this prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation but did receive a review DVD for the blog and the prize that is being awarded to one of our readers for this contest.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. The opinions in this post are my own.

#MGMINSIDERS

Penguins for the Holidays

Win a MGM Movie Classic "The Pebble & The Penguin" on Home Video

We were watching a holiday special on television the other day that featured some penguins at the North Pole helping Santa Claus save Christmas.  My daughter turned to look at me and said "this is so unrealistic daddy...penguins don't live up at the North Pole!!! They live in Antarctica!" Well I'm glad she is learning when we go to the zoo because every time we go visiting the penguin exhibit is a must see for my kids.  A trip to the zoo is one of our favorite family outings so when I saw this playmobil toy set featuring penguins at the zoo I had to pick it up for a holiday present for the kids.

Since my kids love penguins we'll also be incorporating them into our holiday by enjoying the classic animated movie THE PEBBLE & THE PENGUIN while we have some down time next week with them off of school and my taking some time off work.  This movie which is based upon the real-life habits of Adeli penguins in Antarctica just recently came out on Blu-ray as part of MGM's 90th anniversary celebration.  It features Hubie (Martin Short) a hopeless romantic who is in love with Marina (Annie Golden) the most beautiful penguin in all the land.  The evil penguin Drake (Tim Curry) stands in the way though as he also wants her affections and will stop at nothing to make her his love.  With the help of his new friend Rocko (James Belushi) -- a penguin determined to fly -- Hubie must thwart Drake's plan and win Marina's heart!

In honor on MGM's 90th Anniversary, A GEEK DADDY BLOG is giving away a THE PEBBLE & THE PENGUIN home video prize pack to one lucky reader because it is one of my children's favorite movies from the MGM library of family classic movies.  For a chance to win this  movie prize pack you must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years old and enter prior to 11:59 pm EST on Sunday December 21, 2014:

UPDATE: Congrats to Pat S. from Virgina who won THE PEBBLE & THE PENGUIN on Blu-ray

Entry: E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address.  Email subject line should be Christmas Penguins.

One email will be randomly selected to determine the winner.  E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.

Still looking for stocking stuffers? Consider buying THE PEBBLE & THE PENGUIN.  Click here to own it.  MGM also has a variety of family friendly movies to select from for holiday gifts such as All Dogs Go To Heaven, The Princess Bride, The Secret of Nihm and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  How well do you know these movies? Can you match these film quotes? So how many did you get right?!
For more information about MGM's 90th anniversary and its catalog of movie classics, visit  http://www.mgm90th.com/

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Fox Home Entertainment is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  If you win this prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation but did receive a review DVD for the blog and the prize that is being awarded to one of our readers for this contest.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. The opinions in this post are my own.

#MGMINSIDERS

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Star Wars Fans in your Life

It's an exciting time for the Star Wars franchise with the recent launch of a popular television series, Marvel debuting new comic book series early in 2015 and a new blockbuster feature film hitting movie theaters at the end of next year.  This year would be a great time to tie in to that excitement when purchasing holiday gifts for the Star Wars fans in your life.  Here are a few gift ideas that this Geek Daddy would be glad to give or receive.

Take command of the neighborhood holiday decoration contest by displaying The Dark Lord of the Sith and your own personal Death Star on your front lawn.  You may laugh but you know you want this!

FOR THE DADS

A good ball cap is a staple of most guys casual wardrobe when out and about, doing yard work, or just hanging out around the house.  New Era 39Thirty caps give the option of sporting the Rebel Alliance or Imperial banners on a stylish and comfortable hat.

Women have ear rings, necklaces, bracelets and rings but for most guys the jewelry of choice is a nice wristwatch.  $190 for a Comic Con San Diego exclusive watch where only 150 were made isn't a bad price for this Darth Vader Stainless Steel timepiece that is stylish enough that the mature adult will be comfortable donning it in public.

For those guys looking for a more sophisticated time piece but still want to show off their passion for Star Wars check out the SEIKO Stormtrooper wrist watch.  It's pricey at more than a thousand dollars but it really is incredible.

So it seems a staple of gifts for Dad are socks, ties and under wear.  If you are giving these items to a man in your life how about having fun with a Star Wars theme?

No one but dad will know that he's wearing these Darth Vader or stormtrooper socks under his suit slacks, work khakis or jeans.

Guys can wear these ties with the Rebel Alliance or Imperial logos on them with their suits and only other Star Wars fans will notice the connection on these nice fashionable pieces. 

These fun Star Wars boxers will make any geek dad smile.

If the dad in your life is going to be wearing t-shirts as part of their attire make sure it is a cool one! Can't beat this Chewbacca Photo Bomb shirt to help dad standout as the hip guy at the kids school drop-off or pick-up.

GADGETS & USEFUL STUFF

Here are some items that aren't just fun to have but also can be useful.  

We all need ice cubes!  Choose from a tray featuring some of the most popular vehicles from the Star Wars universe or a set of trays that feature some of the franchise's most memorable images.

These BBQ thongs are impressive, most impressive ... and who doesn't need a light saber flash light?!

Boba Fett is my favorite Star Wars character and I just thought this pillow case was nicely done and unique.

Who wouldn't want R2D2 as their co-pilot.  This USB charger sits in your vehicle's cup holder and charges your electronic gear while you are on the go.  A great feature of this device is it whistles and hoots just like the R2 unit from the movies. 

TOYS

For younger children this R2D2 operation game looks great to play while for older kids this X-wings Minatures Game brings the space battles from the movies to a board game.

My son and I have been collecting Hasbro's 6 inch action figure line as a fun hobby for us to do together and this Boba Fett character has been impossible to find at stores...but it is available at Amazon.com.  This line of toys provides more intricate articulation and sculpture details than the 3 inch Star Wars figures that I collected as a kid.

When I saw this LEGO AT-AT play set on display at the store all I could say was WOW! It was like I was an eight year old again and I wanted it!

My son loves the new animated television series STAR WARS: REBELS and this new Commander series of toys by Hasbro let kids play out the adventures of the show with plastic molded figures similar to the green army men of my youth.  This JEDI DUEL play set features the characters from STAR WARS: REBELS and is a must have for any kid who enjoys the show.

READING MATERIAL

With all the upcoming activity going on involving the Star Wars universe from movies to toys to books to television shows stay informed with a subscription to Star Wars Insider Magazine.

Whether you want to read these for bedtime stories, down time on vacation, or just on a lazy Saturday afternoon A Star Wars Pop-Up Guide to the Universe, Darth Vader and Son, and Vader's Little Princess are great for parents to enjoy with their little ones.

A new book titled TARKIN tells the background of the powerful villain who held Darth Vader's leash in the original Star Wars movie.  For such an important character very little has been known about him til now.  This is a must read for die-hard Star Wars fans!

George Lucas original screenplay for Star Wars was a lot different than the film that was released in movie theaters in 1977.  Dark Horse Comics recently released a graphic novel adaption of Lucas first draft titled THE STAR WARS.  An interesting visual experience to enjoy on a Kindle.

WINTER GEAR

Check out these beanies to wear when the weather is frightful.  You can be Princess Leia or R2D2 when braving Hoth like weather outside.

STOCKING STUFFERS

Encourage your kids to brush with a GUM light saber toothbrush that really glows while it cleans their teeth.  My kids have these and love them!

Build your own miniature metallic Millennium Falcon with this fun model kit from Metal Earth.

PEZ are always a great candy treat and for my kids with food allergies they are peanut and tree nut allergy safe which makes them especially great.

Everyone needs a LEGO Darth Vader flashlight / key chain ... don't they?

  Hot Wheels also has a lineup of Star Wars inspired toy cars that are a perfect fit for a holiday stocking this year.

On a final note as you are waiting for the release of Star Wars Episode VII why not go through and watch all the movies again.  Pick up the Blu-ray complete compilation and enjoy it throughout the time off you have for the holidays.

A Geek Daddy wishes everyone a happy holiday season and don't worry December 18, 2015 will be here before you know it.  Won't that be the best holiday present ever for a Star Wars fan!