Working in tight spots is difficult from the start; working in tight dark spots can quickly turn into a nightmare. But while a Screwdriver Light would be useful, the obvious reaction would be that only a handyman would need it.

Yes… and no.

It would definitely be helpful for a carpenter, for example, but even a regular DYI-ing Joe would use it. Hell, anyone who’s ever built an IKEA shelf would. Those things have screws in the weidest places!

This disc easily attaches to a screwdriver and the three LEDs shed light on the screw in question. Best yet, it’s magnetic, so it can also be attached to metal surfaces if needed.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $8.95 on LeeValley.com.

Via BoingBoing

Christmas spirit is great. Most people (religious or not) enjoy the fuzzy feeling of the holidays and love decorating and getting into the proper mood.

But sometimes decorating goes over the top. Tinsel, various ornaments, seasonal centerpieces – fabulous. Santa Christmas Snow Globe Bottle Stopper – less so. Snow globes are amazing… when they’re good quality (you know, when the “snow” looks like snow) and stand-alone.

Putting one on top of a bottle of wine defeats the purpose; is one supposed to shake the bottle to get the full effect? I don’t think the drink inside will enjoy it too much.

Thank you, I’ll use a regular cork and my old snow globe separately.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: £2.25 on DeCuisine.co.uk.

Via Foolish Gadgets

First off: if you’re a SF fan and haven’t watched Firefly yet, go get it now. When you’re done and realize they never made that second season, you’ll want something to remind you of Mal and his friends, and what could be better than the ship that carried the crew all over the galaxy?

The Firefly Serenity Ornament is a 6-inch replica of the Serenity and comes with both a display base and a hanging hook, which will conveniently allow you to give a slightly futuristic appearance to your Christmas tree. (Can’t you just picture a fleet of Firefly-class ships flying around it?)

And then, after the holiday season’s over, it can go back to being a regular desk decoration for a true SF geek. The Vader action figure won’t mind sharing its space with it.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.98 on EntertainmentEarth.com.

Via Gizmodo

In a world that’s almost abandoned letters, we hope holiday cards won’t go away too soon. However… Hallmark cards? Again? Honestly, I spend more time picking an e-card than some people do choosing paper cards. It’s the gesture that matters, yes, but when the card is out of the ordinary the gesture will be twice as appreciated.

Not that there’s anything wrong with traditional cards, especially if Auntie Mary has been collecting Santas for 20 years. However, special people deserve special treatment, and if you’ve got a relative or friend with a great (and slighly weird sense of humor), the Wondermark Greeting Cards are the best choice.

How could you resist the woes of Mapquest (the Wise Men who accidentaly end up in China), a materialistic little girl on Chanukkah or a shepard with a blog (pictured – “Oh, I am so blogging about this”)?

Each card features an reproduction of a 19th century engraving with an irreverent text and a matching holiday wish on the inside. Not for the humorously-challenged.

(P.S. If you look closely, you’ll see the website also offers cards for other occasions, so don’t forget about it after Christmas.)

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $6 for 3 cards on Wondermark.com.

Via BoingBoing

Although my camera strap is sacred, it never occured to me that a phone would need a similar something. But if you think about it… the idea isn’t bad. At least for clumsy people.

The MobiGrip is a finger strap with a base that attaches to the back of a phone, so that the user can hold the phone more securely. Although I’m sure the initial reaction is “why the hell would I want that?”, just think of all those people who somehow manage to drop their phones to the floor or – even better – in the toilet. They won’t admit it, but they need this.

However, there’s one downside: you need to glue something to the back of the phone, which might make it more difficult to slip into pockets… and the idea of adhesive on my pretty shiny mobile isn’t something I like contemplating.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.95 on MobiGrips.com.

Via ChipChick

Desk Christmas decorations have been the hit of the past few years, but many of them are of dubious quality. For someone who doesn’t want anything currently on the market, there’s two alternatives: not buying at all or DYI.

For those who prefer the latter, the 3D Christmas Tree Kit is a simple and inexpensive solution. It does require a certain level of electronics knowledge (and soldering skills), but just 8 easy steps will result in a cute and geeky cubicle decoration. It needs a 9V battery to work, which can also be used as a stand.

Who needs tealights for atmosphere when you’ve got a bunch of homemade trees?

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $8.99 on MakerShed.com.

Via Makezine

The life of a gamer with a girlfriend who doesn’t like video games is complicated. It’s great that there’s a girl who loves him, but even she gets fed up with endless World of Warcraft or Fallout 3 sessions. Balancing a time-consuming hobby and a relationship can be tricky.

For gamers, “brb gf aggro” is a well-known phrase and all males can sympathize with the poor guy. The Girlfriend Aggro t-shirt is better worn when the lady is not around, but it would be a hit at any gaming convention… especially if you leave her in the car, tell her you’ll only say “hi” to the guys and end up staying for 3 hours.

Although, in that case, one minute won’t be near enough for her to yell at you.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $7.98 on GameAmp.com.

A family trip can quickly turn into a small nightmare if the children suffer from short attention span and get bored easily. Poor parents need all the help they can get to keep the young ‘uns in check.

Are We There Yet? is a dreaded question (think Donkey in Shrek), but also the name of an activity game which might give kids an extra thing to focus on instead of bugging the driver. Every 50 miles, the brat in the back can open one of the compartments and get a plastic toy. It’s the Kinder egg of road trips.

Of course, in this age of entertainment such an old-fashioned thing is hit and miss. Don’t leave the gaming console at home, but try all options, you never know.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $4.95 on McPhee.com.

Emergency contact and info is someting potentially life-saving, but how many of us actually do something to make sure it’s easily accessible in an extreme situation?

Personally, I rely on the fact that anyone can call the number listed as “mum” in my phone. But that might not occur to everyone, and not all people can work a cell…

The Pocket.doc offers a simple alternative (or addition) to this method. Because yes, we could just write it down on a regulat sheet of paper, but people are lazy. This accordion notebook includes forms for critical emergency, medical and contact information, and since it’s the size of a credit card it’s easy to stash away and forget about it until you run into trouble.

And at $4… there’s really no reason not to get it.

How much under $29.99?
A lotL $3.99 on GetButtonedUp.com.

Via GearDiary

Real men need real manly shampoo. None of those fake “for men” labels, and don’t even mention girly stuff! Being in close proximity of anything floral or pink would ruin the image.

So Gear Head Shampoo was born. It’s made for true men (or mechanics). Men who can (almost) wash their hair with motor oil. Rugged men who don’t need *spit* haircare.

All will be well. Until the other real men who come visiting realize that, no matter the bottle, it’s still shampoo, and it’s made to make you hair look and feel better. A few hours with the boys tinkering with a motorbike should solve that problem though… And hey, it’s cheap. Saving money for beer will be appreciated.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $4.99 on Amazon.com.

Via Fosfor