With Christmas on the horizon thoughts turn towards buying the perfect gifts for our loved ones and those with a vampire in the family find it difficult to satisfy the darker personality type. Most people tend to hit the Hot Topics stores thinking that is the only place to buy vampiric goodies only to learn later that the vampire in question has returned their gift because of it’s poser like credibility and are stumped in trying to figure out why it’s considered lame when the retailer apparently caters to the more Goth crowd when in fact the chain itself has undergone major changes that now specifically appeal to the teenage punk generation.
If you are amongst those who are left scratching your head in confusion and worrying about finding a gift for the family vamp I have the perfect solution for you. Walk past that gift card section, exit Hot Topic and fire up your computer. Some of the best vampire gifts are purchased online and with a little research you will see that most of today’s vampires are shopping via ecommerce in order to avoid buying things that are run of the mill and yet still suit their interests. As a vampire community representative I am offering you my insight to the gifts that all kinds of vampires would die to have.
Here are my top ten to die for gift ideas for the vampire in your death…I mean life.
1. You can’t go wrong with Living Dead Dolls. Mezco Toys entangled themselves with two horrifically fascinating guys, Ed Long and Damien Glonek after encountering their Living Dead Dolls at a convention where the hand gruesome hand made dolls had made their appearance. Today Living Dead Dolls are one of the coolest toys a vampire can collect. The dolls not only look dead but they even come with a death certificate along with a story about how the character came to an untimely end as well as a coffin shaped box. Beware if you purchase these dollies online you will pay upwards of a hundred dollars and may find that they are completely sold out, however according the Living Dead Dolls website if purchased from a retailer they typically go for between $30 and $50 according to that specific retailer. Whether your vampire is in the teen years or a full grown adult they are sure to love the dead dollies.
2. The Laurell K. Hamilton’s boxed set of the Anita Blake Vampire Executioner Series. These best-selling stories include numbers one through four, Guilty Pleasures, The Laughing Corpse, Circus of the Damned and The Lunatic Café. Your vampire won’t be able to put these books down. Anita is a necromancer who works for a company called Animator’s Inc. Her favorite vampire also happens to be one of her lover’s (yes I said one of!) and the tryst between her, the vamp and her werewolf lover will have your favorite vampire captivated from start to finish, but because of mature sexual content I wouldn’t recommend them for children or teens. This boxed set makes a perfect gift for the reasonable price of around $25.00 and you can even get free shipping if you buy it online.
3. What vampire wouldn’t find it amusing to sport a black “Got Blood?” t-shirt? Dreamland Gallery’s parody of “Got Milk?” is sure to get a chuckle or two even from people who have no idea vampires exist. You can’t go wrong with any of the Sanguinarius products because it is one of the biggest vampire websites online today with a long and substantial history behind it. Every vampire knows what Sanguinarius is even if you don’t, so don’t worry that your vampire might think it’s cheeky to own this shirt. It’s more than a fashion statement is a lifestyle proclamation according the vampire community. This simple t-shirt can be purchased for $22.99. It is a hundred percent cotton and already preshrunk. It might not break your bank but it is sure to crack you up.
4. Remember when Angelina Jolie sported a red vial of blood supposedly belonging to Billy Bob Thorton? Well now you can give that same gift to your own vampire. Vampire wear offers forty variations of blood vial jewelry ranging from necklaces to earrings and pendants. There’s even a variety in which you can fill yourself with whatever fragrance, oil or powder you want. Each piece of jewelry comes with its own coffin shaped jewelry box. These are fairly cheap gifts to buy, selling anywhere from sixteen to three dollars.
5. One of the most loved bands by vampires everywhere is Gene Loves Jezebel. They have a fantastic CD out called Voodoo Dollies that will have that dark someone in your life belting out Goth, Punk, Hybrid lyrics in their living rooms. This is a band that is reminiscent of the 80’s post-punk era with a slight metal edge to its alternative sound. As a collection, it evenly covers the wide variety of their sound with the “Goth” sounds more at the beginning and harder metal sounds towards the end. This great gift goes for a measly sixteen bucks and if you purchase it online you can receive free super saver shipping.
6. Varney’s Vampire Store has some of the coolest clothes a vampire can wear. Most of their shirts feature gruesome and explicitly details artwork dedicated to what is known as the cream, or virgin’s blood, of the gothic lifestyle. These are beautifully done garments that are perfect for every day wear or nightclubbing. My personal favorite is the Cusp of Bathory long sleeved shirt that has a red winged demon astride the back of a fierce dragon beneath a slit of silver moon. The artwork is breathtaking and sure to a conversation starter wherever your vampire goes. Surprisingly, these shirts of art are very low in price for only $19.99 and come in three sizes with the title of the artwork printed down one sleeve in beautiful gothic lettering.
7. With Vampirism being a physical state most often associated with either fictional Dracula like characters or the 17th century disease porphyria, vampires today are studying more and more to learn about their condition. One of the best books you can purchase for your vampire, whether he or she is a psi (meaning psychic) or sang (meaning blood drinker), is Unholy Hungers: Encountering the Psychic Vampire in Ourselves & Others By Barbara E. Hort. This is a study of the psychological archetype known to drain people of their energy. Hort examines myths and folklore found in literature, theater and the media and explains how those theories coincide with today’s belief on where psychic vampire originated from. She also goes on to explain how we can protect ourselves. This investment only costs eighteen dollars and is a great buy for the vampire learning about themselves.
8. Have you ever tasted anything as sweet as a vampire’s wine? It is said to have seductive qualities that tingle the pallet and warm the soul into a languid submissive disposition. Now you can buy vampire wine that will please your own personal vamp, ensure lots of nibbles and kisses and if you aren’t careful have you ready to be a midnight snack; that is if you don’t find the bottle too pretty to open. The label has a drop of blood just about ready to run down the bottle and an ankh that will make you think twice about tossing it in the trash. Of all their flavors of wine, the Merlot Rose is the one that is most deadly. It is a fantastic addition to any dinner. It goes well served with fish, chicken, salads, breads, cheeses or exotic cuisines. These wines are made in the tradition of the Transylvanian techniques in master wine making. Plato claimed that the vineyards in
Transylvania
were the finest in the world and after one taste of the Merlot Rose you will most likely agree. These bottles are only $8.99 and the great thing is that they have a wine club that will allow you to receive A Fine Bottle of Vampire Wine, A Delicious Recipe, A Vampire Movie and a Vampire Wine Gargoyle. They have three different club options that range in price but are extremely reasonable.
9. Hells Belles Blood Bath Moisturizing Bubble Bath is a must have for every female vamp. It is made with essential oils and deep red tones that are designed to help alleviate the symptoms of PMS. They say it’s even better for the hormones than chocolate. Every one of the products in this line is handmade and will leave you feeling refreshed and pampered. LA weekly awarded this product with the honor of being the best PMS reducer of 2004. What’s more is that the price of this little gem will leave you stress free in your shopping. This stuff only costs $13.50 for a four ounce bottle.
10. Coming in at number ten on my list of all time vampire favorites is the sacred heart pended from Alchemy Gothic. This is a stunningly beautiful peace of jewelry with a heart shaped pendant that has crystals set around the edges, a deep red inset in the heart and an icon to symbolize suffering. A simple ankh adorns the center and a single tear drop dangles from the tip of the heart. This is a hard to find item because it is frequently sold out. If you are able to get your hands on this little beauty I think you will be far more please than you’d expect. Depending on where you buy it from it runs about twenty dollars on average.
Well, there you have it. A complete list of gifts your vampire is meant to have. If you stick close to this list you won’t have any returned purchases or grimaces this Christmas. Vampires like to receive gifts as much as the next person but their darker nature can sometimes be baffling but you won’t have to worry about it this year because you’ll know exactly how to please them so boot up that PC and start exploring the darker side of Christmas shopping.
Reference:
Living Dead Dolls from MezcoLaurell K. Hamilton’s Boxed set from AmazonLaurell K. Hamilton’s Boxed set from Barnes and NoblesDreamland GalleryVampfang’s Bloody VialsGene Loves Jezebell Voodoo DolliesVarney’s Vampire StoreThe Psychic Vampire Resource Book StoreVampire WineHells Belles Bath and BeautyAlchemy Gothic
