25 Christmas gift ideas for retro fans
Good ol' gifts for fans of yesteryear's kit
Have a very retro Christmas
Sure, unwrapping a gleaming piece of shiny new kit on Christmas day is pretty awesome. But will that GlassPhone with SmartShaver™ really stand the test of time?
Avoid that question altogether by selecting something from this list. If you know someone who dreams of days gone by, when photos were printed, records were flipped, phones dialled, and toasters were more stylish than most TVs, we’ve got the gifts for you.
1. Roberts Revival RD70 (£199.99)
It doesn’t get much more retro than a kitchen radio, but despite its vintage styling and old-skool FM tuner, the Roberts Revival RD70 also has a modern side. Bluetooth means you can stream tunes to it from your phone when you’re sick of hearing Wizzard every half an hour, plus there’s a full-colour display and a DAB+ tuner too.
Buy a Roberts Revival RD70 here
2. Atari Flashback 8 (£44.99)
Nintendo’s SNES Classic Mini not quite retro enough for you? Just can’t get hold of one no matter what? This plug ‘n’ play remake of the classic ‘80s console comes with two wireless controllers (or you can use your old ones if you can find them) and 105 games built-in, so even if none of them are quite as good as F-Zero you can always play the quantity card.
3. Grado SR60e (£76)
The only choice for someone who wants a pair of headphones that’ll make them look like they’ve cracked the secret of time travel, Grado’s SR60e cans don’t just look the part, they sound good too.
Buy a pair of Grado SR60e headphones here
4. Smeg KLF04 (£149.95)
The only way to boil water in a more retro fashion than this Smeg KLF04 kettle is to pour it into a cauldron and hang it over an open fire. But a cauldron wouldn’t have seven temperature settings, a keep warm button and a soft opening lid. Sometimes modernity isn’t so bad.
5. Nokia 3310 (from £59)
Want to remind your retro-loving friend just how much better off we are with our Samsung Galaxy S8s and iPhone Xs? Buy them one of Nokia’s rebooted 3310s (now with added 3G). It’s exactly the kind of thing you’d love to receive as a gift but don’t want to buy yourself, and like all good Christmas presents it’ll be back in its box before the day is out.
6. Onkyo CP-1050 (£299)
So you’ve found a copy of Driving Home for Christmas on vinyl in a charity shop but you’ve got nothing to play it on. Ask for one of Onkyo’s suitably retro-looking turntables and its direct drive system will mean you’ll never have to faff around changing belts to keep Chris Rea sounding as good as he did in 1986.
7. Polaroid OneStep 2 (£109.99)
No matter how many apps or Instagram filters you run your photos through, you can never beat the real thing. Polaroid’s resurrected instant camera has the same wedge-shaped design, a self-timer, and 60-day battery life, so the only thing that’ll give its age away is the brand new gadgets being unwrapped in the insta-printed Christmas day snaps.
8. Geneva Touring/xS (£136.40)
Built from aircraft grade aluminum and wrapped in premium eco leather, Geneva Lab’s Touring/xS oozes so much retro style it’s a speaker you’ll want to have on show, while the two front-facing active drivers should do your Beach Boys playlist justice for a solid 20 hours. There’s also a 3.5mm jack if Bluetooth just feels too new-school.
9. Haynes Retro Arcade Kit (£21.47)
For many, Christmas morning is all about tearing open your presents and setting about constructing whatever building kit you’ve been given. But since the games console became the gift of choice, that DIY aspect has fallen by the wayside. That’s unless you unwrap a Haynes Retro Arcade Kit, which allows you to construct your very own game of Pong. Warning: You’ll need a soldering iron to complete it.
Buy a Haynes Retro Arcade Kit here
10. Pac-Man Ghost Light (£19.96)
Everyone’s played Pac-Man, right? That gluttonous glob of yellow has gobbled up more ghosts than the crew of Ecto One – and a whole lot more coins from arcade addicts since it first showed up in the early 80s. This light-up ghost lamp has a colour-changing bulb, so you can choose between Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde whenever you want – or make it flash like someone’s just downed a Power Pill. Wacka-wacka-wacka!
Buy a Pac-Man Ghost Light here
11. Stanley Alladin (£31.99)
Stanley has been making coolers and Thermos flasks for decades, and this 1.9L tea tanker will ensure whoever’s carrying its stainless steel shell around will have a piping hot drink waiting for them come lunchtime – or the end of the day, for that matter. The best bit? It looks retro as heck.
12. Wild & Wolf Series 746 (from £29.99)
Based on the iconic ringer distributed by the British General Post Office, this re-imagining of your nan’s favourite phone replaces the original dialler with push buttons and plugs straight into a standard socket to deliver refreshingly simplistic dog and bone brilliance.
Buy a Wild & Wolf Series 746 here
13. Lego VW Beetle (£74.99)
Measuring in at 30cm long, this not-so-miniature mock-up of the motoring icon will occupy some serious under-tree space. Don’t go thinking you’ll be done with it before Christmas dinner, either: it’s comprised of 1000 pieces, including an accurately modelled 4-cylinder engine, roof-mounted surfboard and a 60s-accurate beige interior. Sadly, the Sgt Pepper soundtrack isn’t included.
14. Atari Messenger Bag (£24.99)
Though the game-making giant never really recovered its former glory, you can relive Atari’s good times with this chic messenger bag. That familiar logo ought to earn approving nods from gamers in the know, whilst the Japanese font should do just enough to camouflage your geek credentials from the uninitiated.
Buy an Atari Messenger Bag here
15. Ondu Pinhole Cameras (from €120)
Take a break from the megapixels of modern photography and go back to a simpler time with Ondu’s pinhole camera range. Using several film formats and built to last, this is a set of snappers that are pitched to span generations. Beautifully-styled in wood-on-wood, these shooters not only look the part but deliver precisely the violet-tinged grainy grabs a retro photographer should love.
Buy an Ondu Pinhole Camera here
16. Swig Harris Tweed hip flask (£75)
Boozing on the go is one of life’s great pleasures – and we’re not talking about chugging a warm can of Stella on the 18.42 from Victoria. No, we mean sipping something fortifying from a classic hip flask – and British company Swig offers a beautiful example: a stainless steel flask tucked into a pouch made of Harris Tweed.
Buy a Swig Harris Tweed hip flask here
17. This Is Ground Mod (from US$250)
The Mod is This Is Ground’s 21st century answer to the Filofax, but it’s far better looking than the phone number-filled 1980s staple. Made from premium hand-stitched leather it comes in a choice of three colour finishes (including silver) and a variety of configurations: there are Mods designed for tablet users, for writers and for photographers, among others, with inserts and compartments to suit the particular particulars.
18. Lenco L-85 (from £89.99)
The vinyl revival is here to stay, so if you’re not on board already, it’s time to start stocking up on 12in records. Lenco’s L-85 is a great way to get started: simply plug in some speakers and you’re good to go. It’ll keep 21st-century music lovers happy, too, thanks to a built-in USB port for ripping vinyl to MP3. Plus, you can buy one in lime green. What’s not to like?
19. Personalised 3.2 litre retro sweets jar (£7.99)
As you bite into the flying saucer, it erupts sugary, sherbety goodness onto your tastebuds, and you’re transported back to a golden age where responsibility was a word that only adults used. It’s almost worth the battering this collection will give your teeth. The jar’s not half bad either.
Buy a personalised retro sweets jar here
20. The Bikeriders (£22.95)
A photography collection for lovers of two-wheeled motor machines, Danny Lyons’ The Bikeriders showcases snaps of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club taken between 1963 and 1967 – during which time Lyons was a member of the gang. A fascinating, gritty insight into an often overlooked segment of 60s Americana.
21. Smart Retro Pop-up Hot Dog Toaster (£34.99)
The record is on, the jive is a playin’. Then, just when you’re getting into your retro groove, it hits you: you need a hot dog. Worry not. This throwback toaster will have you sorted with sausages in a jiffy. With Smart’s pop-up powerhouse the benefits are two-fold: it’ll cook tasty dogs in minutes, with none of the palava of rooting around for a pan.
Buy a Smart Retro Pop-up Hot Dog Toaster here
22. GPO Attache Record Player Suitcase (from £54.99)
Retro record players are nothing new, but a travel-ready turntable might just be the answer to your historic holiday dreams. Styled in fetching French blue and packing built-in speakers in its leatherette shell, you can feel like a true on-the-road rocker as you lug your long-plays around. It’ll even let you record your vintage vinyl onto USB.
Buy a GPO Attache Record Player Suitcase here
23. Polaroid Snap (from £84.99)
Remember when photography was an art, and you had no idea what you’d end up with until your holiday pics were developed? Polaroid’s Snap gives you a taste of the good old days by printing your pics out in seconds using thermal paper (no ink cartridges to worry about), before backing them up to microSD – so you can still stick ‘em up on Facebook, too, if you fancy.
24. Lomography Lomo’Instant Sanremo 3 lens set (£105)
Few things have become so ubiquitous with retro style than Lomography’s range of chic cameras – and the Lomo’Instant Sanremo is one of the best lookers of the lot. Bundled with fish-eye, portait and close-up lenses, this snappy set is sure to be a success with its iconic leather-on-white get-up and instant printing skills.
Buy a Lomography Lomo’Instant Sanremo 3 lens set here
25. USB Mix Tape (£12.99)
Remember the days of carefully crafting music mixtapes for your one true love? No? Well, you can pretend that you do with this 21st-century take on cute compilations – without any of the heartbreak of spoiled tape and over-recording. Complete with authentically stained listing card and peeling stickers, the neatly-packaged USB stick is good for 900 minutes of high quality audio – far more than your Frankie Goes to Hollywood master tape could ever take.
