The Best Gifts for the Aspiring Pokémon Trainer
Pokémon has been a mainstay of geek culture for decades now, and for good reason. Who doesn’t love those adorable, superpowered, colorful critters? You can expect tons of great Pokémon merch to drop around the holiday season. Here’s a quick and easy guide to the very best things to buy for your favorite Pokémon Trainer.
And it’s not all Pikachu—other Pokémon are featured, too!
Related: The Best Pokémon Games Of All Time – Ranked on Attack of the Fanboy
Jumbo plushes
I may be biased, but I believe these “life-size” creations are the best of all the Pokémon plushes. Okay, maybe they’re not quite life-size. For example, the Wailord plush is a mere one-tenth of the size Wailord is in the Pokémon games. But that just makes him easier to hug, right?
My personal favorite is Spheal. I love Spheal so much I wish they were real … but the jumbo plush is a good substitute. You can pick up a whole variety of plushes at many online and physical stores, but your first port of call should probably be The Pokémon Center.
Luxury Ball
What to get for the Pokémon trainer who has everything? How about a Luxury Ball?
This spectacular piece is available from the Pokémon Center for $119.99. Yep, it’s expensive, but it is a gorgeous bit of kit. It has “touch- and proximity-sensing technology,” which means its button lights up in response to you, and it comes with an illuminated display case. If you’re lucky enough to be on the receiving end of this gift, it should be displayed proudly at the very front of your Pokémon shelf. You definitely have one of those, right?
Pokémon Funko Pops
Yes, Funko Pops have their critics. They are everywhere, after all. Seemingly no franchise of the past 20 years has not been Popped. But consider this—Funko Pop Pokémon! Look how cute they are.
You can pick up a Pokémon Funko Pop in many varieties. There are metallic ones, jumbo ones, glitter ones, flocked ones … it all depends on what the person you’re buying for would like best! And although Funko has not Popped all 1021 different Pokémon yet, they’ve got quite a good variety of starter Pokémon and old favorites.
Pokémon GO Team Merch
You may not hear as much about Pokémon GO these days, but I can assure you it’s still going strong. And, thanks to the Pokémon Center, you can deck yourself out in merch for your chosen GO team.
Whether you’re Team Instinct, Team Mystic, or Team Valor, there’s something for you at the Pokémon Center. Why not pick out a Zapdos, Articuno, or Moltres pin to subtly show your allegiance? Bags, hats, T-shirts, and more are also available.
Pokémon Moods figures
There’s a Pokémon for every mood! Some of the rarer Pokémon are showcased in this collection, which you can find at the Pokémon Center. Would you like a mischievous Skitty? A hopeful Bagon? Then this is the line for you. There’s also lots of Pikachu in there as well, of course—you can get Pokémon’s mascot in hungry mode, sleepy mode, confused mode, and more.
Detective Pikachu plush
This year saw the release of Detective Pikachu Returns, a fun little Nintendo Switch game featuring everyone’s favorite coffee-addicted pocket monster. And before that, we had a live-action Pokémon movie starring Detective Pikachu as the title character. He’s a popular guy!
Now you can take him home and snuggle with him. This little dude from the Pokémon Center wears a hat, has a lot of fluffy fur, and features a “sassy facial expression.” Awww.
Pokémon chess set
What’s harder—a Pokémon battle or a game of chess? Find out with this chess set from the Pokémon Center. Magikarp are the pawns (sorry, Magikarp), Snorlax are the rooks, Rapidash are the knights, Dragonite are the bishops, and Pikachu, of course, represents the king and queen.
This chess set costs a cool $199.99, but it’s a beautiful quality piece.
Eevee and Pikachu money banks
These lovely little money banks come from the company Shine JP. Put a coin on the box, and Eevee or Pikachu (depending on which bank you bought) will extend an adorable little paw and take the coin into the box.
You can find both Pikachu and Eevee (plus cute little illustrations explaining how their money banks work) over at the official Shine JP website.
Pokemon Center x Fossil
No, these are not Pokémon fossils like Omanyte, but items created by the fashion company Fossil! There’s a great line of Pokémon x Fossil items that make for fantastic holiday gifts. These don’t come cheap—a leather bag will put you back $249.99, a watch $149.99—but they’re worth it! Be quick if you want to order a Fossil product from the Pokémon Center website, as they’re selling out fast.
Pokemon silicone molds
Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of silicone molds! You can use these for making cakes and other food items, and you can also use them for making long-lasting products out of resin. (Don’t ever use the same silicone mold you just used with resin for making food, though.) I am delighted to inform you that there are Pokémon molds out there! For example, there’s a big Pikachu cake mold at Blippo and some great Eevee and Pikachu options on Etsy. Perfect for the baker or crafter Pokémon fan!
(featured image: The Pokémon Center/Fossil)
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