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With Christmas only a week away, I’m sure you, like me, have accomplished no gift buying.  You may have delivered your wish list to Santa, most likely composed entirely of Criterion Collection DVDs and Boxed Sets.  Come time to exchange gifts by the yuletide fire, make sure you’re giving the best movie gifts of all and maybe your friends or parents will catch on and reward you with some awesome swag too.  Here are 8 simple ideas, some obvious, some maybe not so much, to make you the coolest cousin in town.

Framed Movie Poster. Obvious gift, but the addition of the frame makes it nice.  To play it safe, and cheap, go with either an invisible frame or a thin black one.  Pick a movie they like, but not one they already have the poster for, obviously.

Unique Movie T-Shirts. I’m not talking the cheap $10 iron-on you find at the store, though they can be cool at times.  What you want to look for is unique ways of expressing the movie, something that takes a little inside knowledge.  Have an Army of Darkness fan? Try to find an S-Mart shirt.  One company that is awesome at this, and was featured as one of our Officially Cool sites, is Last Exit to Nowhere. The only downside (to us Yanks, at least) is that they’re located across the Pond, making shipment and currency conversion to America pretty rough.

Minimates of an Awesome Movie. A lot of movie fans, myself included, like to decorate with movie memorabilia.  These little block characters are small, cheap, and totally awesome.  Perfect for accessorizing your desk at work.

Aviator Sunglasses. So you and your roommate decided to exchange cheap gifts – but what can you get for pocket change?  A cheap pair of Aviator Sunglasses, straight out of Top Gun.  These are never a bad gift.

Ray-Ban Wayfarer II Sunglasses. I like sunglasses, so what?  I don’t think you can have too many pairs.  These retro glasses are back in style and harken back to James and Elwood Blues.

Movie Maquette. Considering these things can run into the hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, you better damn well like the person.  That said, is anything cooler than a giant alien head staring you down from your bed table?  Didn’t think so.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Director’s Cut Wine. An elegant gift for a more civilized time.  The movie and wine buff will be impressed that you married his two loves together.  The bottle is cool, featuring a label modeled after a zoetrope, one of the first methods of creating a “moving picture.”  I recommend the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sweeney Todd’s Razors. Or any other awesome prop, or replica prop.  These can be stylish and simple and neat, set upon the desk at work or displayed in the home.  All movie fans will appreciate your knowledge of their favorite films.  These can start getting pricey, though, so buyer beware.

So keep these gifts in mind for Christmas or a birthday and you’ll stand out from your movie loving friend’s other buddies, who just went with Battlestar Galactica Season 2 on DVD.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc.