The holiday season is here, and what could be more appropriate for the Pokémon fan in your life than Pokémon themed goodness? Maybe you’re stuck for what to ask for this year, or you don’t know what to get the person in your life who loves Pokémon, well we are here to help!
First up, an easy option for any one who plays Pokémon GO, Pokémon TCG Pocket, Pokémon Sleep, or any of the other Pokémon mobile games is vouchers for their app store of choice!
External Battery
There are some things every Pokémon GO trainer needs, and one of the essentials is a good power bank! You want something that fits in your pocket, and will comfortably recharge your phone several times on a single charge. This Anker charger can recharge an iPhone 8 almost 7 times, or a Galaxy S8 5 times!
A good backpack
Another essential is a solid backpack, and of course a Pokémon theme is a bonus. This poison type themed backpack from the Pokémon Center is a lot of fun, and features some Pokémon that don’t often get a spotlight shined on them through merch! With Paldean Wooper, Clodside, Ekans, Grimer, Croagunk, Koffing and a bright green slime theme on purple, it is a lot of fun and would be very practical for a GO player. With slots for water bottles on the side, and plenty of other pockets for storing everything you need to play an event, it’s a great gift idea!
If you want to really spoil someone, Pokémon x Loungefly do some of the coolest bags around, but they do tend to sell out quickly (and are on the pricier side!! In the UK these can be hard to get hold of, but this particular backpack is in stock on TruffleShuffle. However, if you are in the USA or Canada you can buy direct from Loungefly and the range is amazing! They have a sequined Eevee backpack right now that is adorable.
Looking for a gift for a Trading Card Game collector or player?
Booster packs
The newest set Surging Sparks is proving to be a smash hit, but is sold out online in a lot of stores. Booster packs, or even the slightly fancier sleeved booster packs make a great stocking filler, and you may be able to find them in your local Walmart, Game, or other supermarket/gaming shops! Support local where you can, so if you know a local store that hosts TCG competitions and is independently owned, check them out!
Playmats
A new playmat is always fun for anyone who plays TCG, and the recent Pokémon Center x Van Gogh Museum collab produced some really excellent options, including this Corviknight play mat!
If you know your gift recipient loves a specific Pokémon, you can almost certainly find a playmat with their fave on in some unique artwork.
Wanting to add a little Pokémon theme to your holiday decorations? The Pokémon Center have some amazing new themed baubles and decor this year.
This Pikachu Holiday Snow Globe is the perfect holiday decor to get out to decorate your home every year! The inclusion of Fuecoco, Slowpoke and Piplup around the base is such a cute addition, and it makes a great statement piece.
There are a whole host of the cutest baubles you have ever seen, particular stand outs for me are the Slowpoke in a hat and scarf, and Pikachu playing a Snorlax drum!
Another decoration that is seriously tempting to add to your annual decorations is the Pikachu Pokémon Holiday Wreath! It wouldn’t be suitable for your front door with the plushie style design, but for an interior door or as a hanging decoration inside it would be such a lovely piece to have on display.
Every Pokémon fan loves a good plushie, and there are some incredible ones available right now!
Who wants a bouquet of flowers when you can have a bouquet of holiday themed Pokémon instead?! This is SO precious and would be such a lovely gift for a romantic partner.
There are always a variety of holiday themed plushies released each year, and this year the Pokémon Center have released some of the softest plushies you could ever dream of! This Maushold Holiday Plush is so sweet, and if you are a family of three, what could be cuter to represent you during the winter months?!
Massive Plushies
If holiday themed plushies aren’t your thing, you can get almost every Pokémon you can think of in plush form thanks to the Sitting Cuties range, but I’m going to recommend a personal favourite plush I own that makes me laugh whenever I see it. This massive 26inch Wailord Plush might not be the obvious choice, and Wailord isn’t even one of my favourite Pokémon, but this is such a standout in my collection and I love it so much! Plus it doubles as a cushion!
Another one making it’s way onto my own personal wishlist to join Wailord, is another larger plush, a 20inch Furret! I don’t know what it is about these large plushies, but they are so much fun and bound to cause a smile when they are opened as a surprise.
Homeware is another easy way to add a little more Pokémon into your life, and there are so many options out there! Mugs are always a great present, and you can get Pokémon mugs from a whole host of shops and chain stores, as well as the official Pokémon Center.
The Slurpuff is a more unusual Pokémon to be featured on merch, but the Wooloo?! OMG what an incredible mug. The little feat, the details, perfect for a hot chocolate on a cold winter night.
Technically this Snorlax Candy Bowl is from the Halloween range, but it isn’t specifically spooky so I think it is the perfect bowl for your popcorn on movie night all year round!
When you think of Pokémon games you might think of the Nintendo Switch games, but Pokémon also regularly collaborate with other board game companies to produce some really fun collaborations!
Board Games
Labyrinth was a classic board game of the 1980s, and it is back with a glow in the dark Pokémon version! This is an ideal gift for anyone old enough to remember playing the original and who loves Pokémon, or even for the Pokémon loving children of those who lived through the 80s but don’t necessarily love Pokémon! Board games are always such a fun way to bring the family together, and this game is suitable for ages 7 and up, and is for between 2-4 players.
Mega Blocks
MEGA blocks are the Mattel version of another very famous brand known for blocks and building that have teamed up with Pokémon to make a variety of different buildable pieces. This is the Kanto Pokédex, but there are also Pokémon, play arenas and more available in this range!
Main Series Games
Despite their rocky launch, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have proven to be the best Pokémon games in a decade, with sprawling outdoor environments, great story, well fleshed out characters, and a rooster of amazing new Pokémon designs. This is always a good buy, especially for Trainers who couldn’t play them at launch.
Controversially, this section is going to feature what I’m calling the ‘bank busters’. Those Pokémon gifts we’d all buy our Pokémon loving partner, child or loved one if we won the lottery! We can all dream right?!
First up, the thing I’d buy myself first if I ever won the lottery, a life-sized Psyduck plush. It measures a whopping 31 inches tall to match their Pokédex height, and weighs just over 4kg.
Sticking with the giant plushie theme, this Spheal is the roundest lad you could ever hope for. Measuring around 31 ½ inches tall and 39 ½ inches long is a perfect rotund little dude and just look at those teeth. So precious! So cute! So squishy! Rotund perfection.
Maybe a watch?
This Pokémon Center x Fossil watch is available as all three of the Kanto starters, but this is the Bulbasaur version.
This specific range is designed to fit adults, but major toy stores do sell cheaper Pokémon themed watches for children!
If you love a subtle way to sneak Pokémon into your daily life, a wrist watch might just the way to do it.
And of course, a gift guide would be remiss without a mention for our own merch! Know someone who uses GOHub on a daily basis to keep up with everything Pokémon related? We’ve got t-shirts, bags, mugs, notepads hoodies and more, all with a variety of GOHub themed designs.
This t-shirt is a favourite of mine, and comes in a variety of colours and is available in up to a 3XL. This is the barcode version, but we have a selection of different prints, including the Swirl design, and the Outliner edition.
You can never go wrong with a classic hoodie, and this one is available up to a 5XL! In fact, someone tell the boss it’s on my Christmas list. This is the Outliner edition, and I just love that mountain range inspired design.
