From the excellent MAKE blog comes a little catalogue for the craftier among us. I personally can find my way about the guts of a computer pretty well, but the thought of soldering something onto a PCB fills me with anxiety. Fortunately, many of these little DIY projects were set up with people like me in mind, and even serve as a sort of primer in the world of makin’. Two cool little stocking stuffers that caught my eye were the TV-B-Gone, which apparently shuts down all TVs with a line-of-sight within 100 ft or so, and the MintyBoost, a little USB charger in an Altoids can that can power up your USB-charged devices. Both cost just under $20, but there are cheaper and more expensive options here. Somehow, though, I don’t think your mom would find a use for a 3D printer/fabricator even if you did make it myself. And here’s a secret she told me: Your macaroni art from last year? Eaten.

Open Source Hardware Gift Guide