STEM gifts that survive past Boxing Day

Gift buying has a constraint that ordinary buying does not: there has to be something to unwrap, and it has to be impressive in the thirty seconds after the paper comes off. That pushes people toward big boxes, which is exactly how you end up with an abandoned set by February.

The gift-buying trap

The most impressive-looking box is usually the one with the highest piece count and a single spectacular finished model on the front. That is the format most likely to be built once and shelved. Impressive-on-the-day and still-in-use-in-March are close to opposite qualities.

What to look for in a gift specifically

• Something physical to open - a subscription with nothing in the box is a bad gift, however good the service
• A first build achievable on the day, while excitement is high
• A reason to come back next week that is already built in
• Age headroom - a gift that fits for two years beats one that fits for four months