Struggling to buy for you board gamer friends this year? Buying actual board games can be tricky if you aren’t sure what they already own or what new games they want. So what about board game adjacent gifts instead?

We’ve put together some board gamer gifts – that aren’t board games – to give you some gift-giving inspo! And obviously these gifts ideas aren’t just for Christmas – they’re perfect for any celebration! 

Minor disclaimer: These are suggestions, not necessarily recommendations (unless we say so). We obviously think all the items on this list are cool (otherwise they wouldn’t be included!) but we haven’t tested out all the specific items ourselves.

Board game apparel

T-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, totes, even baby clothes: there’s so many apparel options out there that you’re sure to find something for your gamer goblins!

I’ve got my eye on a few items from GeekHaven, who have a range of mainly RPG-inspired tees, hoodies, dresses and more! (I won a tetris lanyard from them earlier this year and it’s lovely quality). Their tees are 100% ethically sourced cotton (hoodies 80% cotton). And they have Christmas merch!

Image credit: Geekhaven

One of the things I love about GeekHaven is that they include women-centred designs, but still available in ‘unisex’ and ladies cut tees (I don’t tend to like wearing ‘ladies’ cut tees, myself).

If you’re looking for more board game-related tees, Shirts & Merch sell 100% organic cotton shirts with a range of unique designs:

Image credit: Shirts & Merch

For more budget-friendly options, there’s Kienda and Qwertee.

Board game accessories and upgrades

With the rise of 3D printing, board game accessories have become more easily available and more affordable. And there’s something for everyone! Like these cute Wingspan egg boxes from my talented friend Amy at 3DamnGood on Etsy (who you may know as @itsyourturn.bg on Instagram). Or if you’re not sure what specific games they own, go for something more generic. Horror game fans would love these card holders!

Image credit: 3DamnGood

Token trays/bowls, dice trays and dice towers are also a fab option: Albion Craftworks have cool magnetic hexagon token trays in a range of colours, along with other upgrades!

For bigger budgets, some publishers have their own deluxe upgrades (e.g. Stonemaier have released various upgrades for Wingspan/Wyrmspan/Finspan), or there are companies that specialise in unofficial deluxe upgrades (like these metal upgrades from TinkerTown games). 

Board game and RPG themed coffee & tea

I’m a caffeine fiend so I had to feature coffee & tea somewhere on this list!

Meeple Coffee has a themed selection of loose leaf teas and coffees, including a decaf, that even come with fun board game ‘pairing’ suggestions! You can select the grind (wholebean, cafetiere, etc), and they also sell some coffee accessories if you want to make a bundle.

Image credit: Meeple Coffee

Another awesome tea option is Lucky Leaf Teas, whose wares we’ve sampled at UKGE. They have a wide selection of loose leaf teas, including decaffeinated options, and a few varieties are even available in tea bags.

Image credit: Loose Leaf Teas

Board game cafe (and other!) vouchers

Getting to spend a session at a Board Game Cafe trying new games is a lovely gift experience (well, I would love it anyway!), and many Board Game Cafes sell gift cards/vouchers. We’ve had an awesome time at Chance & Counters (who have a few venues across the UK), Treehouse Sheffield and Draughts London, who all have voucher options. The best thing to do is look up board game cafes near your recipient’s town/city and see what’s available.

If your friend doesn’t live near a Board Game Cafe, then a Premium Membership code for Board Game Arena (BGA) is another option. BGA is an online platform where you can play loads of different boardgames (if you want to know more, check out our BGA blog post). Having an account is free, but a Premium Membership gives you access to more features and games. You can buy monthly or annual Premium codes, but you do need your own BGA account to buy them (again, an account is free).

There’s also always the option to get gift vouchers from their Friendly Local Game Store, or from an online indie retailer.

Board game magazines

There are a few different board game magazines out there, but I have to recommend Senet, a gorgeous magazine that takes an intentional approach to board game content. And they recently launched their Gifts & Merch section – perfect to pick from for the holiday season! (I’ve had their T-shirt for around 18 months now, wear it regularly and it’s still going strong).

The subscription-based gifts include a “Welcome” PDF that you can ‘give’ to the recipient. Back issues are also a great option if you want to include a more physical gift on the day, or if you’re on a budget.