Christmas Gift Ideas for the Zombie Survival Buff

It can be hard Christmas shopping for the zombie survivalist: by definition, they're prepared to just about anything, and they're used to training themselves to put little stock in material possessions. That said, there are still some great Christmas gifts you can get for your favorite zombie survivalist- and when zombies attack, they could even help save your life!

Firearms Training
A well-placed bullet is the surest defense against zombies, but learning how to shoot and how to do it well takes time and money. For this Christmas, give the gift of a firearms safety and training course to the zombie survivalist in your life: you'll help them improve their shooting skills and they'll learn valuable skills regarding safety and firearms. The NRA offers training courses around the country from certified firearms safety instructors, and many local shooting ranges and hunting clubs offer training as well.

Martial Arts Training

The problem with firearms is that they need reloading. As an alternative, consider giving the gift of a month or two of martial arts training. It's fantastic exercise and a lot of fun, too. Try to pick a discipline that offers a fair amount of training with weaponry, such as kendo or eskrima.

The Max Brooks Trifecta

Any good zombie survivalist should have read Max Brook's The Zombie Survival Guide, but less well known are his two other works, World War Z and the just-released The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. The first book is a comprehensive zombie survival handbook, chock full of tips and tricks to help stay alive during the zombie apocalypse. The second book is a collection of anecdotes from survivors of a theoretical zombie apocalypse, valuable for its discussions of the mental, emotional, and physical rigors of life among the walking dead. The third book is a discussion of several historical zombie outbreaks. A gift of any or all of these books is sure to be welcomed by your zombie survival buff.

The Zen of Zombies

It may seem like fraternizing with the enemy, but there's a lot we can learn from zombies. Scott Kenemore's The Zen of Zombies is a philosophical look at the walking dead and how we still among the living can benefit from acting more like them. Let's not forget that one of the best ways to fight one's enemies is to understand them; the Zen of Zombies is sure to help the zombie survivalist in your life do just that. The book retails for about $12 and can be found at most major bookstores.

Magnesium Fire Starter

A good tool for any survivalist, zombies or no, a magnesium fire starter is a wonderful little tool that allows for the building of a fire even in damp, difficult conditions - a must if you have to get the hell out of dodge quickly. With a spark upwards of 3000 degrees, there are few things that won't burn when you put magnesium to use, and a single fire starter is enough for building hundreds of fires. Even better, they're fairly cheap; Amazon sells one for around $10.

Other Zombie Survival Gear

Anything with a survivalist slant will make a great gift for the zombie survival enthusiast. Consider items like a solar-powered GPS receiver, hand-crank flashlights, military surplus MREs, or even a good pair of sturdy hiking boots.