35 Best ’80s Gifts: Your Ultimate List

Friday the 13th debuted on May 9, 1980 and went on to become one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time. To be fair, almost every one of the sequels are terrible, but don’t let that stop you from gifting this shirt to a super fan.

This shirt, which we included in our best Halloween shirts post, comes in six sizes. It only comes in grey, but if you want some color choices in your Camp Crystal Lake tees, you could try alternate designs from Crazy Dog T-Shirts or UGP Campus Apparel.  You can also get a hat, if you prefer.

Bear with me – I’m aware the Nintendo Switch is not from the 80s. However, the original NES did have its wide release in North America in September of 1986 and was the best selling console until the Game Boy surpassed it.

While you could honor your inner 80s child by buying the NES Classic, which retains the vintage styling, I would advocate for enjoying NES-era games on a new platform. Via the online store, Nintendo has made 44 titles available from the NES library, as well as SNES games. This way, you and your family can enjoy all the benefits of a fully modern console and all the classics of the 80s.

As an alternative gift, you could give The NES Encyclopedia: Every Game Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and get your nostalgia on that way, too. For tiniest gamers, there’s an NES controller teething toy.

Regardless of whether you go all-out and buy a DeLorean on which to display it, this makes a great 80s gift. This a real metal stamped vanity plate that matches the plate on the time machine in Back to the Future, the first of which came out in 1985.

There are even matching registration stickers you can apply as a nice final detail. Not a Back to the Future fan? They also have the Ghostbusters plate and a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off plate.

The correct way to assemble this puzzle featuring the many events and people of the 80s is to build it with someone much younger than you and explain each reference to the best of your recollection.

This is a 1,000 piece puzzle which should otherwise pose a decent challenge thanks to the chaotic news-mosaic layout.

Though the concept was introduced in the mid-70s, calculator watches hit their peak of popularity in the mid-80s once Casio hit their stride producing many units of many variants. Happily, they still make them, and the style hasn’t evolved much at all from the originals.

That said, there are many, many versions to choose from. You could go with this, which is just about as iconic as it gets, or you could upgrade to something like the Casio DBC611G-1D Men’s Gold Calculator Databank Watch, which has an upgraded feature set and is available in silver, or the metal banded Casio Men’s DBC-32D-1ADF Watch, which does have a slightly updated look.

Complete with retro-style packaging! The Transformers actually began as a toy line in 1984 and has one of the greatest Wikipedia descriptions I’ve ever read: “…centers on extraterrestrial factions of sentient self-configuring modular robotic lifeforms (often the Autobots and the Decepticons) in an endless civil war.” The animated TV series began the same year.

Because of the endless reboots and Michael Bay movies, fans refer to the original toy line as Generation One or G1. Hasbro has reissued these toys in retro-styled packaging. In addition to Optimus Prime, you can get Bumblebee, Hot Rod, Buzzsaw, and Starscream, among others.

You could also give someone the complete original animated series on DVD.

To be fair, I was making mix tapes into the 2000s, but it’s fair to say that cassette listening was far more widespread throughout the 80s. The fact that you can get a number of new-release cassettes on Bandcamp shouldn’t stop you from feeling nostalgic for a time when you owned hundreds of them.

For fans of this music format, this novelty patent print will make a nice addition to any wall.

Debuting in 1985, Golden Girls has become a widely-loved staple. It’s genuinely funny and dealt with some pretty serious issues ahead of its time. Commemorate your love of these four ladies with this mug encouraging you to stay golden.

Accent this mug with a t-shirt made by one of the best webcartoonists on the internet.

Much like calculator watches, the Members Only brand began in 1975 and, much like those watches, had their heydey in the 80s with this racer jacket design. They were available in a wide variety of colors at the time, and thanks to an uptick in their popularity recently, are again available in a wide range of colors, to include Acid Denim.

At the end of the day, this jacket is iconic for a reason. It’s a timeless design for a no-frills, no-nonsense jacket that looks good with many outfits.

Removeable media has moved on a fair amount, though for a certain set of people, the 1.44 floppy will forever be remembered as the predecessor to the jump drive. While most folks not named Clint have almost no use for actual floppy disks anymore, you can still enjoy a fond remembrance of their significance with this set of eight appropriately-sized coasters.

As an alternative 80s-inspired coaster choice, you could go for a set styled like NES cartridges.

Making his big screen debut in 1984’s Gremlins (which we of course included on our best Christmas movies of all time list), Gizmo is the O.G. mogwai. Now, just like in the movie, you can gift him as a pet.

Gizmo measures six inches tall and is weighted at the bottom so he sits perfectly. The proper care instructions are included, including never, ever feeding him after midnight.

Probably the most significant current phenomenon involving the 80s is Stranger Things. It premiered in 2016 and has been inspiring 80s nostalgia since, not just for the era in general, but for entertainment in the style of that era. This book examines the influences that inform the writing, set design and overall creation of the show.

Fans of the show and cultural observers alike will be better able to pick up on the numerous references in the show to get a greater dimension of understanding. This will help you fill in the gaps if you’re confused while you watch.

While The Oregon Trail was originally developed in the early 70s, the graphical version we’re all familiar with was released in 1985 by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium. And, since I was also released in 1985 and vividly recall playing it in middle school and junior high in the 90s, this game is safely an 80s occurence.

These days, you need not have an old Apple II kicking around to enjoy this game. This is a handheld, super-portable version that takes stylistic cues from the computers we used to play on, while itself being something of a throwback to an earlier era of mobile gaming.

If you prefer, you can get this handheld unit in a set with two card-based versions of the game, too.

The history of the instant camera goes back much further than the 80s, but given that this camera revives a design that first debuted in 1977, we’re calling that close enough. Instant cameras on their own are retro, this one is styled to look retro, and those who enjoyed slinging snapshots in the 80s will probably enjoy doing it now.

This instant camera also has Bluetooth, so that you can control camera operation and lightly edit photos prior to printing them via a smartphone app. This is also a bundle, which includes a few accessories and a pack of film.

If you just want the instant-print capabilities but aren’t so much in need of it actually looking like it’s from years ago, try the Polaroid Pop 2.0. And if you want an 80s instant camera gag gift, try this Polaroid-shaped toilet paper holder.

This rolls all of the 80s gift ideas into one, admittedly silly, gag gift. In honor of the compact disc’s release by Sony and Philips in 1982, it is entirely appropriate to gift one as an 80s gift. And what better to be on that CD than 20 absolute jams from the decade?

Given that it’s 2019 and most people have entirely divested their CD collections, you could consider helping your friend rebuild theirs by pairing this with other similar collections including Pure 80s #1s and The Best 80s Album.

Evergreen classic The Goonies hit theatres in 1985 featuring performances from young Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman and Sean Astin. The plot revolves around the discovery of a treasure map. This is that map.

Great for superfans of the movies or for reliving some of the glory of the adventure of the movie with your kids.

Truly rather a love-it-or-hate it affair, Labyrinth was released in 1986, following Jim Henson and Brian Froud’s earlier collaboration The Dark Crystal of 1982. In it, Jennifer Connelly played opposite David Bowie as the being recreated here: Jareth the Goblin King. (Bowie fans, this occurred between 1984’s Tonight and 1987’s Never Let Me Down.)

Bowie is gone from us now and that’s all the more reason to celebrate his turn among Muppets with this detailed rendering. It measures seven inches tall and has 12 points of articulation.

Oh, and speaking of The Dark Crystal, you can get a Funko figure of Hunter Skeksis, too.

For a certain segment of the population, this book focuses on something they were likely doing a lot of in the 80s: coloring. With 26 designs focused on various icons of the 80s, this is a fun, irreverent way to celebrate the decade.

There are a number of these on offer if you want to make your own coloring book bundle as a gift, including Back to the 80s, which focuses on fashion, Coloring the 80s, which can stand up to mixed media, and 80s Ladies. Don’t forget the colored pencils.

1988’s Beetlejuice was an instant success and has become an enduring classic in the years since. Fans will recognize this cover as the guidebook for newly-minted spirits following death, and the Fandom wiki notes that an actual prop from the movie once sold for over $6,000, which makes this gift a bargain.

This notebook is 192 pages long, lies flat, and measures 7.5 inches by 4.5 inches. In addition, if you want to fully accessorize, there are many variations featuring this design including a crossbody bag, eyeshadow palette, and smartphone case.

The quintessential 80s action flick, Die Hard belongs not only among the fond remembrances of the decade, but also on our best Christmas movies list. What better way to celebrate than with this bloodstained Funko POP figure?

Little John McClane is perfect for a desk or mantel. There’s even an Al Powell to go with him, too.

Nothing quite says 80s like this style of graphics, especially in these colors. The requisite palm trees are in full effect on this tapestry wall hanging, conjuring up something out of Out Run.

This wall hanging is made of polyester and comes in two sizes: 50 by 60 or 60 by 80. To be honest, I’m not totally sure whether this is a gag gift or just something for the dedicated 80s connoisseur, but it does undeniably reference the era.

Cabinet classic Pac-Man debuted in 1980, created by Namco and published in the U.S. by Midway Games. This mug honors the legacy of the dot-eating fiend in a clever way. When cold, the mug displays only the maze. As you add coffee, tea, or any other warm beverage, Pac-Man, the dots, and the ghosts appear. It holds about 10 ounces.

Pac-Man is available on all sorts of things from leggings to remake gaming cabinets.

While it’s true that the Lamborghini Countach came out in 1974 based on design language taken from an even earlier model, this car became the ultimate symbol of the 80s. Indeed, the version depicted here features the iconic crazy spoiler which was added a bit later. This was, and in many ways still is, the quintessential poster car.

Or perhaps the car lover in your life is more of a Testarossa person.

To really get a full picture of what the 80s were all about, this tome presents New York Times articles of the day to shed light on the major stories and trends. Over 336 pages, the highest-profile stories are accompanied by full-color photography that produces in the reader a mix of nostalgia and reverence for all that occurred.

For a more bite-sized rundown, try The Great Book of 1980s Trivia.