Today I’m looking at the act of gift-giving for the gamers in my life. This is about putting myself in the recipient’s shoes to find the type of gift that makes them feel cared for, seen, and loved. Only 1 of the 5 love languages shared here involve tangible gifts, which I think is a really important distinction at this time of year.

Words of Affirmation: Share your appreciation and kind words with the person.

• play their favorite game (in person or remotely) and talk about the highlights afterwards
• if they’re a game designer, playtest their prototype and offer helpful feedback (share what you enjoyed the most and why, along with an example of one thing that didn’t work as well for you)
• reach out to a designer they admire for a video clip that celebrates your favorite things about the recipient

Acts of Service: Do something that saves the person time or convenience.

• learn and teach a game (this is my favorite)
• babysit (if they have kids) to give them time to play a game
• make a thematic meal or dish to go with a gaming lunch/dinner

Quality Time: Bond with the person over a meaningful, connective activity.

• give them a miniatures painting set and paint together
• go to a game cafe or store together
• devote time to playing a game you both love

Quantity Time: Spend a longer period of time with the person.

• host a game day
• play a longer game that they love but rarely get to play
• commit to and start a campaign game

Tangible Gifts: Give the person a tangible gift.

• consider their preferred player count, cooperative vs competitive preference, classic vs new hotness
• go deeper into games they already have and love (expansions, accessories)
• if their shelf space is limited, give a digital game (Inkborn, Dispatch, and Blue Prince are some of my 2025 favorites)
• Stonemaier Gift Guide: https://stonemaiergames.com/gift-guide-2/

If you’re curious about non-gaming gifts, here are some of my favorite things I bought in 2025: an easier way to read on my Kindle, a Dropout TV subscription, Jackery backup power source, metal cups, and Ritual zero-proof whiskey for mocktails.

What’s your gaming gift love language?

***

Also read or watch:

• What’s Your Workplace Love Language?
• Love Language Gift Guide
• The 5 Love Languages of Crowdfunding

If you gain value from the 100 articles Jamey publishes on this blog each year, please consider championing this content! You can also listen to posts like this in the audio version of the blog.