Gifts for Conservatives

T-shirts with anti-liberal sentiments or pro-conservative legends are always popular gifts, as are similarly embossed posters or calendars. One of the hottest new holiday gift items for conservatives this year is original artwork from Steenwyck, a conservative graphic illustrator from middle America. If you like the image above, check out his About.com gallery, or visit his web site. Steenwyck’s work is likely to be the next big thing in conservative activism, so getting some of his work now might be a smart move.

Among the cooler gifts for conservatives are vintage political campaign buttons. Finding a button from a historic campaign or election is particularly gratifying for conservative collectors. Even non-collectors will appreciate such a thoughtful gift and the memento's value, both financial and sentimental, will only increase with age.

Call it "applied conservatism," but these fictional best-sellers are historic in their scope and offer tantalizing perspectives on everything from the rise of totalitarianism to the pitfalls of an excessive society. They may be fiction, but these books will offer conservatives new ideas on enduring issues and leave them lost in thought for days or even weeks after they've put them down.

The movies on this list are all available on DVD by now, and they make excellent gifts for conservatives. Whether it's the pro-life theme in the modern-day movie, Juno, or the emphasis on loyalty and self-reliance, in the legendary film, Star Wars, these films will provide hours of enjoyment and inspiration for conservatives.

For budding conservatives or hard-boiled conservative veterans, nothing helps them understand the conservative movement than its history, which is often found in political literature. Whether it's practical conservatism from Barry Goldwater or ideological conservatism from Russell Kirk, these non-fiction titles are canonical in conservative circles. For conservatives wishing to understand the liberal media, the contemporary welfare state or the future role of capitalism in society, these books are great reference sources on the conservative movement in America.

Nothing touches the conservatives heart more than like-minded material to help build an argument or expand on a perspective. A subscription to a conservative magazine may be just what the doctor ordered. This list of top conservative magazines is a great resource and the various magazines offer different perspectives on contemporary political issues.

Not all conservative advocacy groups require dues to be a member, and not all of them offer memberships (although some do). What every advocacy organization needs, however, is money to keep up the fight for conservative principles. Memberships and donations make for great gifts, and donations given in honor of your conservative recipient will give him/her a stake in the political process and one more reason to stay interested in the cause. Finding the right advocacy group or cause to reflect the personality of the recipient is tricky, however, so be sure the right cause fits the right person.