Gift Guide 2011: Ideas for the Ultimate 'Dexter' Fan

The holidays are fast approaching, so now is the time to do your shopping (assuming you didn't brave the Black Friday bonanza). But what to get?

Few shows on the air today have fan bases as loyal as "Dexter" does. So if you have a "Dexter" fan on your list for holiday gift-giving, a themed gift could make the perfect present.

You can worry about what makes that person love a show about a serial killer so much later.

Of course there's always a DVD box set of the available seasons as an option, and since "Dexter" is based on a series of books, that source material could make a great gift as well. But there are plenty of other creative options out there, sure to delight a "Dexter" fan with their creepiness.

Here are a few of them:

1.) "Dexter" Coasters

Dexter's prized box of slides is a major part of the show and a physical embodiment of Dex's "dark passenger." This set of coasters is designed to look like the blood slides, and even come in a little hinged box. Combine them with a "Dexter" pint glass set, and you have yourself a nice theme going.

The coasters and pint glasses (as well as "Dexter" shot glasses) are available on the official Showtime online store. The coasters can be found elsewhere as well, but the glasses are exclusive to the Showtime website (unless you get them resale).

2.) Custom "Dexter" Shoes - "Dark Passengers"

Dexter's dark passenger goes with him wherever he goes, and these dark passengers go with you wherever you go. Tauntr is selling these custom "Dexter" shoes for $85, not a bad deal for sneakers with custom art on them. Bonus: they remind you how lucky you are to not have to be using them to run away from a serial killer.

If you like the look of these, Tauntr is also selling shoes that work perfectly as "Breaking Bad" gifts and "The Walking Dead" gifts. Same bonus applies, just substitute "serial killer" for "zombie" or "Gus Fring."

3.) "Dexter" Office Supplies

Sure, being a blood spatter expert/vigilante killer can be exciting, but there's a lot of paperwork too. For the "Dexter" fan with a desk job, these syringe pens might make a great stocking stuffer. Just make sure nobody goes around trying to stick them in anyone's neck.

If those are a little too creepy, this heat-sensitive coffee mug is a neat little stocking stuffer as well. When cool, the mug is completely black with a white "Dexter" logo on it. But when the mug is filled with a hot beverage, the color changes to white and the mug appears spattered with blood, just like the show's key art.

4.) "Dexter" Soap

I love this show, but even I might be a little squeamish about this one. Bloodbath Body Products sells a set of "Dexter Blood Slide Soaps" made to look like Dex's hidden trophies, which presumably you're going to use to clean yourself in the shower. Icky.

Still, it's a pretty great novelty gift for any fan of the show. I might suggest just putting them on display instead of using them, though: who wants to be thinking about serial killers while they're in the shower? Haven't these guys seen "Psycho?"

5.) The Ice Truck Killer's Hand

As far as I know, there is no officially licensed Ice Truck Killer hand for the show, which is too bad considering the little return cameo it's making in the current season. You could buy a handmade one off of Etsy, or with a little bit of effort and very little money, you could easily make one of your own!

Just get yourself a practice mannequin hand, the kind that beauticians use to practice their nail-painting skills. Buy yourself five colors of nail polish (red, orange, yellow, lime green and purple), and paint the nails accordingly. Voila! A hand-made replica "Dexter" prop. Thoughtful and creepy!