Has your ho-ho-ho become a little ho-hum? Tired of giving gifts from the middle of the bell curve? Does the thought of holiday shopping tempt you to make the Grinch your role model through the end of the year?

Never fear, friends, American Mensa is here for you with some bright ideas for holiday gifts. Best of all, you can knock it all out in one afternoon online and never fight for parking, never set foot in a crowded store and never wait in a long line for a harried sales clerk to be rude to you. How smart is that?

Every mom's felt it — that desperation for adult interaction after hours of Barney, blocks and "Old MacDonald." Remind her that she's not alone with a subscription to Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers*. This two-time winner of the prestigious Independent Press Award for Best Personal Life Coverage is fun for thinking dads too!

It can be tough being an A student in a C world. Free Spirit Publishing's* mission is to to help children and teens learn to think for themselves, succeed in life and make a difference in the world through their award-winning books for and about gifted kids.

We could just as well have called this section "sushi," since they're both brain food. Suedy's Koo-ki Sushi has created the ultimate gift for those who love chocolate as well as raw seafood.

We're talking about the kind of stuff that brings out the mad scientist in all of us. Edmund Scientifics* offers not just one or two but 12 Young Scientist Club kits, each including materials and instructions for doing experiments based on the kit’s three themes of science. A Popular Science* subscription encourages you to do things like build a flame-throwing Robozilla — and also provides insight into the season's hottest tech toys. And MindWare explores biomemetics with robotic insect kits and instructional books.

This holiday season, forget worrying about who needs what and just get what's fun. Our brothers in arms at ThinkGeek* are offering a USB-powered beverage chiller. Edmund Scientifics* has a nifty digital spy camera disguised inside a flip-top lighter. Or put a new spin on the phrase "blown away" with their MegaZooka air shooter.

Sudoku, anyone? We bet the Mensa Boutique has a book or two that your favorite sudoku addict hasn't conquered yet — and beyond that, we challenge them with the next big thing, kakuro! If your gamester enjoys reading about games as much as playing them, we suggest a subscription to Knucklebones*, a magazine focusing on the hottest new board games as well as classic favorites, and is chock full of trivia, puzzles, strategy games, entertaining brainteasers, reviews, information, strategy and game history.

Remember: "It's not the thing that you fling; it's the fling of the thing," so enjoy Edmund Scientific's* trebuchet and catapult construction kits. Further, you can harness gravity with the glow-in-the-dark marble run and add-on kits from MindWare, or simply declare your obedience to its universal law with the his'n'hers gravity T-shirts from ThinkGeek*.

Ahh, those madcap folks at mental_floss* are at it again! We love their Pluto R.I.P. T-shirt and the Tickle-Me-Freud. The tricksters at ThinkGeek* have brought humor to the idea of the cordless phone with an exclusive retro handset equipped with Bluetooth technology; they have also produced a ROFLcopter T-shirt that must be seen to be appreciated.

We know how you feel — it's the holiday season and, for the first time in years, there's no new Harry Potter book, movie or DVD! So we thank Cricket Publishing for filling the gap with their book "Harry Potter and Philosophy" and their Wizardry and Magic magazine issue theme pack.

No, not in the LSD kind of way; in the IQ and broadening-horizons kind of way:

We know there are a lot of "IQ tests" online these days, but only Mensa offers a formally developed, normed home test that will give one a true sense of his or her brainpower. Give it for fun; give it for the ego boost; give it because it'll give them an idea if they qualify for Mensa. From the organization whose name is synonymous with "smart," the Mensa Home Test can be purchased online and mailed wherever you like. We bet it's the most challenging stocking stuffer they've ever gotten.

Dr. Frank Lawlis, American Mensa's Supervisory Psychologist, has a new book out titled "The IQ Answer: Maximizing Your Child's Potential." The information is helpful to gifted adults too!

Cricket Publishing, which specializes in introducing the world to children of all ages, offers a full library of theme packs created from issues of their magazines; topics cover everything from Africa and Ancient Civilizations to westward expansion and World War II.

Everyone could use a 2007 calendar; why not stretch your brain every day? American Mensa's Page-a-Day Calendar sets the industry standard for supplying a full year of puzzles, brainteasers and games.

* Are you a Mensan? These vendors offer discounts to American Mensa members! Visit our Benefits & Services page for more information, or look into joining now.