Hobbies And Interests
Civil War Chess or Checker Set
Just as the Civil War was a war of strategy, so are the games of chess and checkers. Combine the two with a gift of a Civil War game set. You can purchase a premade themed game set or you can create your own handmade set.
Making a set can be a simple or elaborate project, depending on the game pieces you select. After creating a simple checkerboard base on wood or glass, create game pieces out of collectible pieces from the North and the South or paint insignia from each side on simple wood discs.
Weapons from the War
Depending on your budget, an authentic or replica weapon from the Civil War can be a perfect gift for a Civil War buff. You can shop for guns or rifles, or you can go low-tech and shop for knives and other small handheld weapons as a collectible gift.
If you have a really low budget, seek bullets from the era and mount them in a picture frame with historical information.
Civil War Clothing or Insignia
Articles of clothing or insignia from uniforms or saddle tack can make a die-hard Civil War buff smile. You can purchase authentic items from stores dedicated to selling historic items or you can shop personally owned items on Internet websites like eBay or Craig's List.
Search for hats, military bars and medals, coats, gloves, belt buckles and more. The list of items is almost endless and would only be limited by the amount of money you wish to spend.
Printed Materials
If you're not comfortable with buying authentic items or don't want to purchase reproductions, another gift option would be buying printed materials for the Civil War buff. There are thousands of books on the subject. If your recipient favors one side over the other, select written accounts of the people associated with either the North or South.
If you want to purchase a more visual gift, look for prints of battle scenes to delight your collector.