New Scientist TV: No magnet required: How to build a compass out of Lego. Sadly, I do not own any of the relevant Technic parts.

So very many of you out there NEED these, even though you already know your alphabet (or more than one alphabet in some cases). If you don't need this gift for yourself, you need to buy it for the children in your life:

A Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks!!!!!

You know you want them. (Link via supergee.)