Such a neat thread! I'm going to send my husband the link to it... no use mincing my words, I suppose!
All that people have mentioned sound like good suggestions, so I've only got a few things to add. On the photography end of things, there are those neat li'l tiny tripods that one can use for close-up photos (of which we do a lot). CHEWIE's gift card idea is a good one -- also gift cards/certificates to hobby shop type places like Hobby Lobby or whatever's in town.
On the photonovelling end of things, foamcore and posterboard and other similar things are always good. As are Playmobil props -- they are JUST the right size.
And, of course, storage containers are always good. Supremely useful to the customizer, yet completely intelligible to the non-specialist, and none too expensive (which is the drawback to things like tripods and Dremel attachments). My mom's gotten me one or two.
Hope you have a great birthday, Brent, and that you get all you want!
... the Findswoman