If you’re still having trouble figuring out the ideal gift for the nerd(s) on your shopping list, we’re here to help with our annual Geek Gift Guide!
It’s that time of year again when the weather gets cold, and the Christmas decorating/shopping has begun. If you have movie lovers, gamers, or nerds in general, on your shopping list the Cinelinx team is here to help you find the perfect gift with our annual gift guides.
Over the last couple weeks, we’ve shared our Movie/TV and Gaming gift guides, but if those aren’t enough; we still have you covered with even more ideas! From collectibles, to books, and tech, there’s a little bit of everything here for nerds (generally) to enjoy.
[As with our previous guides, affiliate links to make purchases have been included throughout.]
Toys/Collectibles
Funko Itty Bitty Pops – Turns out, if you make something super tiny, it’s almost impossible for me to resist. They got me with those damn blind-box mini toys from Disney, and now Funko has these Itty Bitty Pops.
They are just ridiculously cool despite being so simple. Take the Funko style and make them as tiny as possible. Even better, they come packaged with their own, stackable, display cases. While there is still a blind-box aspect in tracking all of them down, the waves so far are relatively small and easier to round out your collection.
Between a growing list of franchises joining the collection (Star Wars, MCU, Batman, Disney Animation, etc) and not taking up much space, these are excellent choices for any collector on your shopping list.
Good Fiction
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Star Wars: Tales of Light and Life (Anthology)
Dreambound by Dan Frey
Witch King by Martha Wells
Robosen’s Grimlock Robot Transformer – Robosen’s latest Transformers robot brings fans a fully functioning (and auto-transforming) Grimlock! I had the chance to check out the Optimus Prime Elite model last year and came away seriously impressed. It’s a REAL TRANSFORMER people! Not sure what more you could ask for. Now there’s a Grimlock to go with it, which is objectively cool because it means you get a robot dinosaur you can do just about anything with!
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell – This is, without hyperbole, one of the coolest LEGO sets put out there. The amount of detail that went into every corner of this build is impressive and makes it something ideal for both Lord of the Rings fans AND general LEGO aficionados. I thoroughly enjoyed my build of the set (which you should totally watch if you haven’t already), and it continues to look great on display in the house.
Pop! Yourself – You can make a Funko Pop…of yourself. I’m honestly not sure what all else I need to say about this. With tons of customization options to choose from, it’s easier than ever to craft a collectible Funko yourself, or even the whole family. Even better, it’s really not that expensive either. Who wouldn’t want to open a gift of THEMSELVES in Funko form on Christmas?
Nerf BUNKR – Nerf’s latest collection allows players to essentially create their own Nerf battlefield. There’s the Battle Zones Competition Pack which includes inflatable barricades, plus the Battle Fort which allows for coverage of up to two players at the same time. These take the play factor to another level, especially for parents looking to keep their furniture from becoming part of the action.
The Lord of the Rings Collector’s Chess Set – The Noble Collection has all kinds of great collectibles for fans of various properties (The Last Airbender, Jurassic Park, Batman, etc), but their chess sets are all kinds of swanky. Combining stunning designs and quality materials, these sets are about as classy as nerd decor can get.
Reading Material
Batman: The Multiverse of the Dark Knight – An Illustrated Guide – Much like the Spider-Verse Illustrated Guide we highlighted earlier in our Geek Pick of the Week, this Batman book takes readers on a trip through all the different incarnations of the caped crusader. With great art, and easy to digest details, it’s ideal for fans of all ages looking to catch up.
Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees – Insight Editions’ latest Star Wars “Secrets” books puts the spotlight on the Wookiees. Like the other entries in this series it’s told from an “in-universe” perspective and packed with inserts and goodies that allows it to work as both a reference guide and a fun collectible.
Dragonlance: Dragons of Fate – The second novel in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s new trilogy (Dragonlance Destinies) arrived over the Summer and remains my favorite book of the year. I’m not exaggerating, and I’ve read a ridiculous amount of stuff. On top of feeling like classic Dragonlance, it takes familiar characters into new places and delivers some stunning action. It’s the best the series has been in years.
Star Wars Timelines – With the addition of several TV series, oodles of books/comics, and even video games, and generally being “loose” when it comes to specifics, the Star Wars timeline can be tough to pin down for many fans. This massive tome from DK (and a bevy of great reference authors) puts it ALL into perspective. Whether you’re trying to settle an argument or just want to catch up on important events you may have missed (there are a LOT of comics to keep up with), Star Wars Timelines is perfect and something all fans could use.
The Archive Undying – Emma Candon (who wrote the always amazing Star Wars novel, Ronin) kicked off a new original series this Summer with The Archive Undying. Between mecha action, moral questions regarding faith, creation, and the meaning of life, it unfolds like some of the best anime you’ve watched; just in written form. If you’ve got a nerdy reader on your list this year, don’t skip this one.
Fun and Miscellany
Doctor Who Magic: The Gathering Sets – It’s a great time to be a Magic: The Gathering fan…or nerd in general. Their Universes Beyond series has opened up the door to some fun crossovers with the most popular shows/media around. On top of The Lord of the Rings, their recently launched Doctor Who sets make for some excellent gift giving options. From Commander Decks that will give Whovians their favorite characters and a starting point, to booster packs that fit perfectly inside stockings…it’s tough to go wrong with these.
Queen by Midnight – Fans of fantasy board games might want to check out Queen by Midnight, one of the latest offerings from Darrington Press, the publishing branch of Critical Role. As the title implies, Queen by Midnight sees a group of players competing to see who will rule the realm by the time the clock strikes midnight, and you have a devious set of tools at your command to make it happen. I’ve seen a demo of this game and it is a lot of fun to play so definitely check it out.
Exquisite Exandria – For that friend or family member who loves to try new recipes, I highly recommend Exquisite Exandria, the first Critical Role cookbook. This volume collects a number of recipes featuring actual dishes highlighted over the past three campaigns. Some may look intimidating, but the writers did a great job making sure the directions were clear and easy to understand. As an added bonus, they stuffed the pages with oodles of Critical Role lore, so even if you don’t cook, this is a fun book to pick up.
In the Kitchen
Heroes’ Feast: Flavors of the Multiverse – An Official D&D Cookbook
Star Wars: The Ultimate Cookbook
Mjölnir Bottle Opener
Friends Central Perk Cookie Jar
Pancake Bot
Critical Role: Vox Machina Puzzle – Fans of Critical Role or The Legend of Vox Machina will absolutely love this colorful puzzle featuring the daring heroes of Vox Machina that rocketed through Critical Role’s unforgettable first campaign. The characters are brought to life with colorful designs that look absolutely gorgeous when fully assembled.
Star Wars Rivals – Funko launched a new Star Wars card game, featuring adorable figurines as well, earlier this year and it’s a blast. On top of being a fun game that’s easy to get into, you have the collectible factor with the various figurines to pick up; which only add to the overall game. Best of all, it’s not that expensive. Only $20 for a starter pack and $5 for booster figures…it’s cheaper than many other card games that DON’T have figures included!
Nanoleaf Star Wars Lighting – Perk up your office space (or gaming area) with the swanky lighting setup from Nanoleaf. Nanoleaf specializes in customizable lighting for your spaces, specifically for gamers. Their panels/rods can be connected in a variety of ways to let you light up your office space any way you choose. The lights can also be connected to your monitor and adjust to whatever is being displayed, offering a bit more immersion/ambience when you’re playing.
Hopefully our Gift Guides have helped ease the shopping anxiety this year (whether you’ve already started or are waiting until Black Friday).
