Not like you need any suggestions, right? You’ve been compiling your Christmas list (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, atheist-hedonist-capitalist-“holiday” list, whatever) for months. Probably since you saw Iron Man in the theater last May and decided that you were going to have to watch it over and over and over again. But if you’re undeservingly lucky like me, your sweetie has one of those abundantly generous Polish-Catholic families who expect Christmas to be a blowout American gorge-fest of food, drink, unnecessary napping, living room wrestling…and a pile of presents that actually crosses the threshold of one room and goes into another. Having grown up without this sort of decadence (with no idea how incomplete your life was) you may send this loving family a short Christmas wish list upon request, and they may retort that it is not long enough. Or perhaps you just happened upon this blog, because you’re not a geek, but you’ve started dating this amazingly hot fangirl and you just don’t know what to get her.
Evil corporations of the future paraphernalia – Zazzle.com has shirts and mini-buttons for Weyland-Yutani, Cyberdyne Systems and Tyrell Corporation. The buttons are possibly the best stocking stuffers ever. (Links above are just a few examples. Browse the site—they have tons of cool stuff.)
The Nightmare Before Christmas snow globe – I have a one-bedroom apartment and three big boxes of Christmas decorations. This is my favorite. It plays “What’s This?” It might make you want to go out and buy Danny Elfman’s awesome soundtrack.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel – I assume you got Wolves at the Gate at your local, independently owned comic book store the second they stocked it. Panel to Panel is a wonderful coffee table book. It is second only to the tin-cover Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, which has the place of honor in my living room—also a good bet for the fashionista superhero lover in your life.
Science fiction chocolate – If you’ve got stocking stuffers on the brain, and you happen to be in the New York City area, the Angelika Theatre café sells bars of chocolate with old-school B movie wrappers. Last time I was there, they had Invasion of the Saucer Men. When you stop by, you can check out Slumdog Millionaire and Let the Right One In.
Space opera cookie cutters – I recommend a rocket ship, stars and a moon. And spacey sprinkles. ‘Cause I’m one of those feminists who likes to bake. Plus you can spread the geek gospel more easily with holiday food.
All the Windwracked Stars – If you have a phobia of formulaic plots in science fiction, this is the book for you. Elizabeth Bear’s novel features a steam-powered war-horse, a techno-mage, a couple of fallen angels, a cat-cop, guilt, redemption, reincarnation, murder, sex and, oh, yeah, the apocalypse. This was the most poetic thing I read all year. And next year you can put the sequel on your list. (Check out Arachne Jericho’s insightful, if less effusive, review of this book.)
Battlestar Galactica 4.0 – Too obvious? If it wasn’t already on your list, and you really feel like you have to justify it, tell yourself you need to review the last season before 4.5 starts up. Hey, you have to do something with those vacation days.
Universal remote control – Because television constantly blaring in airports, bars and everywhere else can get annoying. Plus it would be fun to watch people’s reactions. Just don’t get into any fights.
Wall*E – If you didn’t see this in the theater, you were just way too wrapped up in the wrong things. Put the three-disk special edition DVD on your list. Break it out at Aunt Mildred’s for Boxing Day and make children and adults watch with you. Consider it your good deed for the holiday season. It’s right up there with The Iron Giant. And, yes, Wall-E most definitely deserves a nomination for the Best Picture Oscar. Broke down and bought it already? Need another movie filled with gorgeous outer space scenes? If you didn’t get Sunshine last year, I highly recommend it. This was an underrated film. I say so not just because I worship at Danny Boyle’s feet.
Those are my tops. Got stuff to add? That’s what the comments field is for!
