If you’re still having trouble figuring out the ideal gift for the nerd(s) on your shopping list, our annual Geek Gift Guide is here to assist!
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.
We’ve already shared our Movie/TV and Gaming gift guides this season, 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
LEGO Star Wars (Jordan) – There are a ridiculous amount of great LEGO Star Wars sets out there (some of which I’ve already covered for reviews/Geek Pick of the Week), and you can almost never go wrong when it comes to gifting LEGO. From the alternate universe fun of Rebuild the Galaxy sets, to the more collector focused display sets, the options for Star Wars fans of all ages is almost endless.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Grimoire Journal (Katy) – Fans of the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End will love to get their hands on a special grimoire that Frieren would be falling over herself to add to her collection. The journal is a Crunchyroll store exclusive.
LEGO Animal Crossing Sets (Katy) – The spirit of Animal Crossing really comes through in the LEGO sets for the hit Nintendo series. There are seven sets currently available for purchase — Dodo Airlines, K.K.’s Concert at the Plaza, Isabelle’s House, Nook’s Cranny and Rosie’s House, Julian’s Birthday Party, Bunnie’s outdoor activities, and Kapp’n’s Island Boat Tour.
There are three more sets that have been announced to release on January 1, 2025: Able Sisters Clothing Shop, Stargazing with Celeste and Leif’s Caravan & Garden Shop.
Quick Pick Books
Kith and Kin by Marieke Nijkamp
The Nine Eyes of Lucien by Madeleine Roux
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Star Wars: Mace Windu – The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes
Dungeons & Dragons: Spelljammer: Memory’s Wake by Django Wexler
The Apothecary Diaries (Light) Novel
Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale – (Toaster) Legos should be a mandatory holiday gift, everyone loves legos, and with this Dungeons and Dragons set, you can make any D&D fan on your holiday shopping list.
Gentle Giant’s Legends in 3D Busts (Jordan) – My love of Gentle Giant’s Star Wars line is pretty well known at this point. They deliver awesome sculpts time and time again for characters we all know and love (while also spotlighting those who don’t get much in the way of collectibles). I’ve already shared their Thrawn Legends in 3D Bust as part of Geek Pick of the Week, but they have others, including Emperor Palpatine, that are just as swanky.
Hell, I would still go with those incredible gaming dioramas they have as well if you’re looking for some great KOTOR themed gifts. Even if Star Wars isn’t something you’re looking for, their Indiana Jones and Marvel collections are equally impressive.
NECA’s Life-Size Alien Xenomorph Egg and Facehugger (Jordan) – NECA has a number of amazing gift options for nerds. Their TMNT toy line alone could fill up any number of Christmas wishlists (especially their Last Ronin ones). That said, there’s something particularly special about their new Life-Size Xenomorph Egg, which is slated to arrive before the end of the year (so hopefully just in time for Christmas). Coming in at a little over 36 inches tall, it’s built so you can bend the folds at the top of the egg and includes a full-scale facehugger to boot. Not only perfect for Alien fans, but just about anyone who loves movies and science fiction.
HGUC RX-78-2 Gundam Revive Model Kit, 1/144 Scale (Ryan) – Every year there’s a new potential victim to the Gunpla craze, and what better way to send someone down the path of hobby kit building than the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam from the original Mobile Suit Gundam? This is one of the most recent versions of the classic model, and the High Grade kits like this one are affordable and easy to build making them perfect for younger enthusiasts or those just starting to dip their toes into the hobby.
Star Wars: The Vintage Collection E-Wing (Jordan) – While The Black Series line is the main focus of my collecting habits (and anything Darth Maul, of course), I can tell you this E-wing toy is very much on my own list this year. It’s an E-WING! A ship that only existed in the books from the 90s finally come to life. Hell, that’s why I wanted LEGO version as well! I imagine a lot of older Star Wars nerds would feel the same way.
GoDice (Jordan) – This set of Bluetooth dice from Particula is perfect for the tabletop gamers on your list this year. These can connect to Roll20, FoundryVTT, and Discord via a chrome extension or an app on your phone, allowing for instant calculations that let you get to gaming faster and wherever you want.
Reading Material
Exodus:The Archimedes Engine (Jordan) – If you’re shopping for someone who loves hard science fiction combined with impressive world-building and a dash of Mass Effect space opera, this is the book you’re looking for. While it’s on the beefier side, it’s a tough one to put down and left me eager for the game it connects to.
What Doesn’t Break by Cassandra Khaw (Becky) – The newest novel from Critical Role is a must read. This is the first novel that follows a member of Bell’s Hells, the main party in the third campaign and this book in particular focuses on Laudna and her early history before Campaign 3 begins. It’s a dark and twisted tale, but also a hopeful one as we watch the undead Laudna slowly take back her power from those who would control or destroy her.
Dragons of Eternity by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (Becky) – The Dragonlance Destinies trilogy concluded earlier this year with a story that threatens all of Krynn with the accumulated damage to time and space that’s piled up in the previous two entries. It all comes down to the grand finale of this volume that will not end the way you expect.
In the Kitchen
Star Wars Lightsaber Grill Brands
NES Coasters
Lord of the Rings Brie Cheese Board and Knife Set
Dungeons & Dragons Slow Cooker
Naruto Ramen Bowl Set
Batman: Resurrection (Jordan) – John Jackson Miller’s all new story set in the Tim Burton Batman universe is not only one of my favorite Batman stories, it’s easily my favorite novel of the whole year. Compelling and engaging in all the right ways, it’s almost impossible to put down.
Delicious in Dungeon Manga Box Set (Ryan) – Know someone who couldn’t get enough of the smash hit Netflix anime, Delicious in Dungeon? Crunchyroll is taking pre-orders for the deluxe Manga Box Set, due out just in time for the holidays! This set contains all 14 volumes of the original manga by Ryoko Kui all inside a delightful collectible box that may or may not be hiding a dangerous monster of its own…
The Unofficial Disney Parks Holidays Cookbook (Jordan) – With 100 recipes inspired by Disney World/Land’s festive events, this is an ideal pick-up for the Disney fan on your shopping list. You’ll be able to recreate everything from Pumpkin Churro Funnel Cake to the Sleepy Hollow inspired “Doom Berry” drink.
Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? (Jordan) – The last novel in Random House Worlds’ Marvel: What If… series gives fans a fun Moon Knight and Venom story with the always excellent Mike Chen at the helm. His natural feeling prose manages to give unique life to every personality within Marc Spector and Venom’s hive mind. It’s an impressive blend that not only delivers on the action, but packs some emotional heft as well. Even better, if you haven’t read the previous novels (like I didn’t), it’s still a largely self-contained story that won’t leave you confused.
Fun and Miscellany
Heroes’ Feast: The Deck of Many Morsels (Jordan) – I’m always a sucker for fun kitchen based gifts, and thankfully, there are plenty of gift giving options for that. Among the newest this year, are some fun Dungeons & Dragons themed recipes. More than a standard cookbook, this is a
Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past (Becky) – A year after Darrington Press released their original game Queen by Midnight, they’re following up this November with the game’s first expansion Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past. The beauty of it is, this can be played in tandem with the original game or it can be played as a standalone story. Either way, it takes the game’s premise and turns it on its head with new twists on the game’s rules.
Critical Role Statues by Sideshow (Becky)– This is admittedly a pricier option but a great gift for the super nerd in your life is one of the many Critical Role statues produced by Sideshow Collectibles. They currently offer statues of the first two campaign parties, Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein. Some are only available via wait list and some are currently on pre-order, but the good news is Sideshow offers payment plans if you can’t (or don’t want to) make such a huge payment in one go.
IKEA Blaliden Display Cabinet (Becky) – If you’re looking for a gift for that collector who needs an extra place to organize their nice things, then consider getting them a Blaliden display cabinet from IKEA. This is the official replacement for the Detolf glass display cabinet and it provides a 360 degree view of whatever collectibles you would like to display. It is also relatively easy to assemble and unlike other IKEA products doesn’t cost too much.
Star Wars Unlimited (Jordan) – Star Wars Unlimited has been everything I’d hoped it would be and more. As someone who grew up in the old Decipher Star Wars CCG days, I’ve been hoping the newest wave of stuff would give us a solid replacement. This is it, and the subsequent expansions have already proven how sustainable it can be. Definitely go out and snag the newest expansion, Twilight of the Republic, that hits this month.
Disney’s Lorcana Gateway (Jordan) – To be honest, I could probably fill out this whole gift guide with the amount of great card games/expansions we’ve gotten within the last couple years. Lorcana, though it launched last year, continues to be among my favorites. With easy to learn gameplay, and a continual stream of great new expansions to flesh things out, it’s something everyone can enjoy.
Even better, this season they have a new “Gateway” starter set designed to teach players of all ages the basics in a simple and easy to understand way. For those of you who’ve already been playing, they also have a new Stitch Collector’s Set that hits this Fall so you can add to your current deck!
Marvel’s Miles Morales Sneakers (Jordan) – Here’s a fun one for younger nerds, as Ground Up has partnered with Kids Footlocker for an exclusive new Miles Morales sneaker. On top of looking all kinds of swanky, the material looks super comfy and durable (always important for kids’ shoes).
Magic: The Gathering – Foundations (Jordan) – Yep, that’s right I’m putting another card game on here, and this time it’s a classic. Launching in November, Foundations works as a “modern” update to the iconic card game. The primary goal of this new “Starter Collection” is to provide the most accessible entry into the game so far. Featuring a mix of old and new cards, it’s designed to even the playing field a bit between veterans and newcomers alike. If you’ve got someone who’s wanted to get into Magic, but was always daunted by it, the Beginner Box is a great gift option.
We sincerely hope these gift guides will be helpful to you! We’ll be continuing our regular Geek Pick of the Week as well throughout the rest of the month and into December if you need more ideas!
