Tech! Toys! Those Things Called Books! It’s Your 2020 Holiday Gift Guide!
Despite the year that we’ve had, we can still try to have a happy holiday season. We put together a rundown of treats and trinkets for your friends and family that will hopefully put a smile on everyone’s face…from at least six feet away. And behind a mask.
Stay safe, stay home if you can, and hit that “add to cart” to your heart’s desire — ordering online and shipping things to your loved ones this year is the healthiest way to make the season bright.
Supernatural-ly Awesome Art
The Winchester brothers may be gone after 15 seasons but they will always live on in our hearts. And now, your walls! Members of the #SPNFamily will covet these prints of TV Guide Magazine’s best-selling Supernatural covers. featuring Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins over the years. Available in a variety of sizes and mediums, the shots are as hot as the fellas who graced the front pages of America’s official magazine of TV.
(fineartamerica.com, prices vary)
Complete Series Sets
When it comes to gifting a TV fanatic, nothing lets them feel more seen than the box set of their top show on DVD or Blu-ray. Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection packs in 15 hours of extras, along with all 73 episodes in 4K Ultra HD. The Flintstones: The Complete Series serves up Fred and Wilma’s six animated seasons as Bedrock’s First Family. And Arrow: The Complete Series is an eight-season celebration of Stephen Amell’s masked vigilante and the TV universe he created with various crossovers and spinoffs. (bestbuy.com, prices vary)
Tipsy Elves Chic!
Ever since co-founders Evan Mendelsohn and Nick Morton won over Robert Herjavec with their Shark Tank Season 5 pitch, we have been hooked. Now their cheeky line of festive sweaters and comfy “Please let live in this forever” onesies are the must-have holiday gear that gets better and funnier ever year. Just try to and not smile at their latest additions, which including masks, party fits and jumpsuits for pretty much every one on your gift list. If you act fast, you can score 30% off sitewide with code LETSCYBER!
(tipsyelves.com, prices vary)
Last-Minute Picks! Streaming Service Subscriptions
Every single one of us has that friend or loved one who is nuts for UK mysteries or superheroes or stage musicals. And thanks to the world of streaming, there is a service out there that’s right up their alley. Some of our faves are the amazing BritBox, which offers the largest streaming library of British TV ever, and BroadwayHD, the massive storehouse of recorded musicals that is filling our need for showstoppers during the current theatrical shutdown. If there’s a BTS fan in the house, you might want to slip them a code for Rakuten Viki, the premiere destination for Asian entertainment, which has become a global force this year. Oh, and DC Universe is the only way to go for your comic-book collector. Trust us. Added bonus…none of these require any wrapping! (prices vary)
Peggy Li Creations
If she’s good enough for Riverdale‘s Hermione Lodge, she’s good enough for your boo! Our favorite jeweler-to-the-stars has a huge collection of delicate designs that are seen all over TV, from this suspension lariat necklace that graced Marisol Nichols‘ neck and the CZ bar piece favored by Arrow‘s Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) to the shooting-star earrings worn by All American‘s Olivia (Samantha Logan) and the gemstone rings sported by The Bachelorette‘s Clare Crawley.
(peggyli.com, prices vary)
Outlander Gear
Heat up your own Jamie Fraser with some swag inspired by the Starz hit that has everyone swooning across the moors. The official Outlander store is stocked up with wares like this authentic Scottish lambswool scarf, a gorgeous knit version of Claire’s cowl and personalized wine glasses to help you survive the Droughlander.
(outlanderstore.com, prices vary)
L.O.L. Surprise
They are the ‘lil things taking over the world in a big way! Named the #1 toy for the third year in a row, L.O.L. dolls are the must-haves who come wrapped in secret toy balls and their expanded line of accessories, playsets and fashion pieces are just as unexpected. The smaller sizes are great for stocking stuffing and the bigger items—like this incredible Surprise house—will fire up your L.O.L fan’s imagination all through the year. (amazon.com and major retailers, prices vary)
Dolly: The Ultimate Collection
Let’s face it, everyone should toast the music legend who made a COVID vaccine possible! And this 11-DVD set gathering Dolly Parton’s 50 years of variety shows, TV guest appearances, concerts, and holiday specials is the greatest way to say “I will always love you” to the Dolly in your life.
(timelife.com, $119.96)
Bye, Felicia! Board Game
Word association and wild times collide in tis fast-paced game that gives players 30 seconds to write down all the words they can think of that relate to each round’s clue. If yours match with the other players, yasss! If not…bye, Felicia! We can already hear the families laughing over their messy answers on this one.
(target.com, $17.99)
Backbone One iPhone Controller
Earn your cred as the hippest Santa on the block with this revolutionary new gadget that snaps onto iPhone models 6 through 12 and instantly turns them into a fully integrated gaming device. Perfect for playing Apple Arcade games and classics like Call of Duty: Mobile, the unit also pairs with Xbox and PlayStation remote-play apps, and more. This is, quite literally, a game changer. (playbackbone.com, $99)
Youtooz Collectibles
IYKYN, right? Whether they’re into Angry Birds, Peanuts, Internet stars, Emojis or even Carole Baskin, Youtooz has a vinyl version made for upping your stocking-stuffer game. These limited-edition tributes to pop-culture icons sell out fast and once they’re gone, they gone, so do the damn thing and load up on the ones your gift listers need, pronto.
(youtooz.com, $29.99)
Snoopy All the Time
Since we all know the beloved beagle wins the doghouse decorating competition in A Charlie Brown Christmas, it’s perfectly fitting that he’s helping us deck the halls with this adorable Musical Tree Lighting Snoopy. Plug in the included receiver, connect your lights, throw the lever on Snoopy’s base and — viola! — tunes and twinkling lights! (Hallmark.com, $47.99)
And for an added dose of nostalgia, The Peanuts Book offers a comprehensive visual history of Charles Schulz’s iconic comic-strip squad on their 70th Anniversary, with a Foreword by lifelong Peanuts fan Stephen Colbert. (amazon.com, $19.99)
Anime Away!
Who cares if you don’t understand it? The kids love this stuff and there’s not much hotter than Dragon Ball and My Hero Academia! Trick ’em out with garden-gnome versions of MHA‘s Deku and Bakugo (top left) or hefty FiGPiNs of DB‘s brawl-ready Gogeta and Broly (center). And if they have been really good this year, Funko has a 25th anniversary chrome POP! collection celebrating the all-stars of anime. (funimation.com, prices vary)
Book ‘Em!
Even we take a break from TV sometimes, so why not hook up the television fan on your list with these perfect pass-the-time-between-binges tomes. From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back revisits iconic moments from the Star Wars classic, as seen through the eyes of various supporting characters. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor follows up on author Hank Green’s robot-invasion yarn An Absolutely Remarkable Thing with a tale that has us waiting for a Netflix adaptation. Journalist James Hibberd offers the definitive behind-the-scenes look at Game of Thrones’ journey from page to HBO epic with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. And Andy Greene’s The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s is an oral history even Dwight Schrute would appreciate. (amazon.com, prices vary)
Big Movie Toys…and Just Big Toys!
Get the Fast & Furious crowd revving with LEGO’s film-authentic, 1.077-piece Technic version of Dominic Toretto’s souped-up 1970 Dodge Charger R/T or let your little Hogwarts grads relive the fun of Delores Umbridge’s awkward run-in with the giant with the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest set. (lego.com, prices vary) Great Scott! Back the Future fans (and you know most folks are!) are sure to lose their flux capacitors over Playmobil’s rockin’ 64-piece kit, complete with Marty McFly, Doc Brown and a DeLorean with functioning lights! (playmobil.us.com, $49.99). And finally, there will be roars of approval from your dino addicts when they unwrap the Jurassic World Super Colossal Tyrannosaurus Rex that stands almost three-feet long! (amazon.com, $54.99)
Nintendo Switch Bundle
If you can find one of these bad boys on Black Friday, Nintendo is running a bundle deal that gives you the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game and a three-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. That is way more than enough to keep junior (or dad!) occupied until Valentine’s Day.
(nintendo.com, $299.99)
Skullcandy Headphones and Earbuds
Do you hear what we hear? Make the sounds of the season thump with the lifestyle brand’s newest line of listenables (we’re making that a thing). The Crusher Evo over-the-ear model offers 40 hours of battery life, adjustable sensory bass and personalized sound controls via the Skullcandy app. And the Mood Boost Bundle is their new initiative to fight the growing mental-health crisis among young people that pairs the minty-green Push Ultra True Wireless Earbuds with monthly content to “lift our collective spirits” through exclusive music, art and inspiring interviews. It’s a cause that sounds great to us.
(skullcandy.com, prices vary)
Games for the Quaranteam
If you’re lucky enough to be spending holiday time (safely) with loved ones, play away! Hasbro has an Elf-themed Monopoly for those sons of a Nutcracker (and a Friends one for, you know, your friends!). Or you can test your savvy in categories like “The Best of Unplugged” and “Teenage Angst” with the big-haired awesomeness of MTV: The Throwback Music Party Game from Big Potato. And Funko deserves a major award for their A Christmas Story card game that allows you to triple-dog dare players to switch gifts! (target.com and walmart.com)
