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From 'E.T.' to 'Nope': Geeky holiday gift ideas for the sci-fi/fantasy-loving person in your life

Naughty or nice, we've got a whole pile of geeky gifts to make your friends and family happy!

By Tara Bennett
Funko's Back to the Future: Back in Time game

'Tis the season for trying to figure out what your Uncle Ted, who has everything, might enjoy. Or what your anime-loving sister could possibly want for the holiday gift exchange! Let us say upfront: This is not the list to help you with people asking for some plain slippers or a gift card. However, if you have a giving list featuring some pop culture-loving friends and family, then you've come to the right place.

SYFY WIRE has scoured the web for an assortment of gifts that cover what's current in the genre zeitgeist, encompassing everything from the nostalgic to the just plain weird... but fun! If you select a gift from this list, at least you'll have shown you tried. Best case, you knock it out of the gifting park!


Funko Back to the Future, Jaws, Fast & the Furious and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial board games

Funko's Universal Games

If you think Funko is just the place to find Pop! figures, we're here to tell you they've grown way outside that specific skew. In fact, they have a robust Funko Games arm that covers the gamut from easy card games as stocking stuffers to fully designed board games based on just about every property out there. 

For example, there's a Back to the Future board game; a Fast and the Furious strategy game that is tailor made for F-A-M-I-L-Y time; an E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Light Years From Home game for the 40th anniversary of the classic film; and even several Jaws related games. Funko's website has a large selection, but they are also sold at other online retailers. And here's an extra tip: modern board games are made to be more complicated than Clue or Monopoly. If you get frustrated with instructions, look up walkthroughs on YouTube. They can get you set up and playing in minutes flat.


Hallmark E.T. 40th Anniversary Ornament with Light and Sound

E.T. 40th Anniv. Ornament With Light and Sound

As we mentioned, the classic space friend to Elliott is celebrating the big 4-0 this year, which means there's a lot of glowy-fingered merch out there this holiday season. For those who like to feature their favorite characters on their holiday tree, branch, or mantle, Hallmark has an official ornament this year for the birthday alien with a glowing heart light and sounds from the film. Available at Hallmark online, in stores or at outside retailers. 


Jordan Peele Double Feature: The Twilight Zone TV series & NOPE on Blu-ray

Jordan Peele Double Feature: The Twilight Zone TV series & NOPE on Blu-ray

2022 was a good year for Jordan Peele with the success of his big screen thriller, NOPE. You may remember, he also helped bring back (and host) a contemporary reboot of The Twilight Zone. Both projects are available on Blu-ray for purchase. And if you want to triple feature it up, Wendell & Wild is available to stream on Netflix now. 


Cowboy Bebop - Original Series Soundtrack Vinyl (EinVariant) 

Cowboy Bebop - Original Series Soundtrack Vinyl (Ein Variant)

The classic anime Cowboy Bebop series got turned into a live-action Netflix series recently. Sadly, it didn't get renewed. But there's always the original to go back and savor, including its amazing soundtrack which is available as a special vinyl collection. The Crunchyroll two-album collection is a delight that will make you 100% cooler to whomever you gift this to.


Loungefly Harry Potter Hogwarts Bag

Harry Potter Golden Hogwarts Castle Mini Backpack

Until someone invents an actual Undetectable Extension Charm like Hermione casts on her bag of holding, we can just pretend to fit everything we could possibly need in this bag thats shaped like Hogwarts. Available as a Loungefly backpack, or choose the wallet or cross body bag versions too. Happy cramming!


LEGO® Ideas: The Office

LEGO® Ideas The Office

SYFY WIRE spends a lot of time mining Peacock for its ever-changing library of genre television and movie offerings. But we're also big suckers for another binge of The Office. This The Office exclusive LEGO set allows you to build the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office in all its glory including minifigures of the whole team. You can arrange them all in classic moments, or just scream like Michael when you make a mistake and have to start over. Good times. SRP is $119.99 and is available at LEGO online, in stores or other retailers.


Naruto Shippuden - Ichiraku Ramen Shop

Naruto Shippuden - Ichiraku Ramen Shop Sweater

Ugly holiday sweaters are always a thing, but what if they were kinda cute instead? Crunchyroll has an array of holiday anime sweaters, including this Naruto inspired ramen themed winner that we would be happy to wear all winter long.


HBO's House of the Dragon Sweater

House of the Dragon Sweater

After the success of HBO's prequel series, House of the Dragon, this year, there's no doubt rolling into an office party or a casual Friday with this Targaryen dragon sweater will be a statement. We're not exactly sure what you might be implying considering what goes on in this series, but it's always good to keep everyone guessing. 


The Lord the Rings Ugly Sweater

Lord the Rings Sweater

Whether you are Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy purist or are all-in with the Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Prime Video series, we can all agree that it's all J.R.R. Tolkien's world and we stan it. For those who are extra-specially in love with all things Middle-earth, this Lord of the Rings graphic sweater hits that sweet spot between beautiful and awful. No matter what, it's a break from the norms and we love that.


Batman Animated Figure

BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES Batman 1/6 Scale Figure (Redux)

The world recently lost the great Kevin Conroy who voiced Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman: The Animated Series. If you know someone who adored that version of the character, or even Conroy's incredible voice work in the field of animation, this 1/6 scale figure from The Animated Series might be a worthy splurge. 


Michael Myers Plush

HALLOWEEN MICHAEL MYERS PLUSH PHUNNY BY KIDROBOT

Michael Myers had another good year with the completion of the character's return trilogy in Halloween Ends (2022). For those who just love that crazy serial killer, KidRobot has the plush version of the slasher icon, complete with pumpkin and knife. For the horror fan who has everything.


Chucky Plush

CHUCKY PLUSH WEARABLE PHUNNY PACK WITH STRAP

Having just finished his second season of mayhem in SYFY's Chucky series, there's no better time to show your public support for the possessed Good Guy doll. KidRobot offers this plush pack to carry your belongings and creep out those standing near you. Win-win.


Dr. Squatch Spidey Suds

Spidey Suds

Marvel fans collect and buy what they want, but if you've ever met up with one after they've been sleeping out for a midnight screening or maybe a Comic-Con line, this soap just might be the one branded thing they don't have. New to the line of pop culture Dr. Squatch soaps is Spidey Suds. A bar of natural soap in the superhero's signature colors, this is the fun stocking stuffer that might also do some good.


Yellowjackets Season 1 & HALO Season 1 on DVD/Blu-ray

Yellowjackets Season 1 & HALO Season 1 on DVD/Blu-ray

There's a lot of television to catch up on but not everyone can afford the subscription to every streaming service out there. Luckily, Paramount+ also believes in physical media which means if you missed the big budget adaptation of Halo or the much-buzzed horror/thriller series, Yellowjackets, you can just buy the full season and watch it at your leisure. Extra bonus: both series have been renewed for second seasons so you can binge their freshman seasons in prep for both returning sometime in 2023. 


The Last of Us Figures

Neca Last Of Us Part Ii 7 1024x1024

The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II were some of the biggest and most beloved video games of the last decade. With the imminent arrival of the live action HBO series in January, a lot of gamers are going back to replay both and revisit the amazing characters of Joel and Ellie. For those who have played and love the game, these ultimate 7-inch action figures would be a welcome gift.


Andor Thermal Mug

Star Wars: Andor Stainless Steel Tumbler

How do you know you didn't expect your Star Wars streaming series to be a critical darling? Try finding much Andor merchandise in the wake of the incredible first season of the Disney+ series. We scoured and found this pretty cool thermal mug that looks stark enough to pass Imperial inspection. Otherwise, there are some t-shirts and a new wave of Black Series action figures coming in January 2023. Let's hope for a tsunami of merch soon so B2EMO doesn't cry.

Stream tons of great holiday movies, specials, and shows on Peacock.

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