Naughty Or Nice? Our Holiday Wishlists, 2018

Hello all! Happy Thanksgiving to those in the USA who celebrate it. The “official” winter holiday shopping season kicks off tomorrow (even though there are some businesses who have decided to open up today, but that’s neither here nor there, and nobody wants to hear me gripe about that). Either way, the gift-giving season is upon us! I asked our contributors to share some of the things that they’d like to receive this holiday season. From pocket monsters to the devil’s own literature, here’s a sampling of what some of us would be delighted to receive. You can think of this as a shopping guide for the geekly individuals in your life. Do you know a Nancy? How about a Nicole or a Kelly? Maybe even a J.L. or a Casey? Find out what I mean below!

Nancy O’Toole Meservier: I’ve always been a big fan of Christmas, but this year I’m facing it with a smidge of trepidation. The reason why? Last Christmas came with a healthy 14+ inches of snow, effectively trapping me inside of my own house. And while there’s no way of knowing if we’ll be getting similar conditions this year, I’ll be putting a couple items on my Christmas list that can help me survive a snow day, just in case.

When it comes to effective ways to losing hours of my time, it’s hard to beat a good video game. Lately, I’ve been eyeing the newest Pokémon games: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! Truth be told, I’ve never played one of the handheld Pokémon games before. My experience has almost exclusively been with the ap: Pokémon Go. And it’s Pokémon Go players that Nintendo seems to be courting the most, as it’s offering many ways to connect the app with this new console game. But weirdly enough it’s not the connection to Pokémon Go that’s intrigued me, but the super cute graphics, and the generally charming ambiance in the trailers. I’m really looking forward to checking this out.

Another guaranteed time suck for me is a new book by one of my favorite authors. This holiday season, fantasy author N.K. Jemisin will be releasing her first collection of short fiction: How Long ‘til Black Future Month? I’ve been a fan of Jemisin since I fell in love with her debut novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and I’ve been pleased with every book of hers that I’ve picked up since then. I’m really exciting to see how she’ll bring her rich world building and complex characterization to the short fiction arena.

So, there you have it. Give me a fun video game, and a good book, and all I’ll need is some comfy pajamas and Christmas chocolate. That should prepare me for whatever Mother Nature brings again.

Kelly McCarty: Gift giving is my love language and I love picking out the perfect present for friends and family members. However, I’m hard to buy for and everyone usually just gives me gift cards. If I had to choose a speculative fiction item that I’d love to receive, it’s all three seasons of Outlander on DVD. I’m a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander book series. The first book is 850 pages and I’ve read it three times. After World War II ends, combat nurse Claire is on a belated honeymoon trip to Scotland when she walks through a standing stone and finds herself stranded in 1743. Although she loves her husband Frank, Claire finds herself irresistibly drawn to a Scottish warrior, James Fraser. Gabaldon has created a beautiful love story with vivid characters and superb historical detail. For me, Outlander is the literary equivalent of a warm blanket and a cup of tea. If I’m having a bad time, I can always cheer myself up by visiting with my old friends Jamie and Claire. I definitely want to see the gorgeous Sam Heughan (Jamie) and Caitriona Balfe (Claire) bring one of my favorite books to life, but the TV series airs on Starz, a channel that I don’t have. If the TV series is anything like the books, I know I’ll want to see the episodes over and over again, making the DVD an excellent present.

I’d also love to have Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Cookbook by Theresa Carle-Sanders. I adore baking and my cookbook collection is so large (and heavy) that it broke my bookshelf. Most of my ancestors came from Ireland or Scotland so I would like to learn more about Scottish cuisine. Mrs. Graham’s Oatmeal Scones with Clotted Cream, Banoffee Trifle at River Run, and Fraser Strawberry Jam are recipes that I would like to try that all remind me of favorite moments from the books.

I can’t leave fiction books off my holiday wish list. My devotion to the local library is without question but sometimes I enjoy having a copy to call my own. I desperately want to read Pride and Prometheus by John Kessel, a crazy but intriguing mash-up of Frankenstein and Pride and Prejudice that has Mary Bennet falling in love with Dr. Frankenstein and befriending his monster. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse, a post-apocalyptic young adult novel featuring Native America mythology, is also high on my to-read list.

J.L. Gribble: Alas, I did not receive my wish-list item from last year’s Roundtable post on this topic: the LEGO Star Wars ultimate Millennium Falcon set (#75192). I knew it was a pipe dream, because not only is $800 a lot to spend on a LEGO set, but the set itself is 7,500 pieces and I have no idea where I would have put the thing. (Shout-out to my little sister for getting me the other set I mentioned in that post instead, the Star Wars Arrowhead.)

So, I’ve set my sights a bit smaller this year. Instead of 7,500 pieces, my current dream set clocks in at a mere 6,020 pieces (for half the price!). My favorite LEGO sets to build are ships and buildings, which means I have plenty from the Star Wars and Creator Expert collections, but not much else in the speculative realm. Diorama sets strike me as dust-collectors more than anything else, so I glance at a lot of the Marvel and DC Super Heroes collections and move along. This was mostly the same with sets from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter—until now.

Because what self-respecting nerdy LEGO builder wouldn’t want their very own Hogwarts Castle (#71043)? Not only does it feature the Great Hall and other classrooms, moving staircases, and even the Room of Requirement and Chamber of Secrets, but also the Whomping Willow and a freaking dragon. My own house founder, Rowena Ravenclaw, deserves a place of pride with my other favorite minifig (Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels).

I promise that if I get this LEGO set for any of the holidays in December (which includes my birthday), I’ll find room for it.

Nicole Taft: When I got to thinking about what I should ask Santa for this year, I realized that all I’m really interested in are books. I don’t have a need for anything else – though granted, I don’t exactly have space for more books either. Still, I’d be happy to get my hands on a few titles, some of which I’ve read before but need to have on hand to read again when the next book comes out, and others that I’m curious about and, for some reason, want to own before even knowing if the book is good or not. (I suppose if I don’t like it, I can always donate it.)

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf was a very enjoyable read, and since it ended on such a badass cliffhanger, I need to have this one nearby to dive into a second time once the next book is out. Although I think I still have a while to wait, so I’ll have to be patient.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. I wanted to grab this one when it was an ARC in the break room at work, but it may have been a prize for an event we were doing so that would have been a bit rude of me. The cover is quite enchanting and I’m simply very curious as to what is going on in this story. What will I encounter? What’s in the Hazel Wood? The only way to know is to read it, and maybe that will happen if it appears under my tree Christmas Day.

The Empress Game trilogy by Rhonda Mason. I know, I suck, I’ve mentioned this series before and how awesome it is and how much I want to read the last book and the simple fact that I work at a bookstore and have the easiest access to it ever makes me look like a shrub. But I meant to ask for it on my birthday and totally forgot (actually that’s true for pretty much this entire list), so now I’m going to try again.

The Embraced series by Kerrelyn Sparks. I love a good romance, and good romance set in fantasy worlds is even better. While the titles kind of drive me nuts since they’re clearly a play on romantic comedy movies (i.e. So I Married a Sorcerer vs. So I Married an Axe Murderer) and I feel like these books deserve something better, I’m not the author so I don’t exactly get a say in it. Still, I love the stories, the writing, and of course, the romance, and they’d be fun to re-read since this series is clearly going to culminate in something fairly big for the universe the characters live in. I just have to wait for two or three more books.

Casey Price: I, like J.L., did not receive the biggest, pipe-dreamy thing from last year’s holiday wishlist roundup. Shocking, I know. So, if any fairy godparents out there wants to send a poor blogger to Comic-Con, call me.

This year, while I’m not becoming a proper minimalist or anything, I have decided to consume more of my entertainment in digital form. My house is small, and I’m running out of room. It’s getting pretty serious. In order for me to own something in physical form, it’s going to have to be something special. I’m a fan of Grady Hendrix’s fiction and own two of his books: My Best Friend’s Exorcism and Horrorstör. Both are definitely worth owning the paper editions. The former resembles an old VHS cassette that’s been rented out too many times, and the latter cleverly mimics an IKEA catalog (fitting for a novel that takes place in a haunted IKEA knock-off store). Hendrix came out with a new novel this year, We Sold Our Souls. I own the digital version, but the hardcover needs to be on my shelf. The image gallery on the book’s Amazon page shows off the book in all of its heavy metal horror glory. The sprayed edges! The arcane text on the book hidden beneath the dust jacket! My horror-loving heart aches with joy and desperate need.

Speaking of Hendrix, he also published a big, beautiful love letter to the early days of horror last year. Paperbacks from Hell is a great book, and the pictures on the digital edition are gorgeous. I don’t need the book, precisely, but I’d love to have it on hand to page through and just look at from time to time.

Keeping on theme, I’d also be delighted with a subscription to the Abominable Book Club. What is this, you may ask? Well, to quote directly from their subscription page: “The Abominable Book Club Box is a monthly subscription box for the more macabre-minded reader. It contains all the magic of a haunted book shop, summoned straight to your door! What’s in the box: A featured new horror/ thriller novel, a mystery second-hand paperback, a luxury snack and a handful of hot drinks to take the chill out of your spine!” Horror novels, snacks, and hot beverages to warm my cold, black heart? Sign me up. (Yes, I know that I just got finished saying that I’m attempting to own fewer things, but mysterious, secondhand novels that have been rescued from thrift stores and used book shops need homes, too.)

And finally, for this year’s “This will never happen” item, I’m drooling over this special edition of the complete Harry Potter film series. It’s only a thousand dollars. That’s super reasonable if you compare it to a trip to Comic-Con, isn’t it?

So, there you have it! A few ideas of what some of us wouldn’t mind receiving for the coming winter holidays. See something that strikes your fancy? Feel free to send your loved ones a link to this page. You can even be a little subtle about it. “Look!” you might say. “Somebody who loves LEGO is talking about the new Hogwarts set! It’s so amazing. I really like it!” Not a bad idea, right? If this works, you can thank us later. Happy holidays, everyone. May the coming season see you happy and healthy. Cheers!

Featured image from one of the Harry Potter films; © Warner Brothers, J.K. Rowling, and others who are not us.