SWC Holiday Gift Guide 2003

by Mary Jo Fox

Need gift ideas for that special Star Wars fan in your life? Or, want to know what to beg from your loved ones? Star Wars Insider #71 has a lot of great ideas in many price ranges, but I’ve got even more for you to make your holiday season as Star Wars one.

Toys:

Target and KB’s have done a decent job as of late stocking new stuff. Waves of figures that were supposed to have appeared months ago are finally available. But the newest of the new are from the Clone Wars line, which includes figures, vehicles, and repackaged lightsabers. Both the first and second wave of CW figures are available, with more (including some made to look exactly like the animated characters). My favorite is the sharp Anakin Skywalker Jedi Starfighter, a replica of the one from the Clone Wars animated series, which retails for $19.99. Target has a couple of great classic trilogy exclusives, the affordable A-Wing fighter ($19.99) and the very cool but pricey 12” Princess Leia with Speeder Bike ($60). I’m finally seeing later waves of the Unleashed line of figurines turn up at Toys R Us. Supposedly they are turning up at KB’s as well. Target and Toys R Us both have the revived Cinema Scenes for $20 apiece.

Games:

Now’s a good time to hunt down board games released last year. I found the Jedi Unleashed game for $2.99 and the Game of Life: A Jedi’s Path for $9.98 at KB’s. Toys R Us had the Jedi Duels game on sale for $9.99. But if you ask me, the coolest board game around is the Attack of the Clones chess set. Painted in silver and bronze, the figures represent the Republic and the Separtists/Sith. No it’s not as swanky as the $800 Star Wars chess set Danbury Mint put out 10 years ago but for $24.99 at Toys R Us, it makes for a very nice display piece even if you don’t play. As for those who prefer playing games in front of a screen, there’s the hot new Rebel Strike, Knights of the Old Republic, Jedi Academy, and Star Wars Galaxies.

Stocking Stuffers:

There’s another card game besides Wizard of the Coast’s: Top Trumps. The Star Wars set features all of the main players from the entire saga and it’s a mere five bucks. Top Trumps also has sets for The Simpsons and Lord of the Rings. Each set comes with a coupon to buy one, get one free, so you can stock up on as many as you want. Here’s a tip: The Simpsons set features an exclusive Aurra Sing card that’s not in the Star Wars set. You can find Top Trumps in the games section at Toys R Us.

Other Cool Stuff:

Just in time for the holidays, starwars.com now lets fans create their own custom mugs, mousepads, car license plates, and quality prints from a gallery of photos, logos, and art. The prices range from $10.95 to $19.95.

Accessories:

Collectors always need stuff for their stuff. Stands for loose figures are about .25--.75 each. Star Cases are protective cases for carded action figures. The variations for both pre and post 2002 packages run about $1.25--$1.50 each. You can find them easiest online from various suppliers or on eBay.

Shelves are always welcome as well. You can find plastic shelving for as little as $8 at WalMart, K-Mart, or Target. Keep an eye out for sales. If you’re looking for bookcases, you can find some nice ones in the $30--$40 range at WalMart, Target, and IKEA.

As a way to store mementoes and prized pieces you can’t beat Michaels, the craft store chain. There you can find everything from curio cabinets to shadowboxes to display cases for a variety of things, even vinyl record albums. Generally they run in every price range but Michaels frequently has sales and promotions.

Finally if you or your favorite Star Wars fan needs a frame for theatrical posters, Suncoast always has them for a reasonable $19.95.

Bargains:

eBay is your friend when it comes to finding excellent bargains on
collectibles of all kinds, new or vintage. If you are persistent, you can find pricey items for a lot less. I got three Gentle Giant busts for less than $30 each. They retail for $45 apiece.

Even if you don’t find what want before the holidays, remember that the day after Christmas, calendars and Hallmark ornaments are half off. It’s a great way to stretch your gift money.