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A Helmet
Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series Boba Fett Helmet
A Lightsaber
Padawan Outpost Combat Saber Model Vader E6
A Key Organizer
Orbitkey Key Organiser Ahsoka Tano
A Book
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe
I have always loved Star Wars. I spent the first Christmas day that I can remember flying Luke and his X-wing around the house. I met Darth Vader (David Prowse) when I was 6. I can still feel the shiver of fear as he strode through the double doors, reaching over the crowd to shake hands with me as my Dad held me up. I never questioned why the Dark Lord of the Sith was in Woolworths.
When I became a dad, I had a fresh excuse to visit that galaxy far, far away, and buy new toys. (I still regret selling my own in a garage sale to raise funds for our first home.) My wife and I love the original movies, our kids prefer the prequel trilogy, but we all enjoyed watching the latest shows together. Since everyone knows I’m a fan, I have received (and given) many, many Star Wars gifts over the years. These are some of my favorites.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Helmet
Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series Boba Fett Helmet
Hasbro’s Black Series of Star Wars helmets strikes the right balance between quality and price. They look good enough to satisfy collectors but come cheaper than high-end movie replicas. My favorite is the sadly discontinued original battered Boba Fett helmet. You can still find it at inflated prices or pay a lesser bounty for the new re-armored version. Many other Black Series helmets, including Vader ($190) and various Troopers ($130), are also excellent and still available.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Lightsaber
Padawan Outpost Combat Saber Model Vader E6
Any aspiring Jedi or Sith needs a lightsaber. If you want a high-quality replica that’s right for you, be prepared to research. I tried a Combat Saber from Padawan Outpost, Model Vader E6 (Xenopixel), inspired by Darth’s lightsaber from Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. There is a learning curve, but this lightsaber really looks and feels the part. You can change the color, trigger countless sound effects, and even play music. There’s also an app, so you can connect to the saber from your phone and tweak the settings. No worries if you’re not a fan of Vader, because the Outpost offers a wide range of realistic lightsabers (check here if you’re in the UK) based on those wielded in the movies and shows by everyone from Obi-Wan to Count Dooku. WIRED readers can get a 5 percent discount with the code WIRED5.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Key Organizer
Orbitkey Key Organiser Ahsoka Tano
These leather key organizers are a great way to tuck your keys away neatly, so they don’t scratch anything in your bag or make a jangling sound, and there’s a D-ring at the end for larger car keys. I have the red and black Darth version ($45), but there are other character-themed options. I think the Ahsoka Tano one my wife has is the best.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Book
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe
Of the many excellent books about Star Wars, this might be my favorite. It charts the rise of the franchise, offers countless nuggets of trivia, and acknowledges the role fans have played in making Star Wars so special. It is an entertaining peek behind the scenes that is affectionate but also dares to be critical. Perhaps mercifully, it ends with the new trilogy still on the horizon.
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joseph shin
Lego
Lego Millennium Falcon
Lego’s legendary licensing has never been more successful than its partnership with Star Wars. We are big Star Wars Lego fans here at WIRED. We love to build and sometimes destroy. I bought my kids several Star Wars Lego sets over the years and spent many a happy holiday building them. Sadly, some of the best sets have been retired, and Lego can get awfully pricey. The Death Star was the pinnacle, but the Millennium Falcon, the X-Wing ($50), and smaller sets like the Emperor’s Throne Room ($80) are loads of fun too. If you are unsure what your giftee has, go for a Stormtrooper set, like this Imperial Patrol set ($42), because you can never have too many Stormtroopers. Lego has a huge event for May 4th that includes discounts on existing sets and a batch of new releases.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Board Game
Star Wars Villainous
This beautifully themed spin-off of the Villainous series challenges players to take on the role of a Star Wars baddie. You can play as Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, or Moff Gideon. Each has unique abilities and a specific set of victory conditions, and there are chances to meddle with your foes as the game unfolds. One of the best family board games, it works best with four players aged 10 years and up.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Action Figures
Kenner Star Wars Action Figures
Kenner sold over 300 million Star Wars action figures in the late ‘70s and early ’80s. I spent every penny of my pocket money on them for years, and there’s a roaring trade in secondhand figures. When Hasbro realized its potential, it started making new figures under the Kenner brand, and there are three main lines today. The Retro Collection are all 3.75-inch figures like the originals Kenner sold, with a peg hole in the bottom of their feet and legs that don’t bend. The Vintage Collection figures are the same size but with more detail and bendable limbs. The Black Series figures are larger, at around 6 inches tall, and tend to be much more detailed.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Ornaments
Nemesis Now Three Wise Stormtroopers
Based on the three wise monkeys, and the Confucian maxim “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” this trio of ornamental stormtroopers is a great gift for Star Wars fans. One of mine took a tumble and broke both his legs, but after a quick superglue treatment, he made a full recovery. I advise putting them out of reach of young kids and cats.
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Courtesy of EA
A PS5 Game
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Building on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, this game is bigger and better, with more side quests, fresh environments to explore, and a whole host of new skills and lightsaber stances. Now a Jedi knight, Cal Kestis continues to defy the Empire in this third-person action platformer with an expanded cast of characters. It is one of the best PS5 games currently available.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Bags
Loungefly Collectiv Star Wars Rebel Alliance Bags
You can find all kinds of Star Wars bags at Loungefly, but its Rebel Alliance collection is the best. The Multi-Taskr Full-Size Backpack is the pick of the bunch, with plenty of pockets for all your gear, from laptops to water bottles, but we also like the Executiv Laptop Bag and the Evryday Convertible Backpack and Crossbody Bag. Details include debossed rebel logos, embroidered X-wing helmets, and lining that features schematics of the Millennium Falcon and other rebel ships. These are all 25 percent off right now.
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Courtesy of Disney
Streaming Service
Disney+ Subscription
The streaming home of everything Star Wars, a Disney+ subscription provides access to all nine of the saga movies, the spin-offs, including my favorite, Rogue One, and all the Star Wars shows, from recent hits like Andor and The Mandalorian to excellent animated shows like The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch. Every movie and Star Wars–related show going is here, and the next big release is The Acolyte, set to drop in June.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Bobbleheads
Star Wars Funko Pops
You can get just about any character from popular culture as a vinyl bobblehead, thanks to Funko, and that includes all your Star Wars favorites. I am partial to the Stormtrooper and the Mandalorian holding Grogu. Funko just released a bumper batch of prequel trilogy characters, including Darth Maul on his Bloodfin Speeder ($30) and Obi-Wan Kenobi ($12). For May 4th, Funko’s store has a buy-two, get-a-third free offer.
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Courtesy of Warner Bros. Games
A Co-Op Game
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
I love couch co-op games, and this Star Wars adventure is one of my faves, as it strikes the perfect balance between parody and reverence. The gameplay is varied, the gags come thick and fast, and there’s always something to do or collect. The second player can drop in or out at any time, which worked great when I played through this with my daughter. While some levels work better with co-op than others, this trilogy of trilogies is enormous fun to play split-screen as a duo.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
The Event
Star Wars Celebration
The biggest Star Wars event on the planet is a must for die-hard fans, but ticket prices are enough to make Jabba blush, and that’s before you get there. We went to the event in London last year, and though it was poorly organized, overcrowded, and overpriced, the other fans made it worthwhile. My daughter also got to meet Hayden Christensen. The next one is in Japan in April 2025, but tickets are on sale now.
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Courtesy of Disney Interactive
A VR Game
Vader Immortal
Anyone with a VR headset in the house must try Vader Immortal. This three-episode virtual reality series casts you as a Force-sensitive smuggler imprisoned in Vader’s obsidian fortress on the lava fields of Mustafar. You must develop your powers and learn to wield a lightsaber, with the help of your droid ZO-E3 and a few other characters, before facing off against the man himself.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Drinkware
Corkcicle Star Wars Droids Gift Set
Whether you want a stemless wine cup, a coffee mug, or a water canteen, Corkcicle has you covered with Star Wars–themed drinkware. These stainless steel travel cups have lids with a sliding opening to sip from and are triple-insulated to keep the contents hot or cool for hours. The new cross-body sling ($70) is just the thing for staying hydrated, with a pouch for your canteen ($45) and a zippy pocket for your keys and wallet. I like the Darth-themed coffee mug ($28), but my wife likes the R2-D2 cup.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Desk Mat
Orbitkey Desk Mat Obi-Wan Kenobi
Mouse mats can be dull, so I love Orbitkey’s Star Wars–themed, multipurpose desk mats. The Obi-Wan version features brown vegan leather over recycled felt, matching the color of his robes. There’s a subtle rebel logo debossed at the bottom right, a handy trench for pens along the top, and a magnetic cable holder. You can also store documents between the layers. If you prefer the dark side, go for the Vader-themed mat ($95) instead.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Silicone Molds
Sunerly Star Wars Silicone Molds
We have had a few Star Wars–themed parties over the years, and these molds always came in handy for making ice cubes and chocolate treats. The large Millennium Falcons and the small Darth heads worked best, but everyone loves Han Solo in carbonite. The smaller molds are harder to use and never look as good as the large ones.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Darksaber
Hasbro The Black Series Mandalorian Darksaber Force FX Elite Lightsaber
They are a bit pricier than the helmets, but Hasbro’s Black Series lightsabers are weighty replicas that any Star Wars fan will be happy to display and occasionally swing around their office when no one is looking. A gift from my equally Star Wars–obsessed brother, the Darksaber traditionally belongs to the leader of the Mandalorians. This thing is heavy, lights up, makes sound effects, and comes with a smart display stand.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Record
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story—Expanded Edition 4XLP
This beautiful vinyl collection is the soundtrack to the best Star Wars movie in recent years, Rogue One. It boasts original artwork by John Powell, with fresh liner notes by Michael Giacchino, who dug up an extra hour of previously unreleased music and recording sessions from the film. John Williams’ legendary scores have always been a big part of the Star Wars universe, and this reverently builds on his foundations.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Keychain
Lego Star Wars Darth Vader Key Chain
Need a Star Wars gift that won’t break the bank? He may have lost a leg somewhere along the way, but my Lego Darth keychain has been in service for many years. Who better to guard your keys than Lord Vader himself? There are tons of other super-cute options, from Yoda ($6) to a Stormtrooper ($9). There’s also a slightly more expensive model that includes a tiny light, like this Boba Fett ($15).
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Photograph: Simon Hill
A Timeline
Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual History
The latest edition of this fun book gives you a timeline of Star Wars, covering all the movies but also books, comics, toys, games, and even theme parks. It is easy to dip into because there are pictures galore and countless nuggets of trivia that fans will enjoy. It might be the perfect coffee table book for Star Wars fans.