The A.V. Club's guide to the greatest pop culture gifts of 2024

Whether you’re getting ready to deck the halls or return to Saturnalia, the holiday season is very much underway. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to shop for the pop culture lovers in your life, and The A.V. Club is once again here to help. Film Editor Jacob Oller, Features Editor Jen Lennon, and TV Writer Saloni Gajjar pored over gift offerings, separating the yuletide wheat from the chaff—and leaving the $20,000 Nosferatu sarcophagus bed to the obscenely wealthy—to bring you this guide to the greatest pop culture gifts of 2024.

Best gifts for the film lover(s) in your life

Hey Kids, Watch This! ($38) 

Pages from Hey Kids, Watch This! (Photo: A24)

Alongside the tote bags, candles, and other barely movie-adjacent merch available at A24’s shop, the best items on offer are the books. Handsome coffee table tomes and zines abound, but what caught my eye this year was the colorful book of kid-oriented movie recs, Hey Kids, Watch This! Written by Screen Slate founder Jon Dieringer and MUBI Editorial and Publishing manager Caitlin Quinlan, the bright Electric Company-esque guide (illustrations courtesy of Anna Haifisch) pushes its young readers and their parents to leave the beaten path. The White Balloon sits alongside FernGully, encouraging imagination and adventure on movie night. [Jacob Oller]

The Dark Crystal + Labyrinth box sets ($90)

Left: Labyrinth [Limited Edition Collector’s Set]; right: Dark Crystal [Limited Edition Collector’s Set] (Photos: Shout! Factory)

Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Cracking Collection ($120)

Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Cracking Collection (Photo: Shout! Factory)

Encased in a faux-luggage box as adorable as its contents, the complete collection of Wallace & Gromit on 4K UHD (for the first time) is released right as it becomes a little obsolete. Yes, there’s a new Netflix film (Vengeance Most Fowl) out later this month, but this three-disc set contains all the stop-motion short films that made the pair famous, as well as their first feature, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit. It’s a no-brainer to want physical copies of these British slapstick gems, even if you don’t find yourself especially inclined to make the included recipes for five cheese-based dishes. [JO]

The Metrograph ($25)

Cover of Metrograph (Image: Metrograph)

I love print film magazines, and while my personal favorite (Fangoria) doesn’t need me to toot its grotesque horn, The Metrograph is the new kid on the block. Put out by the folks running the NYC theater/streaming service, the publication kicks off with an issue featuring a sprawling Clint Eastwood interview and plenty of famous bylines (including Ari Aster, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Steve Martin, Simon Rex, and Josh Safdie). The magazine is biannual, so don’t worry about missing copies—just snap them up as they come. [JO]

Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection ($156)

Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection (Photo: Universal)

Fifteen hours of bonus features bolster this beginner’s collection of 4K Alfred Hitchcock films. Rear Window, Vertigo, To Catch A Thief, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds aren’t the end-all-be-all of Hitch’s filmography, but this is a great place to start for any burgeoning cinephile, and the oversized book-like packaging makes it one of the better-looking ways to own these classics. The included commentaries, interviews, and documentaries—focused on everything from Saul Bass’ game-changing titles and storyboards to François Truffaut’s extensive conversations with the filmmaker—only add depth to the familiar (if essential) group of movies. [JO]

Best gifts for the TV lover(s) in your life 

Cheers to TV: Cocktails Inspired By Iconic Television Characters book ($15) 

Cover art for Cheers To TV: Cocktails Inspired By Iconic Television Characters (Image: Prestel/Penguin Random House)

Will Francis’ 2023 book, with its stunning illustrations by Stacey Marsh, is both an ace choice for the TV lover and mixologist in your life (forget those “Netflix and wine” socks everyone else is getting). Cheers To TV has 60 cocktails inspired by fictional favorites, from Saul Goodman to Basil Fawlty to Blanca Evangelista. Plus, each recipe is garnished with an analysis of why the specific drink pairs well with the characters. If you want someone to finally watch Fleabag, let this book’s blackberry gin & tonic do the talking for you. [Saloni Gajjar]

Monopoly House Of The Dragon Edition Board Game ($35) 

Monopoly House Of The Dragon Board Game (Image: Hasbro)

In the game of Monopoly, you win or you die. Okay, it’s probably not that serious, but this board game usually causes mild arguments about property dealing. Now imagine if all that was happening over Harrenhal, Driftmark, and King’s Landing instead of Pennsylvania Avenue, with a fierce dragon staring at you to boot. The House Of The Dragon iteration of this Hasbro contraption looks hella cool with its black-and-red color scheme. For any game nights, it’s both nostalgic and in this case, a fun way to play for fans of the GOT franchise. Just be careful while crossing the Narrow Sea. [SG] 

What We Do In The Shadows ugly holiday sweater ($36.95)

What We Do In The Shadows ugly holiday sweater (Photo: FX)

What We Do In The Shadows is ending later this year, but that doesn’t mean Matt Berry’s unforgettable line deliveries are going anywhere. He’s had quite a few throughout six seasons, as viewers of the FX comedy know, but a consistently simple charmer is the way he says Bat! And now, you can memorialize it forever with this WWDITS-themed ugly holiday sweater, complete with designs of fangs, coffins, Christmas trees, and, duh, actual bats. Give it only to the true fan who’ll proudly wear it and call it a “sweated shirt.” [SG]

I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson ornaments ($11.90 each; three-pack available for $23.80)  

I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson ornaments (Photo: Etsy)

If a loved one you know can’t stop, won’t stop quoting Tim Robinson’s incredibly funny I Think You Should Leave sketches, they may have a problem. Of course, the only solution is to encourage them with these Christmas tree ornaments, which pay tribute to three of ITYSL’s funniest offerings: Ronnie’s zipline, the Hot Dog guy saying “We’re all looking for the guy who did this,” and Robinson as a Carber Vac spokesman animatedly asking “You sure about that?” These baubles should be gawked at year-round, so by putting them on display even after the holidays, it’ll be a worthy investment. [SG]

Best gifts for the book—and music—lover(s) in your life

Spy Octane: The Vehicles of James Bond (Volume 1) by Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury ($129)

Cover art for Spy Octane: The Vehicles of James Bond (Volume 1) (Photo: Porter Press)

Spy Octane–The Vehicles of James Bond (Volume I) is on the pricier side of our recommendations, but the amount of research that authors and James Bond historians Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury put into this work is evident on every page. It’s also appropriately gorgeous for a book about the classy vehicles of the world’s classiest spy; when you lay this book on a coffee table, it’ll make any room seem just a little more luxurious. [Jen Lennon]

Creem magazine subscription (starts at $79/year)

Creem magazine covers (Photo: Creem)

During its heyday in the ’70s and ’80s, Creem was home to some of the most influential music writers around. It was out of print from 1989 until 2022, when it was relaunched as a quarterly print magazine. The oversized format and full-bleed images make it feel truly special among modern print offerings; this is a magazine designed with thought and care, and the writing is still incisive and vital. The higher subscription tiers offer some cool limited-edition swag, too: They even teamed up with cool-kid puzzlemaker Le Puzz for their 2024 fan club gift. [JL]

500 Essential Pop-Punk Albums by Paige Owens ($49.99)

Cover art for 500 Essential Pop-Punk Albums (Image: Ruffian Books)

Paige Owens’ 500 Essential Pop-Punk Albums is the perfect gift for the millennial or Gen Z music lover in your life. The book covers a good chunk of time, tracing the roots of the genre from 1977 to the present day. And it’s a true guide, too: There are a few essays and introductions throughout, but it’s mostly just a nicely designed and well-curated list of albums. Plus, it’ll look just as good on your coffee table as on your record shelf. It’s the same size as a 7” record, which means it’ll slot perfectly into your music collection. [JL]