With the holidays approaching, it’s time to start looking for a gift for the Star Trek fans in you life
As fans of Star Trek, many of us most likely have some items we’ve collected over the years. And, if we’re lucky, we have friends or family members that share our love of the franchise. So, now, with Christmas right around the corner, we’re once again starting the search for that special Star Trek gift to add to their collection. And if they’ve been fans for a long time, you have to be a little more creative to make sure you don’t get them something they already have.
By now, most every fan has the full collections of their favorite series, and even if they don’t, there are always streaming options. While many fans would appreciate a ticket to the next convention for the chance to meet their favorite actor, the price is pretty steep. (We all know the ticket is just the beginning.) And we don’t know when that opportunity will arise given that we have no clue when the pandemic will be over and things will return to some semblance of normalcy.
And speaking of the pandemic, this year has caused a lot of financial difficulties which could make Christmas a little tighter on the budget. You still want to get amazing gifts for your Enterprise-loving family and friends, though. You just have to keep the prices reasonable, and you can. These three online stores offer the most unique items that fit into every budget. So whether you’re looking to spend less than $10 or more than $100, you’ll find a gift here you’ll be proud to.
What better place to buy a Star Trek gift than from the man who played Captain James T. Kirk? Shatner’s store isn’t that old, but it has interesting and hard-to-find items at unbeatable prices…well, with the exception of some of the props. Those can get fairly pricey. Things do tend to sell out pretty fast so you want to jump on something you see if you really want it, but some of the most hard to find items can be found at Shatner’s Store.
One of my favorite items is the book 50 Year Mission: The First 25 Years. It’s defined as “…a no-holds-barred oral history of five Trekkie decades, told by the people who were there. Hear from the hundreds of television and film executives, programmers, writers, creators and cast as they unveil the oftentimes shocking story of Star Trek’s ongoing fifty-year mission – a mission that has spanned from the classic series to the animated show, the many attempts at a relaunch through the beloved feature films.” And the best part? It’s only $6.75.
There is a section called “Shatner’s Archives” that holds extra-special treasures you can acquire like a1987 Mardis Gras Doubloon featuring Mr. Shatner’s as King Bacchus of Mardis Gras, a 1991 Hollywood Walk of Fame Card featuring Shatner, and a Rawcliffe 1993 Ensign Chekov Pewter Sculpture. Most of these are one of a kind items, and once sold are gone forever. But imagine the looks on the Star Trek fan who gets one of these under their Christmas tree?
Back in 2012, Leonard Nimoy and his daughter, Julie Nimoy, having outgrown their shop on Etsy which sold most apparel, opened their online store, Shop LLAP (and, of course, we all know what the LLAP stands for), and it’s been booming ever since.
While this store is mostly devoted to all things Spock and his Live Long and Prosper greeting, if you’re looking for Star Trek only merchandise, though, there aren’t that many items. Of course, I can’t imagine any fan turning down a “Fascinating Spock Sketch Printed Tote Bag” or a T-shirt with the beloved phrase “I am and always shall be your friend.”
There are a few things remaining from Leonard Nimoy’s personal collection if you’re looking for something truly unique, but since they are true treasures, I can’t imagine they’ll last very long, especially since many things have already sold out. Still, that’s a section worth checking out for the Spock fan in your life.
Everything you buy here will make you feel a little bit better as the store donates a percentage of its yearly profits to UCLA’s COPD research team as a tribute in memory of Leonard Nimoy who passed away from the illness in 2015.
And finally, there’s official Star Trek shop which has merchandise from Discovery, Picard, the Original Series, The Next Generation, and Starfleet Academy to name a few. They even have special collections like Chateau Picard, Klingon Collection, and Safe Like Spock. All of the items in this store are new so you won’t find anything vintage, but you will find some fairly unique items, if that’s your goal.
For instance, the Spock Standee which might be a little difficult to wrap, and socks that include Picard’s face palm which has been made into a madly popular meme. And what’s better is you can get some items customized like a Starfleet Academy certificate and a personalized assignment letter which features an official assignment to the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 on behalf of the Delegates of the United Federation of Planets. What fan wouldn’t want to see their name on that letter?
Even with all the available gifts, if you’re still having a hard time choosing what to buy, you can always purchase a gift card to let your favorite fan do the shopping. Whatever your budget is, you’ll be able to find something to put under the tree. And while you’re there, you might want to take a look at the ornaments to pick up a little something extra for that tree.