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Doctor Who: Christmas and the Companion

26 December 2012 by 1 Comment
doctorwhochristmas

Note: while there are no series spoilers, this is a discussion of the Christmas Special and will certainly spoil that episode if you haven't seen it. I may still be having a sugar hangover from my made-from-scratch cinnamon rolls; nonetheless, we need to discuss Christmas.  Not the presents or the weather - the Doctor Who special, of course!  And particularly, the brand-new (or not-so-new) companion, Clara.  First, a bit about the special as a whole: More Scrooge McDuck I'll be honest: I … [Read more...]

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“God Bless Us, Every One”: The Power of A Christmas Carol (and the 7 Geekiest Versions)

24 December 2012 by Leave a Comment
christmascarol

Like J, I am a Christmas geek. It’s not so much that I have a geek-themed Christmas – apart from a few Firefly ornaments on the tree and a lot of video games underneath – but  that I fling myself into the sparkly, wrapping-paper covered trappings with the same enthusiasm as I fling myself into Lord of the Rings marathons. We all have our special Christmas rituals – the gingerbread, the lighting of the tree, the fifteen rounds of the 12 Days of Christmas – but mine is a bit odd; for … [Read more...]

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The Christmas Geek

12 December 2012 by 1 Comment
krampus

Ah, it's that time of year again.  It's the middle of December and I'm well into the thick of my personal holiday season, which typically starts after Thanksgiving but has been known to start much earlier in November. In years past I've written about how geeks put their own personal stamp on Christmas - think Star Wars-themed trees and the like.  But this year - in fact, just today - I realized something with a start.  I don't put my own geek spin on Christmas.  Christmas is something I … [Read more...]

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Five True Holiday Classics for Geeks, Mundanes, and Everyone In-Between

24 December 2011 by Leave a Comment
Grinch

To quote Kermit in one of my favorite holiday songs “I don’t know if you believe in Christmas…but if you believe in love that will be more than enough for you to come an celebrate with me.” So with that spirit in mind, Happy Christmas to all of you, my Gentle Readers. Last week, I listed my top 5 offbeat Christmas specials, from the hip to the snarky to the cynical to the confused. This week, I wanted to get all sappy and sentimental and list for you what’re probably my top 5 true … [Read more...]

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Letters to Santa

19 December 2011 by Leave a Comment
BatmanSanta

A sneak peek into Santa’s mailbag from the Marvel and DC Universes . . .   Dear Santa, I’ve been a good boy this year! Well, sort of, but nobody’s perfect, right? And that whole thing in Kosovo, we don’t really have to talk about that, right? I’m Canadian, you’re Canadian, I’m sure we can work something out. How’s the Missus? Total MILF, if you ask me. Which you didn’t, but I know you were about to. Anyway, all I want for Christmas this year is the Bea Arthur … [Read more...]

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A Holly Jolly What Now? – Five Offbeat Christmas Specials I Love

17 December 2011 by 2 Comments
Prep

It’s a pretty known fact that I’m something of a Christmas junkie. I love me some Christmas. I enjoy the decorating, the food, the times spent with friends and family…and the TV and movies! I love that, at this time of year, there’s lots of wonderful seasonal TV specials and movies to enjoy. I seek them out, and I enjoy them immensely. But you have to admit…some of them are super-wacky. I wrote an article last year about making a Rankin-Bass Holiday RPG, but this year, I’d like to … [Read more...]

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Filling the Void: Geek TV in the Off-Season

14 December 2011 by Leave a Comment
Christmas Geek TV

It’s that time of year again - the winter holidays. School exams wrap up, work slows down a bit, schedules open up. Sure, there might be holiday gatherings to attend, but not every single night - and the nights when you’re at home, there’s nothing on TV except some Christmas TV special from only a few years ago. There’s finally time to watch TV, but nothing to watch! Well, if you’re like me, you’re using the time for new viewing. Here’s what my TV (with computer) and I have been up … [Read more...]

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Have Yourself an Animated Christmas: Unsung Classics of Christmas Anime

12 December 2011 by 3 Comments
christmasanime

Christmas in Japan is a bit of a different animal than it is here in the West; it’s not considered a major “family” holiday at all (that would be New Year’s), and it’s mostly only celebrated by very young children or by young couples. As a result, Christmas episodes and themes usually only show up in anime and manga if it’s meant for young children or if it incorporates some romance; often the most “Christmas-y” episodes involve finding a boyfriend or girlfriend to spend the … [Read more...]

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Geek Holidays: A Gift-Free Guide

7 December 2011 by Leave a Comment
santakitty

Believe it or not, I don’t actually exchange many presents for Christmas. When I was growing up and we didn’t have much money, having a gift extravaganza at Christmas made sense: if a little kid wants something you say “Christmas is coming,” and if they still even want it by Christmas you take it seriously. Similarly, you might pick things up on sale year-round and save them, so on Christmas morning the kids are rolling in presents. Here’s the thing, though: now, my family is giant. … [Read more...]

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A Gift-Guide for the Gamer Geek – 5 Gifts from Wee to Frickin’ Huge!

3 December 2011 by 4 Comments
Dragon Ornament

The holiday season is upon us: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day…don’t you wish there was actually boxing on Boxing Day? No? Maybe it’s just me. But whatever holiday you celebrate, it’s nice to think that we’re all bonded together by certain common elements. All of these holidays are celebrations of love, family, friends…and the unbridled desire to get awesome stuff. I’m sure you’ll see lots of gift-guides this holiday season, but I wanted to give mine a specifically … [Read more...]

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