Have a Very Merry Nerdmas!

The fun of the holiday season is coming to an end, but I wanted to take a few minutes to share one of my favorite traditions that started many years ago and continues to grow every year.

The video above was a brief tour of my very own nerdy Christmas tree, filled only with ornaments that have generally no relation to the holidays, but rather represent all of my various nerdy interests. The story of this tree actually goes back to the Christmas before my wife and I were married in December of 2004. Melissa found a fake Christmas tree at Target marked down to $5. She obviously snagged that deal, and it became our tree after we were married the next May.

The story actually starts even further in the past, however, to the year 1996. That year Hallmark released their first ever Star Wars ornament, a Millennium Falcon that plugs into a light socket so the engines and cockpit light up. I was thrilled that Star Wars ornaments were now a thing and had to have the Millennium Falcon. So began a 24-years and counting journey.

Here is where it all began. The lights don't really work super well anymore, but this is still one of my ornaments on the tree.

The very next year, Hallmark started expanding their Star Wars line and offered their first in a still ongoing series of Star Wars character ornaments. The first character was none other than Luke Skywalker, specifically in his Bespin fatigues outfit. Since 1997, I have either been gifted or bought every single character in the series, except for the 2018 Boba Fett because I already had a Boba Fett not in the official series line. I would be lying if I said that I do not regret that choice. I am a completionist when it comes to collecting, and that one little decision will continue to mildly irk me.

The very first Luke ornament from 1997 in the Star Wars character series from Hallmark. In the background is the New Hope Luke from 2019.

Back to the story of the tree. By the time Melissa and I were starting our own Christmas traditions and decorating our own place, I had eight years worth of Star Wars ornaments that I brought into the relationship. Let's just say that Star Wars ornaments do not make for the most festive tree decorations, but Melissa was incredibly generous in allowing them to grace the branches of our humble little tree.

Many Christmases came and went, and along with them came post-Christmas trips to Hallmark for 50% off Star Wars ornaments. Needless to say, I was building a pretty extensive collection that kind of dominated our tree. When we moved to the St. Louis area in 2011, we finally had enough money to buy a new tree, and I got the long wished for (by both of us, if we are honest) full control of the old Christmas tree. There was enough Christmas cheer in that pivotal moment to fill all of my holiday dreams in 2011, so I went all out. I bought some silver garland to match the intergalactic theme, and the next year I received some Yoda string lights as a Christmas gift to further enhance the overall look. Last year I added another set of themed string lights to the tree with a purchase of some lightsaber lights at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. A Santa Yoda tree topper was the crowning piece.

For some reason, the Yoda lights are designed so that he hangs upside down...

Of course, I am not only into Star Wars (shocker, I know). I have other ornaments from several different sci-fi and fantasy franchises. Perhaps those can be featured next year in a separate post. I do, however, have a couple to highlight here that change up the sea of Star Wars decor. I have several different Indiana Jones ornaments throughout the tree, but the picture below includes a couple of my favorites. In a deep cut, I even have a few Tintin ornaments from a Black Friday promo at World Market several years ago. Kudos to you if you even know who Tintin is!

Finally, some of my favorite additions to the tree from this year include the Mandalorian and the Child in his pram, as well as the limited edition, convention-exclusive Ahsoka and matching Clone trooper helmet. The most popular Star Wars ornaments are more and more likely to sell out these days as ornament collecting has grown as a hobby, so I am not always able to pick up the ones I most want at a decent price. I still, however, make the yearly post-Christmas trip to Hallmark to see what I can snag at 50% off and continue to grow one of my favorite holiday traditions.