Lasers and Blasters and Pops! Oh My!

Our Christmas this year contained more weaponry than is customary for that particular holiday. Plus, it involved some extra sewing, cooking, and geeking. Here’s exactly how our holiday took a turn toward the unusual.

I made this tree skirt featuring Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and The Avengers.
I made this tree skirt featuring Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and The Avengers.
Our angel wept.
Our angel wept.

This December, we got into the spirit of the force even more than the spirit of the season. We decided that our plans to turn our Christmas tree over to the dark side were long overdue. It was our (Insert dramatic pause here.) destiny. I created a tree skirt featuring some of our favorite universes and we decked our evergreen in nerdom’s finest. We are sci-fi geeks more than anything so Starfleet officers, stormtoopers, robots of both the benevolent and malevolent variety, Time Lords, Firefly-class transport ships, and other time-and/or-space-traveling vessels spread themselves over most of our branches.

Shiny... and geeky.
Shiny… and geeky.
Jason's Han Solo outfit took a considerable amount of time to sew.
Jason’s Han Solo outfit took a considerable amount of time to sew.

Fittingly, our tree wasn’t the only seasonal disturbance in the force. Jason, caught up in the excitement of the new Star Wars movie, requested a handmade Han Solo outfit for Christmas. I was happy to accommodate since I prefer gifts that require a little effort. His smuggler’s duds turned out rather dapper.

Jason's blaster and rig were both handmade but not by me.
Jason’s blaster and rig were both handmade but not by me.
It was only 24 degrees outside when I took these pictures. Where's a warm tauntaun when you need one?
It was only 24 degrees outside when I took these pictures. Where’s a warm tauntaun when you need one?

Lots of other handmade goodies filled our holidays. Jason and I cooked pretty continuously on Christmas Eve and Christmas. We simmered mushrooms for nine hours in a bottle of cabernet to create a delicious side dish for Jason’s family’s Christmas Eve gathering. We also roasted tender new potatoes with fresh rosemary and garlic for that meal. Our Christmas morning began with crepes suzette, buttery crepes drizzled with a tangy Grand Marnier sauce. Those crepes were just for us to gobble but we also made marshmallow pops and apple cider for my family’s Christmas get together.

Jason had Drew's name this year. His FANtastic-morning themed gift included Star Wars pancake molds and a Death Star tea infuser. And, of course, there was also tea, Earl Grey, hot.
Jason had Drew’s name this year. His FANtastic-morning themed gift included Star Wars pancake molds and a Death Star tea infuser. And, of course, there was also tea, Earl Grey, hot.
Jason and I made these colorful marshmallow pops for my family.
Jason and I made these colorful marshmallow pops for my family.

Upon returning from my family’s shindig, Jason and I immediately took to cooking again. We prepared bacon-wrapped filets and mesclun salad with parmesan polenta rounds in a hurry. Yes, we donned our aprons quite a bit around Christmas but cooking special-occasion dishes is one of my favorite pastimes during the holidays.

Abby was ecstatic over the dollhouse my parents gave her.
Abby was ecstatic over the dollhouse my parents gave her.
Ahhh, can't you just feel the Christmas love.
Ahhh, can’t you just feel the Christmas love.

This year, Jason and I decided to give our nieces and nephews something for Christmas their parents wouldn’t have to cart to the DI in six months: an hour of laser tag. The day after Christmas, our group of 16, which included a number of adults, pelted each other at a laser arena courtesy of the Sabins. Jason achieved the high score in a couple games and I managed to obtain the fourth and fifth positions in our first two rounds before coming in almost dead last in another. Good job Rachel on becoming terrible over time! Everyone seemed to have fun tagging and taunting their relatives.

Jas and I prepared a lovely Christmas dinner together.
Jas and I prepared a lovely Christmas dinner together.
Our laser battles brought out some merited family bantering.
Our laser battles brought out some merited family bantering.

It was a nice holiday with a lot of homemade goodness and geekiness. The lasers and blasters and pops were prolific enough that even George Takei would say, “Oh my!”

2 comments

  1. That’s a pretty nerdy tree, but I’ve seen nerdier. 9/10
    Jason’s Han Solo costume look amazing. And he makes a killer Han. 10/10
    Laser tag as a gift? Also 10/10.

  2. Yes, think of the tree as a base-level model or a beta version. I will continually be adding to it. I already have plans to make some tribble garlands for next year.

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