The holiday season is upon us once again, and that means it's time to pick out Star Wars gifts for your fellow fans. It also means that your family and friends will be on the lookout for cool Star Wars items to give you! As any die-hard collector knows, it can be hard for your family to find something you don't already have, or even just something that you're guaranteed to enjoy. There's a lot of Star Wars merchandise out there, and sifting through it to find the gems of the 2010 holiday season is a task that no one should have to do on his or her own.

That's where we come in. To help you make the right purchases for the Star Wars enthusiasts in your life, staff members from TheForce.Net and Rebelscum.com have recommended a variety of items for the holiday season. We've broken the list into categories, so if you know your gift recipient is interested in a certain type of merchandise, you can skip right to that section and read our recommendations.
Happy shopping!

The Clone Wars Season 2 Box Set
Available on Amazon: DVD ($29.99) and Blu-Ray ($41.99)

Eric Geller: If you?re watching this show, you owe it to the creators to go out and get this box set. The second season was a nice leap forward from the first season and the animation (which you?ll see is extraordinary on Blu-Ray) is outstanding. There are a lot of reasons why this show rocks, but if you already know that, this set is a must-buy!

Mike Barrick: Can't wait to catch up on a fantastic season of Clone Wars goodness! If money's a bit tight for you this year, and if you have kids who are into Star Wars, have Santa bring the box set to them...even though we all know the gift is really for you!

D. Martin Myatt: The Clone Wars TV series in high definition with additional content? 'Nuff said.

Dan Curto: As you may have heard on the latest Collector's podcast, I am a bit of a Blu-Ray snob in that I am very selective on what I buy. But this is Star Wars! And with the movies saga coming out next year, this will be the perfect warm-up! While you're at it, you should also pick up the movie and the first season on Blu-Ray!

Fanboys
Available on Amazon: DVD ($9.99) and Blu-Ray ($15.99)

Chris Wyman: A film that every Star Wars fan should have on their shelf!

Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle
Available on Amazon for $27.50

Eric Geller: This is probably my favorite book of the year. Like the title implies, it tells the story of the Star Wars franchise from the earliest days until just a few months ago. The book is packed with photos of people, products, and events, from the first Kenner action figures made from EU characters to the lucky owner of a pre-sale ticket for The Phantom Menace. The authors spoke to many of the people who were instrumental in the continuation of the franchise, and several concept artwork pieces are included to illustrate (no pun intended) the progression of ideas and creativity as the stories were crafted. This thing reads like a really good history book, and I think that?s exactly what it?s supposed to be. The story isn?t over yet, but this is one book you should definitely pick up.

Mike Barrick: One of my favorite memories from CV was sitting around, tired as can be on the final night, sipping an adult beverage, reading Year by Year, and discussing it amongst friends. It's one of those books you can pick up at any point, turn to any page, and then have fun with it.

The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Available on Amazon for $53.55

D. Martin Myatt: We all know a lot about the making of these films, so when a book that is chock full of stuff we didn't know comes out, it's a no brainer. This is the perfect gift for both diehard and casual Star Wars fans. If you don't know what the person you are shopping for likes beyond Star Wars, this one covers your butt perfectly!

Eric Geller: There is no better way to wrap up the 30th anniversary of one of history?s greatest films than by picking this comprehensive tome chronicling its creation. Packed with photos and stories that give you an incredible look inside the entire process, this book is required reading for TESB fans, and, I?d argue, Star Wars fans in general. For more on this book, check out the video walkthrough I produced for TFN.

Star Wars Art: Visions
Available on Amazon: Standard Edition ($26.40) and Limited Edition ($366.53)

Chris Wyman: I collect and love all sorts of Star Wars books, so this one is a must have. With 260-pages of incredible art from some of the world's top artists, the LE has a much higher price tag than the regular release. The collector in me always wants the biggest and best version!

Dan Curto: If you're a fan of Star Wars or a fan of art, this book is has it all! Take a unique look at that galaxy far, far away as a fantastic group of artists brings it that much closer with their own unique takes. As an aspiring artist myself, this book is very inspiring!

The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force [Vault Edition]
Available on Amazon for $59.97

Eric Geller: This is probably the coolest Star Wars fiction book of the year. If you?d like to delve into how the Jedi Order worked and read some of the principles and teachings that made up the core of its philosophy, this is the book for you. It is both written and packaged as something straight out of the Star Wars galaxy, which makes it really fun to hold and explore. (Bonus: My friend and fellow TFN staff member Mandy B. has a cameo in this book as one of its in-universe authors!)

Red Harvest
Available on Amazon for $16.92

Mike Barrick: Zombies + Jedi + Sith + The Old Republic + Joe Schreiber = a fun read in my humble opinion. Sure it doesn't come out until 3 days after Christmas, but that doesn't mean you can't pre-order the Death Troopers prequel for that special Star Wars/Zombie-loving someone in your life.

Her Universe ESB Thermal Hoodie
Available on HerUniverse.com for $40

Mandy B.: It's getting cold outside. You want your lady to like you. It's not really hard math here, guys.

Hasbro's Big AT-AT
Available from Hasbro for $99.99

Mike Barrick: If this doesn't get you squealing with excitement then I just don't know what you're doing with your life. Another great gift for your kids that's really for you. :)

Dan Curto: This is without a doubt the most fun toy Hasbro has made all year long, if not over the past decade! Not only do you get a HUGE Classic Trilogy vehicle to play with, with lights, sounds, and phrases, but there's also a lot of play features for kids of all ages to enjoy. Throw in an AT-AT Driver figure and a Hoth speeder bike from the EU...there is just no end to how fun this toy is!

Hasbro's The Rise of Boba Fett Ultimate Battle Pack
Available from Toys "R" Us for $99

D. Martin Myatt: This incredible set shouldn't be overlooked if you are shopping for a toy collector. Not only is this a set with two ships and five figures, it is the only place to get the awesome new Slave I, as well as the Bossk and Boba Fett (youth clone uniform) figures!

Dan Curto: This set is based on one of the coolest episodes in all of season 2...if not the entire TCW series so far. Seeing a Classic Trilogy character like Bossk reimagined in the cool style of the show is a visual treat, and the new Slave I is awesome. Plus, you get 4 more figures and a ship!

2-1B Surgical Droid Light-Up Mini Bust
Available from Gentle Giant for $75

Chris Wyman: A classic character release celebrating 30 years of TESB from a line that I really, really like with a fitting edition size of just 1,980 pieces. Not many light-up busts, so this one is pretty special.
 

MondoTees.com Star Wars Prints
Available on MondoTees.com

Chris H.: For the past several months Mondotees.com has been cranking out a series of officially licensed screen printed posters. Each print is a character or scene from our favorite trilogy, interpreted through the eyes of a world renown artist. The results have been gorgeous. The screen printing process gives each piece a sharp, meticulous quality that truly illuminates the unique style and artistic ingenuity of the artist and rewards close scrutiny. Limited to between 300 and 400 each, they very rightly sell out in minutes. Sign up for the Mondo twitter feed to be alerted when the latest print goes up. eBay is pretty much the only option these days, where the prints typically go for around double original price - still very reasonable for work of this caliber.

Williams-Sonoma Millennium Falcon Sandwich Cutters
Available from Williams-Sonoma for $19.95

Mandy B.: Firstly, there is the elusive and slightly creepy feeling of being that much closer to Han Solo. (Insert obligatory hair eating joke here.) Secondly, I would eat sandwiches every day. Every. Day. Also, bread makes you fat and you can cut down on carbs by eating a sandwich shaped like the Millennium Falcon.

Williams-Sonoma Darth Vader Flexible Spatula
Available from Williams-Sonoma for $12

Chris H.: $12 gets you the greatest cooking utensil in the galaxy. You just know Vader's personal omelette chef was rocking one of these every morning in the Death Star cafeteria.

Williams-Sonoma Star Wars Cookie Cutter Sets
Available from Williams-Sonoma for $19.95

Chris Wyman: Perfect for making Christmas cookies!

Stormtrooper Super Shogun
Available from Super7 for $299

Chris H.: Created to outrageously exacting standards, the two-foot tall Stormtrooper Super Shogun is modeled after the old Shogun Warriors toys from the late 70's. Complete with a spring-loaded "Rocket Punch" firing fist, this is the first truly authentic Shogun Warrior in 25 years. Constructed using the exact same Japanese techniques as those old school Warriors, he's every bit as cool as he is pricey.

A donation to Toys for Tots or a similar charity drive

D. Martin Myatt: $20 out of your wallet could make Christmas morning for an underprivileged kid. Buy a couple of toys and drop them into a donation box!

Clone Wars Adventures Lifetime Membership
Available on CloneWarsAdventures.com for $49.99

Mike Barrick: For only $49.99 (the price of a new video game these days) you get access to all of the mini-games, accessories and upgrades that are available in Clone Wars Adventures without having to worry about re-upping your membership at a later date. New content is added regularly, which is always best when it ties in to a recent episode of the series. Clone Wars Adventures can be fun for adult Star Wars fans, but for me, the online experience is best when shared with my kids. My 4 year old can't get enough of building turrets in the Republic Defender RTS mini-game and even my 2 year old likes trying to toss Jar Jar for distance. About 4 years ago Star Wars shifted from being my childhood security blanket to being the child-like bond that surrounds my family while providing hours upon hours of multimedia fun. For many of us growing up, we had the OT and a bunch of toys. Nowadays, Star Wars truly is everywhere!

The Force Unleashed II: Collectors Edition (Xbox 360)
Available on Amazon for $59.99

Chris Wyman: Dying to know the continuation of this story. Really looking forward to hearing the classic soundtrack and seeing the intense graphics from the game.

Dan Curto: I loved the first game, and the story fit in perfectly with the overall saga. The ending left me really wanting to learn more about this time period and these characters, so I'm eager to run into some old friends once again. Besides, who doesn't love kicking ass with the Force?