Before we being, FYI this will be our last post in 2025. Enjoy the holidays and may they bring you comfort, wherever you are and whoever you celebrate with.

The academic community on Bluesky has been a real balm in these difficult times, offering some of the best of what social media networks can do, connecting us with colleagues around the world, sharing work, opportunities, and in this one case, a request from Dr. Katie Turner for a medievalist gift guide (and see Turner’s thread here for more gift ideas).

Besides, Working Classicists and Pasts Imperfect have gift guides for those studying antiquity, and why should they have all the fun! So we solicited suggestions from MedievalSky, and here’s some winners for the medievalist in your life!

Put your cat in the Colosseum (which you can purchase here, from Lego). Just remember, anything for classicists can also be for medievalists, just maybe break it a bit here and there. Or let the cat do it.

The “Definitive Edition” of Ars Magica, a RPG about medieval sorcerers, produced by Atlas Games (located in Duluth, so “local content” for David).

Surprised Eel Historian’s fantasy transit maps! John is a friend of Modern Medieval, the mapmaker for our books, and a superb medievalist. But he also makes these amazing maps envisioning fantasy worlds with subway lines. “One does not simply walk into Mordor when one can ride.”

CHAIN MAIL COIF knitting pattern. Sure, you can be boring and get a bunch of metal and make actual chainmail, but instead, you can be cozy and crafty. We’re not sure how giving a “pattern” as a gift would go, but you know best.

And another game option is “The King is Dead,” a game of loyalty and politics. Play as the Welsh, Scottish, or English and marshal your forces to conquer the island once and for all.

Or if you have a puzzle head in the family, what about a big, beautifully-illustrated jigsaw about the “World of Arthur?”

And … Oathbreakers is now out in paperback. There’s never been a better stocking stuffer, except maybe our other book The Bright Ages, also in paperback.

Happy holidays and see you in the new year!

While we’re on hiatus, why not listen to a podcast? Matt’s pod “American Medieval” has a bunch of episodes, including one with him and David talking about history writing and our latest book. Check it out now and happy listening.