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This week we go back to June, 2012, for the second half of our coverage of FestivALL.

This week we look at episode 162 of the show, including music by The Bob Thompson Unit, The Boatmen, Raqs Shakti, Tood, Sophie and Will Burge, Duo Divertido, Katzenbdrummers, Bare bones and The Leon Waters Blues Band. You’ll also see Ian Bode, Dr. Sketchy’s, The Dance Company of West Virginia and all kinds of other cool stuff. It’s nearly an hour of a city becoming a work of art, or something.

Original notes are HERE.

The PopCulteer
November 21, 2025

It’s a been a while since I’ve done a Kickstarter Alert, and I’m gonna need to interrupt The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide for a moment because there are FOUR great campaigns to tell you about, and one of them is only running for a few more days. Each set has a variety of reward levels for you to explore, which I’m telling you now so I don’t have to repeat it four times in the rest of this post. Also, if there are lines through some of the links, just ignore it. They will work. It’s just some weird quirk where WordPress does not play nice with Kickstarter all the time.

Fearsome Weirdos: Haunted Heaps 2 Trading Cards

Okay, this is the second series of Robert Jimenez’ trading card series that mashes up hot rods with cool monsters and it’s the latest entry in his Fearsome Weirdos series. You can find out more about that going to his ZeroStreet Store.

Fearsome Weirdos: Haunted Heaps 2 Trading Cards is a Gruesome Collection Of Revolting Rides and Wicked Wheels!

The 36 card set is made up of 24 Vile Vehicles, and Highway Hellions, a subset featuring portraits of 12 of the drivers.

The set also includes a lenticular card, a sticker and a promo card, all packaged in a tuck box

The set is written and illustrated by Robert Jimenez, with some writing assists by Paul Harris and Peter Zeis!

Also, available as add-ons are Sketch Cards, Original Art and more! And if you missed out on the first Haunted Heaps set, pick that up along with other Fearsome Weirdos sets which are available as add-ons!

This campaign only runs five more days, wrapping up the day before Thanksgiving. so rush over now and KIck in. It’s already fully-funded, so you know you will get your creepy rides.

Lincoln Mini-Monsters 3.75″ Action Figures

The classic, iconic Lincoln Monsters are shrinking down, ready to invade as a whole new scale of figures!

Exactly one year ago I told you about a new line of MEGO-scale figures that revived the classic cheesy knockoff Lincoln Monsters. The original Lincoln International figures were notoriously fragile, with cloth outfits that seemed more like cheap paper. They were knockoffs of knockoffs, and came with all the joys and pitfalls.

Now, the team that brought you the 8″ reproductions is back with an ambitious new project. Using special mad-scientist technology, they have shrunk the original Lincoln Monsters down to half their original size, and are Kickstarting production of these smaller ReAction-sized figures.

This campaign runs until November 30, and it’s fully-funded, and has blown through some of its stretch goals already. They’ve already cleared enough to make the original six figures, and are branching out into cheesy-knockoff “What If” territory with more figures as well as playsets.

This campaign does require the use of the dreaded BackerKit to collect the shipping fees once they’re ready to ship in early 2027, but considering how fast the post office is raising rates these days, you can’t blame them.

Go check out the campaign and wallow in the monstrosity.

Pirates & Privateers Series Four

From my online buddy, RRParksCards, comes series four of an awesome trading card set. This campaign runs about another two weeks, and it’s way beyond fully funded, and it’s expected to ship in December.

Quoting from the campaign, this series includes:

72-card Base Set of PIRATES — a reproduction of the classic PIRATE’S PICTURE GUM series of 1936. And original set in mid grade would cost $1,000s ‘n $1,000s … but now you can have the full series in MINT condition for a pittance … a PITTANCE I sez … yarrr!
11-card subset by Macarie of classic era Pirates Portraits … pirates that have never been on a trading card before. Written and ‘figured out’ by Reidr Daniels and Matt McClaine … artwork by Claudiu Macarie … based on likenesses we imagined as what modern day actors ought to play them in a movie.
Sticker Subset of maps and flags with artwork by Marsha Parkins
Jean Gerome 3D Lenticular of BLACKBEARD
Elisabetta Stoinich 3D Lenticular of BLACKBEARD
Classic era Pirates & Parrot 3D Lenticular
KOSTO 9-booklet reproduction set of the 1920s ‘Pirate Pudding Booklets’.
KOSTO 9-card reproduction set of the 1950s Pirate Decals … instead of ‘decals’, though, they are raised UV texture cards!
BLACKBEARD genuine etching card. Artwork by Elisabetta Stoinich and produced in genuine ETCHING media by RRParks. Limited, numbered edition.
TWO Raised UV Arthur Rackham MERMAID cards
E. S. Hardy Raised UV MERMAID card
Pirate’s Picture Gum header card
Theodore Kittelsen SEA MONSTER Raised UV special card
Pirate’s Picture Gum reproduction wrapper … FOUR of these, wrapped around 18 different cards … have the fun of opening four packs of this classic era Pirate’s Picture Gum cards to build your set. Each wrapper has a complete checklist.
KOSTO decal pack wrapper (contains the complete set)
Macarie Pirates Portrait wrapper (contains the complete set)
Master Set limited edition Raised UV insert card
Packaging header panel
Two ‘tobacco style’ creator cards (one of Redir Daniels and one of RRParks)
ORIGINAL ART SKETCH CARD!
Treasure Trove METAL CARD with COA on the back … metal card produced by Faerie Metal.
Elisabetta Stoinich BLACKBEARD sepia ‘coffee stain’ variation.
Pirates & Privateers mini flier
DIY Pirates & Privateers Sketch Card Blank
Tim Shinn BLACKBEARD promo card
Let’s talk about the SKETCH CARDS a bit …
SKETCH CARDS! Oh yes indeed… original art sketch cards have been created (and are in the process of being created) — every one of them talented!

Go check out the Kickstarter page and get on board with this amazing card set.

Metropolis Picture Gum Trading Cards

Finally, we recommend a campaign that is near and dear to me because, not only do I love the movie, Metropolis, this project was also the subject of my final article for Non Sport Update.

In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the classic 1927 Fritz Lang film, we have Metropolis Picture Gum trading cards from NostalgiCards. A faithful tribute to the non-sport sets of the 1920s-1930s, this is the first time a complete card series has been dedicated to this early sci-fi masterpiece.

NostalgiCards’ Todd Riley began work on Metropolis trading cards back in 1996, when it seemed that the film was about to slip into the public domain. In fact, it was to be their first product.

Riley picks up the story, “…I had been a collector and also a dealer of cards, in 1995, when non-sport cards were having a resurgence in popularity, I decided I wanted to try my hand at manufacturing cards. Metropolis was about to enter the public domain soon and being a fan, I thought it would make a great looking card set. So, I decided that it was going to be my first set and I started working on it. Then in 1998, the public domain laws changed and they were extended another 20 years. So, the project got shelved.”

NostalgiCards went on to release sets like Morbid Monster Cards and Galaxy Goons from 1999 to 2003, then Riley took a break from creating his own sets.

About the cards, Riley tells us, “The set consists of 45 base cards that tell the story on the backs. Then there are 4 bio cards which can be found 1:6 packs. Taking a nod from classic non-sport sets from the era, I will have color variations. Since the movie is in black and white, I decided to do 4 different duotone colors on each card (including the bio cards). The 4 colors are: green, orange, red, and yellow. This makes the series quite colorful for a B&W film.” The bio cards depict the film’s director and co-writer, Fritz Lang, plus the two stars and Lang’s co-writer, Thea von Harbou.

Riley has also designed a period-authentic album, and a three-piece display box that can also serve as a really great display piece. All the graphics are taken straight from the film and just scream “Art Deco.” Metropolis remains one of the most visually striking films ever made, and this NostalgiCards set is a fitting tribute.

Rewards for the Kickstarter campaign include: A single pack of five cards; A 45-card mixed color base set; a 24 pack mixed color box, as well as a Master Set of all four color sets and a “Hot Box” mini-case with all four color sets, each containing a single color.

Plus there are add-ons including the Album and other base and master set options as well as some limited offerings of previous NostalgiCard sets. An added nostalgic bonus is that each wax pack of cards contains one stick of Beeman’s chewing gum!

I know that last part would get ya. Go Kick in now. the set is fully-funded, so you can expect to receive your rewards in March, 2026.

And that is this week’s PopCulteer. Check back for fresh content every day, including The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide, which is now going to overflow November, and run until the first week of December, with the Master List hitting one week after Black Friday.

The Beatles Anthology
Anthology 4
Anthology Collection
Apple Records
Available where records are sold, or from The Beatles Store (exlusive versions) or Amazon (heavily discounted)

The second entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a must-have for die-hard Beatles fans, and if you were paying close attention, you probably noticed that this was originally scheduled for last Friday, following up four days of solo Beatles gift ideas, but I had to hold it until now because when I scheduled the Gift Guide,  I didn’t realize that it wasn’t released until today.

Back in August Beatle fans were surprised when it was announced that there would be a new release, Anthology 4, this Christmas. This is a follow-up to the three previous volumes, released on CD in 1995 and 1996, and is tied to the re-airing of the Beatles Anthology documentary series, with a new ninth episode, which will begin airing on Disney+ Thanksgiving Weekend.

Anthology 4 features 13 previously unreleased tracks and 17 songs selected from Super Deluxe versions of five classic albums. In addition to fascinating outtakes dating from 1963 to 1969, the album includes new 2025 mixes by Jeff Lynne of ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’. Anthology 4 presents 26 tracks that have never previously been released on vinyl.

This can be bought as a stand-alone release on vinyl or CD, but is also part of a huge, super-deluxe 12-LP set.

The Anthology Collection 12LP set includes the three groundbreaking Anthology albums from the mid-1990s, remastered in 2025 by Giles Martin, plus the new compilation, Anthology 4. Containing atotal of 191 tracks, the collection’s studio outtakes, live performances, broadcasts and demos reveal the musical development of The Beatles from 1958 to the final single ‘Now And Then’ released in 2023.

Pressed on 180g black vinyl, each 3LP album will be housed within a triple gatefold sleeve, featuring the original art, sleevenotes by Mark Lewisohn, and restored photos for Anthology 1-3; Anthology 4 has brand new sleevenotes written by Kevin Howlett alongside photos. The outer slipcase features the original Klaus Voorman triptych art, and a 3/4 O-Card image of the band with detailed track listing.

The Beatles Store exclusive format will contain 4 x 12” band photo art cards in a custom black, numbered envelope (8500 total). I’m not sure that the art cards are worth the extra expense. This set is also available as an 8 CD set for a fraction of the cost of the vinyl version.

It all depends on the preferred format for your giftee.

Whether you just go with the single release of Anthology 4, or the mega-boxset of all four volumes of Anthology, you can’t go wrong giving Beatles music to a Beatles fan.

The first entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is for two great local businesses that…aren’t local to us. I know I tend to make PopCult a little WV-centric, but the truth is, probably 90% of our hundreds of thousands of readers are from outside of the state.

Heck, a big chunk are from outside the country.

So today I’m going to tell you about a couple of great, quirky local-to-other-cities businesses, both of whom have had products featured in the Gift Guide before, The Ky 4 Ky Fun Mall in Lexington, and Transit Tees in Chicago.

The Kentucky 4 Kentucky Fun Mall has a brick-and-mortar location at 1315 WINCHESTER ROAD #341 in Lexington, and while that may sound a little complicated, it isn’t. In fact, it’s in the Eastland Shopping Center, which is right on US 60.

Yes, that’s the same US 60 that runs through West Virginia. You could, if you wanted to take the scenic route, hop on 60 (MacCorkle Avenue) around the Mound in South Charleston, stay on US 60 and go West until you find yourself in Lexington a few hours later. The Eastland Shopping Center is on the right, just after you cross the Route 4/New Circle Road beltway.

Once you get there, you’ll find the Kentucky 4 Kentucky Fun Mall. It’s part tourist trap, part oddities museum, part gift store, but most famously it is the final resting place for the real life Cocaine Bear, of recent Hollywood movie fame. Is it the real Cocaine Bear?

Why not?

As KY 4 KY says…

OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE AND INFORM THE WORLD BY PROMOTING KENTUCKY PEOPLE, PLACES, AND PRODUCTS. AND TO KICK ASS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH!

Of course, they have a sizable assortment of T-shirts, soaps, stickers and even plush devoted to the creature that made cocaine funny again. They also have all kinds of other cool things, like shirts that list Kentucky cities with lewd-sounding names, and merchandise that tips its trucker hat to Colonel Sanders, Bourbon and popular racing horses.

KY 4 KY Fun Mall is filled with all kinds of cool stuff, not all of it Cocaine Bear-related, and it’s a fun diversion if you find yourself in Lexington. And if you don’t find yourself there, go to their website and at least buy yourself a Ho Bag.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, to which I cannot provide easy, if implausible, driving directions, we have Transit Tees. With locations in Wicker Park and Andersonville, and a very accessible website, this store celebrates the city of the wind with a variety of cool T Shirts, Hats. home decor items and several fun and exciting board games and card games.

They’ve also added some really cool LED home decor items lately.

You can find games devoted to the El, The Loop, Rat Hunting and some of the peculiar Chicago culinary creations. They also have jigsaw puzzles, Christmas ornaments, enamel pins, and, just as KY 4 KY has Cocaine Bear, Transit Tees has the Freakin’ Pope!

Best of all, until December 1, all website orders can get 24 % off by using the code, “24-OFF.”

Because it’s their 24th anniversary.

As for who they are, it’s all in their history…

Founded in 2001 by Tim Gillengerten, Transit Tees takes visuals from Chicago’s metropolitan landscapes and transforms them into fashionable artwork, accessories, home goods and more. An official manufacturer of Chicago Transit Authority products, Transit Tees locally designs, fabricates and retails their signature brand online and at two storefronts in Wicker Park and Andersonville. Items in stores are created in their design studio and produced on-site by local artists and craftsmen.

You can find all sort of cool gift ideas for anybody on your holiday shopping list who loves the city of Chicago (like your humble blogger and his wife, who got married there).

Because of delays in producing The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide, mixed with next week being Thanksgiving week, I will be running two week’s worth of this scaled down version of STUFF TO DO, without the lengthy boilerplate (you can find an example HERE), this week, so I can skip next week.

I realize this means I’m going to be glossing over a bunch of events, but…since the vast majority of our readers, especially this time of the year, are not local, it’s a worthwhile trade-off.

Until we get back to normal in December, more than ever, you should remember that THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF EVENTS.  It’s just a starting point, so don’t expect anything comprehensive, and if you feel strongly about me leaving anything out, feel free to mention it in the comments.

We very happily remind you that Cristen Michael has created an interactive calendar that is way more comprehensive than this list of STUFF TO DO, and you can find it HERE. Just click on the day and the event and you’ll be whisked away to a page with more details about loads of area events.

You can find live music in and around town every night of the week. You just have to know where to look.  Keep in mind that all shows are subject to change or be cancelled at the last minute.

Here we go, roughly in order, it’s graphics for local events happening over the next couple of weeks that I was able to scrounge up online…

Continue reading

For today’s second entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide we going to shine the spotlight on a pop culture behemoth that’s in a milestone anniversary year.

Seventy-Five years ago, Charles M. Schulz introduced the world to Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang in the comic strip, Peanuts. With this being an anniverary year, there is no shortage of great merchandise that would make the perfect gift for the Peanuts fan on your shopping list.

And you know you have one, if not more.

We’re going to look at books, toys and even a road trip, but there are boatloads of great gift ideas for the Peanuts fan. This is just a list to get you started.

The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz: The Greatest Comic Strip of All Time
by Mark Evanier (Author), Charles M. Schulz (Illustrator), Patrick McDonnell (Introduction), Jean Schulz (Foreword)
Harry N. Abrams
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419784170
List Price $75. Heavy discounts available at Amazon and other booksellers.

This is one beautiful book.

This spectacular deluxe edition celebrates the 75th anniversary of Peanuts and the life, art, and legacy of Charles M. Schulz, and comes packaged with unique bonus materials.

Inside an embossed metallic slipcase, in addition to the one-of-a-kind 336-page full-color hardcover that collects more than 700 images, including Schulz’s most iconic comic strips and related ephemera, you will find tonw of extras: : 8 ready-to-frame prints, 5 vinyl stickers, 8 postcards, an iron-on patch, a full-color comic book, and more!

Award-winning author Mark Evanier provides insightful and entertaining Peanuts cultural and historical context. An introduction from Patrick McDonnell, a foreword by Jean Schulz, and appreciations and remembrances from key figures in the world of Peanuts make this book a unique milestone in Peanuts publishing.

Seventy-five years since the first Peanuts strip made its debut on October 2, 1950, the beloved comic and its iconic characters remain a touchstone for generations around the world. From cultural milestones such as NASA’s Apollo 10 lunar and command modules being named after Charlie Brown and Snoopy to the classic holiday specials that continue to draw millions of viewers, Peanuts has a lasting influence that few works of art or literature can claim. The power of these iconic characters is also evident from the popularity of modern-day animated movies and iPhone shorts, and even the Gen Z phenomenon of so-called “Snoopy Girls.”

This official book celebration of the 75th anniversary of Peanuts is produced in collaboration with Peanuts Worldwide and the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.

This epic celebration of Peanuts is a must-have for any fan, and can be ordered from any bookseller. There are some remarkably heavy discounts at places like Amazon, Costco and other big retailers, but you can also support your local bookstore and buy it from them.

Fantagraphics Peanuts Books

For the completist, Fantagraphics has reprinted every Peanuts strip, in order, in twenty-six hardback volumes. They’ve also collected just the Sunday strips, and are beginning to reprint the hardbacks as more affordable trade paperback editions. They even have some themed collections to round out your Peanuts library.

The Complete Peanuts packages the entire 50-year run of Schulz’s American classic in 26 deluxe hardcover volumes. Each volume features two successive years of strips in their entirety, plus bonus material such as celebrity introductions, interviews, and a brief biography of Schulz himself.

As they say on their website:

Peanuts — beloved characters, iconic gags, drawing that finds beauty in its economic ink line. Fantagraphics is thrilled to publish Charles M. Schulz’s glorious creation, bringing our team’s design expertise and impeccable production values to bear on the most popular comic strip of all time.

You can find full description and order these books directly from Fantagraphics.

Super 7 Peanuts

Another company paying tribute to Charles Schulz and Peanuts is Super 7.

They’ve released an extensive line of Peanuts action figures, with a focus on the more stylized 1950’s and 60’s characters from the launch of the comic strip.

They have released Peanuts figures in their 3 3/4′ ReAction line, as well as their Ultimates line other cool collectibles. In addition to the toys, they’ve released apparel and trading cards, plus some very fun blind-box ReAction figures. Particularly nice is a grab-bag with a combination of perfect stocking-stuffer gifts.

You can find these at many retailers, or order them directly from Super 7.

Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum

If your Peanuts fan giftee would enjoy a road trip, anybody living in Charleston, Cleveland, Columbus or Pittsburgh can have a great day trip to Wheeling to visit The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum.

In the basement, you will find a huge collection of Peanuts memorabilia. The display features part of a massive collection of Peanuts-related memorabilia accululated by Wheeling, West Virginia physician Dr. William Mercer over forty years of practicing pediatric medicine.

Dr. Mercer’s collection was largely assembled with patient’s gifts, beginning in 1987 after he designed a Snoopy-themed pediatric room at his practice. Over the years Dr. Mercer began doing outreach programs in schools, telling kids to be “Too Cool To Smoke” (and later vape).

We attended the opening in 2023, and produced a video, which you see at the bottom of this post. It’s an overwhelming expression of the love of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, and you can look at the exhibit for hours and keep finding new things.

The gift shop has quite a few Peanuts items too, so you can easily find a souvenir of your trip.

For the full details of when the museum is open, visit their website.

Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection (Target Exclusive, Vinyl)
SONY Legacy
Exclusively at Target
$21.99

The final season of the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things, will roll out over the next few weeks, with the first four episodes dropping the day after Thanksgiving. If you have a die-hard fan of the show on your shopping list, you can find a ton of merchandise tied in to the entire series. Both Walmart and Target have dedicated areas of the store devoted to Stranger Things, and today’s first entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a Target exclusve, the red-vinyl release of Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection.

This LP, designed to look like a 1980s vinyl radio-station sampler,is based on WSQK “The Squawk” 94.5 FM, a fictional radio station that will act as the gang’s headquarters during the final season of the show as they try to track down Vecna. The station’s design is based on a real art deco-style building in Durham, North Carolina, which is close to where the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers grew up.

It’s not the first time radio has been important in the show. Back in Season 1, the kids used the Heathkit Ham Shack in the school’s AV club to contact Eleven and find Will Byers. That shortwave radio ended up catching fire and was never seen again, but it played a key part in the early story. Now, WSQK looks set to take on that role in a much bigger way, complete with an underground bomb shelter and a proper 80s vibe.

To tie in with the new setting, Legacy Recordings has released a Target-exclusive compilation album called Stranger Things: The WSQK Collection. It’s pressed on red vinyl and features a brilliant mix of pop, punk, and new wave tracks that feel right at home in the world of Stranger Things.

Music has featured prominently on Stranger Things since the first season.  A couple of years ago, due to be included in the show, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” became a worldwide #1 smash, nearly forty years after it was originally released. This album recreates the 1980s vibe (where the show is set) with several pieces of classic period tunes:

Tiffany – I Think We’re Alone Now
The Clash – The Magnificent Seven
Queen – Bicycle Race
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
Diana Ross – Upside Down
Cheap Trick – Surrender
Altered Images – See Those Eyes
Scandal featuring Patty Smyth – The Warrior
Journey – Wheel In The Sky

It’s a strong collection that captures the spirit of the 80s and gives fans a taste of what might be coming in the final season. And it’s a great gift idea for fans of the show who also collect vinyl.

You can order it from Target, or buy it in the stores. They seem to have plenty in stock.

Eclectic Goods Market
1401 Charles Ave.Dunbar, WV
Open Wednesday-Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM

A returning favorite, Eclectic Goods Market is a unique vintage and artisan mall located in Dunbar, WV. Their many vendors display a large selection of vintage finds, antiques, home decor, jewelry, artwork, clothing, and more. You can shop their curation of small West Virginia and Appalachia owned brands 5 days a week. This place is an overlooked gem, and I can’t stress enough how many unique gift ideas you can find here.

This is a great place to find everything from FiestaWare to comic books to vintage clothing, fair-trade goods, home-made soaps, vintage toys and more. There are over 200 vendors, and you will stumble across a treasure every ten or fifteen feet.

At this time of year they also have a terrific assortment of vintage and artisan Christmas ornaments and decorations.

If you want to be a vendor, you can find details at their website, but for our purposes, I’m suggesting that you go there in person and shop.

There are some great shops filled with great gift items, like Magpies’ Treasures, Gypsy Grace Boutique and other cool, funky shops, filled to the brim with great gift ideas.

LEGO Ideas Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. – Building Set for Adults
by LEGO
Availalbe where LEGO sets are sold, usually for between $60 and $80

We are breaking the rules a little for the first entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide. The Cloudfare outage combined with an Optimum outage and doctor appointments today have scrambled the line up and have our first pick costing more than $50.

But it’s a good choice, the perfect gift for any fan of LEGO, Pixar, animation in general or pop culture. It’s a LEGO set of Luxo Jr., the iconic lamp character from Disney Pixar’s 1986 animated short film and the company’s mascot ever since.

This is a LEGO Ideas Exclusive– A fan-designed set created by the LEGO community, voted for by passionate fans and produced by the LEGO Group. It’s really cool that LEGO is willing to cater to their fans this much.

Once built you have a fully poseable recreation of Luxo Jr. An intricate, articulated design helps builders recreate Luxo Jr.’s unique bouncing, hopping, and rotating movements. This replica lamp features more articulation than many action figures.

Collectors can discover hidden references to classic Disney Pixar movies like Up, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, and Finding Nemo, buried as Easter Eggs within the pieces.

Once constructed, poseable Luxo Jr. doubles as conversation-starting office or desk decor. Your giftee can spark nostalgia with a collectible DIY kit that’s ideal for adult fans of LEGO building blocks, animation, and Disney Pixar.

Once completed, LEGO’s Luxo Jr. stands over 11 inches high with 613 pieces.

We’ve seen this at all the major retailers who carry LEGO, plus you can find it online very easily.

Lionel 7-12130 O Gauge Santa Fe Flyer Battery Operated Train Set
by Lionel
$169.99 suggested retail price.
Available from many retailers for much less

The (delayed by the CloudFare outage) second pick today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is the perfect gift for the young train enthusiast who may have outgrown Thomas, but isn’t quite ready for the complicated wiring and AC/DC conversion of a full electric train set yet.

From Lionel’s newest line of battery operated O-Gauge train comes the classic Santa Fe Flyer, complete with the classic “Warbonnet” engine, plus three cars and a caboose. This is a battery-operated set, but the cars will run on existing 2 or 3 rail O Gauge layouts too.

In addition to the train itself, the engine is Bluetooth Equipped so you can operate your train using the Lionel Cab3 APP or the included remote. The battery Powered Locomotive (Requires 4AA batteries, not included) cars and caboose look great and bring a new level of realism to the set. This set comes with a hopper, a boxcar and a tank car.  Lionel’s Battery O-Gauge trains feature a water vapor “smoke effect” which simulates the authentic look and feel of diesel exhaust, producing realistic and safe puffs of “smoke” for an immersive experience. This is water-based and does not have the traditional and offensive stank of the old “smoke pellets.”

The Remote is designed for easy use. The Remote Control requires 3AAA batteries, not included). The plastic track, which does not carry a live current, and is safe for younger kids includes 10 straight, 16 curved, 2 right interchange switches, and 2 left interchange switches, plus 1 figure 8 crossover.

Sets include an operating headlight on the engine. Battery operated O-Gauge sets also include an assortment of trackside accessories including expansion track, road signs, and trees.

This is an O Gauge set, despite being battery-operated, and the cars are compatible with traditional O Gauge sets, so you could run most Lionel cars on this set (just not the engines or powered cars).

If you shop around the online hobby shops you ought to be able to find this set for under $150. Remember to buy tons of batteries. You know some kid (or adult) will love this set.