Gallery: The Essential Ornaments for Any Self-Respecting Nerd's Tree
01elements
Some people are content to decorate their trees with more traditional trimmings of holiday festivity: white lights, candy canes, and tinsel. But if you'd like to add a little style to the boughs for your seasonal celebrations, we've assembled a collection of our favorite nerd-oriented ornaments, from Weeping Angel tree toppers to comic book origami. __[Periodic Table Cube Ornaments](http://www.etsy.com/listing/95982073/zinc-periodic-table-of-elements-cube)__ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are a lot of periodic table-themed ornaments floating around, but these have to be some of the coolest: little Lucite boxes with real-world examples of each element contained within (the radioactive ones get facsimiles, or postage-stamp photos of their namesakes). If zinc isn't your element of choice, you can find a wider selection, or make special orders, at [Elements Cubed](http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElementsCubed).
02weeping-angel
__[Weeping Angel Tree Topper](http://www.etsy.com/listing/87125621/doctor-who-weeping-angel-tree-topper)__ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Internet has seen [its](http://www.geekologie.com/2012/12/no-tardis-tree-topper-dalek-themed-chris.php) [share](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/167055467401574579/) [of](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/167055467401574575/) *Doctor Who* trees, but if you're not up for a whole themed tree, a Weeping Angel topper is a subtle and clever way to add a bit of Whovian charm. They're not super hard to make--all you really need is a [traditional tree angel](http://wibblywobbly-timeywimeystuff.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-weeping-angel-tree-topper.html), a can of stone-texture spray paint, and a few other bits and bobs; or a fashion doll and some lightweight sculpting medium, if you've got the skills to go for the full [statue effect](http://lilybet85.blogspot.com/2010/11/weeping-angel-christmas-tree-topper.html). But if you'd rather get your interdimensional assassins prefabricated, there are [folks](http://www.etsy.com/listing/87125621/doctor-who-weeping-angel-tree-topper) on [Etsy](http://www.etsy.com/listing/157942557/doctor-who-weeping-angel-christmas-tree) who will oblige.
03alien
__Alien on Vintage Glass Ball__ ------------------------------- Nothing says "holidays" like a [hostile Xenomorph lurking between the branches](http://www.etsy.com/listing/166729188/alien-on-glass-christmas-ornament ), prepared to spit acid on over-eager present-shakers. This one is wrapped around a vintage glass ball ornament, clearly waiting for a moment to strike. Who knows what'll burst out of Santa's chest come morning!
04kusudama
__[Comic-Book Kusudama Floral Ornament](http://www.etsy.com/listing/170079400/comic-book-kusudama-floral-ornament)__ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This [kusudama ornament](http://www.etsy.com/listing/170079400/comic-book-kusudama-floral-ornament) is a stealthy sort of geeky: its colorful petals are folded from pages of comic books, and the end result is a bright and beautiful floral globe that wouldn't look out of place on even the most traditional trees. If you're a craft-minded comics fan, you can also find [tutorials](http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-kusudama-flower.html) for folding your own kusudama. They take forever, but the results are lovely -- and it's a great way to get rid of extra back issues.
05clicker
__[The Littlest Clicker From *The Last of Us*](http://www.etsy.com/listing/166274229/last-of-us-clicker-christmas-ornament)__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll admit that when I went hunting for ornaments based on the amazing video game *The Last of Us*, I was thinking more along the lines of a tasteful Firefly emblem. But [this little clicker](http://www.etsy.com/listing/166274229/last-of-us-clicker-christmas-ornament) -- one of the terrifying cordyceps-infected zombies from the game -- echolocated and gnawed his horrifying way into my heart. This may not be the *prettiest* ornament on your tree, but I guarantee it'll *grow on you*. (And if not, well, you can always use him as the centerpiece of a zombie crèche.)
06glass-dice
__[Stained Glass Dice](http://www.etsy.com/listing/107205915/ornament-set-in-stained-glass)__ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that the majority of gamers are adults with jobs, there's a burgeoning market for nerdy decor with a little more polish, from [Geek Chic](http://geekchichq.com/)'s spectacular dining-room-cum-gaming tables to the gorgeous stained glass dice ornaments of [Dicey Decor](http://www.etsy.com/shop/DiceyDecor). While you can't roll 'em for initiative, they hit the perfect balance of geeky charm and grown-up style.
07science-heroes
__[Heroes of Science](http://www.etsy.com/listing/63502884/heroes-of-science-non-denominational)__ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For scientific decor that skews a little more biographical, check out [eavesmade](http://www.etsy.com/shop/eavesmade)'s 21-scientist Heroes of Science ornament set, which features laser-cut wood portraits of luminaries from Copernicus to Sagan. $110 may seem like a steep price for a set of holiday ornaments, but at just over five bucks a scientist, it's actually a pretty sweet deal. For folks only looking for a few favorites, the Heroes of Science are also sold in sets of six ([choose your own](http://www.etsy.com/listing/63304691/heroes-of-science-non-denominational) or [ladies only](http://www.etsy.com/listing/62922839/women-heroes-of-science-ornaments-set-of)), and [individually.](http://www.etsy.com/listing/85150772/heroes-of-science-individual-ornament)
08superman-quilt
__[Quilted Fabric Superman Ornament](http://www.etsy.com/listing/109027266/superman-quilted-folded-fabric-ornament)__ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like your geekery with a bucolic edge, check out this quilted Superman ornament that's more Smallville than Metropolis. I've seen others in this style, too, but Superman seems like the best fit--you just *know* Ma Kent has made him dozens of these for the tree at the Fortress of Solitude: "Clark, I know I made you one last year, too, but it's *such* a big tree, and I was worried it might look bare, and you always loved the bright colors on the one at home..."
09pentakis-dodecahedron
Sonobe Origami Ornaments ------------------------ [Sonobe units](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonobe) are one of the coolest tools in mathematical [modular origami](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_origami)--one simple unit, replicated and rotated, can build a staggering range of complex polyhedra, most of which look *awesome* as ornaments. This Pentakis dodecahedron is pretty complicated, but the [Math Craft blog](http://mathcraft.wonderhowto.com/how-to/) has a tutorials for [all](http://mathcraft.wonderhowto.com/how-to/modular-origami-make-cube-octahedron-icosahedron-from-sonobe-units-0131460/) [sorts](http://mathcraft.wonderhowto.com/how-to/modular-origami-make-truncated-icosahedron-pentakis-dodecahedron-more-0131528/) of Sonobe-based constructions, along with a ton of other cool holiday-hackable math crafts.
10LEDtree
__[3-D LED Christmas Tree Kit](http://www.apogeekits.com/3-d_tree.htm)__ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hey, forget ornaments for a second -- what's better than a home-soldered LED *tree*? You'll need some basic soldering skills, but otherwise, this is a really simple kit. It's a great first project for younger electronics enthusiasts (with adult supervision, natch) -- a friend of mine recently made one with her 9-year-old. Got ornament suggestions of your own? Leave your ideas in the comments.
