The festive season draws near, party preparations begin and we look forward to a new year of fighting, events and new discoveries. But what does every HEMAist want to find under the tree or tucked in their fencing socks?Time is running out for shopping, so to help you we asked our sphinxes for suggestions – from the desirable and practical, to the quirky and creative.

1. Revgear Glove Dog Deodorizer – this handy pair of bags on a length of cord slips into your gloves after training – absorbing moisture and keeping them fresh for the next session. Creative types can probably easily make their own with lavender, fabric and some silica gel.

2. Round timers – always useful in class or at sparring, make the most of your precious training time. Nice stocking fillers too. 

3. What every longswordist needs, a feder! Regenyei Armory is a popular choice. 

4. These wooden camphor balls are a great way to keep the funk out of your kit bag. Nice price too!

 

5. No wishlist would be complete without books. The Complete Renaissance Swordsman, Tom Leoni’s translation of Manciolino’s Opera Nova (1531) from Freelance Academy Press, is essential for students of Bolognese swordplay. And Dr Forgeng’s translation of Meyer’s Art of Combat is now available to buy from Purpleheart Armory.

   

6.  These are more stocking substitutes than stocking stuffers: nail this to the mantelpiece and hope Sammy Claws fills it with a case of rapiers …the rapier bag from Cavalier Attitude.

7. If you want to get, or give, what is really desired, may we suggest gift certificates from Purpleheart Armoury and SPES.

8. Newbie, inexpensive gloves for light drilling. These are actually rather fetching, and will still leave you with money to spend on your next sword.

9. On the other hand (see what we did there?) if you’re looking to spar and/or compete with longsword, Sparring Gloves are your new BFFs. Try and get them off though, so you can unwrap the rest of your presents!

10. Your first priority when it comes to protective gear is your head, the black X-change from Leon Paul got mentioned in several letters to Santa. Don’t forget back of the head protection too!

11. Your knees and shins will thank whoever got you these fabulous leg protectors.

12. Show your love of the art with beautiful HEMA-inspired Jewelry from    Ludmila Vankova-svozilova  and  Linn Granell.

13. Don’t slip up in footwork or finances in these very affordable, multi-surface  trainers.

14. The Knight Shop have a great range of Christmas deals and gifts, such as this beginners mask and waster set.

14. Draupnir Press are still setting up shop, but in the meantime you can donate to their kickstarter to restore plates from Joachim Meyer’s ‘A Foundational Description of the Art of Fencing’. In exchange you can receive all kinds of awesome goodies, while helping the HEMA community too!

15. Of course there are our very own online stores for the USA and Europe, where you can find a wealth of incredibly cool HEMA clothing and gifts.

16. Other stocking fillers we came up with: protein bars that don’t taste of tyres, hairbands, fun coloured knee socks, heat packs, ice packs, heavy thera bands and grip trainers for recovering swordswomen.