Bond 50

Given that this year sees Bond celebrate his 50th anniversary onscreen, it almost seems rude not to buy the Blu-ray box-set of all his adventures. With Skyfall making the spy more loved than ever, chances are that someone you know will be wishing for this to turn up under the tree this year, especially given the new transfers and freshly uncovered extras from the Bond archives. Declassified and thoroughly classy stuff, in other words. More information

Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection

If you'd rather find something suspenseful, this collection of Hitchcock's most lauded works is the one for you. The fourteen films here include nailed-on classics like Vertigo and Rear Window, as well as fascinating but lesser-known offerings like Shadow Of A Doubt and Topaz. The assembled extras also provide a handy masterclass in how to make films like Hitchcock, which could be perfect for the budding filmmaker in your life. More information

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures

Apparently it's possible not to love Indiana Jones, but science has yet to uncover an example of anyone who doesn't care for the adventures of the swashbuckling archaeologist – and it's even better looking in high-definition Blu-ray. Spielberg personally oversaw the transfer of picture and sound for this box set, and the result is a better-looking Indy than you've ever seen before, with new extras to boot. The only people who might have cause to complain are the ophidiophobics – but there aren't really that many snakes. More information

Harry Potter Wizard's Collection Box Set

When you absolutely, positively must have every scrap of Harry Potter extra content in the world, accept no substitutes. Eight films, 31 discs, 37 hours of special features, ten hours of which are new-to-disc content, four of which are never-before-seen…the numbers are impressive. And for those of us who like shiny trinkets, this box also contains a Horcrux locket and map of Hogwarts, replicas of the film props. More information

Game of Thrones

Winter is coming – so you'll be wanting a good box-set to curl up with instead of going outside. But inevitable (and very bad) jokes aside, this is probably the most talked-about show of the last couple of years, and you owe it to your friends and family to make sure that they're caught up on Season One before Season Two hits home entertainment in the next few months, and Season Three starts up on HBO and Sky Atlantic early next year. Bloody, sexy and thoroughly engrossing, this is not just the best fantasy series ever made (not a high standard) but one of the best shows currently on TV. More information

Battlestar Galactica Blu-ray

This is not your father's Battlestar. The 2005 Ronald D. Moore reboot was one of the most exciting, daring and mind-bending shows in sci-fi history, and it's now out in shining Blu-ray format to make us fall in love all over again. The story of a war between humankind and the robotic Cylons, this focuses on a refugee fleet that's searching for the semi-mythical world of Earth.A dysfunctional cast of characters and the creeping paranoia that follows the discovery that, in an oft-quoted line, "the Cylons look like us now", this remains essential viewing. More information

The Newsroom

A new Aaron Sorkin TV series is always cause for celebration, and The Newsroom sees the West Wing creator tackle the current state of news media. It's a subject ripe for discussion, and while the first few episodes met a mixed response the series hit its stride later on and looks set for great things in its second season next year. Jeff Daniels stars as the irascible anchor trying to revive his show after a slight meltdown, with Emily Mortimer as his idealistic producer (and ex-girlfriend). If a member of your family is still suffering West Wing withdrawal, this could be the answer (and if you don't have the complete West Wing box-set yet, get that sorted immediately. More information

The Dark Knight Trilogy

Christopher Nolan's tenure in charge of Batman may have finished, but he's left behind a trio of Bat-films to be proud of, and at last they're all here on Blu-ray. As you'd expect from a filmmaker as meticulous as Nolan, the transfers are gorgeous and the extras are plentiful. More important, giving this to your nearest and dearest ensures that you can spend a whole day of the Christmas holidays on a Bat-marathon (Batathon?), revelling in the whole lot. More information

The Masters Of Cinema Collection

A veritable trove of movie treasures, the Masters Of Cinema collection is tailor-made for Christmas gifting purposes. You could buy all of them and build a wall of movie classics around the tree OR you can pick from a selection that spans directors from Lubitsch, Passolini and Murnau to Ozu, Coppola and McG. Wait... not McG. MIZOGUCHI. Typo. Anyway, there's a wonderful cross section of movie greats to choose from. Old Grandpa Empire is getting a double helping of Fritz Lang and a side order of Orson Welles' Touch Of Evil. More information

Avengers Box Set

Much as we adored the film, we're not sure we would unreservedly recommend the Avengers Blu-ray, since we suspect there'll be a Special Edition sometime soon with more extras (although if you can't wait, we understand). But this would work for anyone transformed into a Marvel fan by that box-office behemoth: it has both Iron Man films to date, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Avengers Assemble to give you the complete Marvel story arc to date. There's still time to catch up on the story so far, and get ready for Phase 2 of the grand masterplan. More information

Friends

It's hard to believe Friends is nearly 20 years old now but it remains one of the best sitcoms ever to grace our screens (and the sole reason Comedy Central seems to exist). What better way to relive all ten seasons of this magnificent show, though, than with this complete series box set that not only runs the entire show from start to finish but, being the all-new- blu-ray edition, brings the laughs in glorious HD for the first time. An all but essential purchase. More information