The Bazaar #109: Christmas Grab Bag 2026
INTRODUCTION
Once again, the Palladium Books Christmas Grab Bag is upon us, and once again, I completely missed the fact it was dropping! I mean, at this point, how? I mean, I know this is something that comes out, typically right after Halloween, and yet I still get caught by the announcement completely unaware that it was coming. I mean, there’s a lot of other things going on with Palladium, such as the Glitter Boy Codex Backerkit Campaign and TMNT sale, but really? To miss it completely to the point the Palladium Books weekly release takes you completely by surprise? Again?
Still very much a fan favorite, Kevin and his gang of elves get together and spread the season’s joy by extending this decades-long tradition now. The value and personalization of the experience is something fans keep coming back for, myself included. I’ve posted on these Grab Bags for several years now, this one now being number six? Regardless, it’s a fantastic way to get into the hobby, a great way to collect some value from Palladium Books, and a great gift for those already into the Palladium Books Megaverse. So let’s look at the Grab Bag this year?
THE GRAB BAG
New Form. I think one of thei first things I noticed was the new web form. Gone is the (very, very…..) long column of text on the right column with the list of suggestions. The web order form for the Christmas Grab Bag is much cleaner, better presented. So where did that massive block of text go? Well, as much of an annoyance that it was, I know some were keen to look at the list for ideas. Well, fear not, it’s still there in the form of a link that opens a new page, reformatted to fit onto three pages, in classic two-column text presentation. Unfortunately, they remain a bit if a jumbled string of entries that would look a heck of a lot better as a table, or a list.
Download the Details (The Fine Print). Looking at the 3-page PDF, there’s a lot of data to absorb. Once your eyes have stopped tearing up/focused back to normal, there are a few notable options and points that bear some attention:
Ideas for Special Wants. The vast majority of the text is relegated to providing specific details on each game system and certain special books available. I’d recommend scribbling notes as you read through to isolate anything specific you may want to order; ensure you also mark the quoted value next to it (e.g. hardcover edition of game ‘X,’ ‘Y,’ or ‘Z’ are worth $50 or $60 against the total). For items without a value, assume the MSRP or cover price from the website (check to see if currently on sale).
Original Art. Something of note is the new limitation on original art. As this is mostly done with digital tools, any original sketches and whatnot are likely gone, or being held on by Palladium Books. I’m glad I was able to request some of the original art I had over the previous Grab Bags!
TMNT. This is something of a critique that I wonder about. Currently the line is on sale at discounts that nearly match those presented by the Grab Bag. For those looking to get into the TMNT product line, some of the more difficult to get versions (Black and White, Special Covers, Green Foil) are available by ‘lottery consideration’ and if chosen, likely the only thing within the Grab Bag. Or, you could add on to your purchase of the Grab Bag by simply going to the PB webstore and adding them to your order….
What’s In It? Well, duh? For the bargain purchase price of $62, you get $105 in product. If you’ve never ordered anything from Palladium Books, this is an annual treat I heartily recommend for any new and returning GM or Player to get in on. This goes doubly so for anyone in Continental United States; shipping dosage or reality for non-US folks later. You won’t know until you crack it open, and there is some child-like glee in an otherwise typically adult experience. Of note, these are not limited to books either!
Artwork Prints (more than 20 unsigned options)
Mouse Pads (color)
Greeting Cards
T-Shirts
Rifts Resin Miniatures
Rifts Metal Miniatures (1990s)
Placing Your Order/Payment. Something that does creep up into online discussion sometimes, the payment is typically reserved to credit card sales; most major cards are likely accepted. Specifically, though, no to debit cards and gift cards. Outside of that, give them a call to see what’s what. They provide the phone number.
Palladium Books Phone Number: 734-721-2900
WISH LIST
Let’s get to brass tacks! You have a list of items you WANT to order? Place them, in order of preference. If it’s typically something you can order in the Online Store [INSERT LINK] then chances are it’s available. Place them in order of preference. The request is limited to product already in print, so don’t waste your time ordering TMNT and others not yet at the printer; they handily point out which. The specifics of the form, and some things to think about:
Request List. Basically, where you can copy-paste your request. Remember, place them in order of preference! Simply type this up in Word (or similar) and copy it into the field. I suggest something similar to the following:
Multiple Grab Bags. Not unheard of, and definitely worth the time and effort for those in the Continental US due to hyper-favorable shipping rates. Multiple Grab Bags should have separate request lists, or you risk doubling up on titles. Does PB handle each request discretely (one at a time) or holistically by order? Unknown, but do yourself the favor and provide a unique list for each Grab Bag requested.
Autographs. This is just a checkmark (Yes or No) and entirely up to you.
Note: this is the best way to get your books somewhat personalized.
Never Played and Want to Try. Essentially a sort of ‘off-ramp’ that allows Kevin and his elves to consider tossing in something ‘extra’ with the books/products you wanted. There’s no guarantee this will be part of it. That said, I’ve seen enough times where the option was something that fit very well with the top 3-4 choices I listed.
Favorite Game. Just type in your preferred Palladium Books game.
Note: The “Palladium or not” element is certainly a new addition
T-Shirt. Either No, or a Yes with identified size (Small to 2XL)
Swag. A new option that defines some of the lesser-known items, such as bookmarks, cards, mousepads and other such items. This is just a binary (Yes or No) entry; entirely up to you.
Art Prints. A new option that defines one of the lesser-known choices available.
Note: I’ve specifically requested Art Prints in the past and have thoroughly enjoyed each item. Remember the previous restrictions, this is likely now restricted to Kevin’s Dragon Head sketch or the Art Prints.
Comments/Suggestions. Just a text box for you to enter whatever you would like. I can attest that Kevin and crew do certainly read and appreciate the positive commentary. I’d certainly appreciate a shout out, just to demonstrate some love for the blog (e.g. Scholarly Adventures Rifts Blog sent me here; or GM Field Guide #4 helped me refine my Wish List). No pressure, really. LOL
Note: As always, Kevin and his ‘elves’ may augment the order with some additional items not on the list. Typically, this means the occasional Rifts, art books or prints, card deck, bookmarks, or some other item. Always a fun little add-on.
Refine Request to Needs/Wants. For more targeted selections based on where you are looking to adventure, I developed a blog post to assist. With nearly 100 books just for Rifts alone, choosing the right ones to start can be daunting. The suggestions at the link below simply help refine what I would consider Required, Recommended or Optional, based on where you are adventuring and what you hope to accomplish. Each title also links to a book review, providing a preview of what they contain.
ANCILLARY ISSUES
International Shipping. This is really a bugbear for many, and typically the tipping point for whether someone orders directly from Palladium Books or not. There’s no sugarcoating the rampant craziness with international shipping. I’ll be honest, there have been several deals Palladium Books has offered that I simply passed on at the time because the shipping was as much or more than the books ordered. Add in conversion rate and things got crazy. This deal, however, allows us to get closer to a break-even point that makes it worth it. For Canadians, it comes out to paying for the Canadian sticker price for the books without paying taxes. It’s not as good a deal as our American neighbours may be getting, but certainly in the realm of acceptable.
Am I Ordering? In case you were wondering, YES, I will be! Given personal finances and whatnot, I will probably limit myself to the single Grab Bag this year. I still have several books missing from a few of the games, and there are always some of the more esoteric options that draw some interest.
CONCLUSION
The draw of the Grab Bag is relatively self-explanatory for any fan of the Palladium books RPGs, or anyone just dipping their toes into the Megaverse. The value for what you order is tremendous. Of particular value for a new GM looking for a starting package or to get a big inject into their library to expand their campaign, I always recommend this package, every year. And if you include as much explaining this situation in your Comments of the request, I’m positive this will pique Kevin’s interest.
For Continental United States, shipping costs are negligible, making this a no-brainer for anyone who can afford to. For overseas/international customers (like myself here in Canada), it comes closer to a zero-sum whereby you are saving on conversion cost to MSRP and tax (or close to it).As a gift idea for someone (or yourself, come on – treat yourself!), this has a certain added tangible element.
While I appreciate the change of placing the “laundry list” into a separate document, it still suffers from a Palladium Books “ism” they seem unable to break from. The bullet points lead the read to a paragraph which is a string of entries, one after the next, which turns the paragraph into a jumbled block of text. I’ve long advocated they start presenting things in cleaner list or tabular form to keep things easy on the eye, allowing a much easier and pleasurable reading experience.
So, once again we approach the Christmas season, and we have a great gift idea for yourself or someone you know that appreciates quality RPG gaming material. The Christmas Grab Bag certainly can provide that festive, holiday spirit. Something of an annual tradition now, I don’t plan on skipping this year, despite recently backing the Glitter Boy codex. So what are you waiting for? Click on the [link]Palladium Books Christmas Grab Bag and get started.
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