How Star Wars toys have changed over the years and why it may not be a good thing for kids. What if there were tons of alien civilizations elsewhere in the Milky Way but they’re all long since dead? And the Danish tradition of leaving porridge out on Christmas Eve to bribe mischievous elves.Sponsors:Skillshare, get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke BitTrust IRA, Waive your signup fee BitTrustIRA.com/kottkeLinks:Star Wars toys and Mandalorian figures aren't really for kids anymore (Polygon)How Star Wars used the Force of Fandom to create a merchandising empire (Syfy)The Milky Way is probably full of dead civilizations (Live Science)The Danish Christmas Porridge That Appeased a Vengeful 'House Elf' (Atlas Obscura)Techmeme Ride Home Podcast Kottke.OrgJackson Bird on TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.