It’s not even October yet, but plenty of collectors already have the holidays on their mind. We can blame Topps for that, as the 2026 Topps Holiday Baseball set is scheduled for release on October 21.
So, what’s included in this festive set? I’m glad you asked, and I’ve pulled some details of this release from two different places. One is from Topps’ official product listing, and another one is a checklist rundown from Checklist Insider. This gives us plenty to work with regarding what’s inside each format, what’s new this year, and which boxes have already sold out during Topps’ presale.
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What We Know About 2026 Topps Holiday Baseball So Far
As mentioned above, the big date for this release is October 21. But it’s worth noting that presale orders opened on September 21, and many collectors didn’t waste any time claiming these cards once they’re officially available.
At the time of writing, Topps’ website showed that the Mega Box and Tin are sold out, along with every sealed case option. The only option still available right now is the Advent Calendar.
This release starts with a 200-card base set that mixes established vets with this year’s rookie class. As noted by Checklist Insider, the standard flagship border will be swapped for garland, striped ribbon, and ornaments to help us get into the holiday spirit. There’s also a Chrome version of the entire base lineup that includes Refractor parallels, plus 100 Holiday Image Variations.
There are no surprises regarding pricing, either: $29.99 for a Mega Box, $44.99 for a Tin, and $59.99 for an Advent Calendar.
Gingerbread, Snow Days, and a Sneaky Little Elf
Topps is debuting two parallels this year: Metallic Gingerbread Man and Snow Days. I haven’t seen pictures of either yet, but they both sound pretty cool.
Hidden Elf is back, which is essentially a Where’s Waldo? for collectors. Each card looks like a normal base design until you spot a tiny elf stashed somewhere in the frame, and he moves to a different spot on every version.
Die-Cut Ornament and Oversized Die-Cut Ornament cards lean fully into the decoration theme, and ‘Making the NICE List!’ returns to showcase a player’s top single-season stat line. From what I can see on Checklist Insider, all the usual suspects are included in this subset, like Kyle Schwarber, Cal Raleigh, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, José Ramirez, Julio Rodriguez, and more.
Mega Box, Tin, or Advent Calendar?
Here’s how each format breaks down, based on Topps’ official product details:
- Mega Box ($29.99): 10 packs of 10 cards, one autograph, relic, or Chrome base card per box.
- Tin ($44.99): 59 cards per tin, 3 tins per box, with six exclusive Holiday Lights parallels per tin.
- Advent Calendar ($59.99): 24 packs of five cards per box with two exclusive Chrome Plaid parallels.
The Advent Calendar seems like a great experience. Sure, it’s the only one still available for presale, but 24 packs means one rip per day between December 1 and Christmas Eve (if you can wait that long). That’s something fun to look forward to each day.
Autographs, Relics, and a Missing Signer List
Hits round out the product with Chrome Autos, Holiday Relics, and Holiday Faux Relics. The catch is that Topps hasn’t revealed the autograph signers yet, as Checklist Insider noted, so that specific detail is still officially up in the air.
This matters when it comes to managing expectations. The Mega Box’s guaranteed slot could be a signature, a swatch, or a Chrome base card. That’s still a reasonable gamble for $29.99, but don’t go in expecting the moon in every box.
Even so, few releases are as purely fun and seemingly unserious as this one. It’s a set built for gift-giving, spreading the hobby to new collectors, and hunting for elves on cardboard.
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