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Sheriff
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Well it seems like the holiday season is already on us. Anybody getting (or hoping to get) or giving anything good for the holiday of your choosing this year? What's the "in" toy for your kids this year? Is it all about video games?
Random thoughts:
- XBox rules! Why would you want to get yourself or your kid a PS2 when the XBox is clearly superior?
- Women are hard to shop for. This is of course self-evident and probably doesn't require further elaboration.
- One of the best gifts you could give is the gift of Tivo. Even better would be the gift of DirecTV with built-in Tivo.
- Cats and Christmas Trees. Not always a good combination.
- Cats and freshly wrapped presents under a Christmas Tree. See above.
- Santa Claus, particularly Mall Santa Claus, often tends to frighten small children. This is one of those little spectator sports that almost makes shopping at the malls this time of year bearable.
- After this year, the VCR will be officially dead for any purpose other than to record things off of TV. They're practically giving away DVD players this year. And if you paid attention to my earlier advice and gotten yourself a Tivo you wouldn't need that VCR for anything.
- Kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, and the like are not appropriate holiday gifts for your wife/girlfriend.
- Consumer electronics and power tool are always appropriate gifts for your husband/boyfriend.
- What the hell is an "Auld Lang Syne"? Is that some kind of fifties-era General Motors vehicle or something?
- Santa's Reindeer would neither taste good smoked nor sauteed in butter and garlic. Thems North Pole deer are just a bit too gamy.
 
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Another random thought...
Every year on Christmas eve, we leave the traditional cookies & milk for Santa, but we add some carrots for the reindeer. (The cool looking ones with the greens still attached.) On Christmas morning, the kids go into the front yard and see the "carrot stubs" that the reindeer have eaten from! They get a kick out of it! (Ok - they did when they were smaller...) My $.02...
 
Ranch Hand
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We used to leave cheese for Santa Mouse!! Anyone else read the book? You had to look in the tree for a yellow ribbon and it would have a small present tied to it??!! Anyone??
 
Jason Menard
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So did Santa bring anybody anything that was particularly cool this year? One of those Segways perhaps?
 
Desperado
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It brought me a new abode. (not to be confused with adobe) Just because I'm hispanic doesn't mean I was born in an old adobe hacienda! (That was Speedy Gonzalez - Pat Boone, last century)
I am back to complete privacy now. I was living for almost 3 years in a guest house in a big home (with independent entrance of course) but that was after two years of unemployment. And I thank the Cosmic Hosts for putting me in contact with the realtor. Or you can replace "Cosmic Hosts" with The Palm Beach Post classified. Not easy to find a place in those circumstances.
Now the house was sold and the owners left and so did I. To this new abode.
ANd it's ALL BETTER. Great Christmas gift for me!
 
Gail Schlentz
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Tony, your story reminds me of ours, 6 years ago. We were purchasing our first home, and were struggling with inept / greedy realtors. We were told we'd be in by Thanksgiving, then one more week, etc, etc, until it was one week before Christmas, and were were still haggling, despite our threats to the realtors that we would walk away if we weren't in in time to set up Christmas for the kids, and host the Christmas bash for all of our relatives.
My husband decided to go to the house & talk to the owners directly, and they turned out to be the nicest people possible. They had already planned to be out that weekend, and arranged for us to "rent" the house (free of charge) until sometime in January when the red tape was resolved.
Long story short: we moved in 2 days before Christmas. It was hectic, but we unpacked everything in those 2 days!
I hope to never move again, but if we do, I plan to do it 2 days before Christmas!
 
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Originally posted by Jason Menard:
Well it seems like the holiday season is already on us. Anybody getting (or hoping to get) or giving anything good for the holiday of your choosing this year? What's the "in" toy for your kids this year? Is it all about video games?
Random thoughts:
- XBox rules! Why would you want to get yourself or your kid a PS2 when the XBox is clearly superior?


Ach no Jason! Do I have to disagree with you on everything?!?
Ive owned both an XBox and a PS2, and I prefer the PS2 (I sold off the XBox). Youre right, the XBox is the most advanced piece of kit out there, and XBox Live sounds like a lot of fun. If only Microsoft would see sense and bundle in PVR TiVo like functionality. Its got a Hard Drive already. If this were the case I think the Xbox would definitely sell a lot more.
But ultimately, hardware does not sell the console. The Xbox is great, but wheres the games. When I owned my XBox back in October there was Halo and errr... Halo? Ok theres Splinter Cell now but that means the list of triple AAA titles is Halo, Splinter Cell and errr... Halo?
On the PS2 you have Metal Gear Solid 2, Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto 3: Vice City, Ico, Final Fantasy X, quite a few more!
Phew. I was waiting for a Games thread to arrive in Miscellaneous Drivel, sure makes for more interesting reading than the usual country bashing nonsense. Its also a sad reflection on myself, as I should be out working on my Java rather than playing games! Ho hum


- Women are hard to shop for. This is of course self-evident and probably doesn't require further elaboration.


And that is why we have Bath and Body Works, and the Body Shop. Gifts for the casual male shopper who should know better


- Cats and Christmas Trees. Not always a good combination.
- Cats and freshly wrapped presents under a Christmas Tree. See above.


How about:
- Cat with a 10 month year old baby in hot pursuit, in a collision course with a Christmas Tree and freshly wrapped presents?
I had the chance to observe this scenario quite recently


- After this year, the VCR will be officially dead for any purpose other than to record things off of TV. They're practically giving away DVD players this year. And if you paid attention to my earlier advice and gotten yourself a Tivo you wouldn't need that VCR for anything.


Yeah, Best Buy were selling them starting at $84 bucks. A PS2 or XBox is better value though, youre getting a games console thrown in for less than $100 bucks more.
Its also interesting to note that a *lot* of DVDs were exchanged as Xmas presents this year, 'round our way.


- Kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, and the like are not appropriate holiday gifts for your wife/girlfriend.


- And neither apparently is perfume. To the casual male shopper, it seems like the easiest present to get. Alas the female is a fickle creature and the wrong fragrance will earn you a spot in the dog house.
Fortunately I didnt make that mistake this year. Ive had that drilled into me too many times


- What the hell is an "Auld Lang Syne"? Is that some kind of fifties-era General Motors vehicle or something?


Im Scottish and heck, I dont know what Auld Lang Syne is. Just that its old and is sung at weddings and New Year.
Mark
 
Don't get me started about those stupid light bulbs.
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