BoingBoing has a link to one of my favorite gift suppliers, Archie McPhee.
In addition to the spinning unicorn- and ninja-themed decision folders, you can get cool magic eight balls (the ‘devil ball’ has a few dozen answers encouraging you to do whatever it is you were planning to do), the Jane Austen action figure (plus Jesus, assorted scientists and about a dozen classical composers), a Sigmund Freud bobblehead, meat-flavored air fresheners, nihilist chewing gum (‘Nihilists don’t believe in flavor.’) and lawn flamingoes.
I should also give a shout-out to the cthulu plush slippers that a commenter pointed out a while back.
Use this thread to share gift ideas great and terrible. Bad gift and regifting stories are also welcome.
***Update***
The War on Christmas based on faulty intelligence? Expect subpoenas.
Steve S
Have you tried the Jones Soda Holiday Pack?
http://www.jonessoda.com/files_new/turkey05.html
I’m intrigued by the Brussels Sprout with Prosciutto soda.
John Cole
I think I might vomit.
jcricket
What’s sad about the “WOC” (or “WOX” if you prefer) is that while we all sit here and fume that the whole premise is BS, people who listen to O’Reilly and Hannity spout this crap will use it for years to come.
To stretch the metaphor to the extreme, look at the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Debunked more than 80 years ago yet still used, effectively, by anti-semites.
I expect O’Reilly to “build” on any anecdotes (no matter how false) to buttress future claims of a war on christians by secular America. The fact that he, Malkin, Hannity, Coulter, Limbaugh, etc. are considered pretty mainstream conservative commentators is frightening.
The only good thing I see is that the leadership of the GOP shows now intentions of stopping the rightward march of their party platform. Hopefully this will effectively alienate all the moderates and independents, causing the GOP to lose elections, and lose their ability to inflict their theocracatic rules on the rest of us.
Brian
http://www.shipaturd.com/
Steve S
The goal of every red blooded American should be to trivialize, marganilize and riduculize these asshats such that the Republican leadership starts purposefully distancing themselves from them.
Those of you may not be old enough to remember, or weren’t as well informed, but back circa 1988 or so there was a tremendous fight within the Republican party after Limbaugh came out. Respected conservatives such as Buckley were not happy with the way he presented his argument. They felt it would damage the Republican image.
Instead the progrom worked, or at least so believed Limbaugh. This strengthened them, and they became ever more nasty as evidenced by the Arkansas Project of the 1990s, and the bullshit we see today.
Compare how the Republicans handle George Soros, to the way the Democrats have handled Richard Mellon-Scaife. If not for David Brock’s book, would any of us have ever known the name? Yet Scaife has given far more money to wingnut society over many more years than Soros has given to the left.
No, the war on these people who believe there is a war is an important aspect of restoring sanity to our political processes.
Brian
Just so I understand you correctly, you believe there is not a war? This is a question I asked a couple threads ago, and I never received an answer, although I was treated to plenty of mean-spirited name calling.
Bin Laden called a fatwa against us in the 90s, and we finally listened in 2001. So, I will ask again:
Is there a war?
If not, when did it end?
If there is, when should it be over, in your opinion?
BIRDZILLA
Kwuanza smuamza why should we be forced to clebrate a pagan holiday?
DougJ
TWOC, Tim, TWOC. It may eventually change to GSAC but for now it is TWOC.
Geoduck
If you’re ever in the Seattle area, a visit to Archie McPhee’s brick-and-mortar store is essential. Go there before going to the Space Needle.
jcricket
Dan Savage (yes, that Dan Savage) makes a great point about the War On Christmas.
John, I know you hate the “with us or against us” tone of a lot of blogospheric comment threads, but I simply don’t understand how we’re expected to have a meaningful discoure with people like O’Reilly (or Hannity, Malkin, Coulter, Savage, Assrocket, etc.). People who unfailingly lie when drumming up support for their arguments and are thereafter incapable of admitting their errors.
Contrast this to someone like Instapundit or Sullivan, neither of whom I like or find all that credible, but who show the ability to think critically and occasionally admit a mistake.
Steve S
Huh? You’re seriously trying to link Al Qaeda with the invented War on Christmas?
Huh? I mean, seriously… Huh?
See this is an example of how out of whack these people have become.
Or am I falling for another DougJ impersonator?
Krista
Gentlemen, do not buy your ladies more soap. We have enough soap, already.
Just a public service announcement.
Krista
A pagan holiday like…Yule? Better toss out that Christmas tree and holly, then!
Brian
Steve, what the fuck are you talking about? I assumed you were referring to terrorism, and not Xmas, and responded in kind. I am not interested in discussing Xmas. Sorry for confusing the two, so I’ll let you get back to your ever-so-serious topic….The War on Christmas.
Pb
What a shock. Incidentally, in my heathen church on Sunday, I saw such sights as a choir of gay men singing this song, as well as the entire church singing this song together. There isn’t a war on christmas, but there is a war on reason.
John Cole
Jcricket- I did not write this post.
The Other Steve
Can you please tell my girlfriend this. She thinks she needs more soap, more hand cremes and more candles. I have tried to explain that the stuff she buys is sitting in a cupboard where nobody can enjoy the delightful smells, but that does not stop the addiction.
This post is about the Xmas. And I think you also meant to attack the Steve guy. From now on I shall be known as The Other Steve.
Krista
The Other Steve – I just mentioned soap. A girl can never have too many scented candles. Sorry.
You really want to get her a good gift? Sent her to her favourite shoe store, and tell her to pick out three pairs that she really likes, and to bring you the product numbers, and that you’ll get her one of the pairs. (You still have to wrap the gift up nicely, though.) So it’s still a bit of a surprise, but one she’s guaranteed to like. And, while you’re at the shoe store, get the clerk to help you pick out a bag that goes with the shoes. Bonus points, my friend.
Bob In Pacifica
Sam Seder reported on TV that al Qaeda has been linked to Christmas. This intel has been gathered through torturing an elf. Christmas may actually have weapons of mass destruction. We have to move now.
The Other Steve
NO!!!!!! I am not going shoe shopping again with her! We’d be there all day just to find three pairs.
She likes shopping at DSW Shoes, which is kind of like a big shoe outlet store. I’m thinking gift card.
Krista
The Other Steve – Christ no, don’t go WITH her, are you on crack? That’s no fun for anybody! You’d feel bored and frustrated, and she’d feel guilty and pressured to finish up quickly. (What sex is to men, shopping is to women, evidently…)
She goes by herself, takes all damn day if she wants. Then, she picks out the three pairs that she likes, and gets the clerk to write down the product numbers and size, and she gives that to you. You then go, by yourself, pick one of the three pairs, and get the clerk to pick out a coordinating bag to go w/ the shoes.
Cedwyn
Christmakwansticekah!