Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Republicans in disarray!

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Everybody saw this coming.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

“But what about the lurkers?”

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Eh, that’s media spin. biden’s health is fine and he’s doing a good job.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Christmas Open Thread

Christmas Open Thread

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Today’s feast pictured above. It is long gone, as are our guests.

Kiddo and I are watching the Doctor Who Christmas special. The mister and dogs are snoring on the sofa between us. We’ve been watching the Who marathon off and on all day.

How was your day? Did you get any good presents? Argue with wingnut relatives? I let many dumb remarks pass in the spirit of the season.

Reader Interactions

82Comments

  5. 5.

    MikeJ

    Had you asked ahead of time, I would have guessed that I would be more excited about Clara being naked for as much of this episode as she is.

  6. 6.

    raven

    It was good to escape Falwellville without ONE word of politics. The Blacksburg kin are dyed in the wool liberals and took us to the UU for service last night. The brunch at the Hotel Roanoke was killer, I posted the menu downstream. We bolted from Roanoke @ 4:00 and got to Asheville 4 hrs later. It’ll be cold in the morning but we’ll take it easy gettin home. Peace out all youse.

  7. 7.

    Tokyokie

    I got the Criterion boxed set of 25 Zatoichi movies. Which I’m delighted to own, but I’ve got to wonder just what the market is for a set of subtitled movies, mostly in black and white, about a blind, Edo-era masseuse dispatching villains with a cane sword that carries an SRP of $225? Even less commercial appeal than the $300 Ford at Fox boxed set from a few years back.

  9. 9.

    Mike with a Mic

    steelseries sensei/QCK+/6gv2 (gaming mouse, mouse pad, and mechanical keyboard), MSI GS70 Laptop.

    http://www.msi.com/product/nb/GS70-STEALTH.html#overview

    Needed new gaming on the go stuff that’s not so over the top it looks out of place at work. Now to open it up, use IC Diamond thermal paste, install the dual 240gb ssds, and replace the mechanincal HDD with the 512gb SSD.

  11. 11.

    KyCole

    I spent Christmas Eve with my youngest daughter. I made her favorite meal and we watched All About Eve and How to Marry A Millionaire. Had breakfast with my son, his amazing wife, seven year old Christopher and my twin 3-year-old granddaughters. I was supposed to have dinner with my daughter, but they have the pukes so it has been postponed. Right now I’m watching tv with a dog on my lap + vodka. Merry Christmas!

  15. 15.

    Glocksman

    @Tokyokie:

    Criterion is still in business?

    The last Criterion collection movie I owned was on Laserdisc™

    Anyway when I collected movies, unless they were public domain, it turned out that the more obscure and unknown the movie the higher the price.

    There were exceptions of course, but by and large it held to be true.

  16. 16.

    MomSense

    Betty, I love how your dog is positioned just close enough to the food that he can dash in and grab any morsel that should fall but far enough away that he doesn’t get banished to another room. I’m thinking your dog is a pro.

    Had a great day today even though we are all running on little sleep. We spent the day eating and watching movies. The next few days we are traveling to see extended family.

  19. 19.

    Chat Noir

    Love the dogs in the pix.

    We saw “American Hustle” today. Very good and entertaining.

    Best gift was the boxed set of the tv show “China Beach.” Look forward to watching it again after all these years. One of my fav shows.

  24. 24.

    RobertDSC-Power Mac G5 Dual

    Low key. Just immediate family. No major gifts, just a gift card to GameStop. I’m playing Batman Arkham Origins which is set on Christmas Eve in Gotham City. Good times, even if this game has some flaws in it.

  25. 25.

    kindness

    Good for you Betty. I’ve been much better of late saying nothing. It doesn’t help tha stupid out there but I feel better because I don’t get dragged in on tha stupid.

  26. 26.

    Keith P

    I only get today off work, and I just hit a wall in terms of trying to get tons of stuff done for a busy x-mas. I got a request to bring some kind of dish (it *had* to be green) for a dinner I was invited to, so I just called everything off and spent the day alternating between naps and TV. This had been preceded on Monday with my dialysis clinic insisting that I pay 2 months of COBRA premiums *that* day ($1400) even though I’m not required to pay for another 5 weeks. Needless to say it’s been one of the worst x-mas I’ve ever had.
    I’m finishing the day with a martini (blue cheese olives are the best!) or two.

  27. 27.

    J.D. Rhoades

    This Christmas was overshadowed by my father’s death early Sunday morning, but we spent the day with my mom, playing Apples to Apples and going to see American Hustle. A mellow, healing day and no politics was discussed.

  28. 28.

    Southern Beale

    @Chat Noir:

    We saw “American Hustle” over the weekend. I felt like the styling upstaged the movie. I get that was part of the point – image masking reality, etc. – but I had a hard time focusing on the movie over Amy Adams’ cleavage, Jennifer Lawrence’s boufant and Christian Bale’s combover.

  30. 30.

    cckids

    Our prime rib dinner is postponed because Mom (me) came down with the pukes last night, and cooking (or smelling cooking) all day is not anything I could do.

    My spouse gave me a fabulous, coveted Le Creuset casserole in a lovely deep red color. Got a fun cocktail shaker & book from my daughter, and a wonderful piece of original art from my talented son. Happy all around.

  32. 32.

    Tokyokie

    @Glocksman: Yeah, they’re still around, and seem to be doing pretty well these days. Back in the days of Laserdisc™, they seemed to have a lot of releases for which they held the rights for an extremely short time — the CAV boxed sets of the first three Bond films and their version of John Woo’s Hard-Boiled come to mind — but nowadays they seem to be acquiring broader distribution rights (DVD and BluRay, for instance) for longer time periods, and they’ve pretty much become the premiere outlet for premium releases of nonmainstream movies. Although they lost the rights to Rebecca, Spellbound and Notorious long ago (and their versions of those titles are superior to the MGM Home Video versions that are available these days), and their version of Straw Dogs was only available for about six months.

    And I, too, have held on to a number of my Criterion Laserdiscs™. Criterion still does a great job of seeking the best elements for each of their titles, so, for example, their Laserdisc™ version of Kurosawa’s Dersu Uzala is vastly superior to Kino DVD release. I just wish Criterion would start targeting some of the Universal titles from the 1960s and 1970s. Universal has done a horrible job with home-video releases of its back catalog, and I’d love to have good copies of movies like Charley Varrick and Ulzana’s Raid. (Two more titles for which I’ve retained the Laserdiscs™.)

  35. 35.

    burnspbesq

    Excellent day all around. Santa made everyone happy, we had an delicious dinner, and now everyone is enjoying some sort of video entertainment. Piers Morgan is on with the Australian broadcast crew lamenting the abject performance by England in the Ashes, and his dismay is hugely entertaining.

    England got off to a decent start before lunch, but they’ve lost two wickets in the last 45 minutes, and they’re not scoring. If Pietersen and Bell can’t put together a 100-run-plus partnership, England may be well and truly fucked.

  36. 36.

    Roger Moore

    @Tokyokie:
    One of the big lessons of the internet is the whole business about the long tail. At $225 a pop, they only have to sell a few thousand copies to be in the million dollar range. Selling online, they can effectively reach the whole market. They only have to sell to 0.0015% of all Americans to make a million bucks.

  38. 38.

    KyCole

    I’m going to spend the rest of this Christmas watching my Criterion Four Samurai Classics- Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Its an all-nighter, because I’m blowing off work tomorrow. What are they going to do- fire me? I do payroll.

  39. 39.

    scuffletuffle

    Betty, the backsplash tiles look fantastic…was that one of your diy kitchen makeover projects? Dinner looks delish, also too.

  40. 40.

    Tokyokie

    @Roger Moore: I realize that. And I can’t imagine that the U.S. distribution rights for virtually all of the Zatoichi series cost them very much (although they apparently were not able to secure the 26th and final title — which sort of doesn’t count because it was made 16 years after the penultimate entry, so it’s pretty much an afterthought — from the American rights-holder), and a 25-film boxed set is substantial. But $225 (and I realize that few pay that price; amazon had it for $140 a week before Christmas) is still a buttload of money for a home-video title. And my understanding is that these versions are even an upgrade to the couple of releases in the series that AnimEigo had a few years back, and that company’s releases are uniformly good. So it’s not like Criterion didn’t put up some dough to mount this project. And although I love the series, I’m glad somebody gave it to me, because I would have trouble justifying the cost myself. And if I feel that way, where’s the market for this at this price point?

  41. 41.

    CaseyL

    Warmest thoughts to everyone, those who are having a good holiday and extra hugs to those who are enduring a bleak holiday season.

    I had a good day for a Christmas Orphan. I spent the afternoon at a special showing of Fiddler on the Roof – good lord I’d forgotten how long that movie is – and am now enjoying an evening of non-stop Who.

    Tomorrow the Great CaseyL Job Hunt resumes (pun intended). Yippee ki yay.

  43. 43.

    Tokyokie

    @KyCole: I gave the niece who’s a Star Wars fan a copy of The Hidden Fortress today. She was unaware that it was a major influence on Lucas. When she was really young, I hooked her on Godzilla movies. Hoping I can do the same with Kurosawa.

  44. 44.

    Tokyokie

    @The Pale Scot: I saw Rare Exports in a theater two or three years ago during the holiday season, and thought it was a hoot. As I like to say about it, it’s a Finnish movie that was shot in northern Norway, because Finland during winter apparently wasn’t sufficiently bleak. I need to get it on home video so I can make an annual Christmas ritual.

  46. 46.

    SarahT

    Hangovers, Chinese delivery and “Oy to the World” on TV around here – thanks, Sundance Channel, but why no “Blazing Saddles” ?

  53. 53.

    Huesosan

    Mostly lurker here, but feel the need to comment.

    New wife and I and my son hosted Christmas dinner for 32 today, her family and ours. Amazingly good time (mostly due to new wife’s crazy planning/prepping skillz). Even so, everyone’s gone and I’m +3 now, and might spend all of Boxing Day in various states of ruin.

    Merry Christmas everyone!!! (Or whatever your thing is – I, like John Cole, am an atheist myself…just like a good party!)

  54. 54.

    KyCole

    My vodka and I would just like to give a shout out to Toshiro Mifune. That is all. Again- Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

  56. 56.

    Mike in NC

    After company left we watched “The Lone Ranger” from the local Redbox. What a waste of 2-1/2 hours. But we knew going in that it would be an appalling stinker thanks to Jerry Bruckheimer’s involvement.

  59. 59.

    Tommy

    It was a wonderful day, although we did most of our gift giving and eating yesterday.

    My family is small. A wonderful four year old little lady and then my parents and her parents. We’re all like 40 + (my parents older clearly). So it is all about Katie.

    I have to admit we normally go with gift cards or have a budget and buy what we want and give it to each other to wrap and then give back to ourselves We find that practical. Maybe not that fun, but how we roll.

    But I got a North Face vest, that will zip into my North Face high-end jacket. I mean it could get to like -100 and I could stay alive.

    Very happy about that.

    And for Katie I got her all non-tech stuff (I am a tech nerd, her dad is a Cisco networking guy). A slinky which she though was the best thing ever. A Gyro-Top.

    Oh and this thing from Crayola that lets you create your own crayons (with adult supervision). Last night we made a “swirl” of pink and purple (her two favorite colors). Also molds where we made her rings she could wear.

    I don’t mind to say I am the FUCKING COOL UNCLE!

  60. 60.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Little Boots: Hey, Little Boots! ::waves madly at you:: If Cole would post more pictures of Sir Willie Whiskertons III (Steve), I’d be here more often!

    That’s quite the spread, Cole. You feasted well tonight. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and I wish peace to everyone in the new year.

  62. 62.

    Tokyokie

    @srv: Doesn’t Criterion show its titles through Hulu? (I like getting my hands on the hard copies, so I don’t really know.)

  64. 64.

    Tommy

    I had a game plan with my niece this year. Her family (not her parents) don’t like her to eat a lot of candy (I am totally behind this at some level). Last night my family, all six of us did most of our gift giving. I got some nice chocolate. Katie my niece (I have no kids myself) and me got into a pact together.

    Today we’d be at her grandmother’s house and there would be 40+ folks. They don’t like her eating candy.

    We agreed (so much stuff going on in her little head) that if she gave me a sign, a thumbs up, I’d find her and give her chocolate.

    Ate a little chocolate together today ….

    BTW: I had chocolate in my pocket!

  65. 65.

    Tokyokie

    @srv: Just noticed that the other day while looking at the Criterion website and happened to remember it. Happy to help, and any movie with Nakadai is a fine choice for holiday viewing.

  66. 66.

    Punchy

    @cckids: I initially read that as “a case of the pubes”, which is funnier but doesnt really reflect well on my current subconscious…

  67. 67.

    Yatsuno

    @asiangrrlMN: Ahem. That was Betty’s spread. You can tell by the drooling boxer in the background.

    Just spilled water on my bed after dropping my keyboard on the floor. And the nurse had a hard time hearing me. Fun!

  69. 69.

    mainmata

    Organized dinner with son who is finishing college very well and high school daughter and we all cooked together a great Christmas dinner. which the kids actually worked on Crazy, chaotic, lots of music and talking and the cats dashing in and out of the cold outdoors. Good food, good talking.

    Nice to always have this terrific community to talk to. Happy Holidays.

  70. 70.

    Suzanne

    @Little Boots: I MISS ASIANGRRRL!!!

    We are having our Christmas celebration tomorrow, as Spawn the Elder didn’t come home until 6 today. So now I have to wrap gifts. FEH.

    Anyway, I got what I really wanted: found out that I passed exam #6. One more! THEN I’M DONE. I really don’t know what I’m going to do with myself here once I finish. Oh what the hell am I talking about?! I will read more books, take pottery class, train for that marathon that I want to do. And get laid more. And actually take lunch breaks.

  72. 72.

    John Casey

    Very nice, small Christmas. Jane cooked a tenderloin roast, which she had never done before, and it was fabulous. Our Christmas meal from now on. And enough uncooked trimmings to make a killer beef stroganoff tomorrow, err.. today.

    Almost 4 year old granddaughter was of course the center of attention, attended by 2 grandparents, a great aunt, a mom and an aunt.

  73. 73.

    Yatsuno

    @Suzanne: I keep trying to get her flat ass back here, but she just pops in then goes. Methinks her politics burnout was more severe than I thought. Or it’s the Twitterz.

  75. 75.

    ruemara

    @J.D. Rhoades: My condolences. That’s very sad.

    Spent the day marveling at things, working on job hunting, polishing off a section of the coding class I’m doing and trying to figure out how to write an article in the manner of a sonnet.

    Not a bad day, plus my turkey breast roasted in thai chili paste was fantastic, the kabocha squash stuffed with shredded zuke and mushrooms was tasty and damn if I can’t ruin a perfectly healthy 2 ingredient cookie by spilling chips into it. Very lovely with the evening coffee. I’m going to be working out and starving until New Years.

  77. 77.

    Death Panel Truck

    Those slices of rib roast look exactly like the ones on our kitchen counter 10 hours ago. We had oyster dressing made with long grain and wild rice. It’s my grandmother’s recipe. It doesn’t really go with prime rib, but everyone in the family loves it, so I always make a double batch.

  78. 78.

    J R in WV

    We went to a friend’s house for pot luck dinner, there were 17 or 18 of us. I made a hybrid recipe of mac n cheese combined with Greek artichoke dip, it was a big hit. The house is on a high ridge, off the grid, community built after Helen’s log house burnt down behind her while she gardened. W

    After dinner, there was a present exchange game. People drew numbers from a hat, and went in order to pick a present from a big pile on the table. The current present picker could also “steal” a present from anyone who went before, and then that person could either pick another present from the pile or steal one from another person who already picked.

    This was a lot of fun. My first pick was a giant chocolate bar, which I left on the table. When Edward picked it up, I called him as a “thief” and picked another present, which turned out to be a hand-made winter ear-warmer…

    There was an angel snow globe that got picked early, then stolen repeatedly, and finally at the end gifted to the person who picked it originally, who really liked it.

    Then on the way home, I hit a pot-hole and blew up a nearly new tire, which I changed out in the dark… glad the spare had air, and the tools worked, and there was a street light (very unusual out here in the sticks!).

    Now my back hurts… whimper. It was a good Xmas evening. We’ve known all these folks for 30 years, music was played, holiday punch made with Absolute Mango flavored vodka and fruit juices…

    Aloha, everyone!

  79. 79.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @efgoldman:

    playing Apples to Apples

    A fantastic game, and if you don’t get humor from it, nothing will help that day.

    I played it for the first time yesterday. The friends who invited me to share their Christmas dinner introduced me to the game. Great fun for all, including a sharp 10-year-old girl.

  80. 80.

    kindness

    @Southern Beale: I went with my other half to see American Hustle last weekend. I thought it was well made but my other half was not at all happy. She had thought there would be comedic moments and there weren’t any. Edgy all the way through. Me? I’d have preferred to go to the new Hobbit but she hates that stuff and refuses to go, so I’ll do that one alone. I liked American Hustle but didn’t love it. Good characters, good writing, great cimemetogrophy….just a tad too dark.

  81. 81.

    Matt McIrvin

    The Doctor Who special was OK at best. I think the difference from the 50th Anniversary special was that there, Moffat was playing with the show’s entire half-century legacy, and it was glorious; whereas here he was mostly wrapping up a lot of stuff he had personally invented for the Matt Smith era, which was much less satisfying.

  82. 82.

    Tones

    Agreed, but I knew they had to let Matt go and at the same time save the franchise with the 12 new regenerations -appreciated that they mentioned 5 Doctors in that regard.

    Can’t they get Davies or Terry Nations ?
    back when Dr Who was both sci fi and not soap opera-y ?

    The new ones are fun and I will always love DW , but they lack the replay value of the old ones.

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