X-Entertainment's Christmas Season & Advent Calendar, 2008.

12/17/2005: Matchbox Coal Cars, Pound Puppies & More X-Mas Crap.

EDIT: Tummi’s 2005 Christmas Jukebox is now active!

It’s Saturday! One week till Christmas Eve!

It’s been a weird holiday season. Actually, it’s kind of not been a holiday season. I’ve never been so busy in my life, and I really didn’t notice just how busy I was until December rolled around and I didn’t even have time to decorate — we still haven’t. Sure, we probably wouldn’t have anyway as we’re moving into a new apartment soon, but man, I’m so not used to not tripping over stands of Christmas lights as I head over to a table full of ceramic wind-ups. The woman is just as much of a Christmas nut as I am — it’s something I take credit for — and we’ve just kinda consigned ourselves to having a crappy Christmas season knowing that our new place will afford us the chance to go absolutely batshit with the decorations next year.

2005 Stocking Stuffer: Pound Puppies! Pound Puppies are back. They look a little different and their intestines are now full of machine parts that let them do tricks, but they’re back, dammit. It’s with some shame that I admit to have long ago adopted a Pound Puppy and treated it as all the icky girls at school treated their Cabbage Patch Kids. These new Christmasized Pound Puppy stocking stuffers, complete with loopy strings that enable you to turn ‘em into tree decorations, look more like the Pound Puppies of old than anything else currently on the market.

And now! The big list of what I’m getting everyone in my huge family for Christmas…

Niece #1: Artsy clay kit stuff. Not purchased yet.
Nephew #1: Zoo Tycoon, or whatever it’s called, for Nintendo DS.
Nephew #2: One of those Playstation 2 gift packs that features six obsolete games in a big nice box for twenty bucks. He won’t shit himself over the games, but he’ll shit himself over getting six at once, assuming he doesn’t own ‘em all already.
Nephew #3: Some LEGO junk. Not purchased yet.
Niece #2: Shit, just realized that I totally glossed over this niece. Nothing yet.
Niece #3: Anchorman and Hairspray on DVD. Don’t ask.
Nephew #4: Animal Crossing, whatever the new one is called, for Nintendo DS.
Niece #4: Pegasus Barbie doll and a set of miniature Pegasus Barbie horse figures.
Nephew #5: He’s my godson, so he gets the big one — one of those remote controlled Hummers that’s basically the size of a real Hummer.
Niece #5: My Little Pony Butterfly Island playset.
Niece #6: Pound Puppies electronic dog. I dunno, it spins and walks and stuff.
Niece #7: Furby!

Because I have so many nieces and nephews, my siblings made the rule years ago that we should only get their kids presents. One of my brothers doesn’t have any, so he wins his own — an Atari Flashback 2 system, which I also own and strongly recommend, not because the Atari games have aged well, but because the thing just looks so damn cool. Still have a few more to go, and I can’t mention certain other gifts here because of PRYING MANTIS EYES, but it’s a typically expensive holiday season. This list doesn’t factor in the other dozen gifts we have to get for the woman’s side.

2005 Stocking Stuffer: Coal Cars! From Matchbox comes the year’s coolest stocking stuffer — a package containing two lumps of plastic coal that split apart to reveal hidden Matchbox cars! Too few companies have brought the mythology of stocking coal into the limelight. We’ve had to spend the past decade living off the fumes from “Santa’s Coal” bubble gum sacks, which were adequate but not nearly as able to make people love coal as these babies are. Love ‘em to death. The split-apart coal pieces are more fun than the cars, and will double nicely as change purses for all who aren’t afraid to try new things. Best of all are all the graphics of a tricky Santa Claus on the package, winking and shushing his way into our hearts like only he can. Good going, Matchbox. You’ve learned how to rock.

This space doubles as your Saturday Night Christmas Thread.

REMINDING EDIT: Tummi’s 2005 Christmas Jukebox is now active!

Anybody remember the URL for last year’s Xmas Jukebox? My neighbors are having a Christmas party right now, and they need help. Oh Lord, how they need help…

"Oh my god, I got plastic coal for Christmas. My parents must hate me, especially all my arrests."

The words of little Marky, before he realizes the carbon-chunks are cases for sweet die-cast cars.

OK, this is it peeps. One week to CHRISTMAS LIKE CRAZY! Now that finals are done, I’m gonna have to go Ho-Ho Loco on Xmas.
Santa Claus: The Movie? Check.
He-Man Christmas Special? Check.
Miracle on 34th Street, Old Skool? Check.
Candy Canes? Crap!

Loving the updates.
I am going to share what I got for my cousins today. We are celebrating Christmas tomorrow here cause everybody is going to other families next weekend. My cousins are for the most part closer to my sons age than to my own, so they have always felt niece and nephewish.
Oh yeah, they all got DVDs.
8 yr old boy-The Origional TMNT movie from 1990
12 yr old boy-Space Balls
14 yr old girl-Say Anything
16 yr old girl- Real Genius

My 2 real nieces are gotting a bunch of My Little Pony and Barbie things. AND this absolutely awful looking VHS I picked up at Big Lots in their dollar bin called Kathie Lee’s Rockn’ Tots Cafe Rockin’ Roundup. With special appearances by Cody and Frank! My sister’s gonna kill me.

I have not had any time to read ANY of the Advent/Advert Calendars due to a busy schedule. I guess we are old men now Matt. Well, school is out and I will get caught up and cram Christmas cheer in this last week.

Hey Matt- I realize I’m just being a greedy punk here, but will we see a two-in-one catch up day for advent calendar?

I’m not sure what to think of this new "X-Entertainment" burned into the ads instead of using a holiday greeting at the beginning. On the one hand, it prevents people from ripping your ads off…but on the other, it provides a gigantic visible noise distraction that’d make Fox envious…..and do you really CARE if people rip your ads off?

I bought those Coal Cars for my nine-year old cousin for Christmas,along with some Star Wars Legos.

To go along with pound puppies they now have RESCUE PETS. They are really sad looking dogs that whimper like they were left under a bridge for three weeks in January. They made me sad, and the girls on the box were laughing at these poor dogs.

Well, I only have one nephew and he’s 1 1/2 years old, so he’s getting the Sesame Street All-Time Platinum Hits collection so he can drive his mother crazy singing "Rubber Duckie" over and over again. My brother wanted Uno cards, so I’m giving him the Uno Deluxe set that comes with a scorecard, card holder, and pencils. In my family, Uno is considered a competative sport. One sister is getting "Legend: Ulitmate Cut" on a two-disc DVD; the other is getting a new wallet (partially vinyl, so her son can chew on it). Dad’s getting new good socks. All of my girlfriends got home-made holiday CDs and my best friend got a really pretty folk-art-esque angel ornament. Mom wanted a hatbox. I finally managed to pick one up today in the North Wildwood Family Dollar after searching two large malls for one.

Woo hoo! Sweet speech there, Mare! Go get ‘em, Good Guys, Legos, animals, and all!

I’m moving in February myself. I did decorate, but I had the time (late November-early December is a slow time for grocery stores). It’s been a weird Christmas here, too. A lot of people I know who are normally more into the holiday are kind of ehh about it this year.

Is anyone else getting a load of gift cards for Christmas this year? It’s just possible that I might get enough of them to buy that Red Nintendo DS/ Mario Cart Bundle. If not I’m going to sink them in for a bunch of Player’s Choice Gamecube Games. Either way, I have no life.

8:50 here in Seattle. I’m watching The Sound Of Music on ABC. I used to absolutely hate this movie when I was a kid. My parents made me watch it whenever it was on tv. A few years ago I watched it again and, what can I say, I love it. Not exactly Christmassy, but kind of.

Have you guys sen the ABC logo in the corner of ABC shows? It’s frickin’ huge. It’s in the shape of a snowflake and takes up about 1/4 of the screen.

Thanks for the jukebox!

I started it up and my pomeranian gizmo that was sleeping on my foot went batshit when he heard the dogs barking. I was laughing so hard! He got real embarrased and hid under the bed. That was classic!

You could save them and actually use them INSTEAD of the plastic Easter eggs for Easter, and claim the Easter Bunny needed to relieve himself on the lawn.

When it’s morning and I’m less tired, I’m going to be ashamed of that comment.

Can’t hang about, as I’m going sweepy-bye, but I wanted you all to know I’m here in spirit.

Jazzy…..um……you did know that Nintendo discontinued DDR Mario Mix one month after it began producing it, right? Apparently due to some problem that needed fixing. Stores are no longer getting shipments.

Go figure that you don’t find out until AFTER your boyfriend gets put through hell and a half…

I just thought of something Matt, how are you going to make this years advert/advent calendar easily accessible after the season is over? Surely the navigation boxes aren’t staying on the top of the blog all year.

dohopoki: Well, Christmas was up for at least 6 months last year, so why not this year!

I went to that link and I’m surprised I watched as much of it as I did. I wrote a nice and long as possible comment about how I felt it sucked but then they told me I had to register so I figured I’d just say it here sucked here. It sucked.

Yeesh what an exhausting Saturday. I’m glad it’s over. I needz some major sleep. I had to work a 9 hour shift with like 1 quick break on 3 hours of sleep. I did manage to spend about $5 on scratch-off tickets and wind up getting so many free tickets and $2-$4 winners I went through like 30some tickets. But I also had to go do everyone’s Christmas shopping. Including some of my mother’s Christmas shopping for ME. *sigh*

I agree totally–those coal Matchbox cars are rad. I haven’t bought a toy car since the early-90’s Micro Machines craze; but those coal covered beauties are coming home with me!

Also as far as the watermarking on the ads, try just making them a little smaller, more towards the corner, and set the transparency to about 50%. I know some people have watermarks that’ll fade out after a couple seconds but I have no idea what sort of program you need for that. I typically just use VirtualDub.

Yeah, what a waste of bandwith. That’s two minutes of my life I’ll never get back, although I acknowledge I would have wasted it on video solitaire.

I bought myself a Christmas present. New slippers because my old ones had holes and smelled like really dirty feet. THe new ones are SPIDERMAN and they have a giant bulbous Sipdey head on the front of each. God I love that my feet are small enough for kids size slippers.

I bought myself a present today too. I spent waaay too much money on the Image Comics Hardcover Slipcase Autographed Edition, limited to 1000 copies.

Chris Martin - Ditto on watching the Sound of Music tonight. Good movie but the only way it passes as Christmassy is because ABC displays its watermark as a snowflake throughour the whole movie.

I feel bad for my boyfriend - the poor guy has been running to stores and malls every day this week, with the nearest Walmart being 30 minutes away and the nearest mall an hour away, solely for the purpose of trying to find DDR Mario Mix for me. Today he was out for at least ten solid hours, during which it never ONCE quit raining, he dropped his cell phone into a puddle of water and couldn’t call anyone, and on the way home he took the wrong exit, ended up on some country road which he hydroplaned off of (luckily he and his car are fine), and finally realized where he was when he noticed the road he grew up on, which is 30 minutes from here *in the other direction* from where he SHOULD have been coming from. He made it home safe though, and he won’t tell me whether he found the game or not (which makes me think he might have since he usually fesses up when he can’t find it).

I think he’s been going to a wee bit too much trouble though. I do really want the game, but I’d prefer my boyfriend didn’t sustain property damage and run off the road in the process of getting it.

Christmastime is a full bag of jello to me
it’s a fact that everyone gets busy
I love that i dont have to get anyone gifts, and everyone gets me stuff
my toy store is a nightmare right now
advents & adverts are a godsend
south park xmas cd (Mr Hankey’s Christmas Classics) is awesome
cookies and popcorn and candy and mistletoe galore
fesitvus, kwanzaa, hannukah, Decemberween
a time for giving, a time for Mare
Themes of Hair, Jem & Ducktales
Rankin-Bass specials, The Grinch, Charlie Brown and Garfield, different kinds of tv.
Holly stings, mistletoe sucks, people call Christmas different names
Wal*Mart, Target, KB, all those damn people!
Lotsa new Xmas music! Lots of old, crappy ones too…
Firetruck Santas and Hess Trucks under my tree!
cookies, buffalo wings, burgers & seasonal foods!
only one more week till the madness ends

I betcha there’d be a big market in just packaging the empty Matchbox Coal. We have those chinsy plastic easter eggs to fill at Easter why not carry the concept over to Christmas?

Yes, Matchbox Coal Cars rock… they deserve an applause. But screw the car, what I really want is a dozen empty coal shells to fill myself.

Has anyone gotten the Christmas Jones Sodas? Three previous flavors, but Brocolli Casserole and Pecan Pie is added. Same with the Snapples.

Did Old MacDonald or Noah merge with Playmobil this year? Tons of animals this year.

Yes, Matchbox Coal Cars rock… they deserve an applause. But screw the car, what I really want is a dozen empty coal shells to fill myself.

Seeing Pound Puppies made me excited! Im not ashamed to admit that I still sleep with the one that I got when I was about six. She had three puppies, and I still have those too after all of these years.

I am hoping my presents don’t suck, I am always worried they already have what I want to give them

Aunt’s- drink shakers that have a metal cup that rotates around and has an arrow on top and the drink that it’s pointing to it shows a recipe for the drink and I put candy in them. It’s tight, but what if they already have one? ’shrugs’

1 year old and her dad he’s 23 like me- he is getting a religious statue, it was pretty and it was 5 bucks! he is a christian (I’m not) so he will think it’s nice. And I got one of those ordaments for his daughter that says her name on it they are selling at wal-mart. it has a magnet thing so he can put her pic in it and her name medalon thing covers it. awesome.

I bought my best friend new sneaks and gold bond foot powder. HE NEEDED IT BAD. heh.

I bought one of my sisters a pretty cool green sweater and the other sister I am going to buy her dinner next month. The sister already has the sweater, she digs it!

my mom gets a raincheck too for lunch but at big lots I got a cd case for her but it has a piece of paper in it and a cheap necklace, and a poem about moms or something. THEY LOVE THAT CRAP!! 1.99!! Also at big lots when I went last they had these HUGE 2 dollar candy canes!! like three feet tall!!

I have to get this one kid somethin, he doesn’t play with toys, he just plays video games and watches tv. Word is he loves yu gi oh so I’m going to get him a comic or two maybe a cheap dvd. He enjoys Harry potter as well, and star wars. I wanna spend about 10-15 bucks. Any suggestions?? I have to get him something for christmas because THE KID LOVES ME!! I probably won’t even see him I’ll just give his dad the gift, his mom is a BITCH!! Eh, I’ll just eat top roman a couple of days so the kiddo can get somethin from me to help him out. Merry Christmas everybody!!

Cool, some Christmas jukeboxing to almost make things festive. Otherwise only my Lego Advent Calendar is the only other Christmasy thing going on in my house. (I have gotten a bunch of the non Christmasy Christmas Village decoration things, but they are currently set up as a miniature battlefield for Warhammer 40K, Star Wars Miniatures, and other games of that ilk. Cheap, pretty, and a MUCH better value than model train or actual gaming scenery.

haven’t even noticed the christmas season yet because i got my job which is on pure commission so I’m going in as much as possible for the holiday season to make a shitload of money but considering i’m still full-time in school and have to study for exams on my time off i didn’t even notice the rents put the Xmas tree. At least all the writers for my webpage are coming back from school for winter break and we actually updated for the first time in months with 12 days of christmas articles.

I really want to do an article on made for tv XMAS movies but I haven’t watched any this year to do any good reviews.

Has anyone gotten the Christmas Jones Sodas? Three previous flavors, but Brocolli Casserole and Pecan Pie is added. Same with the Snapples.

Maybe that you found the rare Regional Holiday Pack. It has those 2, plus Turkey & Gravey, Corn on the Cob and Smoked Salmon Pate.

Is it wrong that when reading the 12/16 Advent Calendar update, I got a little aroused when Mare said that she was "driping over here"?

Matt I sent you an email to your mattcaraxe account, I tried to send it to matt@x-entertainment, but it didnt work.

I had a Pound Puppies radio, it was just a puppy glued to a red radio, I dont think it ever worked. None the less I loved Pound Puppies as a child, I hope I get one in my stocking!!

Sorry to double post but I found the radio and I felt the need to share! Im quite excited, clicky the name!

Those Coal Cars are awesome. I should find some and stockpile them for years, and then give them as totally outdated and retro gifts to my Future Potential Child.
Of course, they’ll be so advanced by then that they’ll be able to put cars inside REAL lumps of coal.

Man. Hope none of Matt’s nephews and nieces stumble across this update before the big red day.

Goob there’s a set of Potter books called Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that retails for about $15 that I like to recommend to people. Money goes to charity, too

So far I’ve gotten a nice hat and matching brooch for little sis, plus a cool Hello Kitty bento box for her January bday, paperbacks to come for little bro, a snappy looking hip flask for a buddy, fancy lotion that smells like delicious candy for a girlfriend at work and a box full of assorted goodies for another friend/Secret Santa recipient. Ma is getting a practical but boring, but I still haven’t figured anything out for my BFF and time is running short.

The Jason mask are fine but I’ve always had a fear of Chucky and the Chucky emoticon is the scariest form of Chucky I’ve ever seen. Just thought I’d mention that all these months later, wouldn’t have said anything if I would have known back then they’d still be around today.

I haven’t been much in the Christmas spirit this year, but the feeling is finally beginning to kick in.

In my opinion, the best thing about the holiday season is: Perfume gift sets and testers! I have this obsession with spraying every accessable tester on my body.

Matt, I haven’t had one iota of time to do anything this morning other than a quick scan of your blog updates and download the new jukebox, which I haven’t even had a chance to do anything but scan through yet…but I HAD to say: I love you forever for putting Garfield’s Gimme song on there! I was instantly transported back to my childhood and watching that thing seventy billion times, even in July. Thank you thank you!

And Big Bad Voodoo Daddy singing the Snowmiser/Heatmiser song? I think I just exploded from holiday cheer. You are so my favorite person, ever.

Back to work I go…maybe I’ll have time to catch up on everything here at lunch. *sigh*

Mars: thanks for the info! Now that I know I feel kinda bad for him running around trying to find it, but I honestly had no idea. He did mention getting me a new controller, and SOME kind of game, so I’m not too disappointed.

As for what I’ve bought others:
The teacher and aide I work with each got $10 gift certificates to stores around here that they like. The kids got the personalized door hangers I mentioned in another thread (they were a hit, by the way).

For my mom, her big present is a pair of memory foam slippers with battery-operated massage function, because she has terrible trouble with her feet. I also got her a pair of non-fancy slippers she can get messy to her heart’s content. And I got her some earrings and bath stuff and assorted other stuff she asked for.

I can’t put what I got the boyfriend because there is an off chance he may see this, but I got him a couple of surprises. Oddly, there were a few things I was going to buy that my gut told me not to, like a plastic dashboard Jesus, a new leather belt, and a set of socket wrenches to keep in his car. Luckily I didn’t buy them, because at our early Christmas with his dad and stepmom, they gave him… a plastic dashboard Jesus, a new leather belt and a set of socket wrenches to keep in his car. He also got his diploma (which he didn’t know had come in the mail yet) in a nice fancy frame.

It’s nice to have family who are effectively in-laws, who think enough like me that we would BOTH think of buying a plastic dashboard Jesus.

Thanks Norbert: I found it at a Fareway grocery store for about $14. Didn’t buy it. I’m not that brave.

Matchbox did the same thing for Halloween, it was a 2 pack like the coal but one was a pumpkin and the other was a skull. I thought they would be Halloween themed cars but they were just regular cars. o well still cool.

Damn that’s a huge family. When it came to Christmas gatherings with my family, the largest it ever got was my Grandma and Grandpa (my Dad’s side), my Aunt and Uncle (also my Dad’s side), my cousins (yet again, my Dad’s side), my Mom and Dad, my brother, and me.

The number of people has dwindled since. My Aunt and Uncle got a divorce around the Christmas of 1999, and recently my Uncle died of liver failure (drank too damn much). Furthermore, my Grandfather died about a week before Thanksgiving 2001 (I’m surprised I didn’t mention such things when Matt asked about our worst Holiday stories, but it wasn’t so bad for me because I was away at school in a country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving on the same date). And to top it all off, my cousin’s are becoming increasingly less interested in hanging out with family, and since the only parent they have, my ex-aunt, doesn’t want anything to do with us, there’s no one to make my cousins show up. I suppose they will show since there are presents involved, but it will be with a half-assed smile and an "I’m only here for the presents." type of attitude. Christmas sucks now. X-E is going to be it’s highlight.

Kool koal! As soon as I can find ‘em, I have a brother-in-law that is getting ‘em. Many years ago, I found a real lump of coal for my Ma to give to one of her brothers. It was packaged expressivly for the purpose of giving that bad person on your list a huge surprise. And Ma had said she was getting him a big hunk of coal for his stocking. But, it turned out it was big enough to break into smaller pieces to give to all three of my uncles. She bought some ratty-looking stockings made from gunny-sack burlap. All three thought it was the funniest thing they got that Christmas.
It’s snowing here in Anadarko. OK. Kinda gloppy, but snow nonetheless.

I’m pretty much done my shopping, I’m going out tonight with my mom, to get something, I’m not sure if my girlfriend reads this. . . but perhaps, I’ve said too much. Other than what I’m doing tonight, I gotten my girlfriend a crap load of goodies.

My Mom: me, my bro and my girlfriend got her sirius radio (big stern fan), the sporster reciever and the sportster boombox and We are going to get her a nice coffee maker.

My brother: I got him the first season of smallville, 15lb medicine ball (he’s a gym head), a tshirt from threadless, and a michael myers action figure.

I still need to pick up my family pollyanna gift, I’ll be doing that tonight. And I still need to get my grandmom somthing. After that I’m done.

I don’t know because I’ve been really syked (thanks x-e) for christmas this year, but it feels like it came quick.

*sigh* I’m afraid its that time again> A dedicated mom (ie-me) has been "elected" (read:forced) to handle my daughter’s second grade class christmas party. Any suggestions on the party games throw them my way, needed by this evening so I can buy materials. Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Bloodybrilliantme, I found this site with some suggestions, they all seem easy enough. Click that name!

Well I don’t have any suggestions but from your wording I assume you’ve been elected for this before? If that’s the case then you must already have a pretty good grasp on what your doing.

Thank God for bosses going out to lunch and not being around to spy over my shoulder. Hee.

Those coal cars kick frickin’ ass. I definitely want them, but after braving Wal-Mart on Saturday I’m pretty damned determined never to leave my house again. It was hell on earth. And I’ve had all my shopping done for a week…I just needed regular stuff. And the bitchy cashier (hey, I understand, I was one too, but christ a simple "hello" doesn’t kill you, you bitch) didn’t take my 75-cent coupon off even though I told her about it, so I had to go to customer service. To get 75 cents back. After spending $85. Jesus.

I’ve been feeling pretty Scroogy today, but X-E has helped me get back into it. After a crappy Saturday shopping, yesterday I found out my grandmother has refused to do the cooking for Christmas. So, knowing my mother and my aunt, we’re fucking having popcorn and beer. And today has just plain ol’ sucked…I was late for work, the work I have to do sucks, I forgot my sweater at home so I’m freezing to death, fun stuff.

Okay, enough outta me. Matt, you should be receiving something in the mail from me today. If you don’t get it, let me know…I can’t track it, but if it doesn’t get there I’ll damn well call someone up and bitch my little heart out.

i’m being brought out of the christmas spirit by all of the drpressing christmas songs on the radio. "do they know it’s christmas time at all?" i’ll wager they do. "so this is christmas, and what have you done?" well, i’ve spent an assload of money on the people i love and i have made plans for family togetherness and cheer. i can’t save the world tonight, can i at least have a nice holiday?? Jesus, where’s "jingle bell rock" this year??

IHAQ This party will be dedicated to you, Thanks for that site! I have been sitting hre for 2 hours driking 2 glasses of wine in the process while looking for ideas! I’m off for those supplies. X-E is better than martha stewert.

i hear ya. i love the tunes for a while, but seeing as there are only like 15 standard songs, i’m sick of hearing everybody and their brother’s version of them.

amy grant and vince gill can go fuck themselves too, because they are about half of each hour’s selections on the station at work. put out ANOTHER christmas album guys, i’ve only heard the first four you did.

have you had the pleasure of the "christmas shoes" song about mommy dying, and the "dear mister jesus" about people who beat their kids????

I heard them, and they also brought me down. i understand that there are less fortunate in the world and we should remember them. but i shouldn’t have to feel guilty that i have something to celebrate this year. i thought that’s what the holidays were about!

"Christmas Shoes" was playing while I was working last week and a customer literally started crying. Then said she loved the song, but it always made her cry.

My personal cheesy favorite is the one about the two "old lovers" who meet in the grocery store and then go drink beer in a car. Who’s with me?

but yeah, i used to work with a lady that loved the "christmas shoes" (they made a whole movie out of that shit) and she also loved that "i can only imagine" song that played for awhile (non-christmas) about meeting jesus. same kind of people that like cheesy chain emails, i bet.

what about josh groban songs? they all seem to be about someone he knew that is now dead. in the tune of bad opera music.

I can’t listen to Happy Christmas on the juke box because of the video to it. Well I can listen to it because it’s John Lennon but I’m sure as fuck not thinking about Santa Clause while I am.

And now, a religious reading to bring you Holy-day cheer, *ahem!* Lights, please?

"Beware the beast man, for he is the Devil’s pawn. Alone among God’s primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother’s land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him, for he is the harbinger of death."

Big ups on the Atari Flashback 2, Matt! I got one for my brother, as well. He’s been going through rough times, so he called me when the package arrived in the mail, and I didn’t have the heart to make him wait another week to open it. He almost shit himself. I hope your brother enjoys his, too!

I’ll be getting myself the Flashback 2.0 soon, after Holiday Shopping Smackdown is over and done with. I got to try one recently at a store, and it is lightyears better than the first one. This is not only bit for bit perfect, but it has an undocumented feature: It can be hacked so you can wire-in a 2600-style cartridge port. Look it up, there are sites with instructions.

Hmmm..all the wind taken out of the sails of the story line at once…or is it??? Fascinating Matt…what have you planned??

I absolutely cannot STAND that song about the people meeting in the grocery store. Why would anyone laugh until they cried over spilling their purse? I’d grumble under my breath and pick the shit up.

I LOVE "Do They Know It’s Christmas" though, largely because it prominently features both Boy George and George Michael, and since I have arguably the gayest musical taste in history, I am absolutely thrilled by that. I always associated the song more with fruity British pop stars than with starving Africans.

I also get all giddy when I hear the Muppet version of the 12 days of Christmas, especially when it gets to Bunson and Beaker.

I feel the same way about ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’. The 2004 version sucks a duck, though.

Doug and Bob McKenzie’s ‘12 Days of Christmas’ is another favorite of mine.

Jazzy–I asked my parents for DDR Mario Mix. Not sure if I’m getting it, but I saw a box that is about the right size wrapped upstairs. I am not clever enough to move the box ever so slightly to see the name tag, but I think that it is the game. If not, its ok. I have another dance mat game already.

I graduated from college yesterday (B.A. in Communications). Bad thing–my name was the ONLY name mispronounced out of just over 600 graduates. Its not hard (Allison Lynn Venezio–Va-knee-zee-oh). My mom says the woman BARELY said my first name right? WTF?! There were Indian, Chinese, and other extremely ethnic names, and MY Italian last name was wrongly pronounced. My family was furious that their daughter was the only mispronounced name. I’m proud of my Italian heritage, but my last name should NEVER have been said wrong!

Now, I can dazzle people with stories about "Arbitron" and "Nielsen," and the "Sender-Receiver Model." I’m leaving my job on Friday b/c I just don’t like it anymore, and I am attempting to find a job in my major. I’ve been on two interviews so far–and I’l know where I stand the first week of January.

Folgers isn’t trying anymore–they keep showing the ad where "Peter" comes home from college and makes coffee. I hate to break it to the people at Folgers, but "Peter" is probably 40 years old now, and somewhere, he’s pissed that he’s not getting royalties just for coming home from college. Honestly, the ad is from at least 17-20 years old. Show a new ad already!

Good luck with that Communications degree. I graduated, like, 3 & 1/2 years ago with that very same degree and I’m still looking for work.

I just watched some old Pee-Wee episodes and then caught up on the advent. It’s an odd thing to see two cows in one day who make "moo" puns, but it’s so classy, all the same.

Hmm. That reminds me of a story…
One day my mom heard on the radio - wait, maybe she read it in the paper. I don’t remember which. Okay, regardless, one day my mom heard/read that people see a cow every day, whether on TV, or outside, or burned onto a tortilla, or something. Well, feeling even more contrary than Mary (of gardening fame), she vowed that she would see no cows that day. Then a cow walked into the house.

Actually, that’s a lie. It was a guy in a cow costume. It was some friend of my sister’s then-boyfriend who let himself in, but then again, who’s going to stand in the way of a guy in a cow costume? Certainly not I. There wasn’t any real reason he was wearing it. I think the world needs more folks who will throw convention to the wind and dress as cows.
Oh, geez, now I sound like one of those freaks who are into anthropomorphic animal costumes. Okay, let me break this down a bit: I do like cows. I do not LIKE like cows. That got gross pretty quickly.

On an unrelated note, Allison, did you seriously say that people had "extremely ethnic names?"

I’ve never seen a legoman look as footloose and fancy-free as Kuse does today.

They’re Utroms from the new TMNT line. It’s the same species of aliens that Krang is from, only he looked much cooler. And I’ve only watched the show, but these Utroms were actually good!

Does anyone else imagine Waiterbot saying in Krang’s voice "Where’s My new BODY?"

Sorry for the double post, but I just wanted to comment that Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes are perhaps my favorite Christmas food…moreso even than candy canes. I go through BOXES every year, and I horde boxes so I have some to eat for a long time..

Perhaps I’m mistaken, but doesn’t the little girl in the Lil’ Debbies commercial look a helluva lot like Sarah Michelle Geller? Naw prob not….but, maybe?

I agree with Cameron T. If I had to make an Amazon wishlist, I would have nothing but Christmas Tree Cakes on that list. Their bastard cousins, Easter Basket Cakes, are okay too, but only the Christmas Trees have the crunchy sprinkles.

What I meant Tougi, was that there were names that were more likely to have been pronounced wrong than mine. They were mostly Asian names–longer and much harder to pronounce than an Italian name. Maybe "extremely ethnic" wasn’t a great use of terms, but still, I think some last name with 17 letters in it is much harder to pronounce than a 7-letter last name. She really didn’t even say my first name right! Is Allison that hard to say?!

Ok, not really. Congrats on graduating, sorry about the name thing. I’ll try harder next time.

Allison, it could always be worse. I went to a pretty small high school; my graduating class was just under 200 people and everyone knew everyone because we’d all been going to school together forever. So you’d think our principal, who was reading our names as we went across the stage, would know who we were, or at least be able to read. Nope. 2 guys got turned into girls. Heath R. became "Heather" and Errick A. became "Erica." I never laughed so hard in my life.

At my college graduation, our speaker chose that time to spout off against Bush and the war in Iraq, obviously not realizing he was in a very Republican county and that most of the people who went to my college were local. Yeah. There was almost a riot. Good times.

Nothing like XE updates, being home for vacation right when the strike happens, and watching old school Transformers. Silly Cliffjumper, giving away his position to shoot Megatron… AND MISSING!

Yes, Nintendo Power 200th issue was in the mail! Screw you internet, I’m out of here.

Dear Christmas Season,
Your extended holiday hours are sucking the life out of me.
Love,
bitchpants

I found a Garfield Holiday dvd with the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas specials on it for 9.99 at Shopko. The packaging was Christmas themed…

I like watching the same shows every year, but it’s a special sort of feeling when you watch something you havent seen for like 15 years.

Wonder Woman, my favorite female superhero.
Xena, I admire her swordwork, and she throws a mean Frisbee.
Chyna, mainly for the grunt work, ’cause she might actually grunt while doing it.

Nicole, that was definitely two great stories in one! You’re right, things could be worse. I’m conservative so that would have made me pretty freakin angry (I live in Jersey, where liberals run the state into the ground–Jim Florio in the 1980s, the first openly gay governor, Jim McGreevey, now Jon Corzine). Thanks! You live in/near Pittsburgh, right? What college? I originally wanted to apply to Point Park University or Rowan in addition to Stockton, but Stockton was always my first choice, so I went there.

Damn MTA strike. Glad I live and work in Jersey. Matt, aren’t you off this week? IF not, how are you and other New York commuters surviving? In Philly, the SEPTA strike was crippling. Hopefully the MTA strike won’t last too long.

Rhino, I already went for two interviews and I’ll see how I did the first week of January. Both are advertising jobs. We’ll see what happens.

Weird. Today I got one of those stupid spam mails that use an actual name (usually a weird one) for the from, and it was from "Mare".

"I know it has been painful for you and me to make ends meet lately, and this
is a nice key to this headache.
We’re sitting on a lot more cash than we realized.
Just think how spendid it would be to do the fixing up.
This is a great time for us. It turns out that we can get a better loan for
our residence. I have done a lot of asking around and It’s really true.
I know I would like to also get funding.

I’ve pored over a lot of sites, and I like this one best. It responds to
the questions of leads within around 45 minutes.

tomorrow altogether: to have no library cannot English examination, eh?"
caught the scent urgent of bribe emergency Bara, the deer. Tarzan hungered
sides of on foot the frowning granite KOPJE. A moment later he was
kindergarten running through the darkness of the long, crossing straight
tunnel that led"

Allison, I’m not from the Pittsburgh area…I’m from Central NY, Syracuse area. I went to college at Oswego State University and graduated in 2004. I pretty much agreed with what the guy was saying, but a graduation speech was not the place to say it. That, and I felt bad because he was older than dirt…I guess he’d been one of Kennedy’s speech writers. He went on forever, too, even though the boos and feet-stomping were louder than he was. It was quite the experience. At least I have a story to tell my future nieces and/or nephews.

Oh, and Matt…I just got around to actually watching the past few days’ worth of Advert commercials, and I’d like you to know that the champagne one gave me an aneurism. Well worth it, though. And that kid from the Burger King commercial looks like a Culkin. But I doubt he is.

yeah, i just watched the BK one for the first time too. who in the HELL would want a doll like that? but i do remember at one time there was a ronald mcdonald doll similar to that thing. i tried to look it up, but all i can find is this creepy beanbag thing with a plastic head. not what im lookin for.

when i was little Hardee’s would always have a set of themed stuffed animals at christmas time. one year it was shirt tales, one year mickey’s christmas carol, etc. my dad would eat a shitload of fast food and make sure he got them all for our stockings.

You just brought back memories from 1 and a 1/2 years ago. I too was a communcation major, graduated 04′. Good luck getting a job. I live in Philly and I went to every radio and tv station and couldn’t get one. Right now, (literally, right now) I’m working an office crap job. I’m always looking though. Good luck.

Ugh, don’t talk about graduating. It’s recently occurred to me that I’ll be done in May, and I am not sure what I’m going to do after that. Finally getting my BA–in Applied Sociology. What the hell was I thinking?! Looks like it’s time to start looking for Masters programs. If I ever want to make over $15,000 a year, that is.

I have a small question. Why are women such pains in the asses sometimes? No offense to those who aren’t but…

I have no idea what to get my girlfriend. Not that I don’t know her, but she buys everything she wants herself, so it doesn’t leave me with alot of choices. When I ask, she get irritated that I haven’t noticed the "hints". SO I ask her for a list, she says "what’s the point? If I give you a list, I already know what I’m getting…Just pick something and surprise me…" Then you know what? You get a Transformer. How’s that for a surprise….?

I got my pops a printer (his old one is slow as hell, and chews the paper when in the tray at the bottom…?!?!?!?….yeah, I have no idea either. I also bought him a Dell Axim. HE wants a PDA and a MP3 player, so I think that will do.

For my mom, between me and my pops, we bought here an LCD for her bedroom and a DVD/burner player and VCR. I know, very 80’s, but she like to tape her novelas and has a bunch of old ones on VHS.

We could have got her a Tivo, but considering this is the same woman who calls me every week to ask me how to attach an document in Outlook, we figured the DVD burner and VCR would be the least aggravating for everyone involved.

I gave my middle brother a car about 6 months ago, which he now wants to sell, so he gets the opportunity to kiss my ass. Maybe I’ll get him something…

Yup, I’m a touch bitter today. Considering I have to figure out how to get to my train later this evening, my girlfriend being ZERO help, and the fact I’ve had almost no sleep in 3 days, I could be worse. Thank God the Advent calendar is so damn funny.

Allison I’m off this week so I don’t have to put up with the nonsense in the city, but I’m sure it’s bad, I know TRU in midtown was PACKED yesterday… most likely because everyone was hitting it before the strike hit.

Matt, I picked up a Stinkor mini-statue at Sam Goody today in the mall. They’re the same scale as the MOTU figures and by the same guys who made them. I knew you were a fan of el stinkola so I thought I’d pass the news along. They had a few more left when I went today.

PS. They had Grizzlor and Clamp Champ too, but I passed on them for budget reasons.

Ohhh, ok Nicole. There are so many people from NY, NJ, and Pennsylvania on here that its hard to keep track. Older than dirt. That’s great.

Geoffinsanity, I’m working at a crappy office job. But, I’m leaving it on Friday after 7 (?!) weeks. I’m not digging it, and I’ve been able to land some interviews. I should know where I stand with both the first week of January. Keep looking–I know I am. Also, since you live in Philly, did you try my old internship stomping grounds, CBS-3/KYW-TV over in Independence Mall? What a great place to work! the people were great! You could probably get a P.A. job, but the hours are crazy. I was a production intern–I worked normal hours (9-5). I chose my schedule. The reason I didn’t try to pursue a job there is distance–I live at the shore, 90 minutes away. The prospect of sitting on a train at 1 am doesn’t sit right with me. Not sure if they’re hiring. Send you resume. And if someone calls you, and his name is Jeff, tell him you know Allison Venezio, the Yankees fan. He may remember me.

Whatever happened to the Pound Puppy Christmas Record? I can’t find it anywhere…

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