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

12/16/2006: Robopet Stocking Stuffers!

The Advent Calendar has been updated for December 16th, and I’m going to have to make this quick, because people are coming over to drink my liquor and steal things from my dresser drawers when I’m not looking. I hope you find tonight’s Saturday Night Thread pleasing, because it’s the last one before Christmas so it better be pleasing.

Found this great stocking stuffer yesterday. I’m not using it to stuff any stockings, but those who are in for treats! It’s a “Mini Robopet,” based on the much larger, much more intuitive and much more expensive giant Robopets (reptiles and robots, more correctly) littering the store aisles and always going on sale because, for whatever reason, nobody wants to buy the damn things. When miniaturized, they’re just neat, “regular” action figures, save for a wind-up mechanism that lets the creatures noisily struggle to span four inches over a hard surface.

It’s a nice “round out” gift to get a kid because, okay, let’s say you got him a Wii for Christmas. The Wii’s a pretty big gift, and it’s probably the only really “big” gift you’re gonna get the kid for one measly holiday. Throw in a $5 Mini Robopet, and he can go back to school bragging to everyone that he “got a Wii and a Robopet!” He needn’t classify his Robopet as a toy miniature, and everyone will consider him a rich ass hero!

Yes, they do sell Mini Robopets even when it’s not Christmas, but here’s how they tied it in: When you browse the stocking stuffer aisle and see the shelf full of Mini Robopets, note how they only put the red and green ones out. I dig that. It’s subtle and smart. Like a 1974 California blush.

I got so excited that I was the first I fired that too soon. Sorry for the double post but I won’t buy a robopet until it shits microchips and eats fuses. They should teach kids the same responsibility even if the parents try to circumnavigate the “I want a puppy” request with a vitual pet.

Bronze medal, baby!!! I don’t know if I deem this cool enough for a gift option. I’ll have to do some exploring…

I’m going to look for these at Target tonight. As part of the XE army, I do whatever Matt tells me to

Is anyone else out there looking at the calendar and going “hey, I have next weekend to finish my christmas shopping?” That can’t be good.

Will Mista Snowman ask Owl how many licks? Will our intrepid ‘Trooper finally snap? If Mr. Turtle never made it without biting, can the same be said of Mare? Can I kick the habit of sucking electrical outlets? And what about…… Naomi?

Hey Rhino, I’ll give you the silver because I had a premature post. It happens to every guy now and then….or so I’m told.

Nice! I JUST finished reading the entry for the 15th, and then BAM! The 16th was posted. It was, as Cousin Eddie says, “just a real nice surprise”.

Speaking of Cousin Eddie, they are selling National Lampoon’s Xmas Vacation 1 and 2 for $24 at Wal-Mart…Xmas Vacation 2 stars Eddie and his clan on a tropical island…where’s the Xmas in THAT??

I’m Mr. Green Christmas, I’m Mr. Sun, I’m Mr. Heatblister….Sorry, I had to, I saw the original last night. Seriously, I’d love to have Christmas in Hawaii.

And unless I’m completely insane, this ISN’T the last SNT before Christmas. Next Saturday is the 23rd.

Would have said this yesterday if I’d been around: That mailbox set is one of the most popular things my catalog has ever sold. It’s ridiculous. I can’t for the life of me figure it out!

So Matt, are you going to crap out on the 23rd like usual and bring me another 358 days of hell wondering what you didn’t bring to me. Or will you go all the way? You have no idea how many sad X-E readers there are on christmas eve and christmas day checking over and over for your holiday cheer.

I hope that all of the magical Christmas birds tear the flesh from the bad guyâ€™s bones! : )

Rache, I’ve delivered on time for the past four years! Only once did I screw you!

Matt, we appreciate what you do Matt. By the time Christmas day comes around I am already burned out so I assume all is well with the Advent calender.
On another note I just had the Lego Star Destroyer shipped here for my 9 year old cousin. You should put this on the Amazon wish list because it is awesome! I know he will (or uncle Brett) only build about 1/3 of this and the rest will be assimilate into a multi-colored barn or a car, but it is the ultimate gift! I feel like I got it for Christmas.

I just saw these at the Targ! There were only reds left. The place was a madhouse, but I bit the bullet and fought the crowd anyway, and now I can say with some certainty that my shopping is completely done, all the way down to extra paper and double AAs.
There was this interesting special on PBS last night called Peanuts Gallery about the Peanuts-themed Carnegie Hall concert, but I found out about it too late to warn you East Coasters, sorry.
Happy Penultimate SNT Before Christmas!

I love how Mista Snowman is completly obvlivious (in the last panel) to everything that’s been going one.

I have it. The Boss is Mare’s brother from the 2002 calender. It just hasta be!

I was told by several customers the Wal-Mart across on the other side of the shopping center was a madhouse today, too. Thank goodness my present shopping’s done. I’m going to concentrate on baking food gifts this week for all the neighbors and the people I just met this year and anyone I just can’t figure out what else to give them. Everyone likes food.

Uh-oh. I smell another all-out battle. Go get ‘em, Kuse and Knacks and all the rest! Let’s find out what this guy’s made of!

YAY Im back and SO much to catch up on. I was just hospitalized for a 15 day stay at two different facilities and was busted out on Friday. Whew! Still sick but am in much better spirits. I cant wait to give into all the XE goodness that has stacked up upon my absence. Thanks Matt for giving us a ton of stuff to read… am antsy to get on with the articles so Happy Holidays to all! I sure am in the Chrissy mood now!

I’m way too broke. Everyone over age 18 on my list is getting the 5 dollar lottery scratch off pack from NJ lottery

and possibly something small and random to go with it….i may just delay the gifts til the first paycheck after christmas….too many bills right now. JCP&L are gonna have a merry christmas thanks to me and my perpetually running computer and bathroom lights that the husband forgets to shut off.

Sadly, we’re downsizing our Christmas this year. Damn old age! I’ll be damn lucky if I get a scarf and a hat, never mind CORN.

Advent is still awesome as hell. Only Mista Snowman would do a Christmas version of “We Built This City.”

I don’t remember if I posted this in the last blog, but last night was my Frat’s Xmas party. It was at the new frat house (well, I go to a commuter school, and there’s 6 guys living in one house that’s 15 minutes away from that…so it’s technically a frat house), and we did a Grab Bag thing. I gave 2 big boxes of Swedish Fish and gave out $1 scratch off lotto tickets for the first 30 guys. One guy won $20, but he was the one who actually had some money and didn’t need it, and he was such a nice guy, he gave it back to me. Yay, gas money!

I got a big bottle of a local barley wine from the local Blue Point brewery from one of the older guys. (good vintage stuff too, so I hear)

Speaking of Cousin Eddie, they are selling National Lampoon’s Xmas Vacation 1 and 2 for $24 at Wal-Martâ€¦Xmas Vacation 2 stars Eddie and his clan on a tropical islandâ€¦where’s the Xmas in THAT??

You don’t want to know about the second one. (came out in 2004 I believe) The only way they can sell it is if they bundle it.

Aw kittygirl that really sucks. I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better and out of the hospital at least

I just finished my wrapping! I feel so accomplished. mandy_Reeves, if you’re looking for the small and random, I can tell you that Big Lots! and 99Â¢ Only were really good to me this year in that department. I like to hope that the extra time and effort I spend in picking out nice stuff makes up for the small price tag. And if it ain’t, screw their materialistic asses.

Alright, this is a huge stretch, but is anybody a fan of Six Feet Under? I’ve just seen Season 1 thanks to HBO OnDemand, and that last picture of Knacks and Tigerboy is totally the SFU signature “focused foreground, people looking conflicted” shot.
(Okay, so maybe not. You gotta admit it’s reminiscent though. There’s even a cop!)

Just checking in - my last Christmas gift is finally done! I knitted my sister a pair of fingerless gloves and now all that’s left is to de-kittyfy them.
Oh wait, I haven’t gotten my husband anything yet. Crap. I need the first season of Trailer Park Boys…right. I’ll get right on that.

On a similar topic as Invader Norbert, has anyone else tried mead around this time of year? It’s supposed to be a honey wine mulled with spices. I tried it last year, and I seem to recall it being OK, but my memory might be playing tricks on me. I was at the liquor store last night, and saw these big-ass magnums of holiday ale. I’m talking 3-liter mofos.

“I really don’t like to compare anything to Caddyshack II, cause it’s a terrible movie. Nothing against Jackie Mason, or Dan Ackroyd, or Chevy Chase. In terms of Randy Quaid derivative movies, though, I’d say it’s better than Christmas Vaction II”

I can happily say I finished my Christmas shopping (but only because I ran out of money and won’t be able to get my grandparents anything, knowing I’ll feel like a heel about it later, but I don’t know what to get them anyway). [/run-on sentence] And to award myself I actually found a “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” action figure at a CVS. Amazingly, the battery still works for his nose.(I should find one of the Clarice figures I’ve seen abouts so he has someone to talk to during Christmas storage besides my Snoopy Claus candy holder/bank and his clear reindeer. I still can’t find a good set of Santa being pulled on his sleigh by reindeer, not even in Playmobile, so Snoopy Claus and his reindeer tree ornaments will have to do. At least I finally have my Nativity scene.)

Now I just have to wrap everything, and list some presents “from Santa” just to think I’m messing with my parents, even know I’m not. I’m like that.

Why is everyone so down on Mista Snowman these days? When he debuted, he was the hero, the star of the show. Then he just sort of faded away, and came back as someone no one liked.

Also, will Bird be making an appearance at some point this year? I hope so. Bird is my favorite.

Matt I would love it if you would tell me how much this was. My son has been begging for one of the big ones, but where I saw tham they were 100 bucks, and I am not gonna spend that much on something he’d probly break.
So, happy SNT all! I went to a Christmas lights wonderland drive thru thing tonight. It was pretty cool, woulda been cooler if it was snowy.
All this drinking talk is making me wish I had something better than Miller LIte in the fridge. The Miller is not mine, I am visiting family. So, I can’t complain without looking like a brat.

kb, it says $5 up there, which is a bit cheaper than I found with a quick web search. The Mini Robosapien looks cool as well, a little pricier but fancier too. I’m a bit taken with the i-Dog, myself.

All my Christmas shopping is done THANK GOD because I’m not going out anymore. I’ve felt like absolute crap the past few days, and I blame it on the crappy weather. Ughh…. dying… x.x

Well, just got back from my paternal family’s Christmas gathering. It was boring and I could literally feel myself getting steadily sicker as the day went on. But we ate good food and got free stuff, so I guess it wasn’t a total waste of time.

Gotta love some Jefferson Starship on the AC. Mista Snowman just won some points in my book.

Now I’m going to drink some hot chocolate and probably fall asleep watching Santa Claus: The Movie.

Man, it’s been awhile since I’ve been to a SNT! My question is can you get too much Christmas?? I’m currently working for a local theatre and we’re doing a Christmas Carol and it runs until the 23rd. At first it was really nice hearing carols (Christmas carols in “A Christmas Carol”?! Brilliant!!!) but today I was a bit burned out on it…it’s literally like Christmas every weekend for me…plus it’s now 70 degrees daily here in the south; I hope I still feel Christmasy come the 25th….

I watched Santa Claus: The Movie yesterday. It was great seeing it all these years later and instantly remembering everything about it. The bad part is that my tape is so old chewed up that halfway through the sound all but went out. I think I’m gonna get the DVD. As an aside, though, I’ve gotten so frustrated lately when I ask people “Do you remember Santa Claus: The Movie?” and I get the response: “You mean the Tim Allen movie?” NO!! [smack] I DO NOT mean the Tim Allen movie! Sorry, but, seriously, that happened to me about four times this week. [grumble]

Dear Matt, Please please please make a link to the previous Advent calendars. The only way I am able to view them now is by searching them with the search bar and then unscrambling the order they are in. (which is no order at all really) I can only view them one at a time by backtracking instead of in the nifty format they originally came in.
Thanks!

So pumped someone else remembers Santa Claus the Movie! Now you can get it on DVD for like 9 bucks but two years ago when it just came out I hunted all over and gave 23 bucks for it. Man it’s awesome though. I’m gonna Christmas movie myself into oblivion on Tuesday and Wednesday before going home. Woooo!

I watched Santa Claus: The Movie last week on ABC Family. I was OBSESSED with the movie as a child. It was awesome to see it again. I’m pretty sure there was a McDonalds Happy Meal tie in with that movie. I seem to remember having a book relating to SCTM that forever smelled of burger and fries. I loved it.

Yes, McDonalds had four books you would get in the happy meals…I’ve got two so far. There were also small PVC figurines by LJN and some wooden toys like in the movie…still trying to chase one down. Missed one this decemeber…grrr. I was obsessed with it also as a kid.
BTW Matt, is our 17th update coming soon? I can’t wait…it’s getting really good.

Wow, slow day. Dare I say, a……green day? One hour fading into another. Not that that’s a bad thing. It’s actually kinda nice.

Excellent entry. I just love it when things finally start to boil and everyone “gears up”

I haven’t even finished reading the day’s entry yet, but TRON reference==Instant Win!

WHEN will we find out who The Boss is?! Will Talking Cow narrate the battle scene again?

Speaking of Who’s the Boss, Matt, when are you going to do a review of a Who’s the Boss Christmas episode? That’s worth three pages at least.

Hey everyone! I am trying to find a gift for my 11-year-old sister. Everyone else already got her the gifts on her very short list (comprised almost entirely of video games) and her response to “what else do you want?” is
“uh, I don’t know…”. I know there have to be some gifts that every kid wants all the time no matter what, but the only thing I can remember like that from childhood is a Nerf Bow and Arrow set. Anybody have more ideas?

Jim, mead is delicious, and has a great texture. I would recommend having mead with any sort of dessert (treat it as an ice wine, if you will). But be careful that you’re actually buying mead - some outlets sell meade, which is just white wine flavored with honey.

I think the 17th entry was missing a ‘good guys gearing up’ scene like in the Batman movies. Does anybody else feel like that?

Since I don’t know your sister, I have no idea what she likes. What about Lego? Or is there a cool Book she might enjoy?

Ah, Matt… You came so close with the December Megaparty. Actually, though, I commend you for getting all the way to the 17th before missing a blog post. And we did get a new calendar entry right at the deadline. Thanks again for all the hard work this year. At the risk of sounding cliche, X-E rocks this year.

Truly this is why we all look forward to Christmas ’round these parts. Keep it up. Please.

Carina: 11 is a tough age for girls, because you’re technically still a kid, but you’ve already started going through puberty, so you don’t feel like a kid. One thing I remember about that age was loving when people treated me like I was older, so I’d look for the kind of thing you’d think for a teenager: hip room accessories (those French memo boards with the ribbons that hold everything in place are always a hit), a scrapbook kit, some inexpensive jewelry, a small purse, or maybe a nice journal with a cool pen. Hopefully these ideas will at least spark inspiration, even if none of them really work for you.

Some of my favorite gift ideas for the broke:
- Design personalized stationery on your computer and print it out on inexpensive cardstock. (Don’t forget envelopes.) If you can afford it, you can also buy the note card stock that’s already cut and folded. If you can’t afford the card stock, you can do letterhead-type stationery on regular paper.
- Homemade baked goods
- A nostalgic photo of you and the recipient in an inexpensive frame
- Buy a small box or chest at the dollar store and fill it with holiday candy
- Burn a mix CD with songs that remind you of times with the recipient and include an insert with your reasoning for picking each song (kind of cliche for couples, but not so much for siblings, parents, or grandparents.)
- Christmas poinsettia (some places have them cheaper than others.)
- Big candy (like those oversized kisses or Hershey bars). They don’t cost a lot and they make a good presentation.
- A homemade ornament made from something that would be meaningful to the recipient (ex: my husband loves Tabasco, so he drilled a hole in the cap of an empty bottle, put a hook in it, and made an ornament.)
- If you are really out of money, consider writing a meaningful note to express how much that person has meant to you over time (this works best with grandmothers.)
Don’t forget that the purpose of Christmas gifts is to let people know that they’re important to you, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of money to do that. Besides, the people who really matter won’t care how much you spent.

Giving somebody your head to add to their already impressive stack is a nice guesture, too.

Add A New Comment!

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 16th, 2006 at 6:27 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.