Not since Stephen Tyler crashed through the wall on Run-D.M.C. has an unexpected teaming worked so well. This holiday season, a redhead and a giraffe are making it cool to eat shit again.

In the latest Wendy's Kids' Meal – and perhaps the first Wendy's Kids' Meal I've ever noticed – you'll receive one of eight "surprise toys," supplied by Toys "R" Us.

Reminiscent of McDonald's old Totally Toy Happy Meals, I can think of no better way to correlate Christmas with foil-wrapped grease Frisbees. They even come in thematic bags, so we know that Wendy and Geoffrey are taking this whole thing seriously.

I'm not sure if they've given this Kids' Meal any special name, but let's call it Unwrap The Fun. Geoffrey's holding a big red billboard that says it. It must mean something.

Also, I never paid much attention to Geoffrey's newest look until right now. I'm sure he's had it for a while, maybe even years, but it's still so jarring to see. The Geoffreys I knew looked like the costumed mascots of high school basketball teams, or alternatively, the animated neighbors in an '80s cartoon about wild animals leading normal lives. Now he looks like a pencil. I'm not fond of New Geoffrey. [more]

I've wanted to write something substantial about A Charlie Brown Christmas for a while now, but it seemed pointless to review/recap a show that you've all seen five hundred times.

Instead, below are ten random thoughts and observations about my #1 favorite Christmas special: [more]

I've written about "Christmas Crackers" before.

Twice, actually.

Maybe this can be my new thing. I'll be the guy who writes about Christmas crackers, annually. It could be worse. I could be the guy who resembles a California condor. I hope it can't be both.

Christmas Crackers are a mostly-European tradition dating back to the 1840s. The festive paper tubes explode with a "pop" when the ends are pulled, thanks to a chemical strip on the inside. After that, you're free to enjoy the contents – usually cheap toys.

Intended as a way to spice up holiday dinner celebrations, everyone seated at the table would help each other pop their Crackers, and, if house rules dictated, trade their prizes with one another. I'm probably making that last part up, but that's what I'd do.

"I see you got the tiny plastic frog. Could I interest you in this whistle? It doesn't make noise, but either does your frog."

"I think you meant neither."

"I did not."

Virtually every department store carries Christmas Crackers at this time of year. While nearly universally inexpensive and with correspondingly crummy contents, there are a few more luxurious varieties. The package above certainly is not luxurious, as so few things with GREAT VALUE stickers are. [more]

With only a month (!!!) left before Christmas, it seems I should get a move on if I'm gonna stand any chance of covering all of the holiday junk I bought.

So, for what seems like the 83rd time this week, let's talk about ice cream. [more]