Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with xmas

Tell me what to buy myself for xmas!

cgg — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:31:01 -0800

What cool tech toy should I buy? My family isn't doing presents this year. Given that, I'm taking the money I would have spent on them (or rather, them on me), and buying myself something fun. Trouble is, I can't figure out what that fun should be... I've got about $200 to spend, $250 max. I'm looking for something techy and fun. I'm a tech geek, but not an audiophile. I live in a Linux world and love my iPhone, for example, but I'm still ok with the crappy original earbuds. I love some of the the ideas at thinkgeek, but their ridiculous shipping costs to Canada ($15-$50 bucks!) means it's gotta be really really worth it, and so far I haven't seen anything that is. I have a PS2, Wii and Nintendo DS, but I don't use them much anymore. I live in a very cramped condo, so anything bulky is out.

I was debating getting a Slingbox and its iPhone app, which together with a jailbroken iPhone means I'd be able to watch TV and my video library (thanks to my Tivo server) anywhere I want. Although cool, I have a feeling I wouldn't really need to watch a lot of TV on my iPhone after the initial honeymoon period wore off.... or not. I'm not sure. And it seems so... 2005. Still... TV on the iPhone!

But before I meander down to the evil BestBuy (it's on sale this week) to pick one up, I'd thought I'd see if the Mefi geeks had any better ideas. What should I spend my Xmas money on? Difficulty: it has to be available in Canada for less than an arm a leg. What would you buy, if you were me?

Christmas pudding stock

bwonder2 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:54:10 -0800

My Christmas pudding has just boiled for six hours and is now hanging happily. But what can I do with the water it boiled in? It smells so delicious and rich, buttery and brandy, yet I can find nothing through Google for ideas. Dessert soup? Sauce?

Movies set at Christmas

bonaldi — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:20:21 -0800

What are the best movies set at Christmas that aren't actually Christmas movies? I'm looking for some of the best movies set around the Christmas holiday season that aren't actually about Christmas or the Christmas spirit or anything like that.

It's a tricky line, but I think one way to judge is to consider if the film would work pretty much as well if it wasn't set at Christmas. So: No to Elf, The Santa Clause or Miracles on 34th Street, but yes to Die Hard, Die Hard II, Ghostbusters II, etc.

Home (not broke) for Xmas.

nicoleincanada — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:20:45 -0800

Please help me get from Europe to Canada for the Xmas holidays without having to live out of a cardboard box. This is my first time living abroad, and I've rather naively discovered that holy crap, airfare to North America is super expensive from mid-December to early January. I've managed to get a bit of wiggle room on my travel dates from my employers (I work at a school and the holidays are pre-scheduled), but the reasonable/cheap airfare is still a day or two out of reach and I don't want to push my luck much further.

This isn't a make or break thing - I've promised the family I'll go home either way - but if there's a way to get from Paris to Winnipeg without spending $1800 Cdn after tax, I'd be appreciative. Especially considering $1800 is the price I managed by wiggling the dates.

Is finding reasonable airfare at peak travel time in December a total pipe dream? Am I just booking too late, or too early? Are there any genuinely useful sites for this sort of thing? I've tried both Expedia and Travelocity and find them pretty useless when the destination isn't a major hub - they seem to miss a lot of cheap fares I can find by checking airlines myself.

My holidays are from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3 (like the rest of the Xmas-celebrating world). Employers are willing to let me leave the Wednesday before and return the Wednesday after, which is how I managed the price above. I'd like to be home for Xmas day but I'd be willing to leave pre-NY if that generally makes a difference. I'm also willing to fly to other European centres or take the train to get a better price.

FYI, I've checked other threads on this site and, oddly, can't find a similar question, but my AskMF skills might be lacking. So if you find the same question previously, by all means share.

Thanks much in advance.

Where to snowboard and sightsee at Christmas?

inflatablekiwi — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:05:30 -0800

Great places worldwide for a two week snowboarding and sightseeing holiday around Christmas time? I've just had leave approved for two weeks over Christmas (week before and after) and am looking for inspiration for great places to go with my wife on a snowboarding and sightseeing trip.

Requirements:
1. Snow :-) Not easy to guarantee I know, especially around Christmas.
2. Ability to rent boats and boards easily (we have everything else).
3. At least half-decent ski area infrastructure - we're okay boarders (intermediate I guess), but need decent lifts....we're not quite back country heli-jumpers just yet.....
4. We've already done a few US locations over past winters (Tahoe, Colorado, Utah, Idaho) and love them, but looking to go somewhere different this year.
5. We'd probably only board 4-5 days, leaving 6-7 days for doing other things - so being near interesting villages, beautiful mountain ranges, other attractions, etc is a plus. We're cool with driving/training/busing around

Aside from that - we're totally open to ideas! Know a great hidden ski area in Slovakia, Japan, China, Finland, Alaska, Iceland, or anywhere else that may be blanketed with the white fluffy stuff at Christmas? Let me know!

I'm looking for some specific spooky Christmas music, can you help me?

mrzer0 — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:17:44 -0800

Some time ago either on MeFi or BoingBoing there was a link to a bunch of songs that I *swear* were Christmas songs played in the wrong key or one half-tone down or something... Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about and where I could find this (again)? They sounded frightening, yet eerily awesome! I have been searching like crazy for this, through old chat logs, old bookmarks, through the web (both MeFi and BoingBoing archives) and so far no such luck! At least not anything that is reminding me of it. Is it possible that it was not Christmas songs?

I was just telling some friends about it and wanted to provide a link. Thanks!

This is such a crazy long shot

Aubergine — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:17:56 -0800

Heroin addict decides to face her habit so she moves to the bucolic Scottish (or Irish, somewhere in the UK at any rate) countryside, meets a (decades-older) blind farmer, falls in love, kicks the habit, eventually has to grieve his death, starts writing luminous poetry, publishes... but what is her name, or the name of her book? (last-minute, last-ditch Xmas-gift-filter) Hive mind! If you folks can't answer this, no one can, and at least I will feel like I really tried. Anyway:
I was in the car with my mother coming back from the airport a few days ago, talking about poetry, and she mentioned a poet that made a huge impression on her two years ago at a reading. Of course, she doesn't remember the name of the poet, or the name of her book, but she does remember some especially unique details about this poet's life (see above) on which basis alone I thought it might be possible to identify her.

Also, if this helps narrow it down, this is in Western Mass, so the reading was somewhere around here (Pioneer Valley/Easthampton/Westhampton), it was two years ago (sorry, no specific date), and the poet was not on a book tour by herself- my mom had actually gone to see some other poet read, and it turned out he was on tour with this woman who was also reading her poetry. Needless to say, her poetry really made an impression on my mom, but she didn't buy her book because she was broke. I would love nothing more than to find this book for her, because I have a feeling that the more time goes by, the less my mom is going to remember anything about her and be able to find it. The only things I have to go on, aside from the very general time (2 years ago) and place (Western Mass) that this happened, is this woman's incredible biography, which you'd think would narrow it down.

As my mother remembers it, she was a heroin addict who, in order to face her habit, moved to a very remote area in the countryside of somewhere in the UK, probably Scotland or Ireland (if you are wondering, like I did, what kind of heroin addict has the wherewithal and extra cash to up and move to the bucolic countryside, it seems that she lived somewhere in the UK already so it wasn't an overseas move). While she was living there, she met a man (a couple decades older than her, and blind, I think) that lived there and they fell deeply in love, and she overcame her addiction, but at some point he died, and she started writing poetry.

I am not sure if this is the subject matter of the poems or not (I imagine that at least some of them are about that experience) but the woman's story is pretty incredible and so on that basis alone you'd think it'd be easier to find her name. Unfortunately, all my google searches along these lines have failed. My mother did mention that the book might have been called something like "A Sheepherder's Calendar" but again, I've had no luck with this or any variations (Shepherd's Calendar, Sheepherder's Almanac, etc). I've asked around at a couple of bookstores in the area, and this doesn't ring any bells with anyone, so it seems like it's pretty obscure. If you know who this woman is, then I will be very grateful, and impressed with your wonderful taste in poetry.

Snowboarding Gift Ideas

adustum — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:40:28 -0800

I'm looking for gift ideas for a family member who is into snowboarding. He already has all the basics but I do know he needs a new pair of goggles (which shouldn't be hard to find). I'm also interested in any cool accessories that you could recommend beyond the basic stuff your average snowboarder would have. The price range I'm looking for is around $50. Thanks in advance!

Ho, ho, ho, Merry frickin Xmas!

bolognius maximus — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:20:20 -0800

I need Xmas gift ideas for someone who has everything! Help! I have searched previous posts, google, everything, and I have no ideas. He said he got me a really cool, kitschy gift (and he usually gets really great stuff for me), and I have no idea what to get him. Commence panic mode...

He makes a lot more money than I do, so he usually just buys whatever he fancies. I'd like to spend $300 or so max. He is a scientist. He likes bugs, SCUBA diving, running, art, books, and is a cook and food snob.

Examples of other gifts I have given in the past:

Nikon Field Microscope

A really cool bonsai tree

Art from The Bungled Jungle

I need ideas for something really cool, unique, off the wall, etc. I don't know why I can't think of anything, but time is running out, so I need help! Online or in stores, and I will be downtown Chicago tomorrow, so I will have access to stores there.

Thanks in advance!

Where to find last year's Furla handbag

guruguy9 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:01:58 -0800

Help me find a great handbag for my wife! I've really taken a liking to the Furla Frida as in this Sartorialist pic (handbag on the left). I can't find it anywhere as it came out last year (except for $600 in the UK). I've done all of the top line google searches etc... Please post suggestions of places to look or for similar items if you know of any. I'm also in LA if there are appropriate brick and mortar solutions. Used is great too.

Book-Hungry Mother

Weebot — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:23:23 -0800

[Xmas Filter] I'm doing my Christmas shopping, and I'm a bit stuck on what I need to get my mother. She likes culinary-cultural history books, preferably with recipes. Suggestions? She's been really into these books for a while now, and I was hoping to get some suggestions. She's gone through Salt, Cod, and all the other Mark Kurlansky books, as well as Lizzy Collingham's Curry and David Kamp's The United States of Argula.

She has also been a fan of food memoirs like Tender at the Bone as well as travel books with a strong culinary bent. You get the idea. So, any suggestions?

His name is MacGyver. He can fix anything.

dejah420 — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:09:43 -0800

Help me create a MacGyver.-theme silly present. In a conversation about old TV, my husband mentioned how much he had liked MacGyver.. As an xmas present, I got him the first season CDs, but I thought it would be really fun to wrap up a bunch of MacGyver.-y type things to go with it. For instance, I already have duct tape and paperclips.

But, I never watched the show, so I don't know if there are some particularly iconic things I should include.

Hope me, MacGyver. fans!

Saks Fifth Ave Christmas Music?

OTA — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:08:54 -0800

Where can I procure a copy of the rendition of Carol of the Bells that Saks Fifth Ave (NYC) has used at their flagship store over the past few years? I'd really like to find a high-quality copy of this. I only want it for personal use, not public performance/rebroadcast/etc, if that helps anything.

Xmas in NYC. Stay? Eat? Fun?

you're only jung once — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:54:31 -0800

Xmas in NYC - where to stay? where to eat? what to do? Hi all. My girlfriend and I are going to be in NYC from xmas eve to 27th december. We will have just been exposed to my extended family - and will therefore be seeking solace in the city. We're on an okay budget for hotels (up to about 250 dollars a night between us) but could go lower (definitely go lower - shouts the girlfriend from the next door room) if we can find the right sodding place. We'd like to have a romantic lunch on xmas day (I'm a chowhound so was thinking ?Jean-Georges) but again budgetary restrictions (though not culinary restrictions) apply. Also - ideas for cool/fun stuff to do would be really appreciated.

Thanks - you've all been legends all ready.

Where Does it Snow in Europe at Christmas?

mary8nne — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:39:42 -0800

Europe: Where does it Snow for Xmas? I'm looking for a nice romantic getaway for Xmas in Europe where we can be assured of Snow around actual Christmas Day? (ie a week around 25th December).

Not looking for a Skiing Holiday.

Just looking for a little cottage in the snow, to sit around with a book cook some goose, etc. head into town for some bread and pastries..

We were looking at Switzerland - (Lucerne or similar) but apparently it often doesn't snow there until Jan.

"From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow/So have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now."

Jaybo — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:12:34 -0800

"Emotionally ambivalent" Christmas Songs? An Entertainment Weekly article last year about the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" said:

"'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' manages to be happy and sad at the same time, hopeful but full of melancholy, as all the best Christmas songs are,' says Bette Midler, who sings it on her new CD, Cool Yule. And the song's fascinatingly tangled history has left it with several very different sets of lyrics, from the near-suicidal to the downright ebullient. There's even a recent 'sacred' rewrite, 'Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas.' Which one you prefer may be the truest Rorschach test of your yuletide temperament."

So, in addition to "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", I'd like to know which other Christmas songs strike that balance between happy and sad, hopeful but melancholic for you?

electronica double entendres

Juliet Banana — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 13:59:15 -0800

I need another electronic music themed double entendre for my boyfriend's Xmas gift. I've been decorating clothing for my boyfriend with references to the music he loves. Anything that will be worn out in public is a bit more restrained, but since we're the only two who will ever see his underwear I think immature dirty jokes are hilarious. The boxers he likes come in two packs, so I need another joke.

The idea behind the boxers linked above is that Analord refers to a series of albums put out by Aphex Twin. It also refers to anal sex. See? Music, and filth.

I need another artist, album, song title, or quote to stencil on the second pair of boxers. It doesn't matter how obscure or disgusting it is, as long as it is both music related and dirty.

We both listen almost exclusively to electronic music. He likes breakcore, drill and bass, Bogdan Raczynski, Venetian Snares, Shitmat, Bit Meddler, and Stunt Rock. My latest obsessions are the Warp Records discography, acid, and gabber. Neither of us cares much for ambient or house.

Ideas so far:

I would like some milk from the milkman's wife's tits (Afx)
Dr. Octogynocologist (Kool Keith)
Tall, Dark, and Handcuffed (Cex)
"My Selector" written over the fly (as in, Come on My Selector by Squarepusher)

PS - If you're dying to see the final project, recheck the same place as the Analord boxers after the 25th

NYC on Xmas Eve:

shiu mai baby — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:43:02 -0800

I'm going to be in New York with my dad on Christmas Eve. What should I expect, crowd- and activity-wise? The current plan is to bum around a bit, see the tree, see the windows, and maybe catch a show. What is New York like on Christmas Eve? I've read up on Christmas day here, here, here, and all through here (which led me to the somewhat helpful thread here), but I haven't been able to find out much about the day before, aside from places for dinner and where to go for midnight mass (we'll be leaving in the early evening, so that won't be an option, unfortunately). Is it one of the most insanely busy days to be there, or have people pretty much holed up and/or gone home by then? What's the mass transit scene like?

I know the theatres generally have only one afternoon performance (if at all) -- do these typically sell out well in advance, even if it's not one of the hotter shows available? More specifically, I was toying with trying to catch the matinee of Avenue Q, which regularly shows up on TKTS, but if the Christmas Eve show is more popular than another day's performance, should I bite the bullet and pay full price?

Any other can't-miss things I should put on the itinerary?

Figgy Pudding Not Required...

terrapin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:12:38 -0800

Turtlegirl and I will be in London for a few weeks and we were hoping we could get some recommendations for places to eat ON Christmas day and/or Boxing day. We completely understand that our options may be limited to restaurants run by groups not celebrating the holiday and that is okay by us.

So please recommend a nice restaurant (or more) with atmosphere and yummy foods.

Thanks!

German story (folktale?) on Christmas CD

RobotHeart — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:21:21 -0800

Somewhere between 1991 and 1994, my father went on a business trip to Germany and visited a company called Elsentooling. For three years afterwards, they sent our family a Christmas card with one of those extra-small compact discs inside. We still listen to the first one because it's just that good. However, it's all in German, and I know not a stitch of it, though I'm half German. The second-to-last track (uploaded here) is some sort of story. Is it something an American would be familiar with if you mentioned the title? If not, I'm curious how the story goes. For those interested in hearing the entire album of six songs, I have included them in a rar file. Really I only know what the last song is :) so if anyone wants to shed light on the other selections, feel free, but the story is the one about which I am most curious.

Searching for a Disney Santa Short on DVD

anastasiav — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:03:09 -0800

I'm trying to find a copy of a favorite Disney Christmas-themed short (B&W, probably from the '20's or '30's, featuring a very jolly Santa and lots of little kiddies) on DVD. Problem is, we don't know the title or anything else about it -- can you help ID this film? My husband has a well-worn VHS tape full of a wide variety of Christmas-themed animations that he had taped from TV over the years. We've been able to find copies of everything on the tape as DVD -- with one exception. I'm hoping you can help us ID and locate the one.

Its a black and white short animated film, probably from the '20's or '30's. It was produced by Disney, and shown on the Disney channel as part of a holiday special sometime in the '80's.

The film features a very fat, jolly Santa with a bag full of toys. He visits a house where there are a dozen or more quite tiny children, and when he lays the bag down the toys all march out and set themselves up, as well as decorate the tree. There are a lot of toys: some notable ones include a "Little Tramp" wind up walker, and a Dirigible that helps decorate the tree. Santa also fills up the many, many stockings hanging from the mantle -- each stocking has a list inside - one stocking gets a bat and glove, another gets a doll that flops over and Santa straightens her skirt, and another gets an umbrella put inside, opened, and then the now-expanded stocking is filled with other gifts. There is also a puppy in a box under the tree.

I think its possible that this is a section cut from a longer film, because on the copy we have it sort of fades up at the start and fades out at the end, and my husband remembers seeing a segment about elves in Santa's workshop associated with this, but its not on our tape.

What we don't have is the title, date, or any other info other than "its now owned by Disney". Any pointers you have would be helpful.

I want to volunteer on Christmas in NYC.

Juggermatt — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:01:45 -0800

I want to volunteer on Xmas in New York City, instead of sitting on my fat lazy ass. What are some good organizations I should contact to offer my services?

Christmas Lights

flipmiester99 — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:00:48 -0800

Where is the best place(s) to look at christmas lights in and around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area?

I lost my turkey recipe...who took my turkey recipe...I'll find my turkey recipe

obiwanwasabi — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:47:22 -0800

I'm looking for a recipe for rolled / stuffed turkey breast that was published in (a Christmas edition of?) Australian Better Homes and Gardens magazine some time in the last few years (which I've since lost). Please hope me! The recipe involved removing the breasts from a turkey buffet, butterflying them, then stuffing them with celery, citrus rind and various other stuffing-type ingredients. The breasts were then rolled, tied, and pan fried (then maybe oven roasted - I don't remember). A give-away for the right recipe - the sauce/gravy to accompany the turkey contains vermouth.

Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners in NYC

clearlydemon — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:38:19 -0800

My family and I will be in New York city for the holidays. My mission: to find great restaurants for Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners. I'd like personal recommendations for restaurants for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Year's dinner. We are four adults and two teenagers (ages 16 and 18). Our budget is about $100 per person, per dinner (although I think it should be less for brunch). If we could make reservations online, it would be a big plus.

We'll be staying near the Carnegie Hall. We were planning to go to Times Square for New Year's Eve, but after reading this, I guess we'll go somewhere else.

Thank you!