|
Well, like it or not, it's the holiday season! Wal-mart has deemed it so. This, of course, brings the spirit of economic exploitation and crass materialism riding the chilly breeze. I figure that a lot of us have friends and family we'll be getting gifts for, provided they haven't alienated us with their insanity or we can get over any latent humbuggeries we're harboring. It looks like a lot of us know some cool, affordable stuff that's flying around or will be here in time for gifts, and we can help each other pick up some pretty kickin' stuff for others. or for ourselves, because  .So is there any cool, affordable crap out there that you think might make a good gift for any particular demographic? Or feel free to talk about anything interesting you'll be doing for someone this holiday season (building them a treehouse, sexual favors, etc). To start, I'll be picking this up for a PC gamer friend of mine:  The Steelseries Siberia V2 headset. I picked one up at a game convention in Philly, and it sounds like pure sex. Comfortable as hell, and has a cool retractable mic right in one of the earphones, for about $90 for the whole shebangabang.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:17 |
|
|
|
| # ? Nov 21, 2009 11:33 |
|
|
I don't think anyone needs a 90 dollar headset so they can hear 12 year olds yelling racial slurs.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:43 |
|
|
Spivey posted:(sexual favors, etc). Spivey posted:it sounds like pure sex. I think there should be a thread arbitrary to sexual favors and sexual meet-up's stickied. EDIT: Free of course. oddcrap fucked around with this message at Nov 04, 2009 around 03:47 |
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:44 |
|
|
CPL593H posted:I don't think anyone needs a 90 dollar headset so they can hear 12 year olds yelling racial slurs. You're forgetting homophobic slurs, too.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:44 |
|
|
poeticoddity posted:You're forgetting homophobic slurs, too. Yes you're right. I was actually playing COD4 one time and made half the lobby back out by telling them I'm gay.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:46 |
|
|
 Buy a copy of Marx's Capital: Volume One for each of your friends and then encourage them to slowly read it along with the lectures provided by David Harvey on his website: http://davidharvey.org Capital is important because it gives a sense of the secret history of the accumulation of capital and how this power was developed and then exerted over the working classes. It describes the movement of the commodity and how it structures capitalist society, pointing towards the fact that relations are disguised in capitalism as everything receiving its fair value when in fact capital depends on the extraction of surplus value through the exploitation of the workers. Capital is a powerful weapon in the hands of the workers as they struggle for a new society without exploitation, war, ecological destruction and poverty.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 03:53 |
|
|
Spivey posted:
They look great, I usually just go with alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol, but I think that I will have to check out some different things this year. content: http://www.beardhead.com/index.html They are quite cheap but still extremely awesome.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:11 |
|
|
quote:Buy a copy of Marx's Capital: Volume One for each of your friends and then encourage them to slowly read it along with the lectures provided by David Harvey on his website: http://davidharvey.org Criminy I hope you're joking. You sound like the most boring person ever. I got one of these recently, http://www.danbartoys.com/rc-helico...-3d-apache.html and its the most fun and useless toy I've played with in years. I'm planning on picking up a couple more for friends and family this year. There's obviously dozens of brands of these out there, I got mine at Radioshack. I like it because its nigh-industructible. I've beaten the crap out of it in the last month and its still flying. Edit: as for affordability, I paid about $50. You can get less durable ones for about $20-$30 USD. For demographic; My tech-geek brother in law, and one old high school buddy with who I used to dream about such a fun toy. Internetjack fucked around with this message at Nov 04, 2009 around 04:27 |
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:16 |
|
|
Spivey posted:To start, I'll be picking this up for a PC gamer friend of mine: Most of my friends hate Christmas and we all usually have a mutual agreement to not buy gifts for each other, so I don't have much to add here. I am giving my friend herpes and mono for her birthday though.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:25 |
|
|
Internetjack posted:Criminy I hope you're joking. You sound like the most boring person ever. Oh, so a book that elucidates the reader as to the mechanisms of a structure that effectively controls the lives of billions is more boring than an ephemeral piece of plastic made in Xi'an by some overworked woman called Zhang Xiaoxiao.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:26 |
|
|
break the fourth posted:
Worst gift ever. I hope you include that terrible explanation in the card. To contribute, the Coupons forum was great for me last Christmas as I found tons of awesome deals on pretty much everything I got. A lot of Black Friday deals also run online. Deal-a-day sites are also good to troll around this time of year. I believe this one is run by a goon: http://www.bantler.com/ it lists a bunch of deal-a-days in one place. Speaking of gaming headsets, I just posted the Logitech G35 rebate deal the other day: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3222842
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:26 |
|
|
Both the headset and Capital are terrible gifts ESPECIALLY if you give that contrived explanation, holy poo poo. I am making some family members some furniture, getting others good books, and not trying to buy faddish crap that will be thrown out in a matter of months.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:31 |
|
|
I got a couple of these nifty knife blocks last year for people, and I'll probably be getting one or two more this year for others. People seem to like them. They're pretty cool - they're full of a bunch of thin plastic rods so you can fit differently sized knives wherever you want. Like this: Oh and you can probably get them for $10-$15 cheaper on eBay.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:31 |
|
|
Bushwhacked posted:I got a couple of these nifty knife blocks last year for people, and I'll probably be getting one or two more this year for others. People seem to like them. They're pretty cool - they're full of a bunch of thin plastic rods so you can fit differently sized knives wherever you want. Like this: That's really cool, I thought it was foam from the picture.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:36 |
|
|
JaundiceDave posted:That's really cool, I thought it was foam from the picture. My mom has one of these type, and it is a lot more useful then it sounds. After using one, making sure your knife is lined up with the correct block slot becomes a nuisance.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:40 |
|
|
JOOLS XP posted:Oh, so a book that elucidates the reader as to the mechanisms of a structure that effectively controls the lives of billions is more boring than an ephemeral piece of plastic made in Xi'an by some overworked woman called Zhang Xiaoxiao. Right in one! A good book on political and economic philosophy is not necessarily a bad gift in general, if your friends and family are a bunch of pretentious douche-bags. Why not study important impacts on the world's history? I just had the impression that the OP was asking for gifts ideas that were fun and entertaining. A treatise on Marxism really doesn't ring that bell for me. The OP did ask that we declare the demographic we'd recommend our suggestion for though, I went back and added that to my post. If your target demographic is political history, then I guess a the book would work. It just is more academic rather than fun in my opinion. Edit: The woodworking suggestion is great. American Woodworker had a great article about 3 years ago on making jigs and sleds to make half a dozen keep-sake boxes in a couple of afternoons. They had in-laid corners(I used some scrap mahogony with the main box of blue-pine) that turned out to be really sturdy and hold up well. I make a few every couple of years and have them on hand for wedding and birthday gifts. Internetjack fucked around with this message at Nov 04, 2009 around 04:48 |
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:43 |
|
|
Internetjack posted:Right in one! A good book on political and economic philosophy is not necessarily a bad gift in general, if your friends and family are a bunch of pretentious douche-bags. Why not study important impacts on the world's history? Ironically the ads I keep getting for this thread are all from charities asking you to give them money. quote:I just had the impression that the OP was asking for gifts ideas that were fun and entertaining. A treatise on Marxism really doesn't ring that bell for me. Aw come on, you started so strong...
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:47 |
|
|
evilcat posted:They look great, I usually just go with alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol, but I think that I will have to check out some different things this year. Those are amazing and I will buy at least one for my snowboarder friend. That, or I'll have my knitter friend crochet me one. 
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:52 |
|
|
Internetjack posted:Edit: The woodworking suggestion is great. American Woodworker had a great article about 3 years ago on making jigs and sleds to make half a dozen keep-sake boxes in a couple of afternoons. They had in-laid corners(I used some scrap mahogony with the main box of blue-pine) that turned out to be really sturdy and hold up well. I make a few every couple of years and have them on hand for wedding and birthday gifts. Seriously, some of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received were hand-made. I still sleep in the bed my dad made me years ago when I'm home, and the scrapbooks and pictures from my girlfriend are on my wall. See? Not every gift has to be cheap plastic crap. Though a lot of the cheap plastic stuff I regularly buy is still pretty awesome. 
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 04:59 |
|
|
*opens gift* "Oh what's this then? Marxist ideology? An instruction card that says to read slowly? Ok!" *never reads* That said, it would be a somewhat decent gift if the receiver is a sociology major, but only under that circumstance.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 05:06 |
|
|
I will probably resume my tradition of getting everyone I know Slinkys and candy because what kind of monster doesnt like a loving Slinky.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 06:34 |
|
|
break the fourth posted:Buy a copy of Marx's Capital: Volume One for each of your friends and then encourage them to slowly read it along with the lectures provided by David Harvey on his website: http://davidharvey.org I also buy everyone identical gifts based on my own interests. This year I'm getting everyone oatmeal. I'm encouraging them to slowly eat it while reading the back of the box. In the U.S. state of Vermont oatmeal making has a long tradition originating with the Scottish settlement of the state. While there are variations, most begin with heavy steel cut oats. The oats are soaked overnight in cold water, salt, and maple syrup. Early the next morning, before beginning farm chores the cook will add ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and sometimes ground ginger. The pot is placed over heat and cooks for upwards of 90 minutes, being served after the chores with cream, milk, or butter. As most contemporary Vermonters no longer have farm chores, the recipe is simplified to a briefer 10 to 30 minute cooking at a higher heat. Vermont leads the U.S. in per capita consumption of cooked oatmeal cereal. Another style found in Vermont is served at some older ski lodges, starting with heavy steel cut oats and topping it with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream, to contrast the hot temperature of the oatmeal. cthulusnewzulubbq fucked around with this message at Nov 04, 2009 around 07:56 |
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 07:53 |
|
|
cthulusnewzulubbq posted:I also buy everyone identical gifts based on my own interests. This year I'm getting everyone oatmeal. I'm encouraging them to slowly eat it while reading the back of the box. I have never wanted Oatmeal more in my entire life. Those virus plushies linked earlier look like a good gift to give some of my friends. Thanks for linking those, -Inu-. As far as Marx's Capital, I have just the person in mind to gift it to, but chances are he's probably already read it by now.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 10:44 |
|
|
Dash O Pepper posted:My mom has one of these type, and it is a lot more useful then it sounds. After using one, making sure your knife is lined up with the correct block slot becomes a nuisance. I assume you're referring to the foam. I have the one in the picture (also comes in silver / ovoid shaped) and it has finally laid to rest my problem of waxing / waning knife sets. You can never have too few, or too many, knives, and putting them away is effortless.
|
| # ? Nov 04, 2009 22:34 |
|
|
Wertjoe posted:I will probably resume my tradition of getting everyone I know Slinkys and candy because what kind of monster doesnt like a loving Slinky. Someone who doesn't have stairs, you heartless bastard!  This year I'll be making and giving mass quantities of homemade jellies and candies. I did 3 dozen jars last year. This year I'm looking to double that.
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:01 |
|
|
JOOLS XP posted:Oh, so a book that elucidates the reader as to the mechanisms of a structure that effectively controls the lives of billions is more boring than an ephemeral piece of plastic made in Xi'an by some overworked woman called Zhang Xiaoxiao. Holy poo poo, it's impossible to have a thread without someone going all political crazy. We get it, Christmas is a capitalist, evil, commercialized, pretty much made up holiday. But, it's fun to give and get gifts! If you're shopping for teens in the really annoying ages (15-18), you know like your younger sibling or whatever, gift cards absolutely rock. Sure, they aren't personal, but when I was that age a Best Buy gift-card was quite honestly the best thing you could give me. Just make sure you're intelligent enough to give appropriate gift cards. Your nephew probably doesn't want one for a make up place, etc etc.
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:09 |
|
|
I'm almost done with my shopping and wrapping, since I tend to shop year-round. Artsnow.com has some pretty nice poo poo you can customize, mousepads, shirts, watches, etc. Not bad quality at all. Etsy.com also has some nice poo poo. For the kids I nanny for, it's mostly books and puzzles this year. They all love Avatar: The Last Airbender, so they're getting the element books, plus one I wrote up myself (like they know the difference). Most of the adults in my life are getting a mix of candy, watches, or mousepads from the above web site. My mom listed a bunch of odd candy she wants, so I got her a 5 pound bag of Good and Plenty's, and some basic Peggle games she loves. For coworkers/friends, mostly homemade (well, soap bought from craft stores and molded into plastic molds) soaps and cookies. If I can save up enough, I'm getting myself a netbook. Come to me, CyberMonday!
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:09 |
|
|
cthulusnewzulubbq posted:I also buy everyone identical gifts based on my own interests. This year I'm getting everyone oatmeal. I'm encouraging them to slowly eat it while reading the back of the box. How can so many in this thread have so much in common? It's eerie. I'll be buying all of my friends and family cheap American beer. It's really something you can individualize if you just think about their character. The easiest ones are the ones who don't drink. Just buy them what you like, and offer to take it if they won't be drinking it. The drunken uncles are a little tougher. You may have to go lower on the scale than even they are willing to venture. If they drink Miller Light, pick them up a twelver of Black Label. Odds are, it'll be yours at the end of the night. For the fussy drinkers, it's a no-brainer, they might drink one Bud Light just to be polite, but then they'll pull out their Heinekens and you keep the rest! By the end of the holiday season you'll have a huge stash, as well as everything your unsuspecting friends and family bought for you!
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:17 |
|
|
I usually give (nice) alcohol unless I know that the person definitely wants something else. I've found that while good for the majority of people, booze as a gift can occasionally backfire: a.) We had a secret santa / kris kringle thing at work so I gave a coworker a bottle of wine - turns out she doesn't drink (Christian) so I got a lecture about respecting other people's beliefs, when the wine was given on the assumption that it was a "safe" option. b.) Some people get a nice or top-shelf bottle of spirits and save it for a special occasion, or open it immediately so they can share it with you / anyone else that's around. There are a certain segment of the population, however, that will mix anything with coke - making a bourbon and coke in a pint glass it would seem to make little difference if you're using Maker's Mark or Jim Beam White.
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:39 |
|
|
I'm getting my GF these little fellers for Christmas - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...oss_T15_product . Can't loving find out when they'll arrive from Amazon, though  .
|
| # ? Nov 05, 2009 03:57 |
|
Rate Thread:
