Unique Christmas Gift Ideas ... With A Twist!

Since I haven’t blogged in a while and Christmas is coming up, I thought I might recommend some last minute Christmas gift ideas.

1. Ad Nauseam: A Survivor’s Guide To American Consumer Culture
Edited by: Carrie McLaren and Jason Torchinsky

I am half-way through reading this book and I love it! Originally I almost decided not to purchase this book because I discovered that it was a compendium of material from Stay Free! magazine, which I had never read nor heard of for that matter. I assumed that this book would not be appropriate for me as I am unfamiliar with the magazine, but I am extremely glad that I took the chance and bought it. I especially enjoy reading it now in the month of December – somehow reading a book about the tactics advertisers use sell products and the negative affects the media can have on society feels a little bit like rebelling against the commercialization of Christmas!

Indigo.ca price: $15.16
Amazon.com price: $11.49

There are probably many other books that are enlightening about advertising and the media.  I would recommend buying such a book for someone, but as this is the only such book I have read, this is the only one I can recommend by name.  Maybe you can even find one that talks specifically about the commercialisation of Christmas!  Somehow, a book about the media and advertising seems like an appropriate, albeit a tongue-in-cheek, gift to give.

2.  Humanitarian Gifts

World Vision is a humanitarian organization that focuses on emergency relief, education, healthcare, economic development, and the promotion of justice.  It is one organization through which individuals can sponsor children, and during the holiday season, people can buy a gift for individuals and families in need.  Many of these gifts such as goats, pigs, and chickens, can allow families to become self-sufficient.  Other gifts besides animals and agriculture involve healthcare, education, shelter, water, and business.  The gifts vary in price range, and some will multiply, as businesses and organizations will match your donation.  You can give this gift yourself, or if a friend or loved one is willing, you can give the gift in their name.  You can even make a request on your Christmas wish list for a friend or family member to buy such a gift in your name.

For more information, and to browse the Gift Catalogue, visit the following website:

https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Home.aspx?mc=4267225&lang=en

World Vision is not the only humanitarian organization that is accepting gifts this holiday season.  If you would like to find another organization, you can try UNICEF, OXFAM, The Red Cross, and probably many others.

3.  The Lump of Coal and The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming

Author:  Lemony Snicket

Though I am an adult, part of the reason I love Lemony Snicket’s children’s books is because they are unlike ANY books I read as a child.  Not only are they hilarious, but he is the first writer I have ever read that really does the unexpected and challenges conventions – not just in terms of plot or characters, but in what the audience expects.  For example, I once read a book by him in which I discovered that there was something funny written in the small print of the copyright page.  I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t think to read the copyright page of a book to see if there is something funny hidden in it, and that’s why I think it is such a brilliant idea!  It’s like a DVD Easter Egg, except in a book!  When it comes to subverting the reader’s expectations, these children’s books are no exception.

An Excerpt from The Lump of Coal:

“The holiday season is a time for storytelling, and whether you are hearing the story of a candelabra staying lit for more than a week, or a baby born in a barn without proper medical supervision, these stories often feature miracles.” 

Written by:  Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by:  Brett Helquist

Amazon.ca Price:   $10.82

Amazon.com Price:  $10.39

An Excerpt from The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming:

“It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world.  If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream.  But somewhere in this world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake."

Written by:  Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by:  Lisa Brown
Amazon.ca Price:   $10.47

Amazon.com Price:   $6.11 and up

Both storybooks are humourous and appropriate for the holidays, the second even teaching about the history of Hanukah, despite its label as a Christmas story.

4.  Think Geek
 Stuff For Smart Masses    www.thinkgeek.com

I discovered products from Think Geek when I was doing an online search for products I’d seen on The Big Bang Theory.  I love the things Leonard and Sheldon have such as a shower-curtain with the periodic table of elements – very appropriate for two physicists!  I should note that I haven’t yet purchased anything from this website, so I am not recommending these products or the website from personal experience; I’m simply recommending them as products I find interesting and unique.  For example:

Gingerdead Men Cookie Cutter  $4.99 

5 inch gingerbread cookie cutter with skeleton impression!  This could be a fun gag gift for doctors, nurses, surgeons, chiropractors, physiotherapists, X-ray technicians, or maybe just someone you shop for who can appreciate something out of the ordinary.

Caffeine Mug  $6.99 

 8 oz coffee mug with a diagram of the caffeine molecule!  Obviously this would be appropriate for coffee connoisseurs (and by that I mean addicts).  This would be especially appropriate for those caffeine lovers who have some knowledge of chemistry.

Giant Plush Microbes  $8.99 each

Stuffed animals for people who like science!  When I saw these I fell in love.  I do not own any of these myself but I do hope one day to start collecting these adorable microbes such as E. Coli, Cough, Flesh Eating Disease, and Bad Breath!  There is also a Red Blood Cell, Brain Cell, Nerve Cell, Stem Cell, and – possibly my favourite of the cells – a Sperm Cell and Egg Cell!

I think these are so cute, funny, and creative that I not only want them, but I actually wish I was the one responsible for the creation of this product.  It isn’t often that I think something is that great.

Someone interested in science and biology might enjoy these lovable creatures, as well as people with a strange or morbid sense of humour!  For a list of the microbes available, click the following link:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/giftsunder10/6708/?pfm=holiday2011_galacticgiftsunder10_1_6708

5.  The Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild   
The Unexamined Gift Is Not Worth Giving   www.philosophersguild.com

Products from this website have a similar quality to those from Think Geek, but they seem to differ in that Think Geek seems to cater to lovers of science and technology, The Unmployed Philosopher’s Guild seems to cater more to lovers of the humanities such as literature, history, philosophy, psychology, etc ...

I should note that I did purchase a product from this website in the past.  I purchased a pair of Freudian Slippers ($24.95) for my sister Claudia as a congratulatory gift for achieving her PhD in psychology.  For those who don’t know, Freudian Slippers are a pun on the term “Freudian Slip” which is an error in speech or action that unintentionally reveals unconscious thoughts.  As for my experience with the website, when the slippers arrived they were slightly defective in that only one slipper had spectacles.  When I telephoned the company and explained the issue the company sent me a free pair of the same product free of defects.  I did not have to pay for the delivery or return the defective pair.  It is for this reason that I give the company a very positive review.

Here are some examples of products from this site that could make great Christmas gifts:

Lab Cutters $15.99 

Each set of cookie cutters contains a beaker, a flask, a test tube, and an atom.  Like the cookie cutters from Think Geek, these would be appropriate for someone who likes to bake and decorate cookies during the Christmas season, especially someone with an interest in science and chemistry, or perhaps just someone with an unusual sense of humour and a taste for the unexpected!  Get it?  A taste for the unexpected ...?

Wonderland Passport Notebook  $3.95

This comes with travel tips and an official passport information page!  Other Passport Notebooks include Oz, Neverland, Camelot, The Garden of Eden, Paradise, Hell, Nirvana, Utopia, Pangaea, Plato’s Republic, and The Unconscious!  I love the diversity of this product.  I think it’s a creative and fun idea for fans of the appropriate works of literature and like the Giant Microbes from Think Geek, this is a product I wish I developed myself.  I love that this item seems to blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy/literature.

Now that I am noticing all the potential passport destinations, I am starting to wonder if I should have decided against the book I bought for my sister Claudia, and instead presented her with the passport to Hell.  Hmm ... that still might be suitable for another time.


6.  Philosophy and Pop Culture Series

When I enjoy a work of fiction, I usually think it’s so great that I have to spend time analyzing it and picking it apart to find out what important messages it has in it.  Ask my brother Geoffrey.  He knows I can’t watch a TV show or movie without over-thinking it.  But if you ask me, a work of fiction is truly great if it can be dissected and analysed.  For anyone who thinks likewise, I recommend the Philosophy and Popular Culture Series.

I get a lot of enjoyment out of these because I feel like they really talk a lot about the major issues in the respective works.  For example, Mad Men and Philosophy discusses a lot of real issues in advertising that come up on the show and True Blood and Philosophy discusses prejudice. 

Similarly, I think there is also a Psychology and Pop Culture Series, of which the only book I currently have is The Psychology of Harry Potter.  I can definitely recommend this book, as well as A Taste of True Blood:  The Fangbanger’s Guide.  I think all of these works are available at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca, and I also purchased some from Chapters.

Even if the TV and book fans you know aren’t particularly analytical, I would still strongly recommend such analytical works to a casual reader who might be a big fan of a particular series or novel.  The chapters are essays written by individual authors about diverse topics, and reading each chapter in order is not necessary.  Not only do I get a lot of enjoyment out of these books, but I think they allow me to appreciate their respective works of fiction even more.  I also hope that they inspire people to think critically about the works of fiction they enjoy and to think deeply about what messages those works teach their fans.

7.  Homemade Mixed CDs

If you know how to make a mixed CD using your computer and have whatever programs are necessary to do so, one great personal gift you can give a loved one is a mixed CD with a particular theme.  For example, if know someone who truly appreciates laughter – or someone you think should lighten up a little – you could make them a comedy CD filled with funny songs.  For sources of funny songs you can look into Saturday Night Live, South Park, and comedians Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, and Mario Cantone.

NOTE:

Try to arrange the songs in a suitable order, and be sure to make a nice album cover for the CD case.  Don’t forget to write out the list of songs on the inside sleeve of the cover either, unless of course you would like them to be a surprise.

Other possible themes for mixed CDs include songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s, songs to listen to while exercising, relaxing songs, and love songs.

If you would like to make a mixed Christmas CD for a friend or loved one, here are some of my suggestions for songs to include:

1.  Trim Up The Tree (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

2.  Mr. Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)
3.   Whoville Theme (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)
4.  We Are Santa’s Elves (Burl Ives- from Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer)
5.  Jingle Jingle Jingle
6.  Christmas Time Is Here (Charlie Brown Christmas)
7.  12 Days of Christmas (The Muppets)
8.  Nuttin For Christmas (Shirley Temple)
9.  Marshmallow World (Darlene Love)
10.  Christmas (Darlene Love)
11.  What Christmas Means To Me (Stevie Wonder)
12.  Someday At Christmas (Stevie Wonder)
13.  Feed The World (Band Aid)

14.  The Chanukah Song (Adam Sandler)

15.  Snoopy vs The Red Baron (The Royal Guardsmen)

16.  Step Into Christmas (Elton John)

17.  Last Christmas (George Michael)
18.  O Holy Night (South Park)
19.  Christmas Time In Hell (South Park)
20.  Mr. Hanky The Christmas Pooh (South Park)
21.  Wonderful Christmas Time (Paul McCartney)
22.  Happy Christmas (John & Yoko)

Well, these are my only ideas for now.  I hope they were useful, though I think it may be a little late in the holiday season for them to be of much help for this year.  If anyone has any comments or criticisms I would be glad to read them, along with any other unique gift ideas.

In case I can’t write again until after the 25^th, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

Halloween Songs!

For today’s Halloween post, I am posting what I think are great Halloween songs. If anyone is considering making a Halloween-themed mixed CD to play at parties, or simply to put them in the Halloween spirit, I think these songs are for you! If for some reason the music videos that I have added from YouTube will not play, please do a YouTube search yourself and listen to these songs.

I will start with a great song by a friend of mine who covered a song originally by Smoosh. This is "The Quack" by Invisible People:



It would be impossible to make a list of great Halloween songs without including something from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There are probably many other great songs to choose from the 1975 film starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, such as "The Rocky Horror Theme", and "Over At The Frankenstein Place". But for now I am simply including "Sweet Transvestite": Enjoy!



I love this song by The Guess Who whether it's Halloween or not. The lyrics to "Shakin' All Over" are somewhat ambiguous - they can be about the fear of love but coupled with the music they imply to me of fear of something much spookier!


I love "Little Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs! There's something sinister about this song that makes it perfect for Halloween. I think the popularity of werewolf costumes and Little Red Riding Hood Costumes make this song very appropriate!



This song was recommended to me by my brother Geoffrey, who informed me that it was featured in the 1978 film Halloween starring Jamie Lee Curtis.  This is Blue Oyster Cult with "(Don't Fear) The Reaper:"


Fans of HBO's True Blood will certainly recognize "Bad Things" by Jace Everrett. This song is used as the theme for the show and plays during the graphic opening credit sequence.  If you ask me and my mother, the singer actually sounds like Bill Compton, the vampire who dates Sookie Stackhouse!

 

This is another song introduced to me by my brother Geoffrey, who informed me that most songs by this group are appropriate for Halloween! The one featured by The Cramps here is called "I Was A Teenage Werewolf:"
 

The next song comes from first album, Static Age, by The Misfits. "Teenagers From Mars" is a great Halloween song because its lyrics are dark and the subject matter is that of extra terrestrials - teenaged extra terrestrials! It combines science fiction with young people, and much of Halloween celebration is geared towards minors!




And finally, we have the 1978 song "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon.  What I find interresting about this song is the catchy, upbeat melody coupled with both goofy and graphic lyrics!  It reminds me of the sadistic humour of many horrific villains.

  


Of course, there are always the classics ... "The Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Picket and the Cryptkickers from 1962, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" from 1983, and Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" from the 1984 film.  You might also want to include "Haunted House" from 1963 by Jumpin' Gene Simmons, "Purple People Eater" from 1958 by Sheb Woolley, and even "Love Potion #Nine" from 1953 by The Clovers.  I would also include "Do The Hippogriff" by The Weird Sisters from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and "The Jitterbug" from a deleted scene in The Wizard of Oz, performed by Judy Garland.

Use your imagination, and have a wicked Halloween!

A Witches Tea Party Under The Halloween Moon: Wrapping Halloween Presents

For part 4 of my Halloween-themed blog posts I would like to begin posting my contributions to “A Witches Tea Party Under The Halloween Moon.”  For my first contribution, I am posting unique Halloween gift-wrapping ideas.

Halloween Gifts

As far as I am aware, most people do not give gifts at Halloween other than candy, but for guests at Halloween parties, this could be a great way to give party-favours. After all, a wrapped present has an air of mystery – the concealing wrapping paper causes suspense in the recipient, and Halloween is all about mystery and suspense!

For my gift-wrap projects I used Halloween tissue paper, but you can also use Halloween Scrapbooking paper or experiment with cardstock and construction paper. For my first present I used orange tissue paper, and once wrapped I decorated it using a rubber pumpkin stamp.  To compliment the black ink I topped the gift with a black bow.

For my next gifts I used Halloween Muffin Papers to create elaborate bows. 

For the first bow I made several slits along the creases of the muffin papers with concentric circles. I taped one of these to the centre of the wrapped gift and topped it with some stacked muffin papers. Some of them I attached right side up and some upside down. 

In the centre I attached one of the slitted muffin papers that I had curled with scissors.This effect can be achieved using the same technique with scissors for curling ribbon.  You can experiment by using all curled muffin papers, fold the slits in zig-zags instead of curling them, of using a combination of curled and zig-zagged muffin papers.





For my last gift, I wrapped the box using plain white tissue paper, and cut the centres out of several of the skull muffin papers.

 
I attached the circles of skulls throughout the wrapped box, and used the remaining creased rings to make an elaborate bow.

   

Some I cut and curled with scissors – again, similar to curling ribbon – while I taped the ends of the others together.  After creating a long, curving spiral of the creased paper, I rolled them up into a coil, keeping the centre higher in a similar manner to a flower. 

You can experiment by using images from Halloween stationary or scrapbooking paper, or even stickers.  You can also use black, white, or orage streamers to make the bows, or use a combination of coloured streamers.

Halloween 2011 Blog Party Hosted By Frosted Petunias

I'm just writing a quick post to say that I am planning on participating in Frosted Petunias' Halloween blog party, entitled "A Witches Tea Party Under The Halloween Moon" which takes place on October 29th and 30th.

 You can reach the party's website by clicking on the icon to the right of my page, or by clicking on the following link:

http://halloweenmoontea.blogspot.com/

Halloween Jack O' Lanterns from 2010

My internet was down for a few days so I was unable to continue my Halloween themed blog posts.  Nevertheless, I will continue today by posting photos of my Jack O’ Lanterns from last Halloween.  I hope you like them, and I hope you will feel free to leave any comments, suggestions for future Jack O’ Lanterns I could carve, links to websites with great pumpkin-carving ideas, and even links to photos of your own work.  Enjoy!

Mad Scientist Performing Unwanted Brain-Surgery

I got the idea for this when browsing the toy section of Dollarama.  There I came across 2 sets of doctor kits entitled “My Family Doctor,” which contained plastic stethoscopes, syringes, microscopes, medicine bottles, and even toy surgical tools.  Since both contained slightly different items, I bought both.

To create the Mad Scientist, I carved 2 small holes beside each eye so that the round eye-glasses could be attached.  It seemed appropriate to use the round eye-glasses, as every mad scientist I could picture seemed to wear round eye-glasses.  Dr. Finkelstein from A Nightmare Before Christmas is a perfect example.

I attached a small gourd for the nose and 2 larger gourds for the arms using metal skewers, and to attach the syringe and scalpel I used clear Scotch Tape.

To make the syringe look more authentic, I took it apart and inserted a metal skewer through the hole to use as a needle.  I secured the skewer in the tube or barrel using the clear Scotch Tape and replaced the blue plastic pump.

For the Brain-Surgery Victim I simply cut a hole in the top of a small pie pumpkin so that if compared to a head, it would look like the top part of the skull was removed.  Using a black Sharpie marker, I drew a frightened expression which included a quivering, screaming mouth.  I then filled the hole with the seeds and strands or “brains” from my other pumpkins.

Cinderella’s Pumpkin Carriage

After designing and carving this Cinderella-inspired coach, I enhanced the design by outlining the holes with a black Sharpie marker and adding green Glitter-Glue for a more magical effect.

I included 5 miniature pumpkins in the design – 4 for the 4 wheels, and one which I cut in half to use as a seat for the driver and a platform for the footman.  Attaching those 2 halves was very difficult, and in the process I tried a combination of toothpicks, Popsicle sticks, and a hot glue gun.

For the wheels I drew a design with a black Sharpie marker on the tops of 2 miniature pumpkins and used them for the wheels on the back (left) side.  Similarly, I drew an alternate design on the bottoms or the remaining 2 miniature pumpkins and used them for the front (right) side wheels.  On these, I also added a dab of the green Glitter Glue to what would be the axils of the wheels.  I connected the wheels using green Pipe Cleaners which I twisted and coiled to give the appearance of vines.

I found an artificial green vine that I attached to the stem using a hot glue gun, and also attached some artificial orange-glitter maple leaves.  I thought the orange-glitter leaves alluded to the fairy dust that accompanies any spell, such as the spell a fairy-godmother might cast on a pumpkin to turn it into a temporary vehicle for a deserving scullery maid.

I was very happy with both pumpkins, and I got a lot of compliments on both.  As I expected, girls were more impressed with Cinderella's Pumpkin Carriage while boys were more impressed with the Mad Scientist Performing An Unwanted Brain Surgery.  Though both took a lot of work I was glad that everyone could appreciate at least one of my projects.

Halloween Skull Wreath

This is another one of last year’s Halloween craft projects.  I made this skull wreath using a “Floral Craft Ring” from Michaels.  A wreath form would probably work just as well, as would a  home-made cardboard ring. 

Using a Hot Glue Gun, I attached several assorted plastic skulls which I had collected the year before.  I chose to buy many of them after Halloween because the prices were marked down, and I tried to buy them from various stores to so that some could look slightly different than others in shape, size, and colouring.  For example, you can see that the 2 examples of plastic skulls below are not identical:

I would suggest looking for them at Michaels, Wal Mart, Shoppers Drug Mart Dollarama, and other dollar stores.

Before gluing anything, I attached a think black string through one of the holes in the Craft Ring and tied it firmly so that it can be used to hang the wreath on a hook.  After doing this, I glued 3 large foam skulls from Michaels around the stringed hole, covering the surface and the string.  I then began gluing the rest of the smaller skulls around the ring, making sure to cover the surface of the ring, and using the various kinds throughout.  I attached them at different angles, and sometimes would glue one on top of the others – this was useful for covering any areas where the frame was still showing.

It is not neccessary for the wreath to be symetrical ... just have fun with it!