So, what are some cool Christmas gifts that are out this year? I guess last year was the Year of the Wii. Every year has to some kind of Tickle Me Elmo theme, right?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
In the UK the hot gift seems to be “invisible knickers”.
in the same vein, l hear these are making
marymerry.rimshot
I’m looking all over for a Tickle Me Rod Blagojevich, but they’re all out.
They’re on the shelves right next to the Wide Stance Larry Craig dolls.
Some of the gifts that the groom’s family will carry to the bride and her family for the first night of the wedding celebration, Panjab, Pakistan
These are traditional gifts mainly consisting of fruits and sweets. On the second night the roles are reversed and the bride’s family brings a similar load of gifts for the groom and his family.
If the USAF doesn’t bomb them.
Exactly! And don’t think I don’t worry about that every day!
Every man should have the Radio Controlled Beverage Cooler
For when you’ve pissed off your wife and she refuses to bring you any more beer.
Who needs a go-fer anyway? You can now be totally self sustained. Anchored to the couch with your cooler remote and a big bag of chips.
Make sure and keep spare batteries close by. You’d hate for them to die when you’re really, really thirsty.
bah! child’s play. for the ultimate couch potato experience you need the beer catapult:
better living through science.
The groom’s sister receives gift of flower leis from the bride and her family on the second day of celebration, Panjab, Pakistan
Gift of clothes for the groom from the bride and her family on the second day of celebration, Panjab, Pakistan
On the first night the groom’s family puts on a party to honour the bride. They bring gifts of fruit and sweets for her and for her family. They also bring flowers and a suit of clothes for her which she will put on and wear that night and all the next day. She must not take off these clothes until the third day when the actual marriage takes place.
On the second night’s celebration the roles are reversed. These are the flowers and the clothes that the bride’s family presented to the groom on night two.
Ah wait – I got that wrong (multitasking again – when will I learn?). The first night’s party is put on by the bride’s family and the groom’s family brings gifts and honours the bride. The groom does not attend that night. The next night’s party is put on by the groom’s family and the roles are reversed.
Sorry ’bout that.
The bride on the first evening of celebration, wearing the clothes presented to her by the groom’s family
The groom on the second evening of celebration wearing the clothes presented to him by the bride’s family
I love all the bright colors of the clothes and the surroundings.
How many people attend a traditional wedding in Pakistan? I remember hearing about the size of some of my Indian colleagues weddings, and being shocked at the huge number of people invited.
The clothes are fabulous! Beautiful colours, wnoderful fabrics, gorgeous hand work. I have a whole wardrobe of Pakistani clothes to wear while I am there. And they are extremely comfortable too.
The number of people attending a wedding depends a lot on the family. And typically the first two events are for family and very close friends, so you might have only a few hundred for those, and the third and fourth nights you will have larger crowds.
One thing that is very lovely about the Panjabi traditions around weddings is the number of things they do during the wedding celebration and in the weeks before and after that are clearly designed to bring the couple close to both families and to bring the families close to each other.
You know, if people in this country who yap about family values all the time want to see what REAL family values look like, they would do well to spend some time with Pakistani families. The family values there are not artificial or made up, they are intrinsic and completely uncontrived.
I’m thinking about a few things for myself. One of those thingies that converts VHS tapes to DVDs so I can give everyone videos of my 21 year-old as a toddler on Christmas morning in 1993.
And I want to get a cell phone. I haven’t had one for almost a decade and I know they do all sorts of things now, but I think I just want it to call and be called and maybe texting. I want something I can carry in my pocket that won’t break. And while I’m kind of an old fogey I don’t want one of those jitterbugs. Any suggestions?
I was thinking of buying a Senate seat, but I don’t think I can afford it on my pension. And I live in California.
I think I’d like gold coins from Santa this year. Sadly it’s awfully tough to get your hands on any.
I’ve been thinking of one of those High Definition, Pioneer razzle dazzle 50” TV’s. Price is very high but the colors are supposed to be sensational. And, the blacks are super black.
If you know any avid middle age basketball fans I highly recommend a DVD titled ‘Black Magic’. It details all the NBA players who came from small division 2 black colleges. If you’re a fan, it’s a must have. Buy it for yourself if you have to.
Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou
Im giving it to my daughters and all my girlfriends