
Ask HN: what's on your Christmas list? - rudenoise
Season's greetings,<p>I'm stumped when friends and family ask if I have a wish-list for presents. I don't know about others, but I'm hard to buy for (mp3s and ebooks have killed the traditional, non sock, options), vouchers are the safe bet, but leave the giver feeling like they're handing over a small amount of cash with no personal meaning.<p>So, what do you all do, and what are the HN equivalent of Buzz Lightyear dolls of 2010?
======
jfb
I had a cherry '79 Yamaha SG2000 on my list; but it occurred to me that there
are plenty of people who for whom that $1500 would go a lot further than it
would providing the fifth (admittedly nice) instrument to hang on my wall. So
I'm taking part in a local charity that collects wish lists from the
indigent/desperately poor and I'm going to put that $1500 into making their
Christmas' less shitty.

The stuff on the lists, by the way, will break your heart. Used shoes (size
11)?

 _EDIT_ : Just to torture myself:

[http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=23055...](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230556612914&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_1138wt_1141)

~~~
makmanalp
Good on you. I can't really justify paying that much for something I don't
deserve, since I don't think I'm that good yet.

How about this one, though? :( [http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Ibanez-Artist-
Guitar-1978-2622-S...](http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Ibanez-Artist-
Guitar-1978-2622-Steve-Miller-/300500164154?pt=Guitar&hash=item45f7349e3a)

~~~
jfb
I have and adore a pre-lawsuit Artist. It's a fantastic instrument.

------
mgkimsal
I'm not sure there's anything on my holiday list, as in, anything I would like
to receive from others. I've never been very good at receiving gifts, and
there's little anyone could provide for me in terms of material 'things' that
I actually want to own. Don't get me wrong - there's material things I _want_
\- but no one in my gift-giving circle is able to afford _those_ things :)

I do typically get a few gift cards for restaurants from family members -
these are nice because it lets me and my wife have a nice meal out. That's a
key right there - the gift is providing me a nice experience, not a 'thing' to
house and maintain.

What I've started to do - as a bit offputting as it seemed at first - is
sending pics of my gift-card meals to the giver. It's a way to let them know
we did actually use the gift, and that we had a good time. It gets around the
giver feeling like they just handed over cash with no personal meaning. For
other sorts of gift-cards, I will send an email or phone call thanking them
and letting them know what I selected.

As 'impersonal' as this may be, it's the best balance I've come up with.

Side note: The emails and pics feel strangely a bit like old-fashioned 'thank
you' notes that my folks tried to get me to write as a kid after birthdays. I
_hated_ that experience, and when I didn't do it I felt like I was a bad kid.

Between getting older and getting computerized, I'm _much_ more willing to
follow up with email. I don't mind the process of thank you notes, but I
_hate_ writing by hand, even as a kid.

In my time, we had no real options (well, typewriter I guess) so I was forced
in to writing by hand, which I was (and still am) _horrible_ at. I can't write
more than a few lines before my hand aches and the writing is illegible (even
to me).

tl;dr: I wish I'd had email as a kid _and_ been mature enough to use it to
keep in touch with well-meaning family members.

------
gyardley
What's wrong with socks? Seriously, socks are a great present - I always need
some.

Failing that, t-shirts. Cotton whites are fine although I send along a few
links to some 'funny' shirts I'd wear for those who want to get me something a
little less generic.

~~~
freiheit
I have socks on my list. Smartwool. After trying merino wool socks I'll never
go back to cotton.

------
seancron
* A kinect sensor so that I can have some fun coding hacks for it.

* Possibly an e-reader, although I still can't decide between the Nook and the Kindle right now.

* Hopefully not too many gift cards to specific stores, since I never seem to use them. I know I'll inevitably receive some.

* Almost anything from ThinkGeek, like these Miracle Berry Fruit Tablets that I want to try: <http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/wacky-edibles/ab3f/>

~~~
evilduck
I've had both the Miracle Berries whole, and the tablets. The tablets are less
strange tasting, but they're not quite as potent or effective as whole
berries. Both will last for about 30 to 40 minutes.

They're fun though, I suggest getting a group of friends who are interested
and setting up a buffet for everyone to sample from (single ingredient or
simple foods work best, and try various beverages too).

------
xenophanes
Christmas gifts are dumb. If I wanted something in gift price range I would
have bought it for myself already. I'm not living paycheck to paycheck.

If you're really stumped, maybe think of something you don't like to shop for
(clothes, bowls&plates, a lamp, laundry detergent? boring household stuff) and
ask for that and let them pick what type.

~~~
itg
"Christmas gifts are dumb. If I wanted something in gift price range I would
have bought it for myself already. I'm not living paycheck to paycheck."

This is not the reason why people get each other gifts.

~~~
xenophanes
Yeah, but it is the reason it's dumb.

The reason some X is dumb rarely has to do directly with the reason proponents
of X say X is great, but rather with something they don't think about.

------
bradly
I've started asking for non-tangible gifts recently. Things like piano
lessons, sailing lessons, rock climbing gym membership, Flickr Pro
subscription, etc.

~~~
mgkimsal
That's a great idea. Gifts such as those will give you experiences and the
basis for more experiences over a lifetime. Physical gifts can sometimes do
that, but not as often.

------
maw
A good introductory classic Greek (Attic) textbook.

A nice, small tube amp.

I'm unlikely to get either since I haven't made these wishes known to anyone
who's going to be buying me anything. In any case, they're both the sort of
thing you're better off buying for yourself.

~~~
dunham
Maybe there is something in Google Books you can use:

[http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1,bkv:f&tbo=p&q...](http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1,bkv:f&tbo=p&q=attic+greek&num=10)

(query is for "attic greek" restricted to "full text available".)

------
swolchok
A WakeMate. Here's hoping they ship before Christmas...

------
cypherpunks01
I have waaay too much "stuff", so I usually strongly discourage anyone from
buying me anything. Trying to give things away instead. Anything that can fit
on a hard drive is OK though.

~~~
DannoHung
Ditto. I actually asked my parents if they could help me get rid of some stuff
as a Christmas gift. I did ask for one book though:
<http://www.cookingforgeeks.com/> Since it's formatting heavy, I'd rather have
a hardcopy of it.

~~~
cypherpunks01
That sounds cool. I usually just dig <http://www.cookingforengineers.com> !

~~~
DannoHung
Yep, I love that blog. The new entry on Sous Vide makes me want to give that a
try.

------
catlike
I'm trying to convince my girlfriend to purchase
<http://ardrone.parrot.com/parrot-ar-drone/usa/> for me

~~~
seancron
I've seen that before, but I found it disappointing that they limit the height
to 10 ft above the ground. It also seems like it may have some problems flying
in wind judging by their instructions for outdoor flight:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7K0O0YJnFo>

~~~
joeyo

      > I found it disappointing that they limit the height to 10 
      > ft above the ground.
    

Time to hack it? Afaik, it has an ultrasonic range finder that it uses to
maintain a safe distance to the ground (this could be tested by launching it
from the top of a roof and observing its behavior). After that it's just a
matter of finding the right pin and giving the onboard controller the right
PWM signal. :)

Of course the radio might be too weak for any sort of serious teleoperation.

------
TamDenholm
Is anyone else just kinda over Christmas by now? I dont see why we have to
have a specific date to give someone a gift, or spend time with our family or
enjoy a nice meal. Then again, everone calls me scrooge this time of year.

PS: I made this site a few years back: <http://whychristmasisbullshit.com/>

~~~
watty
People call you scrooge because you are just like scrooge... seriously, you
made a website because you don't like getting off of work, getting gifts, and
spending time with family?

~~~
evilduck
Those 3 things aren't really listed on his site, just some of the negative
behaviors around them. If you'd care to refute the things listed, you'd have a
point.

The prevalence of gift giving using consumer credit is just dumb, moreso when
it's crappy gift cards that don't mean anything. Only spending time with
family during Christmas doesn't feel genuine, and the arbitrariness of getting
time off for the holidays is irksome to anyone who is aware of how fabricated
the holiday is. Call me scrooge too if you like, but I agree with most of the
stuff listed.

------
chadp
Bugatti Veyron

~~~
bd
Here you are :)

[http://mrdoob.github.com/three.js/examples/materials_cars.ht...](http://mrdoob.github.com/three.js/examples/materials_cars.html)

(needs WebGL capable browser like Chrome 9 dev channel or Firefox 4)

~~~
khafra
Interesting reversal: I have a Daytona 675 and wanted a CGI model of it for
CFD testing on cheap ways to reduce drag. But the only CGI model I could find
online was over $100; far more than I'd expect to save in gasoline costs over
the life of the bike.

------
egb
I'm hoping for an EcoSphere - kind of like Sea Monkeys for grownups, or maybe
it's just like a tiny aquarium that never needs feeding, just indirect light
and making sure it doesn't get too warm.

[http://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Small-
Sphere-4-inches/dp/B00...](http://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Small-
Sphere-4-inches/dp/B000068ZIC?&camp=212361&linkCode=wsw&tag=g03de-20&creative=380801)

------
tptacek
I just updated my Amazon wish list at my mom's request!
<http://amzn.com/w/1WO5IE7YF9N7H>

~~~
iuguy
Errr... really? This? [http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Play-Tents-Hide-
Tunnel/dp/B000...](http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Play-Tents-Hide-
Tunnel/dp/B00000IUX7/ref=wl_it_dp_v?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2236UV55LU5IW&colid=1WO5IE7YF9N7H)

~~~
tptacek
No idea. There's some old, old stuff on there. I just want the rotovap.
Someone buy me a rotovap? Thanks!

(I have two kids, for what it's worth.)

~~~
iuguy
What's the difference between the 10k rotovap and the 2k one? It seems like
pound for pound (of dry ice that is) the 2k one might be better for smaller
volumes... unless you're trying to simulate martian polar ice caps in your
back garden...

FWIW I want one of these: [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nauticalia-Copper-Pot-
Still/dp/B0049...](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nauticalia-Copper-Pot-
Still/dp/B00491YMPU/)

I'm trying to convince the wife that a 'purely ornamental' (due to UK
legislation) still used in a 'demonstrative manner' should fit in a small two
bedroom starter house. Somehow the fact that I don't want to cook meth in the
house after seeing breaking bad seems to count against me with her...

~~~
tptacek
Where's the $2k rotovap? The $10k looks like an R-210, which is the one I keep
seeing in demos.

~~~
dunham
I think he means the $3k one, it's listed as a "related product" on the page
of the $10k one:

[http://www.amazon.com/Cole-Parmer-Rotary-Evaporator-
System-V...](http://www.amazon.com/Cole-Parmer-Rotary-Evaporator-System-
Vertical/dp/B003NV4W02)

Looks like smaller "bath capacity" and smaller temperature range (5C-90C)

~~~
tptacek
It looks like this guy don't apply vacuum pressure (the Q&A on their site
suggests that you can plug it into a separate vacuum pump). That's pretty key,
since the reason to own these things is vacuum distillation.

------
endlessvoid94
I work on a 30-45 min work / 20-30 minute break schedule. It really helps me
to prevent burnout, but I need something to do every 45 minutes for 20-30
minutes, so I'm asking for an xbox.

Nice headphones are always in high demand, as are a plethora of interesting
books.

What about something useful to your job? A new keyboard? How about a new bag
to carry your laptop?

I recently bought a DSLR and I'm also asking for a new lens.....

------
DanielBMarkham
Time to continue working on my startup. More runway.

------
jlees
Some more spare time. Please.

Failing that, a ton of books -- my Amazon wishlist is pretty up to date (if
anyone's interested: <http://amzn.com/w/OW6V76NBR5HF>);

An iPhone 4, which I'm avoiding buying for myself since I have a perfectly
awesome Nexus One, but which I wouldn't mind being given;

And a Garmin, for the upcoming London Marathon.

------
nzadrozny
Anything related to the production and consumption of coffee and tea. Mugs and
the like fit nicely in the gift price range, allow the giver to express
themselves a bit, and are easy to collect and enjoy. Really, who doesn't love
an awesome mug?

Then there's my _other_ Christmas list, the one with the SSD featured
prominently on it… ;)

------
JimmyL
A suit (my current black one is wearing out), a new desktop computer (the old
one was in storage for a few years and died), and a few specific hardcover
books.

Realistically, I'm going to end up buying the first two for myself, but will
probably get the books from my parents and a few friends to whom I send my
Amazon list.

------
henry81
I'm not a Christmas person. I don't want people spending hard earned money on
me unless it's something I really want, otherwise I think it's a waste of
money. I am fine with cards or trinkets. My dad is getting me a plane ticket
to fly home, that works.

------
urza
A friend of mine has a very nice wishlist:

If you want to buy me a xmas present, donate to Tor, Wikileaks, Wikipedia,
Caring for Cambodia, Unicef, ffii.org... It will make me happier than gifts.

There are people starving, our privacy is dying, world is changing, help it
move the right way.

------
seltzered
most of my family is trying to be more minimal, so we stopped giving each
other gifts years ago unless it was something important (baby, etc), or
something they needed but was easier for someone else to find.

What I'd value personally: high quality outdoor clothing. I'd be happy if it
was just a merino wool pair of socks. I'm tired of buying cheap jackets and
want to finally invest in a good layering system for wintertime outdoor fun.

I like books/music, and things that get me out of the house.

What I hate: Best Buy gift certificates. I usually end up donating these to
someone else.

~~~
pasbesoin
I discovered Browning brand wool socks at Fleet Farm (in Wisconsin; I'm not
sure about where else they have stores) a couple of years ago. So far, they've
been quite comfortable and durable, for me. Two years ago, they struck me as
quite inexpensive, although I don't recall the price -- they might have been
on sale. This summer, $6.99 a pair.

The ones from two years ago are still going strong, despite my walking around
a lot in socks, at home.

Edit: Although the particular line I purchased are not the very heavy, thick
socks that one may sometimes want for outdoor wear.

------
grantbachman
I've always been interested in robotics, but I've never actually built one, so
an Arduino, servos, and some sensors are at the top of my list. I really want
to build an autonomous quadcopter.

~~~
PStamatiou
if interested you can have my arduino if you cover shipping. been sitting in
my closet for a year and never really got the chance to use it. email in my
profile. cheers.

------
Tyr42
I want some Terry Pratchett books, as well as books/chapters by Knuth.

------
marcocampos
* Books (politics, philosophy, scifi, fantasy, etc...)

* Clothing (socks, plain tshirts, a nice pair of jeans, a coat?)

* No more gadgets, I have enough of that.

* A toaster (mine broke recently and I loves me some burned bread!)

------
rglasgow
I'll take anything on my Citizun profile

<http://citizun.com/profile/ryan-glasgow>

Funding for my startup works too.

------
NZ_Matt
I don't really ask for stuff but I have bought myself Rugby World Cup tickets
and I plan to go Skydiving in January.

------
tlrobinson
I don't have any specific suggestions, but thinkgeek.com is a good place to
shop for our kind.

------
revorad
For the first time ever I'm asking for presents: Kindle, Arduino.

------
pjuska01
Uncrate.com is a good source for finding covetous material goods.

------
zzo38
I want to win a big spider which is bigger than me

------
makmanalp
Secret santa anyone?

------
sz
Mathematica 8

------
araneae
Makerbot :)

------
PStamatiou
funding for my startup

------
zackattack
1) tooth whitening- brightsmile or whatever the best in-house solution is (I
_hate_ applying the disgusting gel)

2) anything from here:
[http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3CLNZ1QEZAO6S/ref=cm...](http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3CLNZ1QEZAO6S/ref=cm_wl_sortbar_o_p_page_1?_encoding=UTF8&page=1)
(the first page of the list especially)

3) a new timing belt for my Camry

