Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Well half of the radio dial has turned into a Jingle Bell slog and that fat, jolly elf has even invaded the group banner, so it is about time to do some Christmas shopping. But what to get for the more "entertaining" folk on your list?

That's what this folder is for. Whenever you find something that would make a great gift for someone who is actually fun to be around, link it here. With a little luck, we might make someone's Christmas a little more fun.

I'll kick it off with a wristwatch for true believers.

Beam Me Up
https://us.mrjoneswatches.com/product...

Demerit Badges
https://demeritwear.com/collections/all

The card game for people who just aren't right:

Cards Against Humanity
https://www.cardsagainsthumanity.com/

A video of how it's played:
https://youtu.be/QCEqUn7If44?si=T6ldn...

Chernobyl Garden Gnome - 10"
https://www.etsy.com/listing/76953940...

Because dart boards are boring.
https://www.budk.com/Throwing-Knives-...

For zombie fans:

https://www.amazon.com/Late-Sky-Zombi...

For home grown oracles:
https://www.amazon.com/Pot-Tarot-Pegg...

Erin,

Neat, are you a big board game player?

The quintessential EDC lucky charm:
https://www.zippo.com/collections/win...

Never underestimate the power of being able to strike a flame with style.

You know that one person who is completely Erin Go Bragh?
https://www.aran.com/?gad_source=1&am...

For the high class alcoholic:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Design-Tosca...

@J. Ooooo that’s neat! I’m actually looking at a nice decanter set for the husband. I already got him a custom whiskey glass with our dogs picture and name on it. He got really sick and sadly had to leave us 😞 that man loved him, we had gotten him after we got married and was with us through so much

Does he have whiskey stones and a sense of humor?
https://www.amazon.com/Cocktail-Critt...

@J. OH MY GOSH! Take my money 😂 definitely going to purchase

For those looking for motivational signs to hang on their walls:
https://displate.com/

I can feel this one.
https://displate.com/displate/2477909

If you know, you know.
https://youtu.be/aF8_y2Zl9W8?si=Gt63F...

J. wrote: "Erin,

Neat, are you a big board game player?"

I used to be.

If you're shopping for someone like me, he is getting older and spending too much time reading about vampires and swords. (Thanks Graeme)

Burger Custom Canes
https://www.swordcane.com/

High End board games?
https://www.wsgamecompany.com/

J. wrote: "If you're shopping for someone like me, he is getting older and spending too much time reading about vampires and swords. (Thanks Graeme)

Burger Custom Canes
https://www.swordcane.com/"

Vampires and swords rock! Thanks to Graeme! :)

Marie wrote: "Vampires and swords rock! Thanks to Graeme! :)..."

damn straight!

As we have two members interested in some amount of sword play, how about the gift of an education in fencing?

USA Fencing's Club Finder
Learn to Fence - USA Fencing https://www.usafencing.org/learntofence

"In the end, there can be only one."

J. wrote: "As we have two members interested in some amount of sword play, how about the gift of an education in fencing?

USA Fencing's Club Finder
Learn to Fence - USA Fencing https://www.usafencing.org/lea..."

Well we would only want to be taught by Graeme since he knows how to write sword fighting scenes with finesse and we want to live in the Metaframe to visit with the characters! lol :)

Perhaps a beautifully bound copy of a favorite time from the Folio Society?
https://www.foliosociety.com/usa

Marie wrote: "Well we would only want to be taught by Graeme since he knows how to write sword fighting scenes with finesse and we want to live in the Metaframe to visit with the characters! lol :)..."

Unfortunately, fencing has as much to do with real world blade combat as WWF wrestling with unarmed combat. 🤔🤨😉

Graeme wrote: "Marie wrote: "Well we would only want to be taught by Graeme since he knows how to write sword fighting scenes with finesse and we want to live in the Metaframe to visit with the characters! lol :)

Unfortunately, fencing has as much to do with real world blade combat as WWF wrestling with unarmed combat. 🤔🤨😉"

And living in the Metaframe with the characters? You are working on that book portal right? LOL

I need a book portal as a christmas present... 😂

True, Olympic fencing is an extremely iterated sport which based on Renaissance fencing texts. The most recent example I know of actual blood sport with blades was German Academic Fencing. You ever notice how many German officers in the World Wars had large facial scars? Academic Fencing is the reason.
https://www.dannydutch.com/post/the-t...

That said there are two lineages which still practice combat, HEMAA and Japanese Iado and Kenjutsu.

HEMAA
https://www.hemaalliance.com/

Graeme wrote: "I need a book portal as a christmas present... 😂"

Me too! 😂😂

Aren't books the portals? I've sat in the parlor of a safari hunter as he recounted his adventures. I've rode with two Brits and a Texan as they chased an abomination being carried by gypsies. I've followed a Franciscan monk as he chased a murderer through a monastic library. And now, I'm beginning the assault upon a fortress filled with the parasitic damned. All of these adventures for the cracking of a leather spine.

Can any of you name the four cited books?

The second one sounds like any number of stories that might have been written by (the amazing) Robert E. Howard.

The third one sounds like The Name of the Rose.

2nd is Dracula.

I won't comment on the other 3.

Graeme wrote: "2nd is Dracula."

Well, "D'oh!" as Homer Simpson would say. Now I feel like pretty dense.

But still ... I bet somewhere there's a REH story in there....

Dracula and The Name of the Rose are correct.

The first is the hardest. It is a memoir on hunting cape buffalo in Africa.

How are y'all not getting the fourth?

I got the 4th ... didn't want to jump in and spoil the fun.

Well, the last one is by our very own kick ass Aussie author, Graeme, and his vampiric series!

Netanella wrote: "Well, the last one is by our very own kick ass Aussie author, Graeme, and his vampiric series!"

😁😉😎

The first one is by Teddy Roosevelt?

Yeah Graeme, I know for a fact that you know the fourth one. I was just considering how we got into this tangent.

J. wrote: "Yeah Graeme, I know for a fact that you know the fourth one. I was just considering how we got into this tangent."

Having fun with lists?

Sorry, not a Teddy memoir. Though I highly recommend his books. The part in his memoir where he and his brother, Kermit, rib their mother (who was born and raised in Georgia) by using their bedtime prayers to pray that the Union would crush the Confederacy is priceless.

Graeme wrote: "Having fun with lists?

Talking about your Metaframe series.

By the way, are there any great Christmas traditions or gifts down under?

For the would be Bond villains among us in need of a desk ornament.
https://www.movaglobes.com/shop/?gad_...

UFO Cow Abduction: Beam Up Your Bovine (With Light and Sound!) (RP Minis
https://www.amazon.com/UFO-Cow-Abduct...

For those who want to work out like a savage:

Primal Kettlebells
https://www.onnit.com/primal-bells/#9...

J. wrote: "By the way, are there any great Christmas traditions or gifts down under?"

When I grew up in the 60s and 70s, the summer traditions were as follows.

November the 5th: Guy Fawkes night with fireworks and crackers. That was very popular until it got banned because some cretins can't manage not hurting themselves, so the self-appointed fun police got rid of it.

I grew up on a farm with open skies and pitch black nights. Fireworks up close, lighting off rockets and crackers - great fun for all the family.

Christmas eve, the presents would be beneath the tree in our lounge room. Us kids would all be excited and we'd all have a pillow case at the end of our bed. Santa would come during the night and deposit little presents in each of our pillow cases.

On Christmas day, after milking cows, and other chores, we'd collect in the lounge room and Dad would hand out the presents one by one. I had four older sisters and two older brothers and we'd all give presents to each other, so this would take awhile...

We'd then settle in for lunch around a big table. There were two courses, main which always included roast pork with crackling, and roast lamb with roast vegetables and lots of gravy, apple sauce, or mint jelly.

For dessert, there was plum pudding, with cream, ice cream, or hot runny custard, or a fruit trifle or pavlova.

Afternoons were quiet as we'd all be stuffed, but we'd end up playing games.

Cold meats like chicken and ham would be served wth salad in the evening, and we'd eat leftovers for the next day or two.

Now ... We still do roast pork, but Lamb is passe and has been replaced with seafood, oysters, prawns, etc which are eaten first as an entre.

Desserts are now summer (berries) pudding served with cream. Plum puddings are quite rare, but I love them so we still have one.

Presents are for the grandchildren.

J. wrote: "UFO Cow Abduction: Beam Up Your Bovine (With Light and Sound!) (RP Minis
https://www.amazon.com/UFO-Cow-Abduct......"

I have this it’s awesome!! The sound effects are so fun

Never underestimate the value of a nice deck of cards.

Stylish
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Cinder...

Happy Memories
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Future...

Humorous
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-101840...

Predictive
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Fortun...

J. wrote: "Never underestimate the value of a nice deck of cards.

Stylish
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Cinder......"

Love the tragic royalty! 😂