I do the majority online. I have a deep-seated phobia of malls that is pre-Internet so it's a very freeing experience. I just can't handle crowds. Tuesday morning, there were lines to get into some stores at Derby Street. I simply don’t have the patience or fortitude to stand in line to save $3 on a pair of Cinderella pajamas, especially when Toys R Us and Amazon have free shipping all season long.
2) What is at the top of your Christmas list this year?
Same as every year: Restaurant gift cards so we can dine out a lot. And world peace. Let's just hope that James - in one of his anti-clutter tornadoes - doesn't "accidentally" toss out the GCs. (There are no accidents) Over the past two holiday seasons, he's thrown out more than $300 worth of gift cards to Abe & Louies, Capital Grille, and others. I half expect to walk in and find him burning the Christmas cards we've received in the fireplace, along with a bucket of cash.
3) What are some of your favorite “modern” Christmas songs?
The short list: "Fairytale of New York" – Kirsty MacColl/Pogues, "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home" - U2, "Do they know it’s Christmas" - Bandaid, "Christmas in Boston" - Jim Melody, "Winter Wonderland"- Eurythmics, "I Believe in You" - Sinead O'Connor, and though I hate to admit it, I love Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas."
4) Name one of your favorite Christmas gifts from childhood.A Snoopy Telephone when I was 11, which is ironic since I’ve always hated talking on the phone, even back then.
5) Have you ever worked a holiday shift at a retail store or restaurant? How was it?
Yes. I hostessed at a restaurant and worked at Filene’s for a few weeks. It was bloody frickin hell.
4 comments:
1-All of it online.
2-Absolutely nothing.
3-Sure Doesnt Feel Like X-mas Time-Bosstones.
4-Weebles Houseboat.
5-No.
1. Offline. Amazon, maybe.
2. Soprano's Complete Series.
3. Yes, " Fairytale of New York." Ronnie Spector's "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" and "Frosty the Snowman". "My Favorite Things" Coltrane (is that an X-mas song?They always sang in our Christmas concert in school). Yes, Mariah's song. That one with Chrissy Hynde.
4. Atari. The original. 36 straight hours of "Pong" before we could get to the mall and buy "Ka-boom!".
5. Both. I worked in the stockroom of the retail place. It wasn't so bad for me. It was like being in the engine room of a battleship: I could hear the war above me, but felt reasonably safe.
I bartended and there was a private party for a bunch of cops. I told the shift supervisor lieutenant who organized it that if one more guy ordered like an a-hole- e.g.,"Hey, buddy: Gimme tree more of dem Butterball shots...and not so weak this time!"- I was closing the doors.
1. Mostly internet this year with quick targeted trips to a few retail outlets. I hope to finish today.
2. Not much. Since we got new living room furniture (loveseat, chair, coffee table and side table) and a flat screen LCD tv we agreed nothing but stocking for each other this year.
3. Eurythmics "Winter Wonderland" is #1. I like the Bird and the Bee Carol of the Bells and all of the Vince Guaraldi and Sarah McLachlin's Christmas tune. I do have a cute version if Porky Pig singing "I'll have a blue christmas without you" and the "Ding Fries are Done" guy. I can't get it out of my head once I hear it.
4. An electric typewriter. Magical.
5. Nope and these days there seems to be no Christmas cheer or goodwill so I hope I don't have to.
1) Do you prefer to do your Christmas shopping on or offline?
Online of course. I bought some things from Dicks and that’ll arrive tomorrow. But unfortunately I still have to brave mall hell tomorrow on a day off from work. But when I do, there is strategic method to my madness. In and out like a sailor in port.
2) What is at the top of your Christmas list this year?
Nothing really at the top of my list. A racquetball bag I guess. And gift cards to clothing stores so I can work on a wardrobe that’ll hold me off for the next 3 years.
3) What are some of your favorite “modern” Christmas songs?
I don’t think I have any modern favorites. “Christmas in Hollis” by Run DMC is one of my favs… but that’s not modern.
4) Name one of your favorite Christmas gifts from childhood.
I have to echo anon from above – when we got Atari 2600 (of course years after everyone else got it and now they were getting Coleco-vision). But one year after we got the Activision game ‘River Raid’. That changed everything for us. This is off the question a little – but a weird gift is when my mom started putting condoms in our stockings. That was weirder than watching ‘Zapped’ with my dad and seeing Heather Thomas’ boobs.
5) Have you ever worked a holiday shift at a retail store or restaurant? How was it?
Yes, for several years when I tended bar at JC Hillary’s in Wootown. We looked forward to it b/c it was busy and the money flowed. But on top of that, the daytime regulars would throw each of the bartenders $20 bills for a XMAS gift (an extra $20 was a cool gift in ’93-’96, trust me). And there were 5 – 10 of them doing this. Of course I just spent that extra money on booze and weed.
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