From the LA Times:
By Roy Rivenburg, Times Staff Writer
Don't insult your loved ones by giving them iPods, espresso machines or other lame holiday gifts. Use our handy shopping guide to ferret out this year's essential under-the-tree treats.
Moby-Dick: The action-figure industry continues to boom. The lineup of bendable dolls includes Sigmund Freud, Jesus, Ben Franklin, Cleopatra, Moses, a librarian, a coffee barista and Pope Innocent III, to name a few. But they all pale in comparison (figuratively speaking) with Dick, the Albino Bowler Action Figure. Sporting a large white Afro and a push-button-activated white bowling ball, he sells for $8.95 at http://www.mcphee.com .
Napa Big Gulp: At last, a wineglass big enough to hold an entire bottle of vino ‚àö‚â• so you can truthfully say "I only had one glass, officer." Stands nearly 13 inches tall. The Big Bold Red Glass is available for $99.95 at http://www.iwawine.com . A knockoff version goes for $13 at Britain's http://www.gobaz.com .
Mermania: Get your hands on a giant can of tuna and you'll be able to impersonate the Chicken of the Sea mermaid with Neiman Marcus' new $10,000 mermaid costume. The handcrafted urethane suit comes with its own repair kit, maintenance instructions and expert training on how to swim in it. Or, for mermaids on a budget, designer Thom Shouse ‚àö‚â• who dressed Daryl Hannah in "Splash" ‚àö‚â• rents mermaid costumes (for $1,000 to $1,500 per week), along with wigs, clamshell bras and life-size fake dolphins at his Web site, http://www.mermaid rentals.com. Sadly, there is no McRoskey mermaid mattress.
Luncheon Meat Underwear: What's the only thing better than Spam boxer shorts? How about glow-in-the-dark Spam boxer shorts. Decked with phosphorescent silk-screened Spam cans, these cotton briefs sell for $15 at http://www.spamgift.com .
As for stocking stuffers:
‚àö√ò Air fresheners that look and smell like strips of bacon, $4.99 at stupid.com.
‚àö√ò Air-conditioned computer mouse. Prevent sweaty palms with Nyko's Air Flo Mouse, which contains a built-in fan.
‚àö√ò His-and-her robots. A bargain at $400,000, these 6-foot-tall programmable slaves read poetry, serve drinks and even greet visitors at the front door and give them a ride to your den. From neimanmarcus.com.
aww man!~ i read that too fast. i thought it said "bowling ball for $8.95"....!!! i was like MERRY CHRISTMAS APRIL!!!!!!!!!!!! dammit,.