Now that we’re almost halfway through December, it’s time to really get into the holiday spirit. I bet most of you have had your decorations out since Thanksgiving and there are probably only a handful of people out there without a Christmas tree already up. I’m not talking about your traditional Christmas embellishments – this is so much more festive.
What would the Christmas season be without the Chew-By-Numbers Christmas Tree (Perpetual Kid, $14.99)? Everybody knows that your Yuletide spirit is directly connected to how many pieces of gum you can successfully chew and assemble into a piece of art, so why not make that piece of art for the holidays? This gum-lovers set includes a GumArt board with a paint-by-numbers tree design on it as well as 32 pieces of gum to stick on it. As you can see by the photo, it’s not as easy as it might at first seem. I mean, look at the light string! Take a gander at those snowflakes! This is serious art!
I’m gonna go ahead and suggest this as a one-time-only type of deal. Please don’t save this gum board year after year because unlike wine, it will only get more disgusting with time.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 5″ x 7″
- -Includes: GumArt board, 32 pieces of gum, gum reference guide, and instructions
- -Use chewed gum to make art
- -Fun for the whole family
Sometimes I stay up late watching TV and I end up falling asleep on the couch. When I wake up, it’s in the wee hours of the morning and there’s nothing on but awful infomercials. Of course, I could always turn the TV off and go to bed, but I almost never do that. I get sucked into the terrible product sales pitches and how ridiculous it all is. One of the things I’ll never understand is why people buy super expensive knife sets when you can get by with something on the cheap.
I’m not saying that you should get your knives from the Dollar Store because that’s just stupid – trust me, they break in half almost immediately. However, you can buy a decently priced knife set and make it last with something like the Kitchen Magician Knife Sharpener (Plasticland, $16.00). It’s hella easy to sharpen a knife and why wouldn’t you want to? It makes your knives like new and as long as you don’t let them go too long without sharpening, one set of knives should last you a long time. So if you’re gonna go the knife sharpening route, why not get one that looks like you’re a magician? It’s pretty much a no-brainer.
Tips for knife purchasing: Make sure your knife has a plastic handle (wood traps germs) and at least two tongs in the handle for maximum stability. I prefer a serrated edge, but to each their own.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 8.5″ x 2.25″ x 2.5″
- -Sharpens dull knives
- -Made of plastic
Guys, why is it so hard to remember to put the seat down? Ladies, why is it so important? Both of these questions seem like they should have logical answers, but they don’t. I’m sure it’s not hard to put the seat down, so I don’t know why guys don’t do it. Likewise, why can’t girls stop complaining about the state of the seat and just look before they sit? The point here is that no one is ever going to stop arguing about this until someone designs a gadget to put an end to this feud.
Oh look at that, the Toilet Seat Lifter (Amazon, $24.99) has arrived! Yes, it still seems as though it is the man’s job to lift and replace the toilet seat, but at least this device makes it almost effortless. Men, step right up – literally, step on the lever to activate the toilet seat lifter. After you’ve done your business, lift your foot off the lever and the seat returns to normal position. There’s no need to make any contact with the toilet seat and you pretty much can’t screw this up (unless you forget to lift the lid in the first place). The apparatus fits any standard toilet and installation is a snap, so there’s really no excuse for future lid mishaps.
Ladies, you’ll have to find something else to complain about. Oh, you’ve already got something? Great.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 17″ x 8″ x 4″
-Weight: 6.5lbs
-Foot activated automatic toilet seat lifter
-Easily mounted to any standard toilet
When you’re in college, it seems like just about every night is spent out at the bar. Sometimes, it can get a little out of hand and before you know it, you’re stranded out in the middle of town without a way home. What’s to do then but call a cab, right? Well yeah, that would work if you could remember where you lived. I mean, it’s pretty hard to get home in one piece if you can’t communicate coherently to the driver. So you could either live at the bar (trust me, you don’t want to do that) or you could figure something else out.
That “something else” option will most likely be the Dear Cab Driver Cocktail Bar Napkins (Kegworks, $8.95), as it doesn’t interfere with your unhealthy habit of drinking until dawn. Arm yourself with this handy fill-in-the-blank napkin, and you’re sure to get home safe (as long as you have an understanding cab driver, that is). I’d recommend filling out the pertinent information before you get to the bar, or at the very least before you start drinking. This napkin has it all – your address, payment location, and even an expression of gratitude. Do your cab driver a favor though and don’t put your money in your boxer shorts or thong because that’s mega gross for everyone.
The key here is not losing this napkin before you call the cab, and that’s a pretty big hurdle.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5″ x 5″
-Includes 100 informative napkins
-Made of paper
I know it’s a little early to be thinking about Halloween, but realistically you’ve only got a couple of months to get together a kickass costume. That’s not a lot of time if you’re going to go the totally awesome (and only acceptable) route and make your own costume. And if you’re going to throw a Halloween party, you’d better start planning your shindig because scary spooktaculars don’t throw themselves.
When preparing for a Halloween extravaganza, the important thing to remember is to really run with the theme. Anything and everything that can be Halloweenized should be, including yourself. The Spooky X-Ray Skeleton Bones Apron (Plasticland, $29.00) is a great way to get into the holiday spirit when making dirt or shrunken apple heads. For one thing, you won’t get fake blood and other tasty delights all over your killer crazy costume. Alternatively, if you’re the type of total lameoid who doesn’t dress up for Halloween, you can at least pretend to be in the spirit with this apron. Bonus: it doesn’t have to be All Hallow’s Eve to wear this skeletal garment.
If you’re looking for theme-appropriate cuisine to serve at your party, check out this blog for super easy yet incredibly impressive ideas.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 34″ long
-Screen printed skeleton bones graphic
-Adjustable neck strap
-Waist tie
-Available in pink pop, licorice black, or acid green
-Made of 100% cotton
-Machine wash
