Is it too early to talk about letters to Santa?
DISCLAIMER: Each December, my family celebrates its own version of Christmas. If your family celebrates some other mass-commercialist gift-exchange-oriented winter holiday, please rephrase the query to suit your needs, and post accordingly!
Although it’s only October, and most people’s minds are on the election and the trainwreck known as The Economy, my mind has begun drifting to the pressing matter of wish lists. I’ve begun nagging the youngest of our children (teenagers) to get their lists to me ASAP if they hope to have any chance of influencing my purchase decisions. I've asked Mr. LoCo, the man who has everything, to drop me at least a few hints. I adore my family. But since their last-minute shopping crises invariably become mine, and since those crises typically involve gifts for me (which is really not at all cool), I’ve also begun working on my own wish list to help prevent any such unpleasantness.
My letter to Santa tends to be quite detailed, especially if I’m requesting things for My Kitchen. I tend to specify brands and model numbers. I offer vendor recommendations wherever possible. Sometimes I even include MSRP to help the kiddos be responsible bargain hunters. (yes, I have OCD tendencies.)
So, although I do actually keep up an active wish list pretty much throughout the year, I’m oh so curious to know what will be on the wish lists of Serious Eaters everywhere! I do have an ulterior motive: In the past, you’ve mentioned some things that were on YOUR lists that I later wished I’d thought to put on MINE!
So, what are kitchen contraptions are you coveting this Christmas? HHHhhhmmmm?
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35 Comments:
BTW… In response to my own query, the items on my A list (really, really want) so far…
• Various Cookbooks and Food-Related Books
• KitchenAid Hand Blender
• Thermapen Instant Thermometer (I’m thinking blue, but whatever)
• Candy/Oil Thermometer
• Grinder Accessory (for my stand mixer)
And, finally, although it’s not technically a kitchen goodie, it IS something I’d definitely use in relation to food…
• Digital SLR Camera (to replace my ancient little snapshot number)
LoCo at 8:35PM on 10/23/08
I am always wishing for the following three items;
- Tongs
- Rubber spatulas
- Kitchen towels
I can never have too many because I always seem to run out of clean ones when I am cooking!
hammondcheese at 8:44PM on 10/23/08
Digital scale
Probe thermometer
Santoku
A bigger kitchen to put them all in
buffy at 8:48PM on 10/23/08
@LoCo ~ First off, I have a technical question. How did you make bullet points? How do people italicize or bold or change the fonts when they are posting?
I literally have NO room in my kitchen for another thing! I have been storing cookbooks in my family room bookcase. My new slow cooker has to live in the basement.
So I want Santa to bring me an elliptical. I can watch cooking shows and work out.
izatryt at 8:50PM on 10/23/08
izzy- yeah, I also need more storage space, but I think I almost need God for that, not Santa.
moibec at 8:54PM on 10/23/08
@moibec ~ LOL! I think I will have better luck with Santa! ;-)
izatryt at 9:06PM on 10/23/08
- A woman who will cook for me.
That's all.
FastFoodCritic at 9:38PM on 10/23/08
@FFC ~ How about a woman you can cook for??
izatryt at 9:49PM on 10/23/08
Oh, just noticed an item that somehow wasn't on my ongoing list...
Le Creuset Dutch Oven
OK. Carry on...LoCo at 9:56PM on 10/23/08
Come to think of it, I could use a pair of extra long tongs. I don't ever use grill "tools". I use my kitchen tools for everything.
izatryt at 10:22PM on 10/23/08
@Izzy
[begin *pimp* mode]
Oh... believe me, I cook for all my ladies!
[end *pimp* mode]
FastFoodCritic at 10:28PM on 10/23/08
"I could use a pair of extra long tongs"
Yeah, I bet you could!
LOL ... hahaha... ok, I better stop posting now.
FastFoodCritic at 10:30PM on 10/23/08
@FFC ~ You are one screaming funny *pimp*!
izatryt at 10:31PM on 10/23/08
I have just about perfected DH's Christmas shopping. I just send him my Amazon wishlist. And I always make sure that the items on the list are the best price, including shipping.
And then he always gets me something extra as a surprise.
There are always a few cookbooks on the list; haven't nailed down exactly which ones it will be this year.
New digital scale. The old one still works, but it's a bit fidgety. I like the new OXO one.
I've got a few other things on the "maybe" list, but I need to think about it.
dbcurrie at 10:40PM on 10/23/08
@iz, regarding special fonts, etc.
For bolded text, start by typing <b> followed by the text you want bolded and then followed by </b> to end bolding
Similar for italics:
<i>italicized text</i>
Or underlining:
<u>underlined text</u>
For bullets, type <ul> followed by <li> followed by
- the text to be bulleted followed by
<li> and then- more text to be bulleted
and so on, typing <li> for each bulleted item; then type </ul> to end the listTo do quoted text, type <blockquote> followed by
</blockquote>
And you're all set to go. You're now an HTML wiz.
Merry Christmas.
LoCo at 10:51PM on 10/23/08
Huh. I see the underlining didn't work? How odd. It shows up in the comment preview. Must not be an option here at SE... Oh well...
LoCo at 10:55PM on 10/23/08
As soon as I saw "extra long tongs" I knew FFC would have something to say about it! LOL
buffy at 12:41AM on 10/24/08
I don't know if this qualifies really, but just in case:
I want my boyfriend in the same state as me for a lot of reasons, one of which is so that he can stop eating Lipston Sides. As a replacement, I will make him fat with my good cooking.
That is all.
PumpkinBear at 1:56AM on 10/24/08
An oven that keeps true temperatures
A Kitchen Aid mixer with ALL the attachments
An unlimited supply of demi glace and truffles
A deep fryer
and I totally go wit @LoCo's La Crueset Dutch Oven
A kitchen big enough to hold said items
chisai at 6:54AM on 10/24/08
I shop for me while I shop for everyone. This is a horrible, terrible habit.
If I see perfume for Mom and I like it I buy two. If I am in Fante's and I see something for a friend, I get one too. The ugly truth is the Husband is a terrible present shopper. He says it is my fault because I have been doing the shopping for my own gifts for years. Well I do have great taste.
By the time actual christmas rolls around I will have a stack of things I "picked up". I will go out on Black Friday and hit the stores with my friends and I will pick up a few bargain items here and there through the shopping season.
JerzeeTomato at 7:51AM on 10/24/08
I want a new house with a humongous kitchen for my husband to cook stuff for me. I know this will not happen while I'm in Cleveland. Realistically, I'm too cheap to move and pay for all the costs associated with moving and restarting services...and I don't trust big jovial men dressed in red, furry sleeve cuffs, wild facial hair covering 2/3 of their flushed face (too much "egg nog"?). Now if he were dressed in all black...
A little more down-to-earth:
- auto pasta maker similar to the one I used to have (kneads and extrudes on its own)
- something to clean narrow stuff like slender bottles and my dog's Kong toy
I cannot find a bottle/pipette cleaner ANYWHERE in Cleveland
@Loco: Thanks for reminding me!!
@Chelley: Yes, we have a Penzeys Spices in our area.
I have to stop in at Penzeys Spices for my stepmother and my aunt's gifts. I keep forgetting to do this - even when I am 8 doors down go to Trader Joe. Out of sight, out of mind (and I'm out of my mind a lot). I always seem to remember when I'm nowhere near something I can email and remind myself to jot down on our shopping list that is next to my computer.
Cassaendra at 8:13AM on 10/24/08
To answer the topic question....yeah, still too early. No more than 2 holidays at a time :)
ccbweb at 10:43AM on 10/24/08
@Cassaendra the best thing i've found for cleaning out the dogs kong is to run it through the dishwaser (top rack) after saoking for a while in hot water.
As for a wish list, I dont really have one, kitchen is too small for anymore gadgets and I really dont need anything. If i could ask for one thing it would be lots of ppl to cook for for Christmas/Yule/whatever.
huneybumper at 11:15AM on 10/24/08
a kitchen aid mixer is still at the top of my list...one day.
this year our family decided it's a 'crafty xmas' where everyone just makes gifts, so i doubt anyone will be whipping one up for me.
gastronomeg at 11:23AM on 10/24/08
@cassaendra - email me at mau0414@yahoo.ca. I have to pipette cleaners sitting right beside me that have never been used and never will be in my house. They are yours if you send me your mailing address. Merry Christmas!
Maureen at 11:37AM on 10/24/08
totally not too early to be thinking Christmas. Hubby and I have been plotting for weeks already what we'll make for the goody boxes we make for friends/family.
My big gift wish this year is a pottery making class. Not exactly cooking related, but I can make a nice serving dish maybe.
Hubby's wish list so far consists of a King Arthur catalog filled with post-it arrows...
AliceBlue at 12:11PM on 10/24/08
Goddamn...it hasn't even been Halloween. Or Thanksgiving. Seriously. It's months away.
wunami at 12:56PM on 10/24/08
Goddamn...it hasn't even been Halloween. Or Thanksgiving. Seriously. It's months away.
wunami at 1:01PM on 10/24/08
It's ok wunami. Calm down. Bad Santa experience as a child or something?
Perhaps check out some decaffeinated coffee for lunch today! :)
FastFoodCritic at 2:14PM on 10/24/08
I'd love lots more things for my tiny kitchen but number 1 on my list is a new digital portable tv that will pick up only the most basic channels without being hooked up to cable or one of those stupid converter boxes.
Please Santa, help me!
bessfour at 4:03PM on 10/24/08
@LoCo ~
Merry Christmas
(Couldn't get the end quote)- Another little test.
Good Stuff LoCo. I have so much to learn! Thanks!!izatryt at 6:31PM on 10/24/08
a new stove with a griddle and a new fridge with a tv. a vacation. a bigger kitchen. someone to set up my total gym. a massage. oh the possibilities.
dearrie at 6:54PM on 11/07/08
I want an aerogarden. I love the fresh herbs I grow all summer, but living in the Syracuse, NY area limits the growing season. I'm just not sure where I could put one and how to keep our three cats and one dog out of it. This discussion reminds me of a conversation I had with one of my sons in late September a few years ago when the store we were in actually was putting up their Christmas displays. Late September?? The Christmas list got an early start that year!
dhorst at 7:25PM on 11/07/08
I have never celebrated the holidays because of religious reasons BUT I am a firm believer in gifts. I gift myself all the time :) (and kids and dh obviously) but my big wish item this year was a compressor ice cream maker and dh got me one in the heat of summer
love2cook at 7:27PM on 11/07/08
ohhhh dhorst I forgot about an areogarden I would adore on of those! I made a poor person one but getting a light for growing plants and sticking it above my herbs. It was about 7 bucks as opposed to 300 but looks a lot less sexy!
love2cook at 7:30PM on 11/07/08