We all get a fair amount of strange and wacky Christmas presents each year, from socks to bad smelling perfumes - but what if you got some of these presents? These are actual presents people have bought, and here are some of the most outrageous!
Missile Base
Get away from it all this Christmas. Buy yourself a disused missile base, install the family underground and you'll be nigh on impregnable. A handy way of avoiding carol singers. How much? $1,800,000/£1,132,740/€1,315,440
Lantic Systems Gold RC1 Remote Control
Want a universal remote control? This one controls all your video and audio, your web browser, e-mails, CCTV, alarms, lights, curtains, air conditioning and everything else without you having to move from your favourite chair. How much? $55,000/£34,584/€40,161
Tree Tent
This tent hangs from a tree and has enough room for two people to sleep peacefully for the night - half way up a tree! How much? $50,000/£31,420/€36,480
Victorian Play House
This Victorian Play House is a real house, just kid-sized. The house has a front porch, turret, cedar-shingles, windows, shingled roof, and bay windows, with flower boxes of course. You and your child can design the interior and exterior options including: cable, running water, electricity, wireless, etc. How much? $23,400/£14,711/€17,089
Prehistoric Woolly Mammoth
A child's playroom is not complete without an eleven-foot Woolly Mammoth. How much? $12,000/£7,545/€8,761
Intelligent Toilet
Perfect for Granny. Not only does she get a pre-warmed seat and automatic lid, this toilet will give her a thorough medical. Sensors will check her weight and blood pressure and even analyse her urine. Afterwards, it will check blood sugar and then store all records for one year! How much? $10,000/£6,286/€7,297
Mini Mercedes
If you are looking to spoil your tot with a sweet ride, why not purchase the mini-Mercedes? This mini-Mercedes actually has a Honda 4 Stroke Engine. It is 83cc. and has 2.2 horse power. It can go forward and in reverse. The maximum speed is 13mph and is governable. Each car is custom built and non-refundable. How much? $8,300/£5,219/€6,059
Christmas in Australia is generally pretty hot, being the middle of summer. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day with the weather in the mid-thirties (Celsius). Australia is known for being a multicultural country which is depicted in the different ways Christmas is celebrated. All the traditional Christmas things such as a Christmas tree and Santa and gifts are there, and many do have a traditional lunch of turkey, ham and Christmas pudding, but many prefer to have a picnic at the beach or barbecue in the backyards due to the warmer weather. Also pavlova is often swapped instead of plum pudding.
Another important tradition is the Christmas carols, in particular Carols by Candlelight held on Christmas Eve and is held outdoors where people sit on blankets and light candles, joining together to sing Christmas carols which is broadcast on national television.[/font]
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room...until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large - Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) - and not only is he Holmes' intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder - a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Professor Moriarty. The cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead of Holmes as he spins a web of death and destruction - all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
The vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes are turning a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become 'chipwrecked' on a remote island. As the 'Munks and Chipettes try various schemes to find their way home, they accidentally discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
A discredited journalist (Daniel Craig) and a mysterious computer hacker discover that even the wealthiest families have skeletons in their closets while working to solve the mystery of a 40-year-old murder in this David Fincher-directed remake of the 2009 Swedish thriller of the same name. Inspired by late author Stieg Larsson's successful trilogy of books, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo gets under way as the two leads (Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara) are briefed in the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, whose uncle suspects she may have been killed by a member of their own family. The deeper they dig for the truth, however, the greater the risk of being buried alive by members of the family, who will go to great lengths to keep their secrets tightly sealed.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
This is not just another mission. The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization's name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this.
The Adventures of Tintin
Having bought a model ship - the Unicorn - for a pound off a market stall, Tintin is initially puzzled that the sinister Mr. Sakharine should be so eager to buy it from him, resorting to murder and kidnapping Tintin - accompanied by his marvellous dog Snowy - to join him and his gang as they sail to Morocco on an old cargo ship. Sakharine has bribed the crew to revolt against the ship's master, drunken Captain Haddock, but Tintin, Snowy and Haddock escape, arriving in Morocco at the court of a sheikh, who also has a model of the Unicorn. Haddock tells Tintin that over three hundred years earlier his ancestor Sir Francis Haddock was forced to scuttle the original Unicorn when attacked by a piratical forebear of Sakharine but he managed to save his treasure and provide clues to its location in three separate scrolls, all of which were secreted in models of the Unicorn. Tintin and Sakharine have one each and the villain intends to use the glass-shattering top Cs of operatic soprano the Milanese Nightingale to secure the third. With aid from bumbling Interpol agents the Thompson Twins our boy hero, his dog and the captain must prevent Sakharine from obtaining all three scrolls to fulfil the prophesy that only the last of the Haddocks can discover the treasure's whereabouts.
Just to clarify these have been written by members of the ct so if I'm posting them doesn't mean I've written them :p!
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
Strapped for cash this year or just fancy adding a personal touch, then why not makeyour own crackers?
You will need:
coloured card; pencil; ruler; scalpel; cracker snaps*; glue; toilet roll tubes; double-sided tape; ribbon and small gifts.
1. On a 21cm x 15cm landscape rectangle of coloured card, draw three lines vertically down the card, 4cm, 5.5cm, 7cm from one of the short edges.Starting at the top, mark a dot every 2cm along each line, then draw lines to join the sets of three parallel dots. From the top centre dot, draw a 1.4cm vertical line through the dot (ie 7mm above and below). Join up all 4 points (the 2x outer dots and 2 x 7mm dots) to form a kite shape and cut out using a scalpel. Repeat at eac 3-dot line to create a series of kite shape; repeat the process the other short edge.
2. Fold along the 4cmm, 5.5cm and 7cm lines so they will scrunch together easily later, then unfold so the card lies flat on the table.
3. Now you have your basic cracker shape, decorate one side of the card avoiding the kite shapes. You could use colourful wrapping paper, patterned adhesive tape, or stickers.
4. Turn the card over and stick a cracker snap along the top length with a dab of glue at each end.
5. Cut a toilet roll tube to 7cm long and place in centre, then add a toilet tube either side. Roll the card up and stick around the centre roll with double-sided tape. Remove the two side tubes; stick the two handles in place with tape.
6. Scrunch one end close and tie with a ribbon. Drop in a small gift (maybe add a hat and joke), then tie the other end with ribbon to seal.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
Ingredients
When making mince pies you can use sweet or savoury shortcrust pastry. For something a little lighter, try filo pastry.
For the mincemeat:
225g (8oz) sultanas
225g (8oz) raisins
60g (2oz) dried cranberries
225g (8oz) dried apricots
110g (4oz) dried figs
110g (4oz) dried dates, pitted
110g (4oz) chopped almonds
3 dessert apples, washed, cored and chopped
2 pears, washed, cored and chopped
3 lemons, juice and zest
2tsp (10ml) mixed spice
1tbsp (15ml) ground cinnamon
1tsp (5ml) ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
75ml (5tbsp) rum or brandy, optional
100ml agave nectar (available in health shops - use honey if you can't find)
For the sweet shortcrust pastry
200g (8oz) plain flour, sifted
100g (4oz) unsalted butter
25g (1oz) ground almonds
50g (2oz) icing sugar, sifted
1 egg, beaten
Glaze:
1 egg yolk
1tbsp milk
Method
For the fruity mincemeat:
Wash the dried fruit. Chop the apricots, figs and dates into small pieces with scissors.
Place all the dried fruit in a large bowl and cover with apple juice or boiling water. Leave to soak for an hour. Drain well.
Mix the dried fruit with the spices, fresh fruit, lemon zest and juice and nuts and place in batches in a food processor.
Pulse gently to chop the mixture but do not over-process. Warm the agave nectar slightly with the rum, if you’re using it, and add to the mixture. Mix well.
Place in airtight containers or jars and refrigerate or freeze in batches.
For the pastry:
Place the flour, butter, almonds, sugar and egg in a food processor and whizz until it comes together to form a ball. Knead gently on a lightly floured work surface then cover in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out rounds to line a bun tin. Fill each case with mincemeat.
If you’re covering the pie with a top, cut out slightly smaller rounds of pastry and dampen the edges. Press these on top of the pies and seal the edges well.
Alternatively stamp out little pastry stars and place on the top of the pies. Mix the egg and milk together and brush over the pies to glaze.
Prick the lids with a fork to allow steam to escape and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with a little icing sugar and serve warm.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
The joyous festival of Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev of the Jewish calendar. It celebrates two miracles --a great Jewish military victory and a miraculous supply of oil for the Temple.
Hanukkah marks the Macabees' long-ago defeat of the much-larger Greek-Syrian army that had invaded Israel. The Macabees were just a small group of Jews led by Mattathias and his five sons, including Judah Macabee. But they organized themselves into a guerrilla army and, with God's help, proved stronger than their powerful enemy. Following the Macabees' victory, the Jews rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and, once again, were able to worship freely.
Although Hanukkah celebrates a military victory, its major symbol — the Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah — reminds us of the miracle of the oil. As the Jews purified the Holy Temple, they found only one flask of the oil for the eternal lamp — enough to keep it burning for just one day. But a miracle occurred, and the oil lasted eight days and nights until more oil could be brought from afar.
That miracle explains why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days and also why Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights. The Hanukkah menorah holds nine candles, one for each of the eight nights and an additional candle that’s used to light the others. One candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second night, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night. Hanukkah is a time to celebrate with family and friends, to eat yummy holiday treats, to give gifts (especially to children) and to play the dreidel game
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
A flash mob is a large group of people who gather together suddenly in a public place to preform a pointless act for a brief time then disperse. These false mobs are usually organised over email or online forums. Below are some Christmas flash mobs that have been organised. Enjoy :)
Instructions:
1) Pour 1 cup of icing sugar into a bowl. Sift it with the flour.
2) Use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture looks like bread crumbs.
3) Add the water and egg. Combine the ingredients of the bowl well to make a firm dough.
4) Enclose the mixture in plastic food wrap and refrigerate for about half-an-hour.
5) Turn up the oven temperature to 350 degree Fahrenheit/176.67 celcius (Gas Mark 4).
6) Grease two or three large baking sheets.
7) Next, take the dough out from the fridge. Knead this lightly until soft enough to spread out.
8) Spread out the dough on a floured surface to about 5 mm thickness.
9) Cut out various star shapes from the dough using six star-shaped cookie cutters of graduating sizes, from 1 1/2" (the smallest) to 4" (the biggest). Make two shapes of each size.
10) Lift the shapes onto the greased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 mins.
11) Take the baked stars away from the oven and cool for one or two minutes before laying in a wire rack to cool off completely.
12) Sift the remaining icing sugar in a bowl to make icing. Add in 2 tbsp. of water, little by little. The icing should be thick enough to quickly form a thick coating on the back of the spoon.
13) Use a pastry bag fitted with a fine nozzle to pipe icing around the edge of each cookie.
14) When the icing has set around the edges, fill the center of the cookies with icing. Dilute this a little by adding a few drops of water.
15) When the icing has nearly hardened, arrange the cookies into a tower keeping the bigger ones at the bottom and the smaller ones at the top.
16) Press these down lightly to let the icing hold these together.
A discredited journalist (Daniel Craig) and a mysterious computer hacker discover that even the wealthiest families have skeletons in their closets while working to solve the mystery of a 40-year-old murder in this David Fincher-directed remake of the 2009 Swedish thriller of the same name. Inspired by late author Stieg Larsson's successful trilogy of books, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo gets under way as the two leads (Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara) are briefed in the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, whose uncle suspects she may have been killed by a member of their own family. The deeper they dig for the truth, however, the greater the risk of being buried alive by members of the family, who will go to great lengths to keep their secrets tightly sealed.
We have pay tv and that was on last night. After about 10 minutes of subtitles we turned it over onto another show.
Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;
If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,
Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,
I must have you!"
Thomas Parke D’Invilliers
