Re: Tis the $eason

1

I'm giving everyone art made from mussel shells.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 7:37 AM
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2

Toxicology textbooks.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 7:40 AM
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3

I'm in need of some recommendations for board games for the 6-10 age bracket...


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 7:53 AM
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4

...and if anyone's buying presents for nine-year-old girls, a small survival kit seems to go down very well, but you might want to take the razor blades out first.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 7:54 AM
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5

Don't get Sorry unless there is no chance you'll have to play. The popping sounds drive me nuts.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 7:54 AM
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6

That's not Sorry. That's a different game...Trouble or something? With the bubble in the middle? Sorry is just dice and pieces.


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:04 AM
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7

Trouble is right.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:05 AM
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8

I'm in need of some recommendations for board games for the 6-10 age bracket...

Depending on what end of the range:

Kingdomino
King of Tokyo/New York
Codenames
Dixit
Ticket To Ride
Forbidden Island
Splendour


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:13 AM
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9

I bought stomp rockets for my 4yo nephew last Christmas. I don't know if Nephew ever used them; I blame my brother. If I had a do-over, I'd have insisted we try the rockets out on Christmas Day. That way, they wouldn't end up collecting dust, plus (and more importantly) I would have gotten to play with some stomp rockets.


Posted by: Stanley | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:14 AM
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10

Oh good, since I'm back this Xmas I will have to buy some gifts, in need of gift recommendations for my two nephews aged 16 and 14 years and also my brother who got engaged to his longtime gf.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:20 AM
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If you have some time to kill with a kid in the 6-11 range, Exploding Dots is a fun website that explores math in different bases in an extremely visual and manipulative, non-abstract way. Manipulable? Tangible. Except e-tangible. Concrete. A fun thing to sit down and do together.


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:21 AM
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12

10: They want beer and pot.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:26 AM
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13

My 9yo stepdaughter desperately wants a boogie board, but it's not the water kind. It's basically a fancier/better version of the MagnaDoodle. I recommend it as a gift, because it's way cheaper than an iPhone or Nintendo Switch.


Posted by: Stanley | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:32 AM
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8: thanks. Others have also recommended King of Tokyo so I'll take a look at that first!


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:35 AM
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I liked Ticket to Ride, but it's not going to be something somebody much younger than 10 can play well.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:36 AM
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It's a joint present for siblings between 6 and 10. So needs to cover both ends of the range.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:39 AM
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10: get them a ticket to your local bird-of-prey centre for a half-day of falconry. Everyone loves falcons.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:41 AM
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18

The National Aviary is here. Because of federalism, they can only have a state aviary.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:43 AM
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19

12 I'll get right on that.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 8:57 AM
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ajay: The Magic Labyrinth and Clank! in Space are popular with our five-year-old (who is a little young for them but has pushy game parents.)


Posted by: Cala | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:32 AM
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21

Ticket to Ride Jr would fit that age range nicely.


Posted by: Cala | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:32 AM
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22

Hooray. Usually people don't commit crimes just because I suggest them.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:32 AM
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23

Stuffed Fables is also excellent, if there's a parent willing to play, too. And Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters, and Castle Panic.


Posted by: Cala | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:34 AM
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24

At least one of those is legal in NY.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:36 AM
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Somebody here had the idea of giving gift certificates to a tattoo parlor. So I did that one year. Specifically, I gave fake gift certificate to my 18 year old niece, which was presented in front of her parents. Nearly gave my brother-in-law a heart attack.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:46 AM
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Nearly gave my brother-in-law a heart attack.

I'm thinking if he did have a heart attack, the jury would vote to convict.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 9:54 AM
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27

in anticipation of his second half of the bacc, L track, this year we are getting the kid bayard's comment parler des livres qu'on n'a pas lus? and plan to roll about laughing immoderately about it on christmas morning.


Posted by: totally ineffectively anon | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:04 AM
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28

AIPSHB, missing Christmas is the best.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:26 AM
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28: Since I've become integrated into the hegemonic American Xmas experience, I've started to miss the traditional Jewish-American NonXmas of eating at a Chinese restaurant and going to see a movie.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:33 AM
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30

when the kid was young enough there was always the brio train cars, playmobil and then lego set, most often purchased previously-well-loved, and with the move it has been nice to send those back on into the stream of presents for other kids.

for a family member pregnant with her first baby i am buying immoderately luxe socks because i figure they'll fit through the second half of the pregnancy and post-birth body changes and at least one part of her can always be glamourously decked out.


Posted by: dairy queen | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:42 AM
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ajay: The Magic Labyrinth and Clank! in Space are popular with our five-year-old (who is a little young for them but has pushy game parents.)

I can endorse Clank! (haven't tried the space variant) as a very fun, relatively simple game, but I'm highly dubious about a five-year-old unless they're seriously into "real" board games. Even an 8-year-old might be pushing it.


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:51 AM
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32

It's much harder figuring out how to respond when the kids, or wife, ask me what I want. Impeachment? World Peace? I told my son I want him to buy me a burger at the bar in Chico Hot Springs.


Posted by: CharleyCarp | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 10:53 AM
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33

Endorse the recommendations in 8 (most of which I've played). Also would recommend Mole Rats in Space for the 6-10 age range. Basically a cross between Chutes and Ladders and Pandemic.


Posted by: widget | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:11 AM
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34

Lego is my mainstay for small to medium-small children. Luckily, there's lots of cool Lego around.

I am impossible to buy for, because I have deeply held, and often heavily researched opinions on stuff.

"Buy me a nice notepad."

Is not going to work, unless I specify exactly which one.


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:21 AM
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35

I am impossible to buy for, because I have deeply held, and often heavily researched opinions on stuff.

Are you my wife?


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:24 AM
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36

"Buy me a nice notepad."

I've been idly curious about these Hobonichi Techo notebooks with the weird paper that people love. Anyone tried one?


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:30 AM
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re: 35

No, because if your wife is like my wife -- and I know I sound like a bad 1970s sexist stand-up comic -- she will expect you to psychically know precisely which one of the options in the huge field of options is the right one, without giving enough information to narrow it down to the one that will not be the wrong one. Whereas, if someone asks, I can probably tell them exactly. But people tend to be offended (except very close family) if you specify exactly.

"I want a notepad, but it has to be B5, not A5, or whatever the Japanese equivalent is for B5, and it has to have a lay flat cover, preferably soft bound, not hard, with paper that's at least 80gs/m and fountain pen safe, and the paper has to be off-white, or warm white, not a blue-ish bright white. And if it's lined, the lines have to be grey or some other unobtrusive colour that's not blue or black, and they should be fairly narrowly spaced. Or, if you can find dots, or a very faint square, that's even better. But not Moleskine."


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:33 AM
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38

I like Moleskin, but it's hard to find moles with lines.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:35 AM
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39

No, because if your wife is like my wife -- and I know I sound like a bad 1970s sexist stand-up comic -- she will expect you to psychically know precisely which one of the options in the huge field of options is the right one, without giving enough information to narrow it down to the one that will not be the wrong one.

No, based on this, I think you are my wife.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:35 AM
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40

Are we having a Pina Colada song moment?


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:41 AM
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41

re: 39

Heh.

I can only apologise.


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:42 AM
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42

41.3: I forgive you, dear.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 11:45 AM
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31: I wouldn't say that the Calabat is a master of strategy, but he can think one or two moves ahead and he delights in beating Daddy. He has the build-a-deck mechanic down from Star Realms. I'd agree that you probably need an adult or older kid to manage the turn order.


Posted by: Cala | Link to this comment | 12-11-18 12:02 PM
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44

A Supposedly Fun Thing I Will Never Do Again


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 12-12-18 6:42 AM
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45

A Thread Wrongness I Shall briefly Regret


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 12-12-18 6:46 AM
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