OK, so we all want peace on Earth, goodwill to all creatures, happiness... yadda yadda...
Since that's not going to happen, on a more realistic scale, what would be your ideal gift? I know everyone could use more cash, but that is an unacceptable answer

A:What is your fantasy gift that is realistically something you might get (for example, a PS3, or new 42" HDTV, etc)

B:What is your fantasy gift that you would love, if say some billionaire insisted on buying you something (for example, the Tesla roadster, or a complete makeover of your kitchen, etc)...

I personally don't believe the Holidays are about material goods, but it's really fun to buy people presents, and you have to be honest, it is fun to receive presents too... so, tell us your desires!

cheers,

-avatar!

All I want for Christmas this year (materialistically) is Lost Season 4 on DVD. I have been holding off on watching the episodes since I missed them last season and refuse to watch them on my laptop. I have been pumped for this release ever since I finished season 3 a few months ago.

Other than that, I'd love for people to use the money they were going to buy me presents with for charity. I have a small list of charities that I proudly support, like Blind Cat Rescue, and volunteer at, like Maple Farm Sanctuary. I feel strongly toward these organizations and would rather have the money go to them instead of me.

Oh, and I could always use gift cards to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

A cute little house in a quiet area not too far from where I live, all painted and ready to be feng shui'd!

A: Realistically I expect to get pretty much nothing outside of a small amount of money and some chocolate, so my stretch gift would be Rhythm Tengoku Gold for DS since I didn't import it and I'm worried that Nintendo might change the music for the U.S. version.

B: From a billionaire?  Be nice if he bought a major international video game company and made me CEO, or at least put me in charge of sales & marketing.  I'm already a workaholic, so if I'm going to work myself to death, it'd be nice to work someplace that does something I believe in.

Really?  The only thing I want is Terranigma to be released on the Virtual console.

Copout. :P  It's generally bad form to not answer your own poll, you know.  (I believe Quasi told me that one time.)  You saying you want nothing at all?  Humor us, at least.

A) I'm hoping someone will pick me up that Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter.  I'm getting tired of unhooking my direct connection every time I want to get on Live -- and yet, I hate the idea of giving M$ any more of my cash just to get something that really should've been out-of-the-box to begin with.   All the same, I'd feel equal remorse that they'd still get their money, whether it came from me or someone else for me.  Bleh.

But more than that, I'd like to see my brother and his family this holiday.  They had planned to come up to visit over the summer, but that fell through.... and they won't be able to make it for Christmas, either.  That's why I'm thinking of flying out there myself for New Year's.  I've never spent New Year's in Vegas; could be awesome. :) 

B) A billionaire's gift?  I'd take this.  And about thirty years worth of vehicle insurance.

Who couldn't... Whole Foods is insanely expensive! Good stuff though. I went out on a few dates with a gal who held some powerful position at Whole Foods (not CEO, but something that made you say "wow, really!". She was young, and very attractive. Not sure why we didn't keep in touch, my guess is she lost interest in a lowly grad student. Ah well, that's how it goes!

cheers,

-avatar!

To be honest, there isn't anything big I'm after. I would like a new TV at some point but I'm content to use my current one till it's dead. A decent printer would be nice as well as a paper shreader. Unfortunately, the reason for the paper shreader is kinda sad... it's kind of annoying when you're 25 and your mother still can't resist the temptation to look through your damn trash.

Realistically...Money. Trying to save up as much as possible right now and every little bit helps.

Fantasy...62" Plasma screen. Those things are sexy (I figure if I shell out for a new TV, I want to get the biggest one possible!).

I'm also torn...I love my 30GB iPod (been using it consistantly for the last 3 years), but I'm literally bursting at the HD and am thinking about a 120GB one. Don't think I want to ask for one yet...Feel like I have to see my 30GB one through until it croaks properly. Of course by then, there might be 500GB iPods for $99...;p

I treated myself to a 32GB iPod Touch a few weeks ago so there isn't a whole lot else I'm majorly itching for.  A 360 or PS3 would be nice but I can wait till Street Fighter 4 comes out before splurging.  (The original SF2 was what prompted me to buy an SNES so it'll be a nice little case of history repeating itself.)

Here's hoping all of you get treated to something nice

Hmm... fantasy gift I'd buy myself...  I'd have to say a trip to Japan, because it's something I've always wanted to do, but either never had the time, or the money.  When I had one, I never had the other.  I think this might be happening sometime next year or the year after. (Japan will still be around... right?  heh as long as Godzilla doesn't arise or some super sentai monsters attack).

Now if a billionaire would buy me anything, I'd get him to set me up in a sweet place to live with all the extravagances life has to offer, and the means to maintain it of course...

Hahaha, dude, pass along her number! I could use all the discounts I can get at this point. j/k

I'd be lying if I said I didn't *want* anything material but I really don't want people buying me things. I really just love this time of year (after papers and stuff are done, of course), most of the things I want I typically buy myself.

As for what I'd want, this is more of a 2009 goal: continue school and begin playing the saxophone. Man, are those plus lessons, expensive...

A large cash infusion. :-)

Some goddam winter boots, since my ma threw my perfectly good pair out for whatever reason.

I would really, like, as a gift, for Rogers to get around to sending me that replacement cell phone they said they sent me two months ago.

As for a fantasy gift that isn't beyond the bounds of reality? I want f---ing Bandai to stop doing RX-78-2 and Gelgoog retools, get off their asses and give me a goddamn Mobile Suit in Action Extended rendition of Shining or God Gundam. I would also love a Turn-A. Sick of seeing four or five variants of the same goddamn toy when we could be getting something fresh and original. f---, if they even wanna go back to UC, seeing a Double Zeta would be great (I wouldn't even mind if it didn't transform at this point). Sorry, rant.

Honestly, though? I'm happy with very little. Don't actually like the holiday season very much anymore, to be completely honest . .  .

Both queries have a minimum of two possible responses, given the variation in meaning of fantasy. Thus, I must supply at least 4 answers.

A1: Due to the inconsistent nature of this question, that is, the incompatibility of fantasy and reality, I have no choice but to treat each case. In this first case, I will assume that fantasies are real (they are, as I pointed out a while back, but a different type of real). In that event, I would like brickmail injected in my bones, an automatic black hole generator on my skin for defense, an ertial shielding cap for surviving thousands of gees, lungs that can breathe any form of matter, temporal shielding, a spacial expansion inhibitor, and a space saw, to name a few.

A2: I'll take a blu-ray player.

B1: This is essentially a continuation of A1, and I suppose a wireless nervous system and biological transformation genes would be cool.

B2: I'd like a mansion with a swimming pool and a library.

What I'd like that I could conceivably get....hmm, there are a few games I want, but nothing I really want or need. My family doesn't really celebrate Christmas anymore...we usually make a few cookies and sing some carols, but it's been years since any of us really gave presents.

It'd be nice if someone I knew could send me an email to let me know they are okay, but I don't have high hopes for that.

As for a friendly billionaire, and ignoring things like charity? Xlord basically took my idea, although I actually want to be in direct creative control of projects - force others to do my whim in making a game that probably won't sell, basically.

In terms of expensive things that probably wouldn't cost people their jobs, I'd like to buy a well equipped computer and Valve's entire catalog (or hell, Steam's entire catalog) for all the gamers among people I know.

I believe they were selling their entire catalogue through steam for $99 awhile back (including Left 4 Dead).  Maybe it's still going.

So steam is all downloads, is that right? In other words, you can't give your friend the game when you're done, can't resell it, can't auction it for charity or anything?

-avatar!

okay, I can see the others, but this one boggles my mind. exactly what kind of auction prices would you expect a widely-available game to fetch?

Do a search on ebay. Used games which are widely available tend to fetch anywhere from 1/2 - 90% of the current value of the game. Depends on the condition of the game, and other factors of course. Still, the point is with a download, it's more like a rental than a purchase.

cheers,

-avatar!