Topic: What Presents Did You Get For Christmas IN GENERAL?

So I hope this doesn't overlap too heavily with the existing Xmas games thread, but reading through it I noticed a few people wanted to share their Xmas haul in a wider sense than just games. And why not? There are all sorts of exciting things that can end up under the tree other than just games (even if few of them could top a shiny new Switch), so why not share them?

So let's hear it! What did Santasaurous Rex bring each of you this year? If you've already posted in the games thread feel free to write about anything else!

I got a nice Panasonic mini stereo for christmas. Ideal for annoying my parents when I turn it up loud.

i got an IN GENERAL for christmas.
i specifically asked for an OUT GENERAL.
maybe next year

Mostly dress clothes (not really my preference, but I have been interviewing as of late), a few books, candy that I never asked for (but usually eat anyway), a Snuggie (love it!), and a potato bin that my brother and sister built for me.

New phone, I switched over to Android. (not really my choice but I don't care, lol) iPad Mini 4, I wanted an iPad just so I can actually own Freedom Unite...I got sick of dealing with all the bugs and glitches on the PSP emulator, lol. And lastly, Xenoblade 2.
_{....and money....}

Gift Cards, Money and a new phone.

@Dev That's quite a splattastic Squidmas haul! I'm glad you finally got a Pro Controller (and the Splatoon one is probably the coolest Pro Controller out there), and the other loot should be enough to turn your house into a miniature Inkopolis!

@Tyranexx That sounds charming! But... what is a potato bin?

I just got a lump of coal...serves me right for being naughty all year I guess

@Maxz: A potato bin is pretty much what it sounds like. It's a piece of furniture with (usually) three compartments that are normally meant to hold bread, potatoes, and onions, respectively. As I don't normally buy onions, something else will likely go into that section. XD

Amazon gift cards
A T-Shirt
A Harley Quinn figurine
A Bluray copy of "Your Name"
A manga adaptation of some HP Lovecraft stories

Among other things

I got a PS4 Battlefront 2 bundle, $25 PSN gift card, $20 Steam gift card, beanie, and summer sausage package with cheese.

where is the hungry camp grizzly bear when you need him?
back in my day we made our own snuggies.
out of hungry grizzly bears.
and we were thankful for it.

@ogo79: The closest my family has gotten to that are two pillows made out of beaver fur. XD (My dad traps)

Besides, a zebra was apparently skinned for my Snuggie. =3

An Android Tablet, Google Home Mini and gift cards. I also got more gift cards and some booze from work. I then put most of the money/gift cards towards a Sonos Amp which I put in a 1970s Radiogram. Can't find a picture of the exact model of Radiogram but it looks something like this...

And can now play music from a variety of sources and be controlled entirely from my phone

edit: found a picture of the exact model

I done not bad at all considering my age. I got a pair of those trainers below,a good razor, some smelly stuff, a box of Liquorice Allsorts and a nice wad of cash.

@Ralizah I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on 'Your Name'. I remember it being all the rage when I was in Japan last year but I've not around to watching it. I watched '5cm Per Second' on a friend's recommendation, but it didn't really click with me, so that hasn't propelled me towards many of Skinkai's other films since. Let me know what I'm missing!

I got 'The Boy and the Beast' which I'm looking forward to tucking into. I'm going on nothing other than another person's recommendation and the fact I've enjoyed Summer Wars, Wolf Children and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, but that just makes it all the more exciting!

I also got some textbooks, a cookery book, and a nice stash of Belgian beers. And I bought a physical reaction based game called Geist Blitz, as well as Overcooked for the Switch as presents for the family, so even though I didn't 'receive' them I've still been a lot of fun with them.

@Maxz "All the rage" is underselling it a bit, I believe. It's the highest-grossing Japanese animated film of all time.

Anyway, yeah, after I've watched it and had time to process it, I'll absolutely talk about it on here. From the bits I've seen in the past, it certainly seems more palatable for mass consumption than many of his earlier films like 5cm, which were all primarily composed of depressing monologues set to gorgeous illustrations of the backdrop for the film in question (5cm had gorgeous shots of the Japanese countryside, Voices of a Distant Star had gorgeous shots of space, etc.)

While his films are often ridiculous, they do a magnificent job of evoking certain complex emotions... especially if you were ever one of these "tragic romantic" types as a teenager. With that said, I feel like 5cm works particularly well if you think of Takaki's lifelong fixation on Akari as a metaphor for humanity's futile striving for happiness "out there" and unwillingness to adapt to the impermanence of life. A sort of buddhistic satire of the romance genre, if you will.

@Ralizah Yeah, I saw that stat on Wikipedia and it blew my little brain. I was definitely understating. It wasn't just all the rage, it was ALL THE RAGE!!!! And I left out several explanation marks in good taste.

I liked the middle section of 5cm. The one where everyone basically just shuts up. There were some very pretty things to look at. I just found his characters really flat, and seemingly contrived to make whatever semi-tragic plot point was on the horizon the most impactful when it arrived. The couple in the first segment were so obviously perfect for each other. Or rather, she was perfect for him, it being told from his perspective. And then, surprise surprise, she is rendered unobtainable in the final section. Or at least someone he has given up all hope of obtaining.

I find Hosoda tends to focus his emotionally overwrought sections into specific scenes rather than letting them bleed out so heavily into the entire film. Then the remaining sections get filled in with quirk, which I quite like.

There's usually a bit of bitter and a touch of sweet, but it's generally given some levity through quirk and charm, rather than ending up as a heavily dish of melancholy and yearning.

But again, I'm pretty ignorant, having only watched one Shinkai film! I just found that one in particular a bit self satisfyingly glum (edit: glum's not quite the right word, but I've used 'melancholic' enough already and I have to go now!).

I got:

• Money
• Socks & Underwear
• Limoncello (liqueur)
• Super Mario Odyssey (yeah, that's a Video Game )
• A belt
• A watch
• A book ("An einem klaren, eiskalten Januarmorgen zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts")
• Some sweet stuff to eat

Yeah, i think that was all

thats pretty damn manly if i must say so myself