What do I want for xmas?

Thank you.

It's the one place I really want to visit too, though I keep putting the idea off for another decade. I've wanted to go since my 20's when I learned the language and studied the culture. I want to go to the Studio Ghibli museum and see the shrines. I hope you write about it when you return, and Happy Birthday for last week!

It was my Birthday last week, and after Christmas I would like to use all my saved up money to travel to Japan. I would like to explore Kyoto and I would also later like to visit the Noboribetsu onsen in Hokkaido. I want to visit nishiki market, and try the street food, especially the different cuts of tuna on fresh nigiri. Near the end of my journey I would like to try that funny themed go karting across the town, I think it may in Tokyo, I would love to try that. I like Japan a lot, I hope to visit one day. Thanks for listening.

Back when I was a small kid, all I wanted was the fancy new toy everybody wanted that had lights and sounds and everything. Basically Buzz Lightyear lol. At around 8-10, it was all about Beyblades and Bionicles. Nowadays, as an adult, I find that hoping to get exactly what you want for Christmas is pointless because people aren't mind readers. You become a lot more grateful for what they give you when you realise that. Sometimes they might get you something you didn't even realise you wanted until you have it!

But yeah, mostly I just want video games and Gundam/mecha models. I already know I'm getting some of those, including the special edition Hello Kitty colab kit. Sometimes maybe DVDs. Some of my favourite ones I got for Christmas were the Mrs. Brown's Boys Series 1-3 boxset and Deadpool 2, I've also had the Beano annual every year since 2004.

I always wanted Encyclopedia Britannica as a kid. Long before the internet I didn't know what other general source there was.

But it was too expensive.

I just made a wish... as a kid I often asked for encyclopedias related to my interest or just general. I could sit quite long and read the articles there one by one. Now I would like to get an encyclopedia about space. My step dad laughed and called me nerd. However the other family members,  especially my grandpa was very happy that I like books and knowledge instead of video games or cosmetics. 

I know this is a Christmas post but I just wanted to say I already know what I’m getting for my birthday which is in a couple of weeks. An air purifier and dehumidifier combo! Yeah probably a strange present to most but it saves me money and mum said it’s not worth wrapping up anyway. Last year my present was a sound bar. I don’t get many presents for my birthday now as what I want is always expensive lol! 

I really need a new mattress, my current one has a memory foam top that seems to have developed dementia and is forgetting to bounce back, I've found a suitable one for a very good price and Mum and friend are going to buy it for me, they won't be wrapping it up and putting it under the xmas tree though, lol. But a good nights sleep is priceless and a present that will hopefully last a few years, as it's a nice deep pocket sprung one. 

We do this too, I have 4 siblings, plus both parents so it makes it a lot easier, plus then the budget is bigger for one decent present, and you can say what you want too. One year we made something instead, I made a gingerbread house, but that idea was short lived at too much effort!

My family is always outraged that I can never give them a list of what I want... so then I start making lists of things I need like new razors, baking trays, tea towels and that's 'too boring!' 

What I'd really love is a tough sudoku book, and 3 days of isolation to get really stuck into it  

I use most gadgets in the kitchen. I'm on my fourth air fryer. They don't last long.  I love my microwave,  I boil in water i fry with oil in a frying pan.

All gadgets have their place.  I boil rice in water, microwaved rice is overpriced and horrid.

I only use the microwave for defrosting things and warming plates, I never actually cook anything in it, I'm not sure how I'd go about even doing something simple like heating up baked beans or frozen peas. I can boil rice really well, much to the amazement of my Indian DiL. The airryer is the exclusive preserve of the friend I live with, all his meat products go in it and keeps it away from my veggie stuff, I totally went of the idea of an airfryer when I found that the sort of things I'd want to cook in one, like pakora's can't be done in one.

I'm not a fan of waffles, or omelets or anything else that you can get a gadget for.

My favourite gadget if it can be called that, is a potato ricer, mashed potato is easy with one and before anyone say's it, I don't like chips either, or jacket potatoes, esepcially when the skins crispy. I'm not a fan of anything much thats crispy except toast, flacid and badly done toast is an offence against decency!  

I actually like the process of cooking, the chopping and mixing, when making pastry I only mix the fat and flour together in the food processor as it keeps it cold, but I still bring it together by hand, with a flat bladed knife, adding water as I go.

He seems to reinvest most of his income, apart from the tiny fraction he spends on his expensive cars and private jets. 

ArchaeC said:

all the books on my Amazon Wish List

Wow, yes, best present idea ever! Perhaps Elon Musk might oblige - it must be hard to spend his income!

Yes, esp. if you microwave baked potatoes then put them in the air fryer. Yum!

A peaceful day and the ability to enjoy at least some of it. 

I am unlikely to get any presents that I would like or need, so I might write to Santa to ask him for a new car and all the books on my Amazon Wish List. 

It is crazy how many things you can make in the microwave- my mum is still antimicrowave and I grew up without one but I am a fan- works brilliantly for quick baked potatoes or pumpkin. 

Ooh that does sound cool! I can’t eat popcorn unfortunately so not one for me but sounds nice. I am probably letting my mum surprise me with gifts this year but I am abroad so it is rather complicated so I told her not to put in too much effort and we might just pick some useful things together like a new frying pan- it’s crazy but compared to the Uk the frying pans and pots here are of abysmal quality… i always bought cheap ones in the UK but they were so much better- the ones here change shape and the coating comes off - sorry I am getting distracted but useful gifts are nice :) 

My latest fav is a popcorn maker for the microwave. At least it's rubber and folds up.

makes sense- I am also a creature of habit in the kitchen- until i switch to the newest thing- I did used to think though that a rice cooker was the best thing ever- until I discovered microwave rice- as you can tell minimal effort is my thing. I know some people really love kitchen gadgets though - my mum does actually make use of things like the waffle maker etc.