Letter to Santa (Top 10 Christmas Wishlist (2001))

Member Name: merv

Product:	Top 10 Christmas Wishlist (2001)
Date:	15/12/01 (156 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful time of the year

Disadvantages: Better to give than receive

Forget all the pious wishes for world peace, love and understanding, what I want for Christmas is presents, lots of them, the more expensive the better. Here’s my top ten ‘reasonably’ affordable wish list, a copy of which is winging its way to my wife, family, Santa, in-laws and anyone else who can put together enough folding to realize my consumerist passions:


1. An Electric Guitar

As a child who grew up in the 60’s, I’ve always yearned for an electric guitar. Not that I can play one – I’m tone deaf and can’t even tune my daughter’s accoustic guitar properly. Still if I had one I’d learn all those famous riffs by rote and be asked to step in for Rick in his absence from Quo until he’s over his RSI.

PS preferably with a Wah Wah pedal, or whatever the modern equivalent is.


2. The Complete Works of Reginald Hill

In my opinion the best ever thriller writer, well - for this week anyway. You probably remember Dalziel and Pascoe on the TV. Warren Clarke is absolutely perfect as Andy Dalziel, but the books are even better. Reginald Hill’s novels are clever, complex and contemporary and never disappoint. The speed I read books these days, they would probably last me for the next ten years, a really good investment!


3. A boxed set of the Travelling Wilbury’s CD’s

Probably because of George Harrison’s recent death, I’ve suddenly remembered that I was always going to buy one of their CD’s. Great music, warm sounds, plenty of melody and ideal for playing in the car on my way to work. I haven’t seen any around for a while, but I’m sure some eager record company will be rushing out the set before Christmas.


4. Three bags of ornamental stone

So I can finish off my rockery. In the winter I do dooyoo as therapy to relax from the office, in the summer I do the garde
n. Two years ago I spent most of the Spring creating a rockery using Cotswold stone, ideal for stunting weed growth. I don’t know where its all going, but every year I have to top it up. Three bags should just about do it.


5. A video of Arsenal’s defeat by Wrexham

January 1991,the 3rd round of the FA Cup, a moment which will stay with me forever. Wrexham had finished the previous season bottom of the old fourth division. Arsenal had finished as league champions. We drew each other in the cup and as you’ll well remember (?) we trounced them 2-1 and just about saved the club from extinction.

Well, once again Arsenal are in contention for the championship and we look like relegation fodder. No hopes of any success this year in the cup – we were knocked out by lowly Hereford, so the video would remind me of happier ‘footballing’ times and give me courage in the face of adversity.


6. A New Bike

Probably the best present I had as a youngster, I can still recall the red and white racing bike with dropped handlebars, white walled tyres and three speed gears – absolute bliss. About ten years ago I bought a mountain bike for exercise and to save petrol. Its given me great fun and service, mainly ‘on road’ but its no longer enough. I’ve seen the future and the future is comfort. I now want one like our paperboy’s with front and rear suspension forks.

Oh and a mini ‘computer’ on the handlebars which tells you how fast you’re going and how many miles you’ve done.


7. A digital camera

Preferably a Camcorder. Last Thursday, I sat next to somebody with one, who was recording a Panto my daughter was in. I was really impressed, excellent picture quality in a dismally lit room, compact and so easy to use. He told me it could also do stills. A tidy bit more than my weekly pocket money could afford, but Santa app
reciates a worthy cause when he sees one.


8. Tickets to Lord of the Rings

This is my favourite book of all time, as per one of my previous reviews. Can’t wait to see the film, which I understand is absolutely brilliant. I enjoyed Harry P, but this is the one I really want to see. Does anybody remember the cartoon attempt a few years back, I actually enjoyed that, so this is going to be really special.

Not the sort of film my wife or daughter would enjoy, so two tickets will suffice for me and my son, plus vouchers for sweets, drinks and popcorn as it lasts three hours.


9. A new table tennis bat

Great game table tennis. A few years ago we bought an all weather table we can leave out on the lawn during the summer months. Its really good fun and helps me and my wife keep fit and active. My mates at work give me a bit of stick about it, calling it ‘ping pong’ and suggesting we wear matching jumpers when we play, like Howard and Hilda out of ‘Ever Decreasing Circles’. Quite amusing!!, still we enjoy it, and I have to say we’re not bad players, having played in the local league when we were younger.

What I need to give me that extra edge, is a better quality bat, one with different surfaces on each face, to develop my backspin. My mates won’t be laughing when I turn professional and start earning!


10. A Bar Billiards Table

What I really want is a full sized snooker table with all the accoutrements, including a bar with draft lager pumps, but the house isn’t big enough so I’ll settle for a bar billiards table. Brilliant addictive game requiring quite a bit of skill, played on the slope with mushrooms and holes on the table and a variety of cue balls. Will fit nicely into the corner next to my electric guitar.

There you are - that wasn’t too excessive was it? though I suspect socks and aftershave are the more l
ikely outcome.

Mind you I’d trade them all for another year of good health and happiness and of course the chance of world peace,love and understanding.

Merry Christmas to everyone involved with dooyoo, may all your wishes be fulfilled.

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