BlogHer - The Scoble Family Holiday Wish List - Comments

Thanks for the suggestion!

maryamscoble — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:06:30 -0600

Maryam G. Scoble

Thanks Olivia! I love watching cartoons and can't wait to watch these with Milan :)

Christmas List

Olivia Gershwin — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:11:05 -0600

Wow, what a list! And congratulations on the baby, Maryam!

One thing I would recommend adding is Christmas movies. The Christmas Classics have been my favorite part of the holidays ever since I was a kid. Every year for as long as I can remember I’ve always looked forward to wrapping up on the couch with my family and watching Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, especially. Wouldn't that be a lovely tradition to start with Milan?

I’m really glad I don’t have to wait for all of the movies to come on TV this year, and can finally have all 7 together in the gorgeously packaged Christmas Classics DVD Box-Set! And that bonus music CD is quite lovely if I do say so myself. You can buy this keepsake at any store where you buy DVDs, but it’s also available at http://www.christmasclassics.tv? I only know about it because I work with the company. This is something my family and I will treasure for many holiday seasons to come. And the beautiful packaging really does make it a special gift.

Happy holidays! :-)

Thanks for your feedback!

maryamscoble — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:06:36 -0600

Maryam G. Scoble

Aruni,
You are so right about Robert, but he may surprise us all yet. I am not giving up hope!
Hope you and yours have a great holiday season ahead.

Sylvia,
Thanks for your suggestion. I'll take it to heart. And Milan is a pretty happy baby, especially when he barfs on us ;)

Elisa,
We are married to geeks; what can I tell you?

Rich,
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll talk to you if Robert indeed decides that is what he wants me to get him for Xmas.

Kaddi,
Thanks for the kind words. Happy Holidays!

wow, what comprehensive lists

babblesoft — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:57:22 -0600

I haven't even thought about what I will get my family for Christmas let alone what I want. I think I want a $1 million dollar investment in my company. :-)

If Robert is like most guys I know I think he'll opt for many of the items on your list that he can buy with dollars. :-)

Aruni
http://www.entrepremusings.com

recycling those gift lists

whoisylvia — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:39:06 -0600

Maryam,

So when Milan is 6 months old and tired of his toys, you can trade up with a new site for recycling kids stuff called Zwaggle.com. It will work with Patrick too, although he might take less time to want to trade his games and gear for upgrades. That way, you can have what you want, not pay out any more cash, and save the planet as well.

And yes, babies don't really smile at 6 weeks -- unless they are exceptionally happy, which might be the case with Milan.

xxx
Sylvia

What a great list of "alternatives"

Elisa Camahort — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:23:20 -0600

Sometimes it sounds like Robert and my S.O. are the same person ;)

Great lists!

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer
elisa@blogher.org

GPS

Rich Owings — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:29:30 -0600

Hi,

Don't get the Magellan RoadMate 760. It is last generation technology and would be disappointing. For a dual purpose (hiking + car) GPS, the Garmin GPSMap 60Cx would be a better choice than the Summit, but you'll have to buy maps for either one.

If I can help with the decision, let me know.

Also, congrats on the baby. We have a new one too, born in August.

Rich Owings
GPS Tracklog

Cool

Kaddi — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 09:49:16 -0600

There are interesting things I hadn't seen yet, like the FlyTech dragon - Thanks!

The Scoble Family Holiday Wish List

maryamscoble — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 05:48:52 -0600

Greetings Fellow Holiday Shoppers,

We’re the Scoble family and we want to share our holiday wish lists with you to give you an idea of what we will be thinking of, dreaming of, looking for and lusting after during the holidays. But before we do so, I need to tell you a little story about how and why we came up with these lists.

“I found the perfect gift you can buy me.” I tell Robert excitedly as I walk in through the door. Robert hardly looks up from his computer. “Why do I need to buy you a gift again?” He grumbles.

“Ummm, you never bought me a gift when Milan was born. In fact, I bought you a gift. I recall a certain camera; The Canon 5D. And our 5th anniversary is coming up in November. And don’t forget the holidays. You can combine all these wonderful occasions and buy me one special gift for the very low price of $2,599.99. I saw it at Costco. It’s a steal.” I can hardly contain my excitement. “I’ll give you a hint. I have always wanted this. I can’t believe I saw it at Costco. You gotta be able to get this right. I always talk about wanting one of these. Guess what it is?”

“First of all,” Robert says finally looking up, “Milan is my gift to you.” He smiles. “And second of all you are Iranian. You don’t celebrate Christmas.” His smile broadens. “As for our anniversary, OK, you got me there. I bet it is jewelry that you want. And I bet it costs a lot more than you are telling me. You are gonna buy it and not tell me how much it really costs. I know all about your secret shopping tricks, woman. I just let you get away with it because if I don’t, you actually would want me to guess what you want and get it for you. We all know I’m gonna be wrong and you are gonna return it and buy what it is that you really want. So take the credit cards; don’t tell me how much you spend and let me read my feeds in peace. Thank you very much.” He looks down at his computer again.

I am not going to let him get away with this so I continue, “First of all, I was the one who went through nine months of pregnancy and 29 hours of labor to bring Milan to the world. So he is not exactly the product of your hard labor exclusively. And as far as Iranians not celebrating Christmas, well Americans don’t celebrate Norouz, the Persian New Year, either. But every spring solstice, when my Mom gives you a crisp $50 bill, I don’t see you turning it down. And for your information what I want is not jewelry and it’s something I have always wanted. You ought to be able to guess this one.

I bet you our thirteen year old son, Patrick, can say right away what it is that I have always wanted.” I look at Patrick who has been sitting quietly next to his dad on the couch playing World of Warcraft, but listening to our conversation as background filler. “OK Patrick go ahead and tell your dad what it is that I have always wanted” I exclaim. Patrick looks at me, then at his dad and shrugs. “That’s easy,” he says. “It’s the Ms. Pac-Man arcade game.” I clap my hands happily. “Exactly!”

Robert looks sideways at Patrick and asks with some disbelief, “How did you know?” Patrick shrugs again and says matter of factly, “That’s easy, dude. I listen to her.” For that he gets an approving smile from me and an elbow nudged in his side from his dad. “There goes your Christmas gift Mr. know it all” his dad tells him.

“Speaking of which,” I tell Patrick, “you need to give us a list of things you want for the holidays. We can get some of the stuff and then tell your grandparents and uncles as well when they ask for suggestions.” That gets Patrick’s attention away from his game and he starts wondering about his list. He starts to tell me what he wants, but I ask him to type me a list and he agrees.

“And as for you,” I tell Robert, “You should write a list too. You hate it when I take you shopping with me, so come up with your own list. And, to make your life easier, I’ll give you a list of things I want, and to prove to you that I am not as materialistic as you claim I am, I will give you an alternative list of things I really want which will not cost you a penny. I bet you that you will happily fork over the money for the first list rather than do I what I really want. And I will not include any jewelry in any of my lists.”

I finally turn to our 6 weeks old newborn son, Milan, who is happily sitting in his new swing and say: “Well, I guess you should write your list too, Milan. Although, it’s been Christmas here everyday for you with all the gifts you have been receiving since you were born. Perhaps you can write us a review of a few of your favorite things.” Just then Milan looks at me and smiles. I wonder if he appreciates being included in this family activity or perhaps he just has gas. With newborns you can never tell….

Since Milan is the newest member of the family, and he is writing a review of some of the best gifts, he has received we’ll start with him:

1) The Cradle Swing by Fisher-Price $139.99 at Babies R Us
This is one of our favorite gifts and well worth the price. Milan loves to listen to the music, watch the moving fuzzy little birds above and swing to his little heart’s delight. The gentle rocking motion and the soft music puts him to sleep and that means cry-free time for the sleep-deprived parents. Oh yeah!

2) The Bouncing Baby Seat by Fisher-Price $36.99 at Babies R Us
When baby Milan is not sleeping in his swinging cradle, he is happily bouncing and kicking his little feet to the sweet sounds of the Bobblin’ band bouncer. This is a light and easy to carry infant seat that you could take with you anywhere to amuse and comfortably seat your baby. Milan starts smiling every time we turn the vibrating motion on. Like his Mom and Dad, he appreciates a good massage.

3) The Graco Pack N Play Playard $99.99 at Babies R Us
We love using this in our living room as an alternative to his crib in the bedroom to put the baby down for a nap. The design actually goes with our living room furniture. It is easy to set up and dismantle so when we go traveling near or far we can take it with us. Once the baby is older we can use it as a playpen and also put the changing table to use. This was a perfect gift.

4) The Sleep Thief Outfit $49.00 at Amazon.com
Milan has received many cute outfits but this one is by far one of our favorites. As Robert says, he is not only a sleep thief; he is also an attention thief 

5) BabyBjorn Baby Carrier $63.00 at Amazon.com
Every new parent should have one of these baby carriers. I love going on walks and taking Milan with me. Rather than pushing him in the stroller, I like having him snuggled up on my chest. I have both hands free to do as I wish and Milan goes to sleep while we are walking around.

6) Personalized Baby Blanket $29.00 at Pottery Barn Kids
Babies can’t have enough blankets, but a personalized one just goes that extra mile to make a gift that much more special.

7) Robeez Baby Shoes $27.95 at Nordstrom
Nothing is cuter than little baby shoes, but Robeez shoes are not only adorable, they are practical, too. Robeez are soft-soled, flexible and lightweight. They are stylish and also good for the baby’s feet. We love the Robeez shoes that we got and can’t wait for little Milan to start walking around with them.

8) Peek A Pooh Musical Baby Mobile $35.99 at Babies R Us
We love Pooh and his friends and so does little Milan. Every nursery needs a mobile and the Pooh Bear Mobile goes perfectly with Milan’s Comforter set.

9) Pooh Sleeping gown and cap $8.99 at Target
Speaking of Pooh, we also love this outfit. We loved it so much that even though we got one as a gift, we went and got another one of them. Milan looks adorable in this outfit, and the best part is his little chubby hands are covered so he can’t scratch his face.

10) Glider and Ottoman $1330.00 at Lullaby Lane
Ok so we haven’t got a rocking chair or a glider yet, but maybe we’ll buy one of these for the holidays. It would be a gift for all the family. We’ll let the special guests sit on it too.

So now that you know what Milan’s favorite gifts are, we’ll share his big brother Patrick's wish list with you:

My Dad and Maryam have asked me to do this list of items I am trying to get for the holidays this year. For the past several years I have enjoyed having my birthday around this time of year (Jan 14) because I can combine the money or presents I receive to get larger gifts. Last year this led to a MacBook Pro and a 20 inch Apple Cinema Display so that might have been one of the better holidays I have experienced. While most kids my age would probably go for skateboards and PS3s I am just as happy with my more geek oriented gifts. After all I got to be like my dad in some way.

1) MacMini 2 Ghz C2D w/ 120 GB HDD- I would like this because I need a media Mac to hold my music and movies as well as a 2nd usable computer in case my Mac is ever in the shop again. This is most certainly top of the list. $799

2) Seagate’s HD 250-500 GB drive- I need an extra hard drive to hold all my extra media and to use the Apple’s Time Machine or backup utility software that comes with Leopard. $99-$169

3) Harman Kardon SoundSticks - I love music and movies, so it’s always important to have good speakers. My current ones aren't very good unfortunately. $169

4) Apple Bluetooth Mighty Mouse - I used to have one and I absolutely loved it. Best accessory for a portable computer. $69

5) Halo: Combat Evolved for the Mac- I really enjoy playing Halo and would love to have it playable on my Mac Book Pro or even the MacMini I am saving for. $29.90

6) Battlefield 2142 for the Mac- Another great game I would like to own for the Mac. $39

7) Apple iPhone Headphones- It’s always important to have a 2nd pair of iPhone headphones. $ 29

8) iPod Classic 80-160 GB- Because I looovvvvvveeeee the new iPod interface and it would be a nice way to carry another HD from place to place. $249 or $349

9) WarCraft III Battle Chest - These three games are considered classics in the gaming world and it would be awesome to have the entire collection and further explore the Wolrd of Warcraft games. $39

10) Any amount in iTunes gift cards - I love music and any easy way to find and discover new music is great! Any amount.

Following Milan and Patrick’s gift guides, here’s what Maryam wants for The holidays. There are two lists. You can do it for the material girl or you can do it all from the heart. You choose:

1) Ms. Pac-Man Arcade game: $2599.99 at Costco
You probably are wondering, just like Robert, why I want this arcade game so much. The truth is I grew up during the 80s and spent a lot of my free time at the arcades with my friends during high school. Ms. Pac-Man was my favorite game and when I play it, I feel like that carefree teenager again. I know it is not wise to spend that much money on a game, and I doubt we’ll ever get one, but I can’t help and wish for it.

1) a. As an alternative to Ms. Pac-Man arcade game, which is what I have always wanted, Robert can promise to spend an hour a day with me. I would love to go for walks everyday with him. We can hold hands and walk our worries away.

2) Cherry Blossom lotion and fragrance gift basket: $30.00 at BathandBodyWorks
I have a confession to make. I am a lotion fiend. I love the sensual feeling of rubbing lotion on my body when I come out of the shower. I love trying new fragrances and mixing and matching different ones at Bath and Body Works stores. Robert always tells me how he loves my soft skin and that I always smell good. I am sure he’ll love buying me a basket full of this stuff.

2) a. As an alternative to the lotion basket, Robert has to promise not to forget to take out the trash without Maryam ever having to remind him again.

3) Tiffany style table lamp: $199.99 at LampsPlus
I love Tiffany everything, and I can’t afford Tiffany anything, but a Tiffany style lamp sitting on my night stand would make for some relaxing night time reading.

3) a. Perhaps as an alternative to the lamp for the night stand so I can read my books at night, Robert can read to me a few pages each night and we can discuss what we have read together. That would make for some great conversation and I wouldn’t need the lamp anymore.

4) Black Jacket: $168.00 at Nordstrom
Every man and woman needs a stylish black jacket. You can dress it up or dress it down. You just can’t go wrong with this one.

4) a. Ok, this is a hard one. I do want a black jacket for the wintertime, but I am willing to give that up, if Robert agreed to come to bed every night instead of staying up and surfing the net all night. I wouldn’t be cold if my honey was snuggling up with me and holding me to keep warm.

5) Spa gift certificate: $85.00 at La Belle Spa
I love getting massages. Who doesn’t? That’s one of the most considerate gifts anyone can get me. 45 minutes of heaven, here I come.

5) a. I will give up the spa treatment if Robert will agree to give me a foot massage every night. I’d love it!

6) A set of scented Candles: $39.95 at Illuminations.com
Robert hates candles. He says that is literally setting your money on fire and watching it burn. I love candles. They always soften the mood and add a touch of romance and intrigue to the room.

6) a. Instead of using candles to add romance to our evenings, how about sitting on the couch with me, cuddling up and whispering sweet nothings in my ear?

7) Yin Yang Watch: $150.00 at babyphat.com
Ok I know I said no Jewelry, but a watch is not a piece of Jewelry; or is it?

7) a. I know you said you do anything for love, Robert. I know you’d buy me the Jewelry or watch or anything else I ask for and I do appreciate it. But it is like that Meatloaf song…you would do anything for love, but you won’t do that. And that is exactly what I want you to do. What is it? CHANGE THE TOILET ROLL FOR CHARMIN SAKE.

8) Slummy Mummy Novel: $16.47 at Amazon.com
I read a chapter of this book in a magazine and fell in love. Think Diary of Bridget Jones with kids added for frosting. Really funny.

8) a. Instead of buying me a book, why don’t you write me a poem? I’ll treasure it forever.

9) A Bottle of Christopher Creek Petite Syrah wine: $30.00 at christophercreek.com
Now that I am nursing and can only have very little and on special occasions, I choose my wine carefully. This is one of my favorites without breaking the bank.

9) a. Hmmm, a good glass of wine is great with any meal, but I give up the wine if you promise to prepare the meal for me. I want to kick up my heels and relax while you prepare a sumptuous, romantic dinner for me. And don’t ask me where the cooking utensils are if you decide to do this. No questions. You are all on your own in the kitchen big guy.

10) A box of British tea sampler: $24.50 at Williams-Sonoma.com
I love drinking hot tea and I drink it in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings. I especially love black British tea.

10) a. Instead of buying me tea, why don’t you bring me a cup of tea in the morning? I would love a breakfast in bed. That would make for such a sweet beginning for any day.

11) T-shirts from Threadless.com: $15.00
I love the wacky and unique designs on these t-shirts. Can one ever have too many t-shirts?

11) a. Instead of buying me t-shirts, how about if you chose a chore that is usually not yours and doing that for me. Pick a chore, any chore, and surprise me 

And last, but not least, here’s Robert’s wish list for the holidays.

1. A portable GPS. I’m on the road more and more lately doing my interviews so a GPS would be a useful thing to have in our car. I’d like to have a portable one, like Magellan RoadMate 760 or the Garmin eTrex Summit. The Garmin, actually, is more interesting to me, because it’s designed for outdoor use during hikes. $321

2. Bluetooth Keyboard. One of the most beautiful keyboards I’ve seen is the Apple Wireless Keyboard. I saw it at an Apple press event and it’s just simply the sexiest keyboard I’ve seen. Damn, now I’m sounding like an Apple fan boy like my son, Patrick is. $99

3. Winplus Yada. Coming next year it’ll be illegal to use a cell phone without a headset or hands-free feature in your car while driving in California. I already own a Bluetooth headset. One problem: I don’t know where it is. I put it down someplace and lost it. So, that’s why I’m interested in the Winplus Yada. It’ll let me dock my iPhone onto my dashboard but along with the dock is also a Bluetooth headset, which permanently stays on the Yada. $59.

4. Celestron Skyscout. I fell in love with this device when I saw it at the Consumer Electronics Show last year but haven’t had a reason to buy one. Now that Patrick is getting old enough to get into astronomy, and we live in a part of the world that gets dark enough to see the stars (when the famous Half Moon Bay fog isn’t rolling in) the Skyscout is much more interesting. What is it? You aim this device at something in the sky and it tells you about it. It works off of GPS, magnetic fields, and other whizbang technology. Most astronomy clubs now have one of these for educational purposes. $429.

5. Nintendo Wii console gaming system. Let’s be honest. I just want to kick Maryam’s behind in tennis. Well, beyond that if I’m going to spend time playing video games it’s good to do something that’ll get me off of the couch and working out a little bit. Yeah, it’s a sad life, but that’s what I get for being a geek. Translation: we already have an Xbox and the Wii’s innovative controls that work as you move your hands are lots of fun (we have one at work). $349.

6. Robot Toys. What do you get the geek who has everything? Well, how about a new toy? No, I mean a really new toy. A robot toy. Pick something out from WowWee. I love the Flytech Dragon that they make. Hours of fun flying around this contraption. Great for bugging spouses who write too many sordid details about how I don’t do enough dishes or help out enough with the laundry. $49.95.

7. iControl Home Control System. One thing I hate is when someone is ringing the doorbell and I’m upstairs working on my blog. I’d love to have a video camera out front so I could see who it is. Plus, Maryam would feel safer if we had a home alarm system. iControl has an innovative system (I interviewed the CEO for my show http://scobleizer.com/2007/07/03/home-automation-with-icontrol/ ). Basic starter kit is $99.95.

8. A subscription to Make Magazine. I love this magazine and my favorite event of the year is the Maker Faire. $34.95.

9. Epson Stylus Pro 3800 photo printer. This is an expensive gift, but my friend Thomas Hawk has one and makes 11x17-inch prints on it that are simply stunning. Now that I have a serious camera, this will let me take my photography to the next level: my walls. $1295.

10. Digital photo frame. I’d like to have photos that I’ve uploaded to Flickr automatically show up on a photo frame in my office. I’m still looking into which one is best, though.

So here you have our holiday gift lists, but the truth is the holidays have come early for the Scoble family this year. We have a new healthy and bouncing baby boy who was born in September. Friends and family from near and far have been showering us with love, support and lots of gifts in the past couple of months and continue to do so. Milan is a cute and lovable baby and if he turns out to be like his teenage brother Patrick, then we have nothing to worry about. Patrick made it to honor roll once again this semester; he helps us with taking care of his baby brother and is a true joy to have around. Robert and I will be celebrating our 5th anniversary on November 2nd, and while like every relationship ours has had its ups and downs, the ups outrun the downs by a long shot.

We know some friends who are going through breakups right now and we wish them the strength and hope to find love and happiness again. The news stories lately have been covering the fires in southern California and how so many have lost their homes and livelihood. There are so many places in the world where people lose their loved ones, their lives and their livelihood everyday. Like every year, we will be donating to Red Cross so that we can share a bit of our good fortune with others in need. When it comes to what really matters, we are truly blessed and we are grateful. Whether you are going to celebrate the holidays with glam and glitz or relax and have a cozy, and quiet time, we wish you all a happy holiday season and hope for peace, joy and love for each and every one of you. May you receive each and everything on your holiday wish list and so much more!

Image used with permission from Dawn Douglass and from artist Paul Fell.