BY LENORE SKENAZY | November means December is around the corner, and December means it’s time to buy presents.
FOR THE KIDS
G.I. Tract Joe: The first action figure to come with a retractable intestine. Hours of fun!
EZ-Break Oven: Minutes of fun!
Cabbage Patch Cabbages: Adorable heads of real cabbage with tiny arms and legs. Store in a cool, dark place and they’ll last long enough to you to start wondering what that weird smell is. And then when you reach in — aaggghhhh! It’s a cabbage with limbs!
FOR HIM
Eau de Regret: Cologne with the scent of potato pancakes, which whisks you right back to your mother-in-law’s kitchen when you were first married and she told you to buy your apartment — a “crazy” idea because it was $42,000 for the three-bedroom on West 87th.
Eau Enough Already: Is that a hint of musk? Or the entire musk shoved into a manly bottle, his little paws pressed against the glass? Whatever. It sure is musky.
Alligator Wallet: A popular item. But first you have to pickpocket the alligator.
FOR HER
Pumpkin Spice Hairspray: The look and feel of an expensive, limited-time latte — but in your hair.
50 Shades of Hay: The naughty novel of two intensely attracted horses.
50 Shades of Neigh: The horse’s wife finds out.
Spa in a (Small) Box: Give your pinky a day of bliss. Or your little toe. But not both.
Whitman’s Sampler: Walt Whitman, that is. First stanzas of 24 assorted poems.
Channel No. 4: Yes, yes, it knows it’s not quite what you asked for. Have you ever even tried – wait, wait. Hold on. Deep breath. It’s not “cheap,” it’s a “value scent.” Some people like it even better!
The Tiffany Ring: Group of guys who planned a heist at Tiffany’s in the ’70s. Not really relevant on a gift list.
FOR THE HOME
The Keurig Day 2 Coffee Re-Heater: Simply pour yesterday’s coffee into an empty plastic K-cup and carefully position it in the re-heater. Place receptacle under spigot. Press “On.” Repeat six or seven times for a cup, 12 to 13 times for a mug. (Note: By this time the first few podfuls of Keurig Day 2 may by cool. Simply pour them back into the K-cup and carefully position in re-heater. Cancel other plans for the rest of the day.)
Plush Sperm-Shaped Throw Pillows: What’s that all over the sofa? A whole lot of sperm-shaped comfiness!
The Smart Spoon: Tired of to trying to get soup to your mouth only to have it splash and spill? The Smart Spoon scoops up soup and vacu-seals it in a tiny plastic pouch. Simply puncture the pouch once it is inside your mouth and voila – piping hot soup (and a little bit of plastic). Best of all, no more mess! (Except for spitting out the pouch.)
The Smart Fork: Tired of trying to spear your food, only to have it fall off half-way to your teeth? The Smart Fork wraps your food in fine 8-gauge wire. Simply chew through the wire once it is inside your mouth and voila – delicious food (and little bits of wire).
FOR YOUR PET
100% Carrot Chew Toy: A bone-shaped carrot that will make any Fido healthier, if he chews it. Which hopefully he will. Although, none of the test dogs did. But they were probably fussier than yours.
Close Encounters Flea, Tick, and Alien Collar: Protect your pets from all the dangers out there. One-hundred percent effective against aliens. About 60 percent good when it comes to fleas. Some ticks like the smell, ironically. But almost everyone — man, bug, and extraterrestrial — hates the siren-like alarm you can’t turn off.
Lenore Skenazy is founder of the blog Free-Range Kids (freerangekids.com), author of “Has the World Gone Skenazy?” and president of Let Grow.
