You can picture the post-Christmas scene in the local schoolyard. Kids are milling around asking the obvious question "Well, what did you get for Christmas?" A few of the less articulate might just mumble something about getting "the usual crap". Only in Sweden folks, might this be more true than you could imagine. In the category of something for the kid who has everything, this year, Design Torget have released a pair of stuffed "animals" called Kiss&Bajs (literally Wee-wee and Poo-poo). And don't they look cute and cuddly?



I laughed for the longest time when I spotted them advertised in the newspaper. I was trying to imagine the look on a child's face when he/she was given them. You could always give them out as a joke present, but at a cool 299kr (that's fifty bucks Australian), that's an expensive laugh.

I've still got a couple of pressies to get, including a new toaster for my mother-in-law (her idea, not mine!) While browsing around for something suitable, I stumbled across the Cinderella toaster. The world truly has gone mad.



It apparently plays a waltz when the toast pops up. Why? Can you imagine what that would do to the morning hangover? And why oh why do you need an image of her or her slippers burnt into your toast? When you spread on the Vegemite, it all gets covered anyway. And as for advertising it as something for "the little princess in your home" - easy stomach! I wonder how many little darlings will be asking Santa for this piece of crap.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the year continues to it's conclusion. It is a cold, clear, crisp and sunny day today, but a very short one as we are only a few days away from the winter solstice. It's a shame that the daylight is so short this time of year when I have so much I want to do. Today, the sun set at 2.40pm after rising at 9.07am, which is not as bad as further north where a friend of mine wrote yesterday saying that her day went from 9.38am to 1.27pm! I'm not too sure how I'd cope with that, as I still sometimes feel the urge to put on my pyjamas at 4pm on the weekends :)

And as it is just after that hour, I think I'll heat up some glögg and snuggle on the couch, finishing off my book The Shadow of the Wind. An excellent book for those who want a thought-provoking read on a cold winter evening in front of the fire. I'm having trouble putting it down - we may not get any dinner tonight at this rate.