This year, instead of our standard gift exchange plans (operation: buy all the things for all the friends), we’re changing things up a little. We’re all at a point in our lives where time with each other is more important than presents (how dreadfully adult), and with finances kind of tight all around (mortgage reassessments, boats, ten thousand vet visits), we’re falling back on the tried-and-true draw method: draw one name and buy that person a gift. Not satisfied with how uncomplicated and cracker platter that sounds, we’re introducing a bit of a twist: along with the name, you also draw a theme that your gift must be based around.

This has all the potential of being hilarious, but is also proving to be somewhat difficult. In addition to the good theme suggestions we’ve got (colours, time periods, edible things that aren’t candy), we’re also getting suggestions that are .. somewhat esoteric:

• HTML5 Canvas
• The 1972 Stanley Cup run
• Poisonous fish
• That issue of GI Joe where Serpentor claims to have invented pizza in 52BC
• Licorice
• Radar O’Reilly

I wish there were more of us participating in the exchange, because this is going to be fun and/or confusing. Still, I’m somewhat sad that we’ve made the change at all – friends are the only people other than Ed I get to do Christmas for, and I love buying presents for others. On the other hand, themes!

In other news, I survived the flu and a brutal cold snap in Edmonton and eating four donairs in three days and voting, so now I’m going home to put on a sloth onesie. Wednesday, I have defeated you.

this is the only thing i remember from the marvel gi joe comics.