Suggestions for Christmas stocking fillers

[Epigram]

As someone who struggles with ideas for Christmas shopping, a couple of gadgets that are a reflection of the circumstances in which we now find ourselves.

1)An ultra violet phone steriliser. USB powered. Saves rubbing with hand gel or disinfectant. Can also be used to store and sterilise masks before or after use.
2) A pocket sized ultraviolet sterilising lamp - potential application and effectiveness to be determined!

Each available on Ebay at various outlets.

Any other suggestions (apart from books chocolate and alcohol) very. welcome !

 

[The fat controller]

This is one of the most 2020 things I've seen...

 

[Epigram]

This is one of the most 2020 things I've seen...

Yep. A grim year.

 

[Steve B]

Stocking fillers somehow always remind me fondly of the christmas TV ads in the 70's when I was a kid. You knew christmas was really coming with the start of the Woolworth and the ronco ads. Who could forget the american style voice over and jingly music promoting such essentials as the battery powered vinyl record cleaner or the buttoneer, how do we survive without them . Apologies to any of the younger or overseas forum members, you'll not have a clue what i'm talking about!

 

[Roy C]

Stocking fillers somehow always remind me fondly of the christmas TV ads in the 70's when I was a kid. You knew christmas was really coming with the start of the Woolworth and the ronco ads. Who could forget the american style voice over and jingly music promoting such essentials as the battery powered vinyl record cleaner or the buttoneer, how do we survive without them . Apologies to any of the younger or overseas forum members, you'll not have a clue what i'm talking about!

My favourite was the device that removed bobbles from your jumper. Oh for the days when we worried about such things instead of global pandemics. Mind you we could only watch the adverts in between the power-cuts in the 1970's......

 

[Steve B]

And the bins collected every few weeks, if you were lucky.

 

[Epigram]

Stocking fillers somehow always remind me fondly of the christmas TV ads in the 70's when I was a kid. You knew christmas was really coming with the start of the Woolworth and the ronco ads. Who could forget the american style voice over and jingly music promoting such essentials as the battery powered vinyl record cleaner or the buttoneer, how do we survive without them . Apologies to any of the younger or overseas forum members, you'll not have a clue what i'm talking about!

What was the buttoneer ?

I do remember the various devices to rid vinyl records of dust which attracted even more dust because of the static electricity they created resulting in more clicks and pops.

I treated myself to one of the first CD players in desperation. There were only four compact discs available in the country at the time but it was heaven to listen to high quality music without a machine gun of clicks in the background.
With the instant accesss of Spotify and Apple Play even CDs are a thing of the past, provided the recording is digitised and there is access to internet of course.
I think I will ask for a bottle of orange liqueur in place of the obligatory orange in my Xmas stocking this year. - especially as there will be fewer people to share it with .

 

[SteveR]

....What was the buttoneer ?...

I think I remember that ad. Wasn't it like a plastic device where you kind of riveted a button on rather than sewing

....I treated myself to one of the first CD players in desperation. There were only four compact discs available in the country at the time...

Funnily enough I did too and I recall the vain search for any new CDs. In a roundabout way I am now back to vinyl and appreciate all that analogue sound probably for nostalgic reasons.
I had to buy a new anti static device thing too

 

[Epigram]

I don’t think the buttoneer is likely to make it to my man cave !
Eric Clapton’s Time Pieces was one of the first played on my CDP101. Another 101 was bought on eBay a few years ago after the first failed and could not be repaired.
One of my last vinyl records was a Japanese high quality import of Dark Side of the Moon to complement my earlier well played version. Perhaps this lockdown Christmas will be spent setting up a vinyl versus CD versus MP3 comparisons on my various “antique” speakers and compact wireless speakers to whether old ears can tell any difference.
So! To keep this on thread.
Ear plugs for the wife!

 

[Steve B]

SteveR is right its a rivet gun for clothing repairs! It does show how times have changed, many of todays ad's sell a message which is on trend for the times/brand, rather than just selling stuff. On Epigrams CD theme, I bought a CD back in the 80's before i bought the player, then added the technics player to my stack when I could afford it! Should have kept it all as I've now got loads of CD's and LP's with nothing to play them on. Just got the MP's portable DVD player now as well.

 

[SteveR]

SteveR is right its a rivet gun for clothing repairs! It does show how times have changed, many of todays ad's sell a message which is on trend for the times/brand, rather than just selling stuff. On Epigrams CD theme, I bought a CD back in the 80's before i bought the player, then added the technics player to my stack when I could afford it! Should have kept it all as I've now got loads of CD's and LP's with nothing to play them on. Just got the MP's portable DVD player now as well.

And just to add, have you seen how much old Technics turntables sell for now!!

 

[Steve B]

Your right, a good model is at a premium. I should have put my first cars, stereo's (but not shell suits!) in a barn back in the 80's, they would all be worth something now.