Whether you grew up with these or not, they’re all  pretty funny war stories and possibly too esoteric to be found on endless cable reruns.  Don’t let the younger generation miss out on what good comedy war can be!  (these are all affiliate linked to Amazon for your convenience – please use that link if you decide to buy from them.)

• Operation Petticoat – hard to beat the WWII pale pink battleship and the usual hi-jinks of 1950′s classic Hollywood
• All things ‘Allo, ‘Allo – The BBC interpretation of the French Resistance – nobody, not the French, Germans, English or Americans, can get anything to go according to plan
• Dad’s Army -the endearingly quirky old folks (mostly WWI vets) left behind to guard England during WWII
• Hogan’s Heroes- the classic allied forces in German POW camp series – it’s campy but a classic
• The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming – An early Cold War spoof that will likely have you cheering for these specific Russians
• Sleepers – a late Cold War story of embedded spies that get activated accidentally -they would much prefer not to carry out their mission!

Some people seem to make a hobby out of being hard to  shop for and I’m related to quite a few of them.  When the mall simply won’t do, here are three great online places to check for those truly quirky holiday gifts:

1. Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster – show your appreciation for carbs, spaghetti, and the quirky with Flying Spaghetti Monster books and merchandise
2. ThinkGeek – for all things cool and geeky
3. Archie McPhee – words fail me, I am privileged to live within driving distance of the actual store!

The top two are affiliate links; my lack of marketing talent is revealed by not having one for all of them;-)

NurdleNet has branched out into nurdly gifts via CafePress just in time for the holidays: http://www.cafepress.com/nurdle So spread the joy to friends and family (which will also put a little something in my stocking!)

We’ve started with 3 classic designs; surely you’re life will have more excitement with one of these:

• A ladybug burying it’s head in a flower; some days are like that
• “There’s no I in team because it prefers showing INITIATIVE” – inspired by a real pointy-haired boss
• “Nurdle! If you have to ask, you won’t understand…” – the basic philosophy of this site and it’s followers…

I’ll have other gift recommendations from other sources over the next week or so.

Wi-fi detector shirt at Think Geek

Even if your Dad isn’t a geek, these gifts might still beat something more traditional.  Who could resist a working wi-fi detecting t-shirt? (The electronics can be detached for washing.) Find it at ThinkGeek Apparel. This way you don’t have to walk around with an open lap top while balancing the sloshing coffee cup and whatever else.

Or if you want an old favorite that’s been updated (and who wouldn’t?)  how about a USB Pet Rock. It plugs in but doesn’t draw any power, doesn’t talk back, or have shiny lights. Very zen, very green.

With all the media drama on housing, oil prices, and jobs I’ve noticed that alien abductions aren’t getting that much press.  That’s no reason not to be prepared.  And while this may be the pet rock of the new millennium, the folks at Earth Bound Dog have done what they can to get you back home if you were ever abducted by aliens, after having bought a dog tag. Have you thought about how to give directions to Earth from Alpha Centauri?

If you don’t get home safely from an alien abduction you can get your money back. AND it’s based on NASA research (or at least NASA doodles…) Plus it come with a rubber widget to silence the chain so the abducting aliens won’t find it right away,  and you can make your way to the friendly aliens. Too bad it doesn’t come with an alien identification chart, but you can’t have everything.