Now isn’t this what the holidays are really about? Cheaply produced USB-powered plastic novelty crap that will sit unused in your desk drawer for 11 months out of the year? I certainly think so. That’s why everyone on my list will be unwrapping one of these USB-powered X’Mas typing trees this morning. (Sorry to ruin the surprise.)

The tree features a collection of 10 red LED lights that will only glow whenever you’re typing at your PC. And the faster you do type, the more lights will illuminate, which I have to assume translates to an increased level of holiday cheer. The tree also features a speaker in the base that you can connect to your PC via the headphone jack allowing you to play your Christmas tunes through it, which once again can only lead to more holiday cheer. Though by this time of the year, I’m sure we’ve all reached our cheer quotas… and then some.

So on that note, all of us here at OhGizmo! once again wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and here’s to seriously hoping you weren’t one of the people on my shopping list this year.

[ USB Green X'Mas Tree ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

The Star Wars universe is well represented in the land of nutcrackers, but oddly enough, it’s only recently that Trekkies have gotten their chance to crack open a walnut via their beloved Star Trek characters.

From What on Earth comes these Star Trek Kirk and Spock nutcrackers that each stand 12 inches tall. They’re hand-painted, crafted from real wood and even feature authentic trekkian details like a communicator in Kirk’s hand and Spock giving the “live long and prosper” gesture. But at $34.95 each, you probably won’t want to use either of them for actually cracking open any nuts.

[ Classic Star Trek Nutcrackers ] VIA [ IO9 ]

I realize it’s probably a little late in the holiday season to be writing about a clever Christmas card idea, given there’s no way they could be mailed out in time for the 25th, so consider these 3D pop-out cards an inspiration for next year.

Designed by Jonathan Yuen, the cards feature a collection of 4 different Christmas-themed figures including reindeer, a snowman, Santa in his sleigh and a tree that can be punched out and assembled once read. The cards actually come blank (from what I can tell) which allows you to write your own personalized holiday message instead of sending out some generic, politically correct greeting. They were available in packs of 4 for just $9, but they’re currently sold out and I’m not sure when they’ll be available again.

[ The Breeding Ground - A beautiful X'mas is what you make of it ] VIA [ TRENDTHINK ]

Porsche Design has already tackled the world of sledding with their Kinderbob model that was featured in last year’s OGCC. But while the Kinderbob seemed to be targeted towards the younger ‘let’s have fun’ crowd, Porsche Design’s newest model, the Aluminum Sledge, appears to be targeted towards the ‘I have to always look stylish’ crowd.

The sled features an aluminum frame with stainless steel runners as well as a waterproof faux-leather seat that’s both durable and UV-resistant. In fact the sled can support a rider up to 220 lbs. in weight, so it’s perfect for grown-up kids as well as the young’ns. And to make the sled easier to transport and store it has a “practical” folding mechanism and comes with a high-quality carrying bag so it doesn’t get dinged up when tossed in your trunk. The Aluminum Sledge is quite literally the Porsche of sleds, and if you can stomach the $490 price tag you can probably order one from your nearest Porsche dealership.

[ Porsche Design Aluminum Sledge ] VIA [ Gentleman's Gadgets ]

Well, there won’t be any HD-DVD players under the Christmas tree this year. Although, with the price of coal, they could make for a cheap stocking stuffer for all those bad boys and girls… Anyways, Blu-ray won the war, and the fact that you can now get those virtual fireplace videos in hi-def is a sure sign that the format is catching on.

The HDScape Fireplace: Visions Of Tranquility Blu-ray disc features a real roaring fire and your choice of musical accompaniment (like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or Pachelbel’s Canon) or the natural sounds of the fire crackling away. According to the HDScape website, the fire was actually shot on film and transferred to HD, but I think this is one of those times where the realistic ‘video-look’ of native HD might have been preferred. But I’m sure it still looks much better than the SD versions of yesteryear.

Fireplace: Visions Of Tranquility is available directly from HDScape for a special sale price (I assume just for the holidays) of $11.99.

[ HDScape Fireplace: Visions Of Tranquility Blu-ray ]

Poet John Lydgate once wrote; “You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” And at no point in the year is that more applicable than the holidays.

So if you’re having a tough time keeping all your friends, family, co-workers and other associates happy with your Christmas Hanukkah Kwanzaa holiday cheer, this generic winter advent calendar is sure to offend no one. Instead of the traditional 25 days counting down to Christmas, the calendar has just 6 leading to the holiday of your choice. And instead of finding a delicious chocolate every day behind those perforated paper doors, there’s a small plastic novelty toy that’s guaranteed to be 100% non-offensive. They’re just $4.95 from Archie McPhee, and I’d be tempted to pick one except that I find the color blue to be incredibly offensive, and intend to start an email campaign letting Mr. McPhee know just how disgusted I am with this product.

[ Politically Correct, All-Inclusive, Non-Denominational Generic Winter Holiday Countdown Calendar ] VIA [ Everything below $29.99 ]

While the cold weather is mildly tolerable when swooshing down the slopes on a pair of skis, having Jack Frost nipping at your nose while waiting in line for a Nintendo Wii (or whatever this season’s must-have toy is) is a different story.

But before you start a small bonfire in that Wal-Mart garbage bin to keep warm, you might want to first consider something like the Hit Jacket from Rossignol. The jacket features an adjustable heating system designed by German company NOVONIC that’s comprised of 4 heating panels integrated into the liner. (2 large panels in the back, and 2 smaller panels in the front.) These panels are powered by a removable and somewhat compact rechargeable battery that can provide 6 x 20 minute warming cycles before needing to be recharged. But if the Hit Jacket’s $700 price tag seems a bit high, you can always add it to your Christmas list and hope that Santa’s not as vigil as he used to be when it comes to who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.

[ Rossignol Hit Jacket ] VIA [ Newlaunches ]

So far, this year’s OGCC has been all about holiday fun and novelty, but I figured I’d at least throw in one item that was not only practical, but could actually save you from back pain or even a heart attack. Every year we see stories on the news about people ending up in the hospital after overdoing it when it comes to shoveling snow, but the beauty of the Trail Blazer is that you don’t really need to shovel at all.

The scoop and auger design makes it look a lot like a gas-powered snow blower, but instead of relying on a loud engine, you actually just push it along the ground. The turning motion of the auger forces the snow off to the side, and the Trail Blazer is able to clear a 21 inch path in wet or dry snow as deep as 4 inches. Best of all, you never actually have to lift the Trail Blazer like you do with a regular snow shovel, and it works just as well on uneven surfaces like brick, fieldstone or wooden decks. Amazon’s got it for $62.99 which is a little steep, unless you live somewhere where shoveling snow is a daily chore and not just an occasional annoyance.

[ Trail Blazer Snow Auger ] VIA [ Home Improvement Ideas ]

Come Christmas morning, those stockings that were hung by the chimney with care don’t usually contain the most elaborate gifts, but that doesn’t mean you want your siblings touching what’s rightfully yours.

One way to ensure your stocked stocking goes untouched is to simply wake up before everyone else in the house does on the 25th, but I think I’d rather just leave it in the care of a ruthless Sith Lord like Darth Vader. (Before he got all mushy over Luke.) I mean sure, there are probably some downsides to aligning with the Empire and all, but when I was a kid I would have gladly sacrificed a couple of planets if it meant my Go-Bots were safe until I got out of bed.

So not only does this officially licensed stocking feature Darth Vader’s head keeping watch all hours of the day, but if you squeeze the white fur trim you’ll also hear Vader’s trademark breathing. And if that doesn’t sell you on the idea, I’m sure the iridescent red fabric will make this a must have item for anyone. You can get it from WickedCoolStuff.com for $24.95.

[ Star Wars Darth Vader Head Stocking With Sound ] VIA [ Shiny Shiny ]

I still don’t know what compels humans to climb to the top of a snow covered hill and then slide back down at breakneck speeds, but damned if it isn’t fun!… Well at least the down part is. Climbing back up with a giant toboggan in tow? Not so much. But at just 3½ pounds, the Bavarian Zipfel Bobsled makes the getting back to the top part a bit more bearable.

The bobsled’s design was inspired by Johann Uttenthaler’s 1969 invention for careening down the slopes of the Bavarian Alps, and if there’s any place on Earth to put a new sled design through its paces, I imagine that would be it. The rider sits on the back of the sled with the suggestive joystick-like handle sticking up between their extended legs, kind of like riding a snow shovel. A set of molded plastic rails on the underside keeps the sled headed in a straight line, but the rider can easily turn and carve by simply leaning from side to side. And like with most sleds, braking is provided by your boots, another sledder or the nearest tree.

The Bavarian Zipfel Bobsled is available from Hammacher Schlemmer for a reasonable $39.95.

[ The Bavarian Zipfel Bobsled ] VIA [ I4U News ]