Awesome Stuff: Unconventional Christmas

from the tis-the-season dept

The holidays are almost here, so for this week's awesome stuff, we're looking at some innovative or just plain unconventional Christmas crowdfunding campaigns.

AURA: Wireless Christmas Lights

Wireless power could change the word, but it's still nowhere near that point — so for now, you'll have to settle for it changing your Christmas tree. The AURA system consists of a transmitter ring that hides near the base of the tree, and a set of wirelessly-powered LED baubles to hang on the rest of it. In a cool design choice, the ornaments showcase their internal circuitry rather than hiding it away. And, of course, the whole thing is controllable via smartphone.

The Krampus Beer Stein

Krampus — the Germanic folk monster that traditionally accompanies St. Nick, doling out punishment where gifts are undeserved — has been undergoing something of a cultural renaissance online, with a new generation latching on to the dark side of Christmas mythology. The Krampus Beer Stein is just one of several Krampus items I've seen around this season, but it's one of the coolest, featuring detailed original artwork by legendary illustrator Mitch O'Connell.

Minimal Nativity Scene

While the rebirth of the Krampus is a new trend in Christmas decor, the nativity scene is one of the oldest. This minimalist take on the classic might appear to be some sort of snide religious critique (and might raise more money from the online community if it were), but in fact it's a design experiment inspired by the artist's lifelong fascination with popular depictions of Biblical figures in ornaments and consumer products. Why, she wondered, is Mary's dress always blue? Why is the baby Jesus always blonde? Why do the staple design choices change from country to country? Who makes these decisions, and how? Her response: an ultra-simplified nativity scene consisting of ten labelled blocks of beech wood.

Filed Under: awesome stuff, christmas, crowdfunding, holiday

Announcing The 2014 Holiday Sale At The Techdirt Insider Shop

from the reason-to-give dept

The past couple of years, we've had a special Holiday Bundle over at the Insider Shop, but this year we're trying something a bit different: 10% off everything storewide, with the coupon code HOLIDAY2014.

(Okay, not quite everything: the discount doesn't apply to monthly subscription products. But it does apply to the yearlong subscription specials for Watercooler and Behind The Curtain memberships, as well as the non-recurring one-year Crystal Ball subscription. And remember, all these items can be applied to your own Techdirt account or gifted to someone else.)

We know we're a little bit late getting this out there, but there's still time to order Techdirt gear for Christmas! Domestically, for USPS Standard Shipping, orders made by December 15th (that's next Monday) should arrive in time, and there may be express options available depending on your location. For more detailed information, consult this shipping calendar, and try to order soon just to be safe!

Filed Under: christmas, holiday, insider shop, sale

DailyDirt: Turkey Turkey Turkey

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

It's almost Thanksgiving (here in the US at least), and the traditional meal for this holiday is the humble turkey. So here are a few links about turkeys that might be informative or entertaining if this is your first time cooking a large bird. Have a fun (and safe) Thanksgiving, everybody!

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) continues to deny a safety certification for any turkey fryers because they're so dangerous if used incorrectly. UL even states that the risks are not worth a great-tasting bird. [url]
• Turkeys have been known to "attack" people when taunted. Wild turkeys make lousy house pets. [url]
• There are a lot of meaningless food labels for turkeys -- such as "all natural" or "minimally-processed." But if it's labelled "fresh" that actually means the turkey has not been cooled below 26 degrees Fahrenheit and has not been fully frozen. [url]
• Alton Brown has a Thanksgiving turkey recipe that promotes the benefits of brining. Alton can't guarantee that you won't overcook your turkey, but brining increases the odds that a cooked turkey won't turn out dry. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

Filed Under: food, holiday, safety, thanksgiving, turkey
Companies: ul, underwriters laboratories

Holiday Deals In The Techdirt Insider Shop

from the tis-(almost)-the-season dept

With the holiday season upon us, we figured it was time to offer some special deals over at our Insider Shop — just in case you've got someone on your list this year who would appreciate some Techdirt gear or a subscription package (or if you feel like giving yourself a gift this season). So today we're unveiling two limited-time offerings. First up, the Holiday Bundle:

For only $99 (over $50 off the regular price), the Holiday Bundle includes:

• A Techdirt zip hoodie
• A Techdirt coffee mug
• Your choice of the DMCA Tee, the Seized Tee or the Logo Tee
• Access to the Insider Chat for one year
• Access to the Techdirt Crystal Ball for one year
• 5 First Word/Last Word credits per month for one year
• An Insider Badge on your profile and comments
• A group Google Hangout with Mike Masnick

This package will only be around for a limited time, and some sizes are already selling out, so if you want one, don't wait too long to order! We're also happy to announce a special deal on multiple t-shirts, for those who want a complete set or need a few to give out as gifts:

If you're ordering t-shirts, the bundle or any other gear as a gift, please order soon to ensure shipping in time for the holidays! We've spoken to our fulfillment partner and determined that orders placed by December 14th (in the US) and December 9th (internationally) should arrive on time with all shipping options, and depending on your location there may be express shipping available, too—but ordering early is always safer!

Filed Under: christmas, holiday, insider shop, techdirt gear