Okay this is a silly idea but just bear with me here. Since there are very few new video games out there to discuss and review, why not review your Christmas holiday as if it was a video game? I’m totally going to give mine a score out of ten.
My Christmas holidays had some glorious high points, but it also had a few troughs.
Pros
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Awesome family time
A cool trip to a big family house that we booked
My brother visited from Scotland
Got a slow cooker — aw yeah!
Ate loads of porridge
Chocolate cake
Cons
I got a weird eye infection
Couldn’t wear contacts, lost my glasses
Therefore couldn’t see and couldn’t play anything except handheld games
Way too busy and packed — no time to actually relax
Didn’t get to climb that much
Put on a little weight
The not being able to play video games because I’m blind thing was a big issue. I could have ordered a new pair of glasses but goddamn — it was the holidays and it was going to take roughly two weeks to get there. Argh. I couldn’t really watch movies, TV, or play games. Couldn’t drive either. IT WAS THE WORST.
I compensated by playing Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U Gamepad, which was totally a lifesaver.
Overall I give my holidays a seven out of ten. How did you all go?
Comments
27 responses to “Community Review: Your Christmas Holidays”
Wagons were circled, you best believe it! Best wagon circling evah!
10/10
I went to Europe and discovered that we’ve been doing breakfast completely wrong. Deli meats, cheese, fresh bread and a soft boiled egg. None of this cereal nonsense. Maybe some fruit though, fruit is rad.
Didn’t get any gaming done but played a handful of board games and picked up some new ones (including Hive which is pretty damned good). I did discover that my girlfriend’s 3DS was far better at picking up street passes than mine. I guess that counts as some form of gaming.
Saw part of the Christmas mass at the Vatican but left early because it was about 9pm and we figured the real deal didn’t start until midnight.
Also got to see Neuschwanstein castle, which is far too pretty to actually exist and saw snow for the first time.
Visited a handful of Christmas markets and realised that we’ve been doing Christmas wrong over here too. I know it’s hot and all over here but is some mulled wine and candied almonds too much to ask for?
I managed to give myself a finger infection when clipping my fingernails. Don’t do that. It’s painful and there will be pus. Pus is bad.
Overall, Christmas was good. 4/5 (determined by dice roll).
Man, I love mulled wine! Lucky you can get it at Dan Murphy’s:
http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_908853/zenzen-gl-hwein-1l
Just mull (is it a verb??) wine yourself. all you need is a stove, pan, cinnamon, star anise (mix and match spices) and some relatively nice shiraz (or another red wine)
I too joined the slow cooker club.
We should share recipes.
So did we. I’m eating the Rogan Josh we cooked in it last night as I type this reply.
Pros:
-It was over relatively quickly.
Cons:
It had to happen in the first place.
Channeling a little Kotaku for my score: “Should you have Chrissy at Stu’s place?” NO.
Sorry, but my family doesn’t do Christmas well AT ALL and where I work, Christmas / New Years’ is, by far, the most brutal time of year. Also, waiting to leave for Japan was excruciating, but that’s OK. I’ll be there in five hours and snowboarding in eighteen.
Who you flying with? I’ve been waiting for Jetstar to put out specials on their tickets, since 400+ for starter fare isn’t worth it. And the specials that have been, were wrong time periods.
China Airlines, return to Narita was $1600. There’s no such thing as cheap airfares during peak snow season, unfortunately. By the time I booked that was by far the cheapest – Jetstar were pushing two grand, and any other cheaper alternatives (Vietnam Air) had too many ludicrous transfers for not that much of a saving. And I got to play Bioshock Infinite on the equivalent of an Alienware rig waiting for my transfer at Taipei so that’s kind of a bonus.
Spend the money and take the plunge – you won’t regret it. You just don’t get snow like this in Australia.
Yeah I’ve been to Japan for skiing once, it was amazing. Australia doesn’t compare. That’s why I was asking for details, since I’m still hoping I can go in 1-2 months. 😛
Australia is dogshir in comparison. 1-2 months will still be pricey but there’s plenty of snow still about in March. Now that Australians have cottoned on to Japan’s … amazingness … The Airlines are taking full advantage. Have a look at Vietnam air, they have an awful service which goes Sydney-Ho Chi Minh – Hanoi – Narita, which is relatively affordable. I did it last year and vowed “never again” because there’s a domestic leg in Vietnam which is a gigantic pain in the arse. Fares in March are relatively affordable if you can tolerate the massive dicksround you have to do to get there.
Well, I won a PS4 which is awesome. I only have two games for it though. Knack (which is kinda lame) and Assassins Creed 4 (which is pretty cool). Ate lots of food on Christmas day, spent new years eve having a cheesy B-movie marathon with my girlfriend (mostly movies about killer piranhas). And I’ve still got two and a half days left until I have to go back to work which is kinda nice.
All in all, probably a 9/10 holiday.
Ooooh and I got Skylanders too!
Pros:
-GIrlfriend got me rad presents (An Ipad and Carcassone (The board game)).
-Had a bunch of my friends down from QLD making xmas and NYE a hoot.
-Hit max rank in BF4.
-Loving AC4
-Had an excellent NYE party at our place.
Cons:
-Spent all the money
-So much cleaning up after party(s)
-Need some more games for the Xbox.
Pros:
Had some great food
Got to spend it with few family I have left
Good to be away from work
Got through a lot of steam pile of shame (Tomb Raider was incredible!)
Spent most of break at pool
Cons:
I had to prepare all said food
Lots of last minute issues with work added to stress levels
Gf left on boxing day for internship o/s and won’t be back till April.
5/10
I’m still on holidays/5
I started my holidays on the afternoon of the 20th following a rather excellent work lunch at an Italian restaurant. In the 16 days between then and now, my return to work, I spent 8 days visiting family – one day of which involved a 3 hour each-way drive to visit my mother and step-dad in Tomerong.
Owing to the fact my wife’s birthday falls on January 2nd, we don’t get a lot of rest between new year’s and her birthday celebrations, so that was a hectic and alcohol-fuelled few days.
Then on Saturday, right before returning to work, I was struck down by a nasty flu which also triggered an allergic reaction. I’m still run down and in a lot of pain today, but I made it.
All in all I’d give my holidays a 7/10 because it was more about family obligations than having fun, but spending the last two days of it sick instead of relaxing knocks it down to a 6.
My holiday was way too fast, i went back to work on the 2nd..
Gaming wise, i played Zelda Oracle of Ages, Pokemon X and AC4: black flag. After a week of searching i finally tracked down a copy of Mario Party 8 on Wii to play with my brothers before one of them heads back to Adelaide to study so i only got to play it for 1 day with them.
Pros:
Received a PS4 from the missus (Without a preorder) with FIFA and BF4
Ate all the food
Just bought an apartment in Adelaide and got lots of gift card to help decking it out.
Family.
Ate more food.
Cons:
Worked Christmas day (on call)
Put on weight.
Haven’t hit the gym in over a week now.
Prawn smell on hands
Really my holidays have just started, have this week off to move in (witch sucks)
My only Christmas present this year was my lawyer forcing a set custody court date so the ex couldn’t keep dicking about and actually have to account for her kidnapping my child. Couldn’t have asked for more really.
While I’m happy that you got a [good? :s] present this year, and I hope that the year ahead brings better times for you and your child, careful what you say online about said matter. Online statements are admissible in court and will almost always be taken out of context [there are never any context-police to help you].
It was just a Wednesday for me. Technically I got TrackIR 5 but I’d had it for a week already since mum can’t use a computer and I’m the only one who could order it, wasn’t much surprise involved. Not used it much since I got it for Arma 3 and I can’t play that again until they repair the damage model fuck up they made in the last patch.
I technically got ac4 as well but a week late but it’s thoroughly unexpected level of awesome makes up for the wait. Never seen a series recover from franchise fatigue so well before, this is a hell of a second wind.
Worked during most of it however on the days off i spent with my kids and have even managed to get my 5 year old playing NFS Rivals on the PS4, proud (somewhat gamer) dad moment right there.
I these awesome themed guitar straps and picks from my friend in England for Christmas, she’s just the best. I also got a new TV. That was nice.
For the rest of it, I just worked.
Went too fast, boo, where’s my time machine.
Pros:
Spent a week and a half doing a road trip from the Gold Coast to Melbourne visiting family and friends. Ate so much good food. Got a lot of good boxing day sale bargins.
Had perfect mild weather.
Spent nearly a week in front of the aircon playing AC4 on the 60″ TV while the missus was still in Melbourne.
Cons:
Didn’t see my dogs for a week and a half.
Put on about 3kg.
Had to leave Melbourne.
Had to coming back to sweaty, hot, backwards QLD.
Spent the last day dreading going back to work.
Pros:
Time with family & friends
Super Mario 3d World
Building Lego with my kids – I love it more than them!
Received some awesome books, TV series & movies
Tennis – love watching it
BBQ’s
Cons:
Too damn hot
Have a bad back, couldn’t run around with kids
Couldn’t drink due to medication for back
Put on way too much beef
Have to go back on Thursday