Not Good Christmas Gift Ideas . . .

Money is really tight this year. So, you certainly don't want to waste it on stupid or annoying gifts. As it turns out, help is on the way -- not that the promoters of this crap necessarily see it that way!

What they do know is that there are some niche gift givers, who like to give small gifts as gags -- they're usually funny, entirely useless and, in many instances, a little bit biting.

Then, there are others who simply must have the idea of being a jerk when they go for one of these, because there just doesn't seem to be any other possible explanation. Back when they thought they were being the class clown, they were no doubt actually thought of as the class pest.

As reported by Reuters, here the top ten list of the stupidest Christmas gift ideas for 2008.

This years biggest clinkers have been thoughtfully prepared, via the website that actually promotes them . . . Stupid.com.

Their list includes an annoying screaming chicken, a Barack Obama can opener, and, one for my golfer buddies -- a potty putter -- with provisions for playing a complete round of golf while lounging on the can!

But here is the number one stupidest toy for 2008, the screaming chicken:



By the way, I can't help but think that the screaming chicken must have been inspired, at some level, by the Elmo doll that does the Chicken Dance. In case you've never had the pleasure, may I present for your entertainment Chicken Dance Elmo, or CDE, for short. It was posted at YouTube by someone named CincinnatiGifts who indicated that it was an Ebay item.



Hard to imagine anything being much more annoying than that! Oh . . . the "song" indeed does stay with you, in case you were wondering! That could explain him selling it on Ebay.

At least CDE doesn't have a "dark side" like the "Elmo Knows Your Name" doll that reportedly started issuing death threats to a Lithia, Florida child named James last winter.

But a screaming chicken . . . I think I'd at least want to read the full disclaimer before I would think of buying anything like that!

And then I'd pass on it.