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Current Mood: optimistic

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Season's greasons, friends!

Hi, all! (insert enthusiastic waving here)

I'm Callisto, and this is my first year participating here. I found the community through my Network page, and figured it'd be nice to throw my hat into the ring as well as try to fufill some wishes myself! I think that what's been done here is so cool, and I deeply appreciate the whole endeavor. Wishes are in no particular order, as no structure I could think of really felt right, and are as follows:

1. Dreamwidth points! Dreamwidth has a lot of paid services I'm interested in, so this would be a real treat.

2. Art of my South Park and Teen Titans OCs! Even the smallest of doodles would put me absolutely over the moon. You can find a collection of art to use as reference for Rhiannon (South Park) here, and for Evangeline (Teen Titans) here.

3. Ideas on what to do with empty notebooks! I've got a ton just laying around, and I can only write so much prose and poetry. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

4. Comments on my fics! You can find all of my works collected on AO3 here.

5. Digital gift cards! Specifically, to Amazon, the Nintendo eShop, and JetPens. A good email to reach me is radionewvegas AT proton dot me.

6. Nonfiction book recommendations! I'm in a reading slump at the moment, and I think reading nonfiction will help. Some topics I'm particularly interested in right now are movie, televsion, and animation history, space travel, cults, video game development and design, professional wrestling, theme parks, and comics as an art form and an industry.

7. Give back! The holidays can be a rough time for a lot of people. If you've got money, time, or anything else you can give back to your community, through charity, volunteer work, or whatever other avenue you choose, then it would mean a lot to me and to so many others. It's a smidge unrealistic to wish for world peace, but I figure this is a solid step in the right direction.

8. YouTube channel recommendations! Any channels that talk about the things listed in my wish for book recs would be lovely, as would anything centered around media retrospectives and analysis or TTRPG design.

9. 100x100 icons! In particular, I'd love icons of Kenny McCormick from South Park, Tara Markov and Joey Wilson from DC Comics, and professional wrestler AJ Lee. If you need images to use, I can provide them; just go ahead and ask!

10. Kind words! It's been a rough year, y'all, and I don't know about you, but I'm tired. If anyone's got any kind words to spare, I would very much appreciate them.

That's it! Again, if you need my email, you'll find me at radionewvegas AT proton dot me. Thank you for taking a look at my list, and happy holidays to all!

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Location: Athens, GA, USA
Current Music: The dryer

Holiday Wishes 2025!

Hi! I'm Lilliane, a 60 yo person who has chronic illnesses & is disabled, neurodivergent and newly diagnosed with brain cancer (biopsy being performed on 12/9/2025) who is not only looking for some assistance this holiday season but is also looking to help others in this community!

It is my 4th year participating and while it's been a tough year, it's been nothing compared to the last two weeks. Being diagnosed with a brain tumor (Glioblastoma), having a stroke and a seizure is no joke, boys and girls. Not even close.

Some of the things that I would love to give & receive this year are:

1) Correspondence via email or snail mail! Contact me via my Inbox here and I will give you an email address or my snail mail address, whichever is to your liking. It could be exchanging holiday cards, postcards, or even letters/emails throughout the year. I, of course, will be reaching out to those of you who wish for the same.

2) Groceries and prescriptions are more and more difficult to come by, as I think they are for a lot of folks, particularly this year and going into 2026. I would be grateful for any denomination of Walmart, Kroger, or VISA gift cards. Physical ones are fine, please ask for an address (obviously) but probably the quickest and simplest way are probably e-cards.

3) Be of service to your local animal shelter, library, memory home, art program, unhoused shelter, aging agency or city council in your community. It is so important to give back in your community if you are able to! There are so many different ways to be of service, not just monetarily. Even one hour of helping a senior at the library every week learn to use the computer, or bring a neighbor some groceries each week, read to a blind person or a child who is not yet able to read, help the local shelter get dogs out of their cages for a day outside…so many different ways to assist! You can even write letters or send cards to people in nursing homes! Get your kids or spouse involved and have fun with it!

4) I have an Amazon wish list: Lilliane's Wish List
I have all sorts of things on here, and trust me, they do NOT have to come from Amazon. If you wish to send them from somewhere else, like walmart.com or even yourself, just ask for my address. My roommate says my list is boring and made me add fun stuff. Not sure how I feel about that. :-)

5) Be kind to each other. It’s free, and I think we can ALL use a bit of kindness each and every day. However, remember to not confuse kindness and niceness, there is a distinct difference!

Thank you for taking the time to read wishes and help each other out! You are all fantastic!

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Sunday Word: Couchant

couchant [kou-chuhnt]

adjective:
1 lying down especially with the head up; crouching
1 (Heraldry) represented as lying on its stomach with its hind legs and forelegs pointed forward.

(click to enlarge)
Examples:

We see Kim getting dressed or undressed, lounging poolside or couchant on beds or 'in my closet in Miami trying on clothes.' (Stephen Burt, Kim, Caitlyn, and the People We Want to See, The New Yorker, July 2015)

As a boy I first scaled this lion couchant by scrambling up the gritstone box of its nose and grabbing handfuls of its mane, namely long, wiry grasses. (Tony Greenbank, Cafe with a view - and a mugful of memories, The Guardian, January 2016)

The centre, which is in the light, is occupied by a couchant lion growling, his one paw on a bundle of arrows, the symbol of the United Provinces. (Sarah Knowles Bolton, Famous European Artists)

It may be seen in various forms on a number of monumental effigies and brasses, usually with the couchant white lion of the house of March as a pendant, but on the accession of Richard III the lion was replaced by his silver boar. (Hope, Sir W H St John, Heraldry for Craftsmen & Designers)

Ahead could be discerned the famous rock, although viewed from an altitude and 'end on' its well-known appearance as a lion couchant was absent. (Percy F Westerman, The Airship Golden Hind)

Origin:
Heraldic couchant ("lying down with the head up") is late 15c, from the French present participle of couch c1300, 'to spread or lay on a surface, to overlay,' from Old French couchier 'to lay down, place; go to bed, put to bed,' from Latin collocare 'to lay, place, station, arrange,' from assimilated form of com 'with, together' + locare 'to place,' from locus 'a place' (Online Etymology Dictionary)

If Wishes were kittens…

Hello, I participated in this back in LJ days and then I have on and off on here. I hope to be able to fulfill some wishes for other people. I’m Sab, 47, chronically ill, mostly bedbound person who tends to gain a new!exciting! illness each year. I’m also trans genderqueer, and being trans and disabled in the UK right now is not the most fun thing. Otoh, I have a lovely supportive spouse who is also my carer, and a fantastic son, plus two cats. So yay? Yay.

Please comment or message if you need my physical address for anything. As I say, I am in the UK.

1. If people could send good thoughts, light candles, petition their gods etc to make my Dad well, that would be the best Christmas present I could get. He’s had two bleeds on the brain in the last fortnight and it’s been really scary, involving two lots of brain surgery and concerns about survival prospects. So worldwide good thoughts aimed our way would be good.

2. Because I am incredibly wishful today, I would love someone (not AI!) to write new BBC Merlin Merlin/Arthur fics which are over 20k (the longer the better, tbh: there’s nothing more exciting than a new, good, long fic that I know will keep me going at least a day). HEA a must, and no infidelity or miscarriages, but otherwise I read pretty much anything. (If you wrote me Teen Wolf Stiles/Derek or Peter/Stiles with the same criteria, I would be exceedingly happy, too.)

3. I would love Christmas decorations if anyone wanted to send me any. A lot of ours are old and tatty, apart from a few I’ve been gifted through this through the years. It’s a sort of Christmas wishlist tradition. (Please dm me for address if you don’t know it)

4. I’d love comments on my NON-Harry Potter fics on AO3, if anyone felt like reading any of the other things I’ve written there as iamisaac. (BBC Merlin mainly, also Teen Wolf, Chalet School, Malory Towers, and many more)

5. Anything from my Amazon wish list would be great https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1WPQ37WC4CXCI/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

6. Help and advice on setting up a trans website and meeting group for people local to me would be appreciated, bearing in mind that we have no money and I can’t get out much (there are further complications which make it sound like I’m being as difficult as possible and I’m not, life is).

7. Buy my books! They make great gifts for other people…though perhaps not people with very conservative right wing values. Either by Penelope Friday (Petticoats and Promises, The Sisterhood - lesbian historical fiction) or PA Friday (the Maths series: Love Plus One, One Plus One, Three’s The Charm - contemporary erotic gay ménage fiction), available at Bella/Nine Star Press (linked) or Amazon and various others.

8. Cat toys would be appreciated by the furrier members of our household, I am sure. Especially ones that stimulate them when people aren’t around to play with them as I’m sometimes not up even to cat company.

9. Assuming you do feel that way, I’d really appreciate it if you were open about your belief in trans rights, and your sympathy towards immigrants and disabled people (particularly with mental illnesses or autism/ADHD). There’s an unbelievable amount of crap being thrown at the moment and not enough regular people saying “that’s not okay” loudly when someone says something unkind.

10. Anyone want to buy me an electric wheelchair which works in the rain, can manage difficult terrain, and has a headrest?! (This is a joke request really, they’re about ten grand, but gods, I could really do with one. I can’t go out alone at the moment, ever.)

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Holiday Wish List

I have lost all track of how many years I have participated in this community, but it's always fun. I've already granted a couple wishes and plan to look at more. That said, here is my list.

ideas for a gratitude journal
Easy recipes (bonus if they're for instant pot or slow cooker)
Christmas cards
hot beverages for these cold winter days (the only things I'm not into are matcha and/or lavender. Otherwise, I am open to trying most things.)
gift cards for Uber, Instacart, or amazon
baby girl clothes for my reborn (1-3 month for the size)
fidget toys
anything from my amazon wish list
And last but not least, I would love to learn guitar but don't have one. A beginner guitar would be awesome

If you need my information, please feel free to PM me. Thank you, and I hope everyone has a happy holiday season.

Happy Holidays To You! (2025)

Hi, hello! My name is Azure, and I'm a queer and disabled young adult, and certifiable fandom geek. I'm look forward to fulfilling some wishes (I have a few bookmarked and fulfilled a few already!). In the meantime, here is my list!

˚˖𓍢ִ໋ ୧ ✉️ ‧₊˚ .⛸️ ❄︎ ⋅

1. Help me move! I'm currently saving up to move out of my parents' home! They forbid me from going on HRT, so I'm trying to move ASAP. Plus, I live in a red state with lots of anti-trans legislation.

My Paypal.me is here, and my Ko-fi is here!

2. Comments on my fics! I am AzureMist on AO3, and some fandoms I've written for include Dungeon Meshi, MILGRAM, Splatoon, and Pokémon, among other things! If you're familiar with any of the fandoms I've written for, from 2021 onward, I'd really, really appreciate it if you could spare some kind words!

3. Rec me your favorite indie games! I loooove indie games!!! Especially queer indie games. If you know any hidden gems fitting that description, please, tell me about them! Break out your niche itch.io faves!!! Some of my favorite games along these lines include In Stars and Time, Bad End Theater, Celeste, Fields of Mistria, Great God Grove, Smile For Me, Our Life: Beginnings & Always, and Dead Plate! (No games with incest, please.)

4. Digital giftcards! Specifically Nintendo eShop, Steam, Pokémon Center and DoorDash gift cards! I have a long gaming-related wishlist, so if you could help make even a dent in that, it would be very appreciated. The Pokémon Center is the official Pokémon merch store, and Pokémon is my one true fandom, so it makes sense why I would love some items from there (especially Pokémon plushies, as I collect them)! And lastly, DoorDash cards will be used for yummy holiday treats like cookies~!

5. Pledge to support the Starbucks strike! I know, I know, believe me, I know! This is the best time of year for Starbucks! But Starbucks workers are currently undergoing a national ULP strike to end the company's union busting, and demand better wages, amongst other things. I worked for Starbucks for a brief time this year, so it'd mean a lot if you could pledge to not cross the picket line.

6. Paid time on Tumblr! I'm azuremist! Tumblr is my main online platform of choice, so I'd get a ton of usage out of it.

7. Art of my OCs! I'm basically always looking for art of my fursona and persona! Since they're both fat like I am, it can be hard to find artists willing to draw them, so it'd be super appreciated. Linked is a page with each character's information and gallery!

8. Steam games! Steam gift cards too much of a hassle? I understand. (What kinda digital store doesn't let you send an e-gift card by email? In 2025??) Then maybe consider gifting me a game more directly with Humble Bundle! Specific games on my wishlist include Great God Grove, Volcano Princess, and Ikenfell! (Maybe even get me a surprise game, based off of my likes listed in #3? Yes, this is me inviting you to try to indoctrinate me into your video game fandoms!)

9. Support for my art accounts! A share, a kind comment, or maybe even a follow for any of my art accounts would warm my heart!! It's brutal out here for us artists online in this day and age... I am primarily active on Tumblr and Bluesky!

10. Spare my beloved's site some kind words! This one's a secret, okay? Don't mention that I sent you! But my long-suffering husband has a simple website! It contains things like some of his art, and a work-in-progress guide to shiny hunting. Pup often gets discouraged with pups site, and hasn't updated it in a while because of it. So, please consider looking around, then signing the guestbook at the bottom of the homepage with some kind words!

˚˖𓍢ִ໋ ୧ ✉️ ‧₊˚ .⛸️ ❄︎ ⋅

Thank you and happy holidays to you all! My email is azures.mist@protonmail.com, and my Steam account is azuremists!

Current Mood: sad
Current Music: Lorien Testard / Alice Duport-Percier - Until Next Life (Solo Voice)

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Holiday wishes for some pick-me-ups

Hi, I'm Nicky/Eirian/

shanaqui, participating here for the umpteenth year.

I wasn't sure if I'd make a post this year, but this morning our eldest and much beloved rabbit died, and you know what... I could use any excuse for a pick-me-up and to think about something else. 2025 has been filled with personal loss (I also lost my grandmother this year), and I need some cosiness and love.

PHYSICAL STUFF:

1. A book from my Amazon wishlist. The most recent additions are the things I want most; I've also indicated priority on some stuff. Books are my biggest comfort, so it's a biggie for me. Books can be sent direct to me via the wishlist.

2. If you prefer getting books from non-Amazon places, that is very valid. Book vouchers for Kobo UK, Bookshop.org UK, Waterstones UK or National Book Tokens work well as an alternative way to treat me to a book. My email address is thebrightspark [at] gmail [dot] com.

FANDOM STUFF:

3. Recs or new fics for the Liushen pairing from The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System. I love Liu Qingge and Shen Yuan together, but I don't like it when it splits up an established relationship between Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan (I love them too, Binghe deserves happiness), so we're mostly talking AUs/canon divergences. Right now I'm most interested in happy stuff. Explicit is OK. Bingliushen is also okay.

4. Liushen art/art recs. Pretty much the same here as above!

5. Recs or new fics for the Huaqing pairing from Heaven Official's Blessing/TGCF. I have really come to adore Hua Cheng and Mu Qing as a couple, picturing allll that devotion soaking into Mu Qing's insecurities, and the two of them being total assholes to everyone together. Again, I don't like it to split up Hualian (I love Hualian!), so it'd be AU/canon divergence. Xianle quartet all together is also fine if that gels better.

6. Huaqing art/art recs. Same again. I haven't actually seen any Huaqing art and I'd love to. Donghua or manhua appearances are both fine.

7. Recs for MDZS Wangxian fic. I've only just read the books, let's get me reading. I'm probably looking most for slice of life stuff over really plotty stuff. I'm done having my heart lacerated, I just want them to be happy! AU/canon divergence is fine.

OTHER STUFF:

8. Recs for non-fiction books. I read a wide array of subjects, most recently including: nineteenth century fashion, the Bayeux Tapestry, the history of children's literature, tuberculosis, pyramids, the Cheapside jewelry hoard, the Soviet space program, folk music, medieval manuscripts, healthcare in the UK in WW2, valkyries, ancient Mesopotamia... Having read about something before doesn't preclude me from reading something else on the topic, and conversely not having read something probably doesn't mean I'm not interested.

9. Recs for danmei/baihe you love. I've read MXTX's work and The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish (and have a few others lined up like The Husky and His White Cat Shizun and Guardian). I would prefer to read editions published in English rather than fan translations, but I can always keep an eye out for something you love getting a translation...

10. Recs for manga/manhwa/graphic novels/etc. I've recently enjoyed A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation, A Boy Named Rose, The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter, A Side Character's Love Story, Home Sick Pilots, Solo Leveling, Tied to You, Love Everlasting... yeah, a bit of a weird mix. So I'd love to hear about the ones others enjoy that might tickle my interest.

Thanks, and a warm and safe December to all. ♥

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Season's Greetings~!

Hi, I'm

kalloway. This is my fourth year participating. (Posting, at least. I've been elf-ing around for far longer.) I'm mostly after the stuff in your closets and will give you stuff from mine. If you need a physical or virtual address for me, please comment or send a PM. I'm in the US, which unfortunately makes shipping even more dire this year than usual.

1. Gundams! If you have any old Gundam stuff, I'll happily take it off your hands, especially model kits. Any condition is fine. Built or unbuilt for model kits, seriously any condition. They'll be used for learning/experiments.
Here's an example of a full project from the summer.

2. Any other model kits of any type that you're never going to build. Building models this past year has been really good for my mental health and keeping my hands busy has kept away the doomscrolling. (I do mean anything from robots to cars to tanks to airplanes to dioramas of buildings, etc.)

3. Any modeling/model kit supplies you're not going to use.

4. Support my model kit habit with giftcards from this crabby small business: Gunpla Hermit's Shop. If you need my email, lmk or just PM me the code.

5. Fanart of Dantarg from Romancing SaGa 2/RomSaGa Re;univerSe wearing a sweater/warm gear for winter. Here is a reference post.

6. I started building a new personal writing archive in 2023 and stalled out on it earlier this year. I keep getting overwhelmed with how much there is to do and can't decide out where to start. So if there's a smaller section/fandom that's unclickable or seems sparse, give me a nudge to work on it. (Fanfic/Original, everything is Choose Not to Warn atm as I sort out how to list content notes. There is explicit written content. If you want any other info please leave a comment.)

7. I'm giving away some manga/anime/dvds/etc. that have been to too many nerd sales and just need new homes. (US-only, sorry. Shipping sucks.) Please take a look.

8. Amazon Wishlist. It's mostly books and fun stuff and used is fine. If you'd rather shop from your bookshelf/your local store/bookshop.org/etc., just let me know so I can take things off the list.

9. .hack//G.U. vol. 3 (Tatsuya Hamazaki) - the light novel adaptation for the series. It's the only volume I've just never been able to find. Any readable condition is fine.

10. Gankutsuou vol. 2 (Mahiro Maeda) - the manga adaptation. Again, any readable condition is fine.

Current Location: Straya

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Happy Holidays

Hiya, this is my first wishlist. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season from Australia!

1. I collect comic books and really enjoy comics from the 80's and 90's. I prefer DC (Superman or Superman adjacent). If you happen to have any old comics laying around just collecting dust I would love to take them off your hands. They don't have to be in mint condition. Even if they are falling apart as long as they are readable I would love them.

2. As mentioned above , I am a Superman and fan and love the Lois/Clark pairing. I would enjoy any fanfic recs, specifically if it's fluffy. My favourite Superman fandoms are My Adventures with Superman, Lois & Clark & the James Gunn Superman movie. I am not a Smallville fan (I really tried, promise).

3. I'm looking to make more connections and friends around the world and would love some penpals/email/discord friends. I am neurodivergent and physically disabled. Some of my interests are Superman (duh), Taylor Swift, my dog & animals in general. I enjoy writing fanfic. I would love to write/chat to anyone. You can email me at 90stvfangirl @ gmail . com for my address or other details. Or DM me!

4. TV show recommendations. I like most genres, but favour horror/sci-fi. Some of my favourite shows ever are Buffy, Lois & Clark, Bones, X Files (I love to ship...), Evil. So anything with those vibes. I'm currently watching Pluribus and loving it! I also don't mind current shows like Grey's, 9-1-1, SVU.

5. Comic book recommendations. I bought myself a Kindle Color and I'm loving reading comics on it. I have a Kindle Unlimited account (free for 3 months), so any Kindle Unlimited comic recommendations would be amazing. Some comics I enjoy besides Superman are Fables, Saga, The Walking Dead. I wouldn't mind trying Batman, but where to start?

6. My very random amazon wishlist.

7. Read and comment on my fanfic! 90sfangirl79

8. Donate to the www.heartfoundation.org.au/ or your country’s equivalent!

Thank you everyone! <3

Current Mood: thankful

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Happy Holidays!

I am in the United States (NJ) and live with my finicky cat. I appreciate anything you might do/get for me! If my address is needed, please message me!

My wishes:

1) a cat toy for an 8 year old finicky cat who hates balls, springs, wands, and bird toys that chirp and "fly"

2) an extra long pink fitted sheet with deep pockets

3) large statement earrings or Christmas earrings

4) cards for Christmas or my Birthday (12/21)

5) some love for my fics at https://archiveofourown.org/users/Disney_Dark if you like any

6) anything Disney Princess, tangible or not

7) book recs for recipe books that focus on fruitarian diets

8) Disney songs played on a piano or other instrument that I can use in Youtube videos (with credit)

9) warm socks

10) any from my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3BQYW1LIXKIK8

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Tuesday word: Advent

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Advent (noun)
ad·vent [ad-vent]

noun
1. a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season.
2. (usually initial capital letter) the coming of Christ into the world.
3. (initial capital letter) the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world.
4. (usually initial capital letter) Second Coming.

Related Words
arrival, coming, onset

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Synonyms
1. onset, beginning, commencement, start.

When To Use
What is Advent season?
Advent is the season before Christmas. In many branches of Christianity, Advent consists of the period starting four Sundays before Christmas. Among Christians, Advent is typically considered a season of preparation for the celebration of Christmas that also commemorates the coming of Jesus. The word Advent can also refer to the coming of Jesus into the world (it can also refer to what’s known as Jesus’s Second Coming). Religious rituals for Advent include the lighting of candles on an Advent wreath and the decoration of Jesse trees. Although Christmas is widely celebrated in both religious and secular (nonreligious) ways, Advent is primarily a religious observance. However, Advent calendars are a popular way of marking the days until Christmas even for those who do not celebrate it in religious ways. The similar season observed in anticipation of Easter is known as Lent.

Origin: First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Latin adventus “arrival, approach,” equivalent to ad- “toward” + ven- (stem of venīre “to come”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; ad-

Example Sentences
A foodbank is asking donors to consider trying a "reverse advent calendar" this year – giving 24 items to help provide Christmas hampers to families in need.
Read more on BBC

Many veteran American sailors no longer want to spend months at sea, where until recently they had been largely cut off from communications—though the advent of satellite-internet is changing that.
Read more on The Wall Street Journal

With the advent of increasingly powerful consumer computing devices, cloud computing, and high-bandwidth internet connections, the concept of the metaverse is materializing.
Read more on Barron's

That has brought huge technological leaps to everything from smartphones to cars, as well as the advent of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT.
Read more on Barron's

The advent of less costly TPUs means it could be undercut on price if other companies were to establish an AI cloud competitor.
Read more on Barron's

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Tamsin's Wishes

Hi everyone,

I'm Tamsin. I am a social worker and currently training to become a therapist. I live in Austria. I've been participating in this comm for years, first on lj and then here on dw and I'm looking forward to taking part again. I already have some lists bookmarked where I hope I'm able to fulfil some wishes.

Used/self-made items are lovely and very welcome.

1. Something from my amazon wish list amazon us / amazon germany

2. Poetry books - books with poems in them, books analyzing poetry, books about writing poetry

3. Chocolate - I'm not big on liquor-filled stuff and raisins, otherwise I'm up for anything. I have a giant sweet tooth. I've gotten to try some cool stuff through this community

4. Jewelry - I'm especially fond of bracelets and necklaces

5. A care package - I love fandom, books, food, owls, sloths and surprises.

6. Tell me about your favorite book reviewers - I read in a wide range of genres, in german and english. I'm on the look out for interesting, thoughtful reviewers. For example I really like Jo Walton Reads. But honestly am open to check out anyone that you enjoy and would recommend.

For my address please PM me.

As always, thank you for looking at my list! I hope you’ll have many moments of contentment, creativity and joy this holiday season. Happy Holidays!

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Word: Hoatzin

hoatzin [hoh-at-sin, waht-sin]

noun
a blue-faced, crested bird, Opisthocomus hoazin, of the Amazon and Orinoco forests, having as a nestling a large, temporary claw on the second and third digits of the forelimb, for climbing among the tree branches.

examples
After another bird-filled stop, where we saw our first turkey-like hoatzin — whose ungainly size and clumsy movements made us all laugh — we were transferred into two smaller canoes. "Bears, Binoculars, and Bucket Lists: 15 days Birding in Ecuador." New York Times. 26 April 2023.

Conserving the Amazon's vast rainforests protects the planet and helps ensure that jaguars, hoatzins, and all forest dwellers have a home now and into the future. WWF calendar - November 2026

origin
1655–65; ≪ Nahuatl huāctzīn, huāhtzīn name for several hen-sized birds of the Valley of Mexico, apparently applied indiscriminately by early naturalists to similar New World birds

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Season's Greetings!

Hello all! I learned about this comm this year and it's such a sweet idea, I'm excited to take part! No worries if folks can't fill my wishes, of course, but thank you for looking at my list at all - and may everyone's holiday season be wonderful!

1. Dreamwidth Points - Dreamwidth's paid time features are so great, and I keep finding more and more icons I like, so points I could put towards paid time or additional icon slots would be very appreciated!

2. Fic Recommendations - For Hazbin Hotel or Pokemon Horizons. Both are new favorite media I got really into this past year, and finding fic for large fandoms like Pokemon and Hazbin Hotel can get a little overwhelming, so I'd love recommendations of your favorite fics! The main things I'd like to read for Hazbin are: Husk/Angel Dust fic, or fic with a focus on Abel, Sir Pentious, Lucifer, or Emily. For Horizons, I'd be interested in fic focused on Friede, the friendship(s) between Roy, Dot, and/or Liko, and the bond between Roy and his team, as well as general slice of life on the Brave Olivine before the timeskip. In either fandom, I'm not interested in crackfic, character/ship bashing, porn without plot for Hazbin/smut fic in general for Horizons, or fics containing character death. Also, if you're recommending a fic for Pokemon Horizons, please note that I'm watching the English dub, and want to avoid spoilers for anything after HZ089, "Where the Adventure Leads," thank you!

3. 100x100 Icons - I can always use more Pokemon icons, and especially would love icons of any of the new Mega Evolutions in Legends Z-A or the characters Naveen, Taunie, Lida, L, or Mable from the same game, or icons of Friede, Cap, Roy, Dot, Liko, or any of their Pokemon from Pokemon Horizons!

4. Digital Giftcards - to Barnes and Noble, Hot Topic, Amazon, or the Nintendo eShop; you can DM me for my email address!

5. YouTube Recommendations - I'm a big fan of YouTubers who create content focused on art and character design, such as GinjaNinjaOwO, Momopurin, Prickly Alpaca, and TheStarfishface. I'd love to add more to my subscription list!

Again, thank you for checking out my list, and whatever you're celebrating or observing this time of year - if anything - I wish you the very best time!

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Soricel's wishlist

Hi everyone! This is my first time doing this, and I'm a little shy about it, but here goes! I would love it if you...

1.) Rec'd me some stuff! Right now I'm mostly on the hunt for webcomics, anime, C-dramas, or audio dramas of the modern-day slice-of-life variety, ideally with little to no romance and at least a couple queer characters in the cast. Also happy to check out some fics that fit this bill, even if the original fandom doesn't.

2.) Ranted at me about stuff you love! It's always fun for me to hear about things people are into, and often people's enthusiasm rubs off on me and I check out things I might not otherwise. I'd love to hear about what/who you love and why.

3.) Commented on a fic or podfic of mine, especially this pe-canon Raven Cycle thing starring the 300 Fox Way crew. It's probably my favorite fic I've written, and sadly it remains uncommented upon. :(

4.) Are a nonbinary person in your 30s/40s/older and would like to be DW friends or even better email penpals and share experiences/tips/etc.

5.) Told me about something you did/tried to do this year that made you a little happier and that I might wanna try too.

I think that's it! I love that this is a thing! Thank you! <3

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Peasina's Wishes

Hello friends,

I’m pea, a 30-something podficcer, Pokémon-fan, and craft-lover from the UK 👋 This is my eighth time participating in Holiday Wishes, and I look forward to the kind, wholesome interactions this event encourages all year. Thank you so much to anyone who grants any of my below wishes. You’re amazing!

1. DW Points – This was my first year having a paid DW account, and I love having access to extra icons, polls, and the search function! Any number of points you’d be kind enough to gift me would be extremely appreciated.

2. Female YouTuber recs – It’s always lovely to find a new YouTuber to binge, and I’d love to support more women making videos about topics I enjoy such as crafts, hobbies, LGBTQ+ themes, video games, and Pokémon. Some of my current favourites are: brattyxbre (zines), Emma Thorne (religion, LGBTQ+ rights, conspiracy theories), Karen Puzzles (jigsaw puzzles), Kyra/Strawberry Pokémon (Pokémon TCG collecting), Memoria (video games), Royalty Soaps (soap and candle making), and Shiny Catherine (Pokémon shiny hunting).

3. Paid Discord things – If you have any of those free trials of Discord Nitro to give out, I’d love to be the lucky recipient of one, especially from 22 Dec onward (when I’m taking part in a Discord-based fan event that’s always easier with Nitro.) My Discord username is ‘alittlesunshine’ – feel free to friend me. I also have a wishlist associated with my account with ~~two~~ one cute profile add-on I’d love to have, if you’re feeling extra generous.

4. Comments on any works in the PokePodProject collections — I co-mod

pokepodproject, an event that aims to create a fic and podfic for every Pokémon, and I would be delighted if the participants got more attention on their works. I’d appreciate it so, so, so much if you showed them (fic and/or podfic) some love. All are under 1k/10 mins. Here are some links to help you navigate:
Gen one: AO3 Collection | Spreadsheet of Works | Audiobook Anthology Downloads
Gen two: AO3 Collection | Spreadsheet of Works | Audiobook Anthology Downloads

5. Something to open for Christmas – I don’t really get gifts at Christmas, and not to sound shallow, but I do really enjoy having something to open. If you’d like to send me a little surprise, I’d be so grateful and will probably cry happy tears. Here’s a few things I like, if it helps: purple, pink, wax melts (citrus, coffee, sugary scents), stickers, sweets/candy, beads, handmade items (I LOVE crafts!! anything you made will excite me), Pokémon (especially steel and fairy types and any gen one Pokemon), and fruit-themed items. Please DM me for my address 💖

Thank you for looking at my wish list, and thank you again in advance for your kindness if you grant any of my wishes. Happy Holidays!

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season's greasons

Hello and happy holidays! May whatever your celebrations are be joyous, restorative, and blessed if they are religious.

1. Craft supplies donations for schools. Of course check with your local schools to see if this is something they really need, but I was until recently a TA in a special school and we were absolutely desperate for craft supplies that no one was donating. Fabric, even just in scraps, is especially valuable this time of year. Anything you have in your stash that you're not using, please see if you have a local school (particularly a special school) that could make use of it!

2. High quality, durable cat toys. My little guy is joyously destroying every toy he gets, and I simply don't have enough money to be replacing them at the speed he goes through them. I'd happily take recommendations (not Kong), or if you want to send me physical items, I'll have contact info at the bottom of this post.

3. Stickers. I'm long distance with one of my partners and we write lots of physical letters. I like to decorate the envelopes with stickers but my stash is running low and I'm having trouble finding cool stickers I like - most shops I find on Ko-fi and such are based in the US, and getting anything sent from the US is a very hit-or-miss prospect these days. I will again take recs - UK-based shops preferred, since I know most of the EU (understandably) won't ship to us either - or if you have spares you'd like to get rid of, contact info is at the bottom of this post. Themes I like: cats, mythology, folklore and folk art, vintage florals, spooky/witchy/Halloween things, hearts.

4. Washi tape. Same note as with the stickers - I keep finding local artists listing washi tape on their website and it must be going out of stock within minutes! No one seems to be able to keep it in stock, unless there is some vast washi tape-making supply shortage of which I'm unaware. If you have recs or any physical items you'd like to get rid of, I'm happy to take either.

5. Dreamwidth points. Always appreciated!

6. One more player for Vampire Heist. I'm running a homebrew D&D mini campaign on StartPlayingGames and we're one player short of starting. If you'd like to (fictionally) force the British Museum to repatriate some stuff, come play with us!

7. Anything off my Giftful wishlist. The wishlist is here and contact info's at the bottom of this post.

8. Commissions. I recently left my job because for a number of reasons it was killing me, and while I'm very happy with having given myself the gift of mental and physical health, I could use some work! I offer both writing and editing commissions, and I especially love editing, so if you've got some writing you'd like eyes on - anything from fic to novels - I'd be happy to help.

9. Eyes on my writing. It's really a struggle out there for writers trying to keep scrapers from stealing their work, and I've had to lower the visibility of my writing past what I would ideally have. All my writing is available for free on

yarnofariadne_writes, though you do have to join the community (I'll swiftly approve - I'm just trying to keep out the bots). I'm in the process of cross-posting to my website as well. My books are also available for very low prices, and I'm happy to send out review copies for reviewers.

10. Word of mouth. Following on from the above, if you enjoy what I write, please tell someone! Writing reviews on Goodreads/Storygraph/Pagebound is always a kindness, and even just telling a friend you think would be into what I write would be very much appreciated.

You can DM me here on Dreamwidth, or send me an email at victoriacaroline at tuta dot com.

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Sunday Word: Mantra

mantra [man-truh]

noun:
1 (Hindu) a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.
1 an often repeated word, formula, or phrase, often a truism

Examples:

Maybe the 'us against the world' mantra is something that can drive the team on towards the heights that they have so far been unable to get to. (Andy Burke, Is there 'entitlement' around Scotland or has Townsend misjudged criticism?, BBC, November 2025)

Maharishi taught a form of meditation derived from the Vedas, the foundation of philosophical thinking in India, known as mantra meditation, in which a person silently sits alone with the eyes closed, and repeats in the mind a sacred Sanskrit mantra that is believed to be endowed with spiritual potency. (Syama Allard, Buddhist mindfulness is all the rage, but Hinduism has a deep meditation tradition too, Hindu American Foundation, May 2021)

Greenland is still a place where 'the weather decides' can be a liberating mantra - once we accept that we're powerless to do anything about the weather, we can give up control. (Gabriel Leigh, Greenland Wants You to Visit. But Not All at Once., New York Times, February 2023)

It was hard to find adequate space to run and stretch and even harder to find a quiet corner for my breathing and mantra ritual. (Ibtihaj Muhammad, Proud)

He was sitting on the ground, his knees drawn up to his chest, and he was chanting the statement like a mantra, but loudly. (Dave Eggers, Zeitoun)

Origin:
1808, 'that part of the Vedas which contains hymns,' from Sanskrit mantra-s 'sacred message or text, charm, spell, counsel,' literally 'instrument of thought,' related to manyate 'thinks,' from PIE root men- 'to think.' Meaning 'sacred text used as a charm or incantation' is by 1900 (Online Etymology Dictionary)

Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!

Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means

karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

( The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.

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Happy Days and Hollydays to All and to All a Scintillating Season!!!!

‘allo and ahoy!!

I believe this will be my fourth year since learning of the Awesome and the third year participating.

A good year overall, certainly in comparison to some of the more recent ones, with a long way to go still.

And with that, on with the Show (and the Wishes)!!!!

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1. Click 2 Give

In addition to the arab.org mentioned in other Wishlists, there’s also https://greatergood.com/, which includes freekibble.com.

So many ways to help with just a click. You can support the causes that are meaningful to you across click to give, petitions, games, and more.

It would warm my hollydays wondrous-well if you were to join in the clicking charity!! Just getting back into the habit myself after too long away and it's feeling good. 🌻🌞 😺

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2. Connection

Would love to connect with others via cards, emails, Bluesky, Dreamwidth and Discord friends.

Slowly digging my way out from under the social rock 🪨 I've been living under for so many years, and this would be a Most Pleasant way to assist with this.

DM for contact information.

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3. Eyes on Fic

One of the ways I am looking to earn my Daily Birdseed is through my original fiction and poetry.

If you would come and read/comment/subscribe to my Ream ( https://reamstories.com/BirdyTellsTales ), that will help me get my words and my works out of my head and out into the World where they belong since I will know there are people out there to potentially read them.

While you certainly can choose to pounce a paid subscription (and such would be most gratefully accepted!!!!), it is certainly not required to enjoy the Goodness.

At this time, I'm planning to have most of my words and works available to Followers and above, so you can have access to most of the Goodness in return for simply agreeing to receive email notifications from me.

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4. Eyes on Shop

Would highly appreciate eyes on and follows for my Etsy shop. In addition to the items
already in the shop, there are still many more designs to come, as well as tote bags, mugs, and other P.O.D. and digital items.

While sales of course would be appreciated, please know that there is no pressure intended.

Gentle, honest feedback and suggestions for other designs and prrrroducts you'd love to see would also be happily welcomed.

Shop link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/boldkittenspounce

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5. Eyes on Substack

Another place where I could use some audience-based encouragement is our Substack, where my husband Mike and I will be sharing stories and telling tales about writing and the Writer's life.

https://birdydmikedrockobck.substack.com

Again, while there will likely be a paid option someday, it's going to be more in the realms of a tip jar rather than a proper paywall, so you'll be able to enjoy most of the Goodness for the price of agreeing to receive updates.

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6. Destash yarn

Any yarn you have hanging around that you’d like to find a new home for - I’m your Bird.

DM for address.

Please note shipping note below.

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7. Destash needlework kits

Any needlework kits - especially needlepoint or longstitch kits - that you have hanging around that you’d like to find a new home for - I’m your Bird.

DM for address.

Please note shipping note below.

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8. Caron Simply Soft O'gos

2 O’go skeins of: Caron Simply Soft O'Go Almond Orchid Yarn in particular, although I have a bit of an obsession with O’gos these days, so any other colors you'd like to contribute to the stash would be most welcome and appreciated.

The O’go itself is sadly discontinued, but there are still some left in the wild. I've seen them on Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and a store called YarnConnections ( https://yarnconnectionshop.com/caron-simply-soft-ogo-yarn-1/ ) at varying prices.

DM for address.

See below shipping note about shipping physical items.

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9. Paton's Stretch Sock Yarn for Blanket

Another WiP I would like to finish is a blanket I began with some yarn gifted to me from last year's Holiday Wishes.

As to the amount needed, I don't know, but judging from my progress so far, it's going to take a lot. Any amount in any colorway you care to contribute to the cause would be wonderfully cuddled and added to the blanket.

While this is yet another yarn that has been discontinued (yes, I too am noticing a trend :D), I have seen it offered for sale on Etsy, eBay, Amazon.

Please make sure it's the 'Stretch' not the Kroy, as the Stretch has a bunch of elastic in it that the Kroy does not, so the feel will be dramatically different.

DM for address.

Please also see below note on shipping of physical items.

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10. Lion Brand yarn for Other Shawl

Another one of my long-term prrrroject shawls that has been stalled for lack of yarn 🧶 needs moar skeins of Lion Brand Homespun in the ‘Parfait’ colorway for completion.

How many?? In this case I don't know, but maybe eight to a dozen skeins??

Of course no one purrson has to do all of that (unless you'd like to) - any amount so I can keep going would be highly appreciated.

Homespun® Yarn SKU: 790-405F

Color: Parfait [790-405F] (Painterly color Bubblegum pink and soft white)

https://www.lionbrand.com/products/homespun-yarn

DM for address.

Please note below-written note on shipping of physical items.

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And that's my lot for this year!! Flying off to see what wishes I can help fulfill.

Thank you most kindly for reading!!!! Happy Days and Hollydays to you and yours, with a Stupendous Season for All!!!!

Chirp chirp 🎶 🎶

Birdy 🐦 BardicRaven 🪶 the One Who Tells Tales 🌻 🌞 😺

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Important Note on Shipping

If possible, please ship any physical items larger than a card some other way than by USPS. The USPS package service to where I live currently is terrible. There was almost a tragedy of gifting last year and it took six weeks of sad uncertainty before the happy ending finally occurred, so yeah, if at all possible, let’s not.

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