Benzinga's Best Holiday Memories
In a brief moment away from the newsdesk, the Benzinga crew shares their best holiday memories.
Well, sort of. While I attempted to gather stories from everyone at Benzinga, only two people responded.
“You're a good writer, make something up!” one colleague replied.
I almost listened. But then I came across this video that io9 picked up from Darren Hayes, the former lead singer of the ill-fated pop duo, Savage Garden. In the video, Hayes recalls his best Christmas ever, which occurred 31 years ago:
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This video was particularly touching to me, not because I'm a big sap or a fan of Savage Garden (I'm not), but because it was a strong reminder of the life I lived growing up. It reminded me that I was not only lucky to have two parents, but that they were loving and dedicated and were determined to do whatever they could to make sure that I had a great Christmas each year.
Which, after thinking long and hard about it, made it impossible to pick just one Christmas as my “best” ever. I can pick the best for Halloween, Thanksgiving, my birthday – even Easter. But not Christmas.
What about my colleagues – what did they have to say? Let's take a look:
Joe Young: “Last year my brother and I bought my parents a Nintendo Wii since my dad can't play golf during the winter. So we started playing around 11:00 a.m. after getting it set up and next thing we knew it was 4:00 p.m. That and my mom seriously kicked all of our a$$es on every activity in Wii Sports Resort.
“Then I went with two of my brothers to see Tron: Legacy in 3D.
“Best. Christmas. Ever.”
Brett Callwood: “I love Christmas. Like, really love it. As far back as I remember, back in England as a wee boy, the whole year was geared towards Christmas. Not just Christmas but the whole period ending just after [the] New Year when we went back to school. I don't understand people that don't love Christmas (or whatever holiday they celebrate). It hasn't even been about getting gifts since my teens. Now, it's about the vibe of the whole thing.
“As for favorite memories, well, that is ongoing and it is bittersweet.
“You see, from my earliest memories to this very day, I cannot get to sleep on Christmas Eve. I'm just too excited, and I know I will be this year. The only difference now is that I can throw the TV on, whereas when I was five, I would just lie in bed and cry. I just can't get to sleep, and I've tried everything. Counting sheep, counting backwards, a lot of alcohol, counting sheep while drinking alcohol – nothing works.
“But I don't care. This Christmas will be my first with my new son, so I won't be sleeping for different reasons.”
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ACTION ITEMS:
Bullish:
How can you benefit from the holidays and other fond memories, as well as the memories that are about to be made?:
- When you're a kid, you want only one thing under the tree: toys! Thus, Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT), whose stock is on the rise (even after taking a hit in August), is where investors will be looking.
- What's something that kids, teens and adults equally enjoy receiving as gifts? Video games, of course, which is why Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI), the publisher of Call of Duty, and Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), the company behind the Madden and Battlefield franchises, are expected to have a good 2012. Activision is already receiving a lot of attention for its upcoming lineup.
Which companies won't be making Christmas memories this year?:
- Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) has a strong product lineup. But its stock has been losing value, dropping more than 20% in the last 12 months while paving the way for a short opportunity.
- Investors who received shares of THQ (NASDAQ: THQI) last Christmas now realize that they were given a lump of coal. Year-to-date, the stock has lost well over 80% of is value. However, I'm not sure the company can go any lower, so I don't know that investors should short the stock.
