# 'Twere the Rants Before Christmas (December Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [December 1, 2025, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280 "2025-12-01T05:04:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/301 "2025-12-21T20:09:38Z")
Congratulations! There’s a book I’ve been wanting to read called [I’m Glad my Mom Died.](https://www.amazon.com/Im-Glad-My-Mom-Died/dp/1982185821) Some people just make life harder. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/302 "2025-12-21T20:38:17Z")
My mini-rant - it’s warm here for December so I opened the dining room windows to air things out and let the kitties enjoy it for a bit. Except my next door neighbor is smoking like a chimney on his back porch. So instead of nice, fresh air and I’ve sucked in the reek of cigarette smoke. 🤢 It’s going to take forever to get that smell back out. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/303 "2025-12-21T20:42:39Z")
You should go out to _your_ porch and smoke a few cigarettes. See how _ **he** _ likes it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/304 "2025-12-21T21:23:01Z")
He won’t notice it. A better idea is to wait until the wind is right and then fire up some oil-burners or burn some coal in your BBQ. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/305 "2025-12-21T21:39:33Z")
Smoke some weed instead and watch his ignorant GOP Head turn from red to purple to explosion. If he complains, tell him to go pound dirt. He voted for Rump and now it’s legal. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/306 "2025-12-21T21:45:08Z")
He’s actually a very kind and considerate neighbor, so I can’t be too mad at him. Just unfortunate timing on my part - I didn’t see him out there until I’d opened the windows. Also, if I even hinted at wanting a smoke he’d be passing a cigarette over the fence. And if he smelled weed he’d be asking for a toke lol. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/307 "2025-12-21T23:24:22Z")
You should do that next year. Half the table will break out in applause. The other half? Who cares what they think. Nasty people deserve public condemnation, not surrender. Congrats that you had the guts to tell us. Now tell them. Remember the old saying: > Everyone improves a party. Some by arriving; others by leaving. Your late MIL was in the latter camp. And it’s a decent bet everyone around that table knows it. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/308 "2025-12-22T01:28:15Z")
I like the idea of attending holiday parties - my tiny company had _three_ this year, plus a ladies-only dinner! - but the reality of it always makes me bow out. I don’t like driving home at night, I especially don’t like driving home at night after having even one beer, and as much as I would like to hang out with some of these people there are others that I don’t want to see at all outside of normal working hours. So I get to go home, eat and drink exactly what I want, and enjoy my cozy chair. Ooo, a mini-rant…somehow a rabbit leg has appeared in front of my garage. I haven’t found the rest of the rabbit yet. Poor bun-bun. 😟 I suspect my neighbor’s cat; one year he left rabbit haunches at my front door the day after I got back from vacation. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/309 "2025-12-22T01:32:52Z")
Sounds like the neighbor’s cat likes you, if they’re bringing you gifts like that. That or the cat thinks you’re a giant kitten in dire need of hunting lessons. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/310 "2025-12-22T02:02:10Z")
Maybe @WolfpackJeep needs to dismember a few more bunnies and leave them lying around as an example to the cat. Don’t laugh: you’re next! :eek: 😿 ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/311 "2025-12-22T02:04:54Z")
Crossing a not particularly busy street today. I looked and saw a car approaching in the far lane. Seeing where he was and knowing my walking speed, I proceed to cross. This offends the driver, who _speeds up_ and fake swerves when he is even with me. I was less than a foot from being hit. Not a marked crosswalk, but the asshole wouldn’t have even had to slow down and I would have been on the curb before he got to me. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/312 "2025-12-22T02:22:52Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m trying to enjoy my break and I’m feeling increasingly like I have no space to breathe. I would hope to God that your husband would hear that and immediately say “I’m so sorry! How can we get you some space to breathe?” > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m going to take a shower and then play some video games. Does this mean you’re skipping the party? I attend a lot of family folderol and friends’ parties without my wife. She’s got a very healthy sense of boundaries and what she’s willing to put up with. And I have a very healthy sense of “Why should anyone suffer needlessly?” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/313 "2025-12-22T02:25:24Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Does this mean you’re skipping the party? I skipped the party. I took a hot shower and finally got around to playing _Clair Obscur_ and ordered Jimmy John’s. He and the boy did fine without me, and we tabled our discussion about this issue for later because neither of us have time for it. We are getting on fine in the meantime. No regrets. Tomorrow’s another crazy day, starting with an oil change and ending with hosting a writers group holiday party that is much more my speed, but that will be sad, because we are missing a member, because he died. There will be alcohol. I’m making chili and cornbread. We’re exchanging books our late friend would enjoy. I’m giving out one about killer mermaids. I have some good bad poems to read. The end result will be gratifying. I have a lot to do to get ready, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/314 "2025-12-22T02:29:24Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > Ooo, a mini-rant…somehow a rabbit leg has appeared in front of my garage. I haven’t found the rest of the rabbit yet. Poor bun-bun. 😟 I suspect my neighbor’s cat; one year he left rabbit haunches at my front door the day after I got back from vacation. LOL - that is so jarring to the mind and body to find those things on your property. The neighborhood feral cats have been leaving me bits of “presents” on my porch the last couple weeks for some unknown reason. Dear gawd make it stop! ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/315 "2025-12-22T02:35:56Z")
No rant, but learned my cousin’s son died. At 24. Ugh. Extended Family Christmas party is this Wednesday evening. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/316 "2025-12-22T02:52:55Z")
Awful. I’m really sorry. My cousin died at 19 from some kind of substance overdose, which is doubly awful because his father (my uncle) had previously died of an overdose at age 30. He followed in his father’s footsteps in the worst possible way. When someone that young dies it’s really shocking and terrible. Some people hardly get a chance at life. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/317 "2025-12-22T03:47:49Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I’ll check in with a mod to see if the board has an official position. Nobody likes a tattletale! > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > After the boy is in bed, we talk and watch adult stuff on TV. When offspring was little, they watched kid movies; adults, OTOH, watched adult movies (as in PG or R, not _those_ adult movies). It could sometimes be, aah, interesting when trying to make plans with another couple - “Hey, want to go see an adult movie?”. Yestidy I left my house at 9:30am & didn’t get home until 10:30pm, including standing around outside for 4 hrs at approx freezing temps. It was a bit above freezing when I got there & the rain & warm temps (& associated snow melt) on Thursday made the field a sloppy…& slick mess. This morning was another couple hrs outside. I was dressed for it in both cases (yesterday was flannel-lined pants, two shirts, a sweater & a jersey, & a jacket along with multiple different pairs of gloves & a hat. Today was running tights, fleece pants on bottom & then three shirts & a fleece, all under a drysuit. Because it was an underwater suit instead of a surface suit I had to borrow someone’s boots as mine (two sizes larger than my shoe size) didn’t fit over the thicker, neoprene booties. Enough cold will eventually knock the snot outta you & ruin your desire to stay awake & upright. I put the seat back & slept in my car for ½ hr. The worst part of yesterday’s festival was they had a DJ…so close to making it but I’m just another Whamageddon casualty now. 😱 ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/318 "2025-12-22T05:12:29Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Sounds like the neighbor’s cat likes you He really does! He’s especially fond of my mom - he likes to stalk her so he can rub up against her legs. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Don’t laugh: you’re next! :eek: 😸 I do need to figure out what to do with the leg; it’s supposed to warm up over the next few days, and I do not want to encounter rotting bunny smell again. I’m thinking of putting it under the big tree if it’s still there in the morning; maybe some of the local scavenging birds will take notice. > [@Ellecram](#): > > Dear gawd make it stop! We’re not entirely sure who’s to blame, but one morning my neighbor called in a panic because of animal remains in her yard. Most of the front was gone, but we decided it was a rabbit (again!). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/319 "2025-12-22T12:28:42Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > > After the boy is in bed, we talk and watch adult stuff on TV. > > When offspring was little, they watched kid movies; adults, OTOH, watched adult movies (as in PG or R, not _those_ adult movies). It could sometimes be, aah, interesting when trying to make plans with another couple - “Hey, want to go see an adult movie?”. The preferred term for kidless but not X-rated entertainment is “grown-up movie”. Avoids a lot of explaining and blushing. Once you get used to calling it that with spouse, SO, or friends. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/320 "2025-12-22T14:22:07Z")
Stayed at a hotel last night and it was fine, but why is it that hotels only place a single nightstand between two beds? My son is in one bed, and my husband and I the other, and I’m left with nowhere to put my glasses, my book, or plug in my phone while keeping it within reach. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280.md?page=17)