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Rubbish Christmas Presents Volume 9

13 November 2006 by Tim 18 Comments

A follow on, having been prompted to visit the alumni section of Aston University’s web site, I stumbled across the gifte shoppe. This is full of tragic stuff – I mean, why would want the university scarf while you are a student, let alone want to buy one after you have left?

But Aston’s alumni shop is a poor sad thing, when contrasted with the awesome range of crap available from Jax’s alma mater.

If you went to university, and were sober for long enough to remember which one, then do drop by your alumni shop and see if there is something really nasty there you can give to someone you really don’t like much, otherwise, get off to Durham, and choose from their excellent gifts for all tastes, especially none.

Thinking about it, maybe I ought to get Jax a new t shirt to replace her dilapidated Cuth’s t shirt before it actually falls to pieces. This one looks appropriate tacky – “go to Durham, train as a kidnapper”.

Filed Under: Rubbish Christmas

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Comments

  1. Alison says

    13 November 2006 at 14:33

    I couldn’t find anything online to buy ๐Ÿ™ Things like college scarves (which, no, I did NOT buy!) were sold in shops, rather than through the college/university. (As far as I could tell whilst I was there.)

    Reply
  2. Alison says

    13 November 2006 at 14:40

    Oooh, found some – pictures are nearly as bad as that lapel pin. I’d be thrilled with a lovely plaque for Christmas. http://www.varsityshop.co.uk/acatalog/Exeter_College.html

    Reply
  3. Alison says

    13 November 2006 at 14:48

    Ah, now I have found the University shop – full of shite. You can shop online, or don’t forget to drop in and see them the next time you’re in Oxford! http://www.oushop.com/acatalog/high_street.html

    Reply
  4. Tim says

    13 November 2006 at 15:09

    I particularly like this

    Reply
  5. HelenHaricot says

    13 November 2006 at 17:11

    my med school merged with other thugs, so i can’t actually buy my stuff [though I might have a scarf somewhere! However, the august post grad group of which I am a member has all sorts of tacky offerings

    Reply
  6. HelenHaricot says

    13 November 2006 at 17:16

    in fact, in the gifts and regalia section [rofl!] I think this compact and atomiser looks good! unfortunately it isn’t some kind of pocket nuclear deterrent agains street crime
    http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=73&BookCategoryID=3&BookTypeID=43&BookDetailsID=735

    Reply
  7. HelenHaricot says

    13 November 2006 at 17:17

    oh no! i think I might want this bouaght for me for xmas -rofl rofl rofl
    http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=73&BookCategoryID=3&BookTypeID=43&BookDetailsID=1275

    Reply
  8. HelenHaricot says

    13 November 2006 at 17:19

    oh and no-one look at above link if you know what I do for a living and are a bit weak kneed about it.
    or don’t know what i do for a living in fact.

    Reply
  9. Tim says

    13 November 2006 at 17:33

    Get two of these Helen.
    Why two? Well, just in case you lose one while you are at work. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  10. jax says

    13 November 2006 at 17:43

    I *liked* my college scarf, lovely and thick and warm. Someone nicked it from the bar ๐Ÿ™

    Reply
  11. Kath says

    13 November 2006 at 18:19

    I can’t find a shop online, but I bought a scarf from one of the shops in the city, not through the college. Don’t wear it now though, but nice to have at the time (and very long and warm). I think you used to be able to buy college wine glasses and such but everyone I know just nicked them under their gown during formal hall.

    Reply
  12. HelenHaricot says

    13 November 2006 at 18:25

    my med school scarf was ok – at least warm. but as it doesn’t exist anymore, I have no alma mater!

    Reply
  13. Stella says

    13 November 2006 at 19:11

    I found the online shop for my university. It has a huge range of clothing. I especially liked the clothes for children who like pretending to be students http://www.yourunionshop.net/acatalog/Children_s_clothing.html.
    My favourite product was “Univercity: The first board game to be based around a UK University!”
    http://www.yourunionshop.net/acatalog/Gifts_and_misc.html

    Reply
  14. Tim says

    13 November 2006 at 19:12

    Jax, ask Kath if she has your scarf. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  15. Tim says

    13 November 2006 at 19:19

    Stella, that is truly dire, when it comes to nafftackiness Scotland leads the way. It is the pictures of the horrid, smirking children which truly set it apart.
    I am humbled that my two suggested alumni shops fall so far short of the standard set by St Andrew’s, only the the fact that the ObGyn and OU sites (awful though they are in their own way) are also mere dwarves beside the Colossus of Kitsch provides me some solace.

    Reply
  16. Kath says

    13 November 2006 at 19:39

    Nah Tim, don’t think I’ve ever even been to Durham, much less one of their bars. Never saw any scarves being nicked under gowns either, I have to say!

    Reply
  17. Raymond says

    14 November 2006 at 12:01

    Jax,
    You should’ve done what we did (at Brighton Polytechnic – now Brighton University): stitch four bar-towels together to make a scarf! Jolly warm in winter – not that Brighton really has winters these days …

    Reply
  18. Jax says

    15 November 2006 at 22:17

    stitch…nah…besides, I worked on the bar, I know what happened to those bar towels! ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply

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