Hello. Would you like a free Xbox? Yes, I thought you might.
I’m partnering with Xbox to do a giveaway around the theme of “staycations.” The idea is that we should stop waiting for some distant day when we have the time and money to “get away,” and start having fun now, right where we are. By playing video games, for example. Up for grabs is two packages for two winners. It’s $500 worth of good stuff:
-An Xbox console
-Three Family Fun Games
-A Gold Subscription to Xbox for a year
For more about the rules, read the italicized bits at the bottom of this post, but the gist is this: Leave a comment about your plan for your perfect day at home, and you’ll be entered to win. Here’s mine:
Snacks and Chick Flicks that Don’t Suck
The best days are days that don’t require pants. This is why I became a writer.
My perfect day at home is all about pajamas, movies, and snacks. As a woman, I prefer movies with women in them, and I particularly enjoy it when those women have speaking roles. (Hollywood, take note! Female audiences are fickle.) If you have a free day, allow me to lay out your gluttonous movie fest:
Breakfast with a plucky Reese Witherspoon. It’s hard to resist a smart movie about high school politics where Ferris Bueller plays the teacher. This movie pairs well with bite-sized waffles.
Bacon and He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. It’s in French, so get to it early while your synapses are still firing. Amelie aside, this is my favorite Audrey Tatou movie. I would prefer you not know anything else about it before you watch it. Please obtain a copy. And some bacon.
Make some hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows and settle in for a play. I’ll watch anything with Julianne Moore; the woman has excellent taste in scripts. (We’re all just going to pretend Safe never happened.) The Vanya on 42nd St. plot synopsis explains it all: “New York actors rehearse Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” in a rundown theater.” It is arty.
Speaking of arty, have a little olive oil popcorn with your Parker Posey. I love House of Yes for its stilted, whip-smart dialogue. Plus, Tori Spelling in surprising turn as “not bad at playing that guy’s girlfriend.”
Olive oil popcorn and Maggie Gyllenhaal in heat. If you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to ruin it — though the movie poster pretty much says it all. Let’s just say Secretary is about power dynamics.
Sundae bar with fresh whipped cream, spicy hot caramel sauce, and slivered almonds, plus Kicking and Screaming. We’ve talked about this before. Noah Baumbach? Call me.
That’s my ultimate day at home. I’m beginning to wonder why I haven’t made this happen yet. Now your turn! Outline your day in comments, or tell me what would make your movie-day lineup if you were plotting a day like mine.
But wait! This is the contest fine print. Here’s how the giveaway works: You must be 18 or over to enter and live in the U.S. I’ll pick two commenters as potential winners (to be verified by ePrize). Please include your perfect day at home in your comment, and multiple entries will be disqualified. Comments will be open until tomorrow December 9, 2009 at 9 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be chosen randomly using Random.org, and announced on Friday, December 11. Good luck! Read the official rules here
Mighty Girl 
it would start with both kids sleeping in until at least 11. then we’d all get up & enjoy a breakfast of french toast, bacon, & coffee (cocoa for the 4 year old). then we’d spend the day shifting between cuddling & watching movies, to daddy & the oldest playing video games while i snuggle with the baby & do what i want. once the kids are in bed, the hubs & i would snuggle down to watch our “adult” movie (meaning not a cartoon).
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I am actually planning this day for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. A fantastically funny guy friend of mine apparently does not live in this world with the rest of us, as I do believe the last movie he saw was “Caddyshack”. So, I am planning a day for him of Dirty Dirties and Man food.
“Superbad”
“Tropic Thunder”
“The Hangover”
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
…then brought back down to earth by the clean, innocent, Hot Pocket humor, of the standup of Jim Gaffigan, “Beyond the Pale”
All while eating Italian Cold Cut dip served in a sourdough bread bowl, popcorn with liberal amounts of butter and Old Bay, Pigs in a Blanket, and Espresso Brownie sundaes. With a cooler of beer on the floor between us, of course.
Can’t wait!
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My perfect staycation would mean staying in on a rainy day. The baby sleeping in until at least 9am. Hubby making a large breakfast! Photo shoot of the baby (we never have the time). Lunch at a local cafe… Mmmmm hummus and veggie pita! The afternoon and evening would be a movie marathon! Chickflick for me and action for the Hubs!
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My perfect staycation at the moment involves sleeping underneath many, many layers of covers.
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i’m having a staycation right now, thanks to a snow day! my perfect staycation is lots of snacks and movies too, replete with pajamas and lots of blankets. a fire, you say? even better. i’ll take your movie suggestions, and add in some good tv when my attention span wanes.
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My perfect staycation is movies and board games with my family. Included are an already clean house and yummy snacks I didn’t have to make.
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Hmmm…I’d start with a boozy brunch…love champagne in the morning. Then I would settle down with one of my favorite books, but in this perfect world, I wouldn’t know it was a favorite yet, and thus be guaranteed a fantastic reading experience. Then I’d metro to the National Mall and do some museuming…stop by this great burger joint for a late lunch. Go see a double feature. Meet up with friends and order only appetizers for dinner.
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I daydream about this sort of thing. It would start with me feeling like I slept in really late but it’s actually not, so that I can maximize my hours. A simple breakfast of cereal, because I’m going to eat breakfast food at lunch instead. Reading a brand new 1000-page Harry Potter book that she’ll have written just for me. Taking a long walk in perfect, warm sunshine with my boyfriend in the early afternoon, then snuggling into bed, talking and making each other laugh and probably dozing off. Then making a fantastic meal that will really impress him, accompanied by lots and lots of beer. Putting on warm socks, sticking on a never-before-seen season of The Office, and getting drunk together, falling asleep on the couch. Can I count my hangover-less next morning in my perfect day as well?
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Hmm, this contest sounds familiar! 🙂
My ultimate staycation:
Rain.
Warm fire.
Pile ‘o good books & bad magazines.
Hubby.
Puppy.
PJ’s.
Popcorn.
And a giant glass of zin.
Thanks, Maggie
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Perfect staycation- sleep as long as possible, then watch a goofy or touching movie in bed. Rise to make coffee and change to lounge clothing. Make eggs and toast. Read fashion and gossip magazines. Pop on jacket and pick up delicious Thai takeout from nearby and return to bed to watch more movies and fall asleep during them. Oh and wine or vodka added liberally. Oh and can’t forget the ice cream….
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I’d have to put on pants, but they’d have an elastic waist. Other than that, raspberry beer, a good book, and everybody else out of the house. Bliss.
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I would do a mac n’ cheese “off” complete with wine/booze pairings for each type of mac. We will try as many mac n’ cheese recipes we can find … all the while in cashmere sweat-suits listening to music just a little bit too loud!
Then we’ll collapse on the couch very full and tipsy.
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My perfect “staycation” would be comfy clothes, snuggling with my husband under a blanket, a stack of good movies, “appetizer night,” and delicious frozen custard or ice cream. Oh, and we’d shut off our phones so there are no interruptions.
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there would be a lot of bed, one boyfriend, two kitties, and unlimited curly fries. also, wine.
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The whole family hanging around in our pjs, cooking, making music, playing dominoes, and as much silliness as possible.
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There is a blizzard outside, making it near impossible for my husband and children to make it home from, er, Grandma’s house! I am forced to snuggle up on the couch with coffee & crossword puzzles. Naps happen. A good movie in the afternoon goes well with the pot of soup I make. My husband and children are home just in time for dinner. The children are bathed and to-bedded. Did I mention the cleaning lady came one day prior? Because she did. So the kids are sleeping the house is clean and Hubby and I are enjoying a bottle of Syrah…aaaand scene!
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The perfect staycation is our cabin in the mountains. 45 minutes from home and worlds away from everything.
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Staycation ahoy! How about staying at home and catching up on laundry? Or, a nice evening at home — “Lady and the Tramp” style pasta dinner with homemade pasta and sauce. Nothing better!
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My perfect day at home involves breakfast and a pot of coffee with my boyfriend, baking some cookies, playing many games of cribbage, drinking bourbon, eating popcorn, and watching an entire season of some brilliant show that I haven’t seen yet.
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My perfect staycation would involve puzzles and board games with the kids in front of a fire in the fireplace, then a nap. Definitely a nap. Followed by carryout from our favorite Mediterranean restaurant and a family-friendly movie.
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Movie: Notting Hill
Food: Little Star Pizza
Misc: My Pink Snuggie
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i actually took a staycation today! called into work and spent the whole day catching up on my blogs. some videos games would have been a nice addition…
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Perfect staycation: a weekend with no where to be, no sports on TV (haha), an assortment of pay-per-view movies available, and someone to bring my husband and I all of our meals so we don’t have to cook. Movies would include everything from the past year that we saw previews of and said, “we should go see that one!” We never go to the movies.
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My perfect staycation would be a Harry Potter marathon with my husband, mexican takeout for dinner and a lot of playtime with the puppy.
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Cold outside, maybe even snowing; still in pj’s; snuggled up with down comforter and lots of pillows; sleeping in, lounging in bed, reading, perhaps watching a movie, with some napping thrown in, with the full knowledge that in 6 hours, someone will be bringing me warm food, tasty beverage and some attention and affection. Aahhhh, a girl can dream…
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Perfect Staycation: Preferably a day where I have to work, but for whatever reason have called in sick or already scheduled off. With the boyfriend to join.
Sleeping in is a necessity (please note, this is at my apartment, not his – as I totally prefer my sheets. And my cat.)
A lazy brunch, which hopefully he’ll prepare, as I normally cook. Follow that up with a cheezy movie-fest (think: Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings / Bourne Trilogy) something we’ve watched 23432 times and still adore. Then ordering out for Chinese (Chang Fu – represent!) and maybe having a few friends over that evening to play Apples to Apples or Catchphrase – two games I just discovered and ADORE.
All of this would be perfect in this kind of Indiana weather we’ve been having (cold, wet, rainy) and of course we’d have spiced apple cider to make sure we stayed warm, in case the cuddling on the couch didn’t do the trick.
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Video games and a time-intensive baking or cooking project like making stock or pleating dumplings. That’s the way to go!
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Cooking a big meal, and snuggling in front of some Planet Earth with the kids!
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My perfect day at home involves me getting out of bed exactly 3 times. Once to pee and get ice cream (mint chocolate chip), once to get more ice cream, and once to pee again and get nachos. The rest of the time would be spent reading fantastic yet shameful books, a la Twilight. Bliss!
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The perfect day would include sleeping in till 9, reading all morning while my husband plays his video game, late lunch w/ a martini, nap, a fabulous dinner cooked by the hubby and ends with some cuddling.
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I’m at home a lot, since it’s, like, my job. So naturally my perfect day would require that the kid be elsewhere. It wouldn’t hurt if my wife took her somewhere. Add pizza delivery, old-school video games, beer, Alton Brown, chocolate chip cookies. Subtract pants. Then cap it off with a hot tub and a cool beverage.
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i’d go exploring locally–antique shops, vintage shops, museums, parks, waterways…then i’d go home, eat delicious food, read, and write…
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My perfect staycation is kinda happening right now; my university has a six-week long winter break and I have ample days off with little to nothing to do. So, I gather a stack of DVDs, curl up in the quilt my grandmother gave me for my 10th birthday, and then I knit or read while the movie or TV series plays. I’m making significant progress on a sweater right now. 🙂
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I had a perfect day today, infact, Mrs. Mason.
Took a personal day that consisted of me rising around 6am, coffee, morning news, ’twas a favorite housedress and warm sweater day.
I worked on a production schedule for a film I’m working on, put up the rest of the Christmas lights, played with liquid eyeliner, took a bunch of photos, made some delicious tomato basil spread and caught up on both my Office and 30Rock episodes I have missed.
Now I am working on the Sunday Times crossword, watching an episode of Cheers and hoping to win an new XBox.
Delightful.
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i would love to cuddle up with my boys (meaning the two-year-old, the husband and the dog) in the living room and read our favorite books, build and re-build the train set and finish with a classic like Wizard of Oz.
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I think the perfect day at home would include lots of movies and freshly popped popcorn, then a little Beatles Rock Band to loosen up the joints a little, maybe a nice walk to the park with a picnic lunch to let the kids and dogs run loose for a bit, followed by an afternoon nap, a home-cooked meal made by my husband and me together and either putting the kids to bed and catching up on some good TV or having Grammy come over while the kids sleep and my husband and I catch a movie out in the real world. Wow, that actually sounds like a great day. I think I’m going to make that all happen next weekend!
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i had great plans for my staycation until i read yours, now i think i’ll just steal that idea. although it might just turn into a day of me watching secretary and house of yes over and over. which i may or may not have done before. i may or may not have enjoyed it too.
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Mine would also involve pajamas. Breakfast all day long. Starting with cereal, proceeding to maybe an egg sandwich and then possibly pancakes. I would love to catch up on a show I haven’t had time to watch, like Lost.
Comfort and TV. What more can you need?
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Pancakes, pajamas, Rock Band, reading, and ice cream!
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My perfect staycation includes movies, a fire, wine for me, hot cocoa for the kids and eating in the family room in front of the TV in jammies.
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My staycation would involve an eternally hot french press, spaghetti and meatballs, pie (please, double-crusted), broken-in flannel pyjamas, a comfy chair, a warm and toasty throw to guard against the the cold, stormy weather outside, a couple of good books, a few trashy shows on the DVR, an epic movie involving love and heartbreak and such, and a little fairy upstairs folding all of my laundry.
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Internet and books (preferably horror or scifi) and family (husband, kids, dogs) and movies (also horror or scifi!) and oreos and milk and donuts and m&ms and vanilla ice cream and nachos and chicken nuggets.
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My line up would be:
1)Oh Brother Where are Thou (not many chicks, but great anyway)
2)Mystic Pizza (love this one, don’t know why, I think it might be because of Julia Roberts’ hair)
3)Cruel Intentions (guilty pleasure, don’t tell anyone)
4)A Time to Kill (best of the lawyerly extravaganzas)
5)Shawshank Redemption (can’t help but watch this if it is on)
6)Princess Bride (standing fav)
Probably more, but these are the first to spring to mind.
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A whole day of my favorite guilty pleasure, The OC. Don’t laugh, it’s well written and I love watching 28-year-olds playing teenagers.
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My staycation movie line-up:
1. Amelie
2. The Dinner Game
3. The Family Stone
4. (500) Days of Summer
Plus some wine and treats!
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My perfect staycation would be: Waking up and cooking breakfast with my boyfriend, followed by a good yoga session, followed by working in my garden. Then ordering in some Thai and relaxing on the couch and watching my favorite movies in the afternoon. Then we’d cook an amazing dinner and finish off the evening with a wine and games night with our best friends.
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An excess of bourbon to drink.
Plenty of time to cook whatever I wanted.
Fuzzy slippers.
Husband, son and dogs. (I’d be fine with or without the cat.)
Seasons of The Office, South Park, Parks & Recreation
And lastly I would crank the heat up as high as I wanted.
Thanks 🙂
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I would spend half the day baking and then tidying up the kitchen, then cozing up for some quality book reading and my well worn fleece blankets. and NO looming deadlines. That would be lovely.
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Lots of cooking and wine…and NO cleaning.
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My perfect day…
waking up a bit late; enjoying a bloody mary (or three). never putting on “real pants” and staying in my pjs all day. lots of cooking, lots of crafting, and my friends and hubby around to enjoy the day with. plus a good long snuggle with my dogs.
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