I was expecting to have this gigantic list of games and peripherals ready to hand over to that portly, red-suited bastard, but between delays and friends telling me way more than I need to know about certain games (before I had even a chance to play them, I might add), I’ve been forced to distill my wish list down to two possible items. One is plausible, and the other is more “wish” than anything else.

See, the responsible side of me has been asking for a real grownup headset mic for far too long now. And since I actually schedule time to glare at my chincy 360 headset, and the one for my PC is so old I think it’s actually made of rock, I figure it’s about time. I require nothing fancy, just something adjustable that could serve on both console and PC gaming fronts. Oh, and if the Smithsonian has any interest in my old PC headset for display, shoot me an email. I call it “grandpa.”

But then there’s the whole “want” versus “need” aspect to consider. I “need” a new headset for practical reasons like comfort and reliability. What I really “want”…

“Want” so bad that I‘ve actually had dreams about it…

…is a beta invite to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Yep. That’s my big Christmas wish. I’ll be anxiously awaiting an email on Christmas morning, Bioware. It costs no money—nobody can buy one for me, wrap it up and stick it under the tree. All that needs to happen is for you to draw my name out of a hat, or solid-gold goblet or whatever you’re using to choose beta testers who signed up all those months ago, and I’m happy.

Why?

Because I’ve gone up and down the rollercoaster with this one. One moment I believe Old Republic could be God’s gift to MMORPGs, and the other…well, I’m not so sure. That’s why I need that beta invite, see?

But this is Santa we’re talking about here, right? If he can fly in a sleigh, wiggle that jelly down a chimney and not be utterly suicidal from living at the North Pole all year, then he should, in all reality (relatively speaking, of course), be able to produce a copy of Dungeon Keeper 3 if I ask him hard enough. A silly little beta invite shouldn’t be that big of a deal, eh, big fella?

Oh well, here’s to a new headset this Christmas (send two, actually—one for me and one for Alaric). And Bioware? I’ll be waiting for that email.