Bakes like magic

Even if it’s not your vice today, you were probably a sucker for baked goods as a kid. So when you realized you could bake on your own with the Easy Bake Oven, it was mind blowing. Cakes, brownies, just like that—easy as pie! 

It wasn’t Michelin quality, but it was delightful. Plus, carrying Michelin star food can be risky. Just ask this British chef. A van carrying £25,000 worth of his pies was recently stolen! The van was recovered, but sadly, the pies didn’t make it. 

What can we say? Bye-bye, Yorkshire pies ;)

Congratulations to our Day 3 winner, Mike Heathcock! Now let’s get ready for Day 3 of our annual 12 Days of Giving. Each weekday between now and December 20th we’re giving away a $100 Amazon eGift card and all you have to do to get in on the fun is answer the poll question before 6PM (ET)!*

NOTE: If you’re checking us out here online and would like to take part in the giveaways, please subscribe to the newsletter. Good luck!

Despite inflation cooling significantly, prices are sadly still way too high for many Canadians, leading some to take serious cost-cutting measures, including imposing rules on gift-giving or opting not to do gifts at all.

In other words, some families and friend circles are figuring out ways to deal with “gift-flation.”

“‘Gift-flation’ is a term we coined to describe the expectation that gifts—along with many other items this year—have increased in price due to factors beyond Canadians’ control,” says Roshan Jhunja, head of retail at fintech company Square. “What we saw in our survey was that Canadians are bracing for higher prices this year on gifts across the spectrum, which has them in a reflective mood, with 83% planning to be more intentional and thoughtful about their purchases and deal hunting more intensely.”

Over at Deloitte, the sentiment seems to be the same. The consultancy’s holiday spending report is conducted annually, and this year, it found Canadians are expecting to spend $1,347 on Christmas shopping. That’s 11% less than last year, despite prices being considerably higher.

In place of monetary value, many are trying to shop with sentimental value in mind, grabbing gifts for loved ones driven by thoughtfulness in order to get more for less.

After a prolonged silence on the status of NASA’s planned Artemis missions, the space agency provided an update, revealing both upcoming lunar projects have been delayed, though not for as long as some had anticipated.

Artemis 2, which will send a crewed flight of the Orion space capsule to orbit the Moon, is now expected to launch in April of 2026 rather than September of next year. Artemis 3 will land men on the Moon for the first time since 1972, but instead of that happening in 2026, it’s now expected to launch in mid-2027.

“We need to get this Artemis 2 test flight right to ensure the success of our return to the Moon…in order for the rest of the Artemis campaign to proceed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told reporters. “Space is demanding, and we…need this time to make sure that the Orion capsule can safely deliver our astronauts to deep space and back to Earth.”

Issues arose with Orion’s heat shield upon re-entry of Earth’s atmosphere during Artemis 1. Travelling at a speed of 24,600 mph and reaching temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit were expected to result in the shield being charred, but it suffered more damage than anticipated. NASA identified the root cause, but is still working on a suitable fix before green-lighting Artemis 2.

KFC Canada is offering Canadian customers a special deal this Christmas, starting today. Over the next week, the fried chicken joint is giving away limited-edition copies of…bucket lids?

Oh yeah, but in this case, they double as vinyl records containing four Christmas carols: “We Wish you a Merry Christmas,” “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Depending on what song they’re listening to, those lucky enough to win a copy of this festive collector’s item will also be able to detect classic KFC sounds throughout the record, including chicken frying, finger licking, paper wrapping and 11 herbs and spices.

KFC Canada’s Instagram account is running the contest between Dec. 9 and Dec. 16. Like most Instagram contests, those who wish to enter have to like the post, follow the account, and tag a friend.

“In a digital age, people gravitate to all things analog,” said KFC Canada’s marketing manager Jordan Sequeira. “The nostalgia takes you back to what’s important for the holidays—coming together with family. And what better way than with good food and classic music. A KFC bucket with a lid that’s a record was an obvious answer.”

Looks like our favourite globetrotter is at it again! Wondering where he is? Here’s a clue…it’s the 13th smallest country in the world! 😲

Sanford and Son showed us that one man’s junk could make another man some moolah!

Redd Foxx would’ve turned 102 today, and to celebrate, we’re quizzing you on his iconic sitcom. Consider question 1 a freebie, but see how we’ll you do with the rest of today’s trivia ;)

Have a great day ahead Staker!

Trivia courtesy of funtrivia.com. Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL GIVEAWAY RULES HERE