Ah, the Slanket ... a blanket with sleeves. It's not on my Christmas list yet, but it does intrigue me so I did some research.

First, do I really need one? Probably not, but the value proposition of staying warm and comfortable, yet still having my hands free for eating, drinking and remote controlling is compelling.

I don't use blankets regularly since putting on a sweatshirt usually does the trick. So, why buy a Slanket? Well, it sounds cool and different, which is usually good enough to hook my consumer-centric personality.

Here's the story from Gary, the creator: "One sub-zero night in 1998 during my first semester of college I could not escape Maine's winter bite. While watching 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' I decided I needed to tear a hole in my sleeping bag so I could keep my upper body warm as I channel surfed during the commercial breaks. During Christmas vacation I commissioned the first Slanket to be made by my mother ... and it was born."

Kinda one of those, "why didn't I think about this" things, isn't it?

Anyway, it's available in 10 colors and runs $44.95, which seems a bit high. There are, though, competitors available including a $15 Snuggie and several other "generic" models.

Anyone out there have a Slanket? Please let me know before I write my letter to Santa.